Gurkhas’ guts help to take on ‘travel tummy’
THE end of “travel tummy” could be on the horizon as military scientists take inspiration from Gurkha soldiers.
Anecdotal evidence obtained by the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) indicated more than half of military personnel posted overseas suffered complaints such as travellers’ diarrhoea (TD), compared with a tenth of Gurkhas.
The observations led DSTL to enlist the help of scientists at the University of Birmingham to research the bacterial composition of the gut of British and Gurkha soldiers in the first study of its kind.
Their findings showed significant differences in the community of bacteria in the guts of Gurkhas. It is known bacteria in the gut can protect against diarrhoea-causing pathogens.
Scientists believe these differences might explain why Gurkha soldiers have a lower risk for TD upon deployment abroad.
But the study suggests there is not a single species of bacteria that can protect against traveller’s diarrhoea.
Instead, they believe, the overall community of diverse bacteria in the gut of Gurkha soldiers may form a resilient network that protects against invading pathogens.
Prof Willem van Schaik, of the University of Birmingham, who is overseeing the research, said: “Our study found a clear difference between the gut microbiome of Gurkha and non-Gurkha soldiers and this observation could provide an explanation for the increased resistance of Gurkhas to TD.
“Perhaps more importantly, it also suggests that by modulating the composition of the gut microbiome we may be able to prevent TD in troops deployed abroad.”
Over the next few years the team will perform further studies to determine whether some bacteria can protect against TD.
If that is established, they will pursue interventions that can include the use of supplements that carry these bacteria.
DSTL said the findings
‘Our military on critical operations do not have a rest and recover option’
provide an important insight into a potential mechanism for the reduced incidence of TD amongst Gurkhas, which may in future enable the gut microbiome of soldiers to be manipulated to prevent or treat debilitating diarrhoeal diseases.
Prof Sarah Harding, a DSTL technical partner, said: “Many travellers will be familiar with the inconvenience of an upset stomach whilst on holiday.
“Our military on critical operations do not always have the option of retiring to rest and recover.
“This work could improve operational effectiveness by helping to identify and develop treatments that could prevent illness in addition to those that may accelerate recovery.”