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Leprosy Bacteria Found To Regenerate Organs During Experiments

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Kay Smythe News and Commentary Writer
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Researchers released evidence Tuesday that one of the world’s oldest and most horrific diseases can actually prompt animal livers to grow, offering a potential source of safe repair interventions.

A team at the University of Edinburgh have found that leprosy bacteria may be able to help bodily organs regenerate, despite it being one of the most horrendously deforming diseases in human history. The team’s research was published in Cell Reports Medicine, which detailed the analysis revealing that leprosy bacteria nearly doubled the size of armadillo livers.


The results of the study suggest that the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria can literally reverse the course of aging on the liver, returning it to a youthful state, the researchers noted. “It was totally unexpected,” researcher Prof. Anura Rambukkana told the BBC. “It is kind of mind-blowing. How do they do that? There is no cell therapy that can do that.”

It is hoped that the research will eventually lead to safe and effective means of rebuilding livers and potentially other organs within the human body without having to undergo surgical intervention, such as organ transplants, the BBC reported. (RELATED: STUDY: Burglaries Drop In Areas With High Gun Permits)

Previous research conducted by Rambukkana and her team found that leprosy-causing bacteria can turn nerves into stem cells and muscles. The findings are a far cry from the historical perception of leprosy as an incurable, highly transmittable disease that leads to a lifetime of progressive disfigurements, according to Britannica.