Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine 62d ago

Researchers at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) have identified a bacterium strongly associated with noma disease, marking a major step towards earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment. In a new study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, a research team from LSTM, working with partners at the University of Liverpool, Médecins Sans Frontières and the Noma Children’s Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria, used metagenomic sequencing and machine learning algorithms to analyse saliva samples from children with acute noma. They uncovered a previously undescribed species of Treponema bacteria, which may be responsible for the disease. Noma is a rapidly progressing infection that begins as gingivitis and inflammation of the gums but goes on to destroy the tissues of the mouth and face. It primarily affects young children living in extreme poverty. Without treatment, it is fatal in up to 90% of cases, while survivors are left with severe disfigurement and lifelong complications. Despite being formally classified as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization in 2023, the underlying cause of noma has remained poorly understood.