A strain of bacteria never before discovered by the scientific community has been found living in a Kent sheep farmer.
The 55-year-old shepherd from Canterbury was admitted to St Thomas Hospital in London with a fever.
After a standard blood test pulled up a mystery bacteria, researchers at King’s and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust started investigating.
The results showed that it was a new species of Variovorax – a group of bacteria that lives in the soil.
It is thought that the farmer, who has 1,500 sheep, may have contracted it whilst lambing and feeding medicine to sheep without gloves.
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The scientific breakthrough was discovered in his aorta – the main artery of the body’s circulatory system that pumps oxygenated blood from the heart.
The patient has named the new germ himself, crowning it Variovorax durovernensis after the Roman name for Canterbury ‘Durovernum’.
Lara Payne, specialist registrar at St Thomas’ Hospital, told Kings College London: “Further investigation suggested the patient became infected during the lambing season or while feeding the sheep anti-parasite medications – a process called ‘drenching’ – which was all done without gloves.”
The bacteria was identified using a nanopore sequencer.
This technology can read long, single sequences of DNA much faster than other techniques, allowing for quicker analysis of its whole genome.
Adela Alcolea-Medina, a researcher at King’s, added: “We are already using this technology in clinical practice to find out the microbes causing severe pneumonia in people admitted to intensive care.
“Once we know the cause of infection we can change the antibiotics accordingly – meaning patients get personalised and targeted treatment.”
The farmer’s condition is not known.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
