Cranberry Juice May Prevent Staph Infections

Filed in archive Food and Agriculture on September 3, 2010

© Andrew Morrell Photography

In a small clinical trial, a cranberry juice cocktail has been shown to help prevent Staphylococcus infections.

Although cranberry juice has repeatedly been shown to help prevent E.coli infections, particularly in cases of urinary tract infections, this is one of the few studies showing its effectivity in blocking Staphylococus aureus, a strain of bacteria that causes a range of diseases, from minor skin rashes to serious bloodstream infections. One particular strain, known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a growing public health problem in hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions because it doesn't respond to most antibiotics.

In the study, the researchers discovered that the consumption of a cranberry juice cocktail prevented significantly reduced the ability of E. coli and S. aureus to form biofilms that allow bacteria to adhere to its host cells.