Tea could kill hospital superbug

Cups of tea to fight the deadly hospital superbug C London - Arabstoday Cups of tea could be key to fighting the deadly hospital superbug C. diff, according to scientists. Tests have shown that chemicals in tea leaves can destroy the bug, which kills 3,000 people a year. Now researchers at the Cardiff University want to develop an antibacterial "supertea". It would be given to patients to ward off C. diff, which is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Docs found chemicals called polyphenols, which give a cuppa its flavour, fight off the bacteria. The Cardiff University team exposed 79 strains of C. diff - clostridium difficile - to 33 types of tea to see which proved best. Prof Les Baillie, who has been studying the disease-fighting properties of the humble cuppa since 2008, said green tea appeared to have a stronger impact than black tea in tests. The drink is already known to reduce the risk of heart disease. "We had done some preliminary work on standard breakfast tea and found that it kills bacteria. It evolved that clostridium difficile is also vulnerable to tea as it is a gut-based disease," the Sun quoted Prof Baillie as saying. Researcher Will McCully added: "Tea is one of the most widely consumed drinks in the world - and in the UK we drink more cups per head than in any other nation. "This summer we will try to produce an antibacterial supertea. The ultimate aim is to produce a drink that will be clinically effective against C. diff," he noted.