It has been estimated that the microbes in our bodies collectively make up 100 trillion cells [1,2], ten times the number of total human cells and it is suggested that they encode 100 times more unique genes than our own genome encodes [3,4]. The human intestinal microbiota is essential to the health of the host and plays a role in nutrition, development, metabolism, pathogen resistance and regulation of immune responses, indeed, it is sometimes referred to as our ''forgotten organ'' [5,6]. Disruptions to the normal balance between the gut microbiota and the host have been associated with obesity, malnutrition, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), neurological disorders and cancer [7].
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