Composition of human faecal microbiota in resistance to Campylobacter infection

Abstract

In mice, specific species composition of gut microbiota enhances susceptibility to Campylobacter jejuni but little is known about the specific composition of the human gut microbiota in providing protection from infections caused by enteropathogens. Healthy adult individuals, who travelled in groups from Sweden to destinations with an estimated high risk for acquisition of Campylobacter infection, were enrolled. Faecal samples, collected before travelling and after returning home, were cultured for bacterial enteropathogens, and analysed for Campylobacter by PCR and for the species composition of the microbiota by 16S amplicon massive parallel sequencing. The microbiota compositions were compared between persons who became infected during their travel and those who did not. A total of 63 participants completed the study; 14 became infected with Campylobacter, two with Salmonella and 47 remained negative for the enteropathogens tested. After exclusion of samples taken after antimicrobial treatment, 49 individuals were included in the final analyses. Intra-individual stability of the microbiota was demonstrated for samples taken before travelling. The original diversity of the faecal microbiota was significantly lower among individuals who later became infected compared with those who remained uninfected. The relative abundances of bacteria belonging to the family Lachnospiraceae, and more specifically its two genera Dorea and Coprococcus, were significantly higher among those who remained uninfected. The travel-related infection did not significantly modify the faecal microbiota composition. Species composition of human gut microbiota is important for colonization resistance to Campylobacter infection. Especially individuals with a lower diversity are more susceptible to Campylobacter infection.

The imbalance of gut microbiota and its correlation with plasma inflammatory cytokines in pemphigus vulgaris patients

“…Absence of Lachnospiracea_incertae_sedis and Coprococcus may cause a decline in short‐chain fatty acid production and is often associated with diseases such as asthma and inflammatory bowel disease . Additionally, decline in Coprococcus has also been demonstrated in patients with intestinal, neuropsychological, infectious, atopic and liver diseases . Lachnospiracea_incertae_sedis and Coprococcus , both butyrate producing bacteria, were shown to exert an anti‐inflammatory effect by inducing regulatory T cells (Tregs); consequently, these have the ability to modulate the immune system .…”

The microbiota of the respiratory tract: gatekeeper to respiratory health

“…Similarly, the diversity of specific microscale ecosystems in the human host, such as the gut microbiota, has been associated with health outcomes. For example, increased diversity of intestinal bacteria has been linked to the absence of inflammatory bowel disease, obesity 60 and resistance against acute infections by enteropathogens 61 . Conversely, at other body sites, such as the vagina, low bacterial diversity is considered 'healthy' as it is associated with decreased incidences of bacterial vaginosis 62,63 and premature birth 64 , which highlights the niche-specific effect of biodiversity on human health.…”

Gut microbiome recovery after antibiotic usage is mediated by specific bacterial species

“…The human gut microbiome harbors trillions of bacteria providing diverse metabolic capabilities and with essential roles in host health, particularly energy metabolism, immune homeostasis, and xenobiotic metabolism 1 . A stable consortium of commensal microbiota is also believed to play a key role in resisting colonization by pathogens, with dysbiosis being associated with increased risk for infections 2,3 . Several recent studies have further highlighted the importance of the gut microbiome for host health, particularly in infants and the elderly, with loss of diversity and dysbiosis being associated with various metabolic, immunological and neurological diseases 4 , and poorer response to cancer immunotherapy 5,6 .…”