International consensus statement on microbiome testing in clinical practice.

There is growing interest in the potential exploitation of the gut microbiome as a diagnostic tool in medicine, but evidence supporting its clinical usefulness is scarce. An increasing number of commercial providers offer direct-to-consumer microbiome diagnostic tests without any consensus on their regulation or any proven value in clinical practice, which could result in considerable waste of individual and health-care resources and potential drawbacks in the clinical management of patients. We convened an international multidisciplinary expert panel to standardise best practices of microbiome testing for clinical implementation, including recommendations on general principles and minimum requirements for their provision, indications, pre-testing protocols, method of analyses, reporting of results, and potential clinical value.

In Search for Reasons behind Eradication Failure-Assessment of the Antibiotics Resistance Rate and Co-Existence of with Species.

eradication is characterized by decreasing successful eradication rates. Although treatment failure is primarily associated with resistance to antibiotics, other unknown factors may influence the eradication outcome. This study aimed to assess the presence of the antibiotics resistance genes in and the presence of spp.

Electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibers functionalized with Achillea millefolium extract yield biomaterial with antibacterial, antioxidant and improved mechanical properties.

In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL), as a biocompatible polymer was functionalized by addition of medicinal plant extract- Achillea millefolium L. (yarrow). Nanofiber mats were fabricated from PCL solutions containing dry yarrow extract in four concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% relative to the weight of the polymer) by using blend electrospinning method.

Vitamin B Complex and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis -Attenuation of the Clinical Signs and Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis.

The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of the vitamin B complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12-VBC), by studying the changes in the femoral nerve, quadriceps muscle, popliteal lymph nodes and gut microbiota in the rat model of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). VBC treatment attenuated clinical signs of EAE during the disease, and reduced the duration of EAE thereby contributing to a faster recovery. In VBC-treated EAE rats, a significant decrease in nerve and muscle nuclear density was revealed during the onset period of the disease, while a marked increase was detected at the end of the disease, compared with untreated EAE rats.

Does Day-to-Day Variability in Stool Consistency Link to the Fecal Microbiota Composition?

Introduction: Stool consistency has been associated with fecal microbial composition. Stool consistency often varies over time, in subjects with and without gastrointestinal disorders, raising the question whether variability in the microbial composition should be considered in microbiota studies. We evaluated within-subject day-to-day variability in stool consistency and the association with the fecal microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and healthy subjects, over seven days.

Plant Extracts Rich in Polyphenols as Potent Modulators in the Growth of Probiotic and Pathogenic Intestinal Microorganisms.

Medicinal plants and their extracts contain substantial quantities of polyphenols. As metabolically active plant metabolites, polyphenols are food components with a wide range of biological activities. Given their poor absorbability in the digestive tract their activity toward the human host is typically mediated through interaction with intestinal microbes.

The Interrelationship Among Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Colonic Diverticulosis and Metabolic Syndrome.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and colonic diverticulosis are widespread, obesity-related diseases. It has recently become clear that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a systemic disease and may play a key role in metabolic syndrome; therefore, the term metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease has been introduced in the literature. Excess visceral adipose tissue is an important predictor of complications in both non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and colonic diverticulosis.

Systematic review: gastric microbiota in health and disease.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is the most infamous constituent of the gastric microbiota and its presence is the strongest risk factor for gastric cancer and other gastroduodenal diseases. Although historically the healthy stomach was considered a sterile organ, we now know it is colonised with a complex microbiota. However, its role in health and disease is not well understood.

Cefazolin-loaded polycaprolactone fibers produced via different electrospinning methods: Characterization, drug release and antibacterial effect.

Antibiotic containing polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers were produced by using three electrospinning methods: blend, emulsion and co-axial electrospinning (labeled as S1, S2 and S3, respectively). The profiles of drug release from three different systems were studied and antimicrobial properties of produced materials were evaluated. Morphology of the produced fibers was characterized and revealed that cefazolin-loaded PCL fibers had smaller diameter compared to neat PCL fibers, while the chemical interaction between the antibiotic and PCL showed that cefazolin neither had reacted with PCL phase, nor had degraded during the electrospinning process.

Rome Foundation Working Team Report on Post-Infection Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Background & Aims: The existence of postinfection irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) has been substantiated by epidemiology studies conducted in diverse geographic and clinical settings. However, the available evidence has not been well summarized, and there is little guidance for diagnosis and treatment of PI-IBS. The ROME Foundation has produced a working team report to summarize the available evidence on the pathophysiology of PI-IBS and provide guidance for diagnosis and treatment, based on findings reported in the literature and clinical experience.

Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy is not associated with the onset of inflammatory bowel diseases. A case-control study.

Background And Aims: A negative association between H. pylori and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been previously reported. There were also case reports suggesting a new onset of IBD 6-12 months after H.

Biocontrol and plant stimulating potential of novel strain Bacillus sp. PPM3 isolated from marine sediment.

In the current study, the biocontrol potential of a novel strain Bacillus sp. PPM3 isolated from marine sediment from the Red Sea in Hurghada, Egypt is recognized. This novel strain was selected out of 32 isolates based on its ability to suppress the growth of four plant pathogenic fungi: Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium graminearum, Mucor sp.

European consensus conference on faecal microbiota transplantation in clinical practice.

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an important therapeutic option for infection. Promising findings suggest that FMT may play a role also in the management of other disorders associated with the alteration of gut microbiota. Although the health community is assessing FMT with renewed interest and patients are becoming more aware, there are technical and logistical issues in establishing such a non-standardised treatment into the clinical practice with safety and proper governance.

Sugar Beet Pulp as Leuconostoc mesenteroides T3 Support for Enhanced Dextransucrase Production on Molasses.

Sugar beet pulp (SBP) and molasses, as an agro industrial waste material, are produced in large amounts annually. Thus, a major challenge nowadays is to develop procedures that could increase the value of the generated waste. In this study, SBP as a support for cell immobilization and molasses as a source of nutrients were used for a dextransucrase (DS) production by Leuconostoc mesenteroides T3.

Irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disease with a high population prevalence. The disorder can be debilitating in some patients, whereas others may have mild or moderate symptoms. The most important single risk factors are female sex, younger age and preceding gastrointestinal infections.

Intestinal microbiota and diet in IBS: causes, consequences, or epiphenomena?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a heterogeneous functional disorder with a multifactorial etiology that involves the interplay of both host and environmental factors. Among environmental factors relevant for IBS etiology, the diet stands out given that the majority of IBS patients report their symptoms to be triggered by meals or specific foods. The diet provides substrates for microbial fermentation, and, as the composition of the intestinal microbiota is disturbed in IBS patients, the link between diet, microbiota composition, and microbial fermentation products might have an essential role in IBS etiology.

The microbial eukaryote Blastocystis is a prevalent and diverse member of the healthy human gut microbiota.

To date, the majority of research into the human gut microbiota has focused on the bacterial fraction of the community. Inevitably, this has resulted in a poor understanding of the diversity and functionality of other intestinal microorganisms in the human gut. One such nonbacterial member is the microbial eukaryote Blastocystis, which has been implicated in the aetiology of a range of different intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases.

The first 1000 cultured species of the human gastrointestinal microbiota.

The microorganisms that inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract comprise a complex ecosystem with functions that significantly contribute to our systemic metabolism and have an impact on health and disease. In line with its importance, the human gastrointestinal microbiota has been extensively studied. Despite the fact that a significant part of the intestinal microorganisms has not yet been cultured, presently over 1000 different microbial species that can reside in the human gastrointestinal tract have been identified.

Faecal microbiota composition in adults is associated with the FUT2 gene determining the secretor status.

The human intestine is colonised with highly diverse and individually defined microbiota, which likely has an impact on the host well-being. Drivers of the individual variation in the microbiota compositions are multifactorial and include environmental, host and dietary factors. We studied the impact of the host secretor status, encoded by fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) -gene, on the intestinal microbiota composition.

Function of the microbiota.

The gut microbiota of humans is complex but stable in composition and function. Metabolic conversions performed by the members of the microbiota yield both beneficial and hazardous compounds, and have a systematic impact on human health. Comparative studies have shown that the microbiota of patients, suffering from a number of diseases, is in dysbiosis, which is characterized by a distinct composition.

Phylogenetic analysis of dysbiosis in ulcerative colitis during remission.

Background: Presence of intestinal microbes is a prerequisite for the development of ulcerative colitis (UC), although deviation of the normal intestinal microbiota composition, dysbiosis, is presumably implicated in the etiology of UC.

Methods: The fecal microbiota of 30 UC samples obtained from 15 patients who were sampled twice and from 15 healthy control subjects originating from 2 geographic locations was analyzed using highly reproducible phylogenetic microarray that has the capacity for detection and quantification of more than 1000 intestinal bacteria in a wide dynamic range.

Results: The fecal microbiota composition is not significantly influenced by geographic location, age, or gender, but it differs significantly between the patients with UC and the control subjects (P = 0.

Microarray analysis reveals marked intestinal microbiota aberrancy in infants having eczema compared to healthy children in at-risk for atopic disease.

Background: Deviations in composition and diversity of intestinal microbiota in infancy have been associated with both the development and recurrence of atopic eczema. Thus, we decided to use a deep and global microarray-based method to characterize the diversity and temporal changes of the intestinal microbiota in infancy and to define specific bacterial signatures associated with eczema. Faecal microbiota at 6 and 18 months of age were analysed from 34 infants (15 with eczema and 19 healthy controls) selected from a prospective follow-up study based on the availability of faecal samples.

Long-term monitoring of the human intestinal microbiota composition.

The microbiota that colonizes the human intestinal tract is complex and its structure is specific for each of us. In this study we expand the knowledge about the stability of the subject-specific microbiota and show that this ecosystem is stable in short-term intervals (< 1 year) but also during long periods of time (> 10 years). The faecal microbiota composition of five unrelated and healthy subjects was analysed using a comprehensive and highly reproducible phylogenetic microarray, the HITChip.

Global and deep molecular analysis of microbiota signatures in fecal samples from patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Background & Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been associated with disruptions to the intestinal microbiota, but studies have had limited power, coverage, and depth of analysis. We aimed to define microbial populations that can be used discriminate the fecal microbiota of patients with IBS from that of healthy subjects and correlate these with IBS intestinal symptom scores.

Methods: The microbiota composition was assessed by global and deep molecular analysis of fecal samples from 62 patients with IBS patients and 46 healthy individuals (controls).

Evaluating the microbial diversity of an in vitro model of the human large intestine by phylogenetic microarray analysis.

A high-density phylogenetic microarray targeting small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) sequences of over 1000 microbial phylotypes of the human gastrointestinal tract, the HITChip, was used to assess the impact of faecal inoculum preparation and operation conditions on an in vitro model of the human large intestine (TIM-2). This revealed that propagation of mixed faecal donations for the production of standardized inocula has only a limited effect on the microbiota composition, with slight changes observed mainly within the Firmicutes. Adversely, significant shifts in several major groups of intestinal microbiota were observed after inoculation of the in vitro model.