Partners of patients with ulcerative colitis exhibit a biologically relevant dysbiosis in fecal microbial metacommunities.

Aim: To investigate alterations in the fecal microbiome using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing in couples in the same cohabitation environment.

Methods: Fecal samples were collected from eight ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and their healthy partners at Lishui People's Hospital, Zhejiang Province, China. DNA was extracted and the variable regions V3 and V4 of the 16S rRNA genes were PCR amplified using a two-step protocol.