Gut microbiota profile in healthy Indonesians.

Background: Recently, gut microbiota has been associated with various diseases other than intestinal disease. Thus, there has been rapid growth in the study of gut microbiota. Considering the numerous factors influencing gut microbiota such as age, diet, ., area-based research is required. Indonesia has numerous different tribes and each of these tribes have different lifestyles. Hence, it is expected that each tribe has a specific gut microbiota. A deeper insight into the composition of gut microbiota can be used to determine the condition of gut microbiota in Indonesians and to consider which treatment may be suitable and effective to improve health status.

Aim: To investigate the gut microbiota of Indonesian subjects represented by Javanese and Balinese tribes by analyzing fecal samples.

Methods: Fecal samples were collected from a total of 80 individuals with 20 in each of the young groups ranging from 25-45 years and the elderly group aged 70 years or more from two different regions, Yogyakarta and Bali. Fecal sample collection was performed at the end of the assessment period (day 14 ± 1 d) during which time the subjects were not allowed to consume probiotic or antibiotic products. The quantification of various subgroups, subgroups, , group and , and cluster, and was performed using the Yakult intestinal flora-scan (YIF-SCAN).

Results: The bacterial population in younger subjects' feces was higher than that in the elderly population, with a total of approximately 10.0 - 10.6 log bacterial cells/g feces. The most abundant bacteria in all groups were , followed by and . In the elderly, an increase in , Coliform and was found. In terms of bacterial counts in Yogyakarta, total bacteria, () group, , , subgroup, and were significantly higher ( < 0.05) in younger than elderly subjects, while the subgroup, subgroup, and subgroup counts were significantly lower ( < 0.05) in younger subjects. In Balinese subjects, total bacteria, group, subgroup, group, and were significantly higher ( < 0.05) in younger compared to elderly individuals, while the subgroup, and were significantly lower ( < 0.05) in younger subjects. The results also revealed that, besides the group and group being the most abundant gut microbiota in both Yogyakarta and Balinese people, the latter was indicated by a higher count, which was almost 10 times that of Yogyakarta subjects. This may be a response to different lifestyles in the different tribes; however, this phenomenon requires further extensive study.

Conclusion: Bacterial populations were higher in younger than in elderly subjects. Most abundant bacterial groups were , and . The level of in Yogyakarta subjects was lower than that in Balinese subjects.