A new study finds that the composition of the gut microbiome helps predict whether a person will contract potentially life-threatening infections with Klebsiella pneumoniae, E.coli and other bugs — and that can be changed by changing your diet. May go. (Also read: You are what you eat: Study reveals surprising link between fiber, gut health and cancer ,
A group of bacteria called Enterobacteriaceae, which includes Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella, E.coli, and others, are present at low levels as part of the healthy human gut microbiome. However, certain triggering factors such as increased inflammation in the body, or eating contaminated food can cause these worms to cause illness and disease. In extreme cases, too much Enterobacteriaceae in the gut can be life-threatening.
How does the gut microbiome protect against harmful bacteria?
Researchers have used computational approaches, including AI, from stool samples of more than 12,000 people in 45 countries to analyze their gut microbiome composition. They found that a person’s microbiome ‘signature’ could predict whether a person’s gut was likely to be colonized by Enterobacteriaceae. The results are consistent across different states of health and geographic locations.
The researchers identified 135 gut microbe species that are normally found in the absence of Enterobacteriaceae. This probably protects against infection. The results have been published in the journal Nature Microbiology. Notable among the protective gut species is a group of bacteria called Faecalibacterium, which produce beneficial compounds called short-chain fatty acids by breaking down the fiber in the foods we eat.
Role of fiber in promoting gut health
It appears to protect against infection by many disease-causing Enterobacteriaceae bugs. Researchers suggest that eating more fiber in our diets will help the growth of good bacteria – and crowd out bad bacteria – to reduce disease risk. In contrast, taking probiotics – which do not directly change the environment in the gut – is less likely to affect the likelihood of Enterobacteriaceae infections.
“Our results suggest that what we eat is potentially very important in controlling the susceptibility to infection by many types of bacteria, including E.coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae because it makes our gut environment more hostile to invaders.” Gives,” said Dr. Alexandre Almeida. , a researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and senior author of the paper.
He added: “By eating fiber in foods like vegetables, beans and whole grains, we can provide our gut bacteria with the raw materials to produce short-chain fatty acids – compounds that protect us from these pathogenic bugs. Can.” Klebsiella pneumoniae can cause pneumonia, meningitis, and other infections.
