Alteration in Oral Microbiome Among Men Who Have Sex With Men With Acute and Chronic HIV Infection on Antiretroviral TherapyOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Researchers compared throat-swab oral microbiomes in three groups of men who have sex with men: 15 with acute HIV infection, 15 with chronic HIV infection, and 15 HIV-uninfected controls.
How was it studied?
Throat swabs were collected at recruitment (week 0) and again 12 weeks after starting antiretroviral therapy (week 12). Genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
What did they find?
Microbiome diversity was significantly lower in both acute and chronic HIV infection than in controls, at week 0 and still at week 12. Unidentified Prevotellaceae increased in both infected groups, along with Prevotella in acute infection and Streptococcus in chronic infection, while controls had more Lactobacillus, Rothia, Lautropia, and Bacteroides. After ART, Bradyrhizobium increased in both infected groups, whereas controls showed enrichment of Lactobacillus, Rothia, Clostridia, Actinobacteria, and Ruminococcaceae. Lower CD4+ T-cell counts (under 200 cells per mm3) were linked to lower Haemophilus, Actinomyces, unidentified Ruminococcaceae, and Rothia.
Why it matters
The findings suggest HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy both reshape the oral microbiome, which could inform strategies to improve oral health in people living with HIV.