Dysbiosis in the Gut Microbiota in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease during RemissionOriginal 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?
This cross-sectional study characterized fecal microbiota in adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who were in clinical remission, comparing them to healthy controls. It included 98 IBD patients (66 with ulcerative colitis, 32 with Crohn's disease) and 97 controls.
How was it studied?
Stool samples and detailed patient data were collected, and the V1 to V2 variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced. Researchers compared alpha and beta diversity, ran differential abundance analysis, and built a correlation network to identify influential taxa and modules.
What did they find?
IBD patients showed lower alpha diversity and distinct beta diversity compared to healthy controls, even in remission. Healthy controls were linked to unclassified Akkermansia, Oscillibacter, and Coprococcus species, while flavonoid-degrading bacteria were linked to IBD. Network analysis identified a strongly correlated Enterobacteriaceae module associated with IBD.
Why it matters
The findings suggest gut dysbiosis persists after acute inflammation subsides and may drive chronicity rather than merely reflect active disease. The Enterobacteriaceae cluster, containing taxa known to disrupt colonization resistance and form biofilms, may sustain low-grade inflammation and trigger relapse.