Asymptomatic Intestinal Colonization with Protist Blastocystis Is Strongly Associated with Distinct Microbiome Ecological Patterns.

ABSTRACT: Blastocystis is the most prevalent protist of the human intestine, colonizing approximately 20% of the North American population and up to 100% in some nonindustrialized settings. Blastocystis is associated with gastrointestinal and systemic disease but can also be an asymptomatic colonizer in large populations. While recent findings in humans have shown bacterial microbiota changes associated with this protist, it is unknown whether these occur due to the presence of Blastocystis or as a result of inflammation. To explore this, we evaluated the fecal bacterial and eukaryotic microbiota in 156 asymptomatic adult subjects from a rural population in Xoxocotla, Mexico. Colonization with Blastocystis was strongly associated with an increase in bacterial alpha divers

SUBMITTER: Nieves-Ramirez ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6020473 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature