Certain gut bacteria play a key role in a person's risk for infection Those that produce a beneficial fatty acid called butyrate help prevent infection, researchers report The findings pave the way for predicting one's personal risk FRIDAY, June 21, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- The bacteria colonizing your bowels play a key part in your risk for infection, new research shows. A study of more than 600 people hospitalized with infections found their microbiomes had fewer bacteria that were able to produce a beneficial fatty acid called butyrate. The bacteria make butyrate as they digest the fiber people eat.
It's been shown before that people fighting serious infections have fewer of these bacteria. Butyrate also has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the immune system in mice, but it wasn't clear whether the same was true in humans. "We didn't know whether the less healthy gut flora is due to the acute infection and its treatment or whether they have always had less of the butyrate-producing bacteria in their microbiome," said study co-author , a doctoral student at Amsterdam University Medical Center in The Netherlands.
"The study now answers this chicken-and-egg question." Researchers analyzed stool samples from more than 10,000 people, zeroing in on 16 bacteria that make butyrate. During the study, 602 people were hospitalized.
"We saw that in people who have 10% more of those bacteria in their gut, the chance of getting an infection decreases by as much as 15% to 25%," .
