An Altered Gut Microbiome Profile in a Child Affected by Crohn's Disease Normalized After Nutritional Therapy

Abstract

To the Editor: The pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) is not known: the currently accepted hypothesis is that genetic susceptibility and environmental factors cooperate to trigger the chronic inflammation typical of the disease. Recent evidence implicating the gut microbiome in CD development has generated interest in its characterization (1). Previous studies have shown that bacterial diversity is reduced in CD patients, that bacterial populations in CD patients differ in relation to phenotype, and that the microbial composition differs significantly between inflamed and non-inflamed mucosal areas (2).