Antibiotics as Major Disruptors of Gut Microbiota.

Jaime Ramirez,Vera Lucia Sdepanian,Aldo Maruy,Luis Bustos Fernandez,Henry Cohen,Francisco Guarner

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2020.572912

Abstract

Advances in culture-independent research techniques have led to an increased understanding of the gut microbiota and the role it plays in health and disease. The intestine is populated by a complex microbial community that is organized around a network of metabolic interdependencies. It is now understood that the gut microbiota is vital for normal development and functioning of the human body, especially for the priming and maturation of the adaptive immune system. Antibiotic use can have several negative effects on the gut microbiota, including reduced species diversity, altered metabolic activity, and the selection of antibiotic-resistant organisms, which in turn can lead to antibiotic-associated diarrhea and recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections. There is also evidence that early childhood exposure to antibiotics can lead to several gastrointestinal, immunologic, and neurocognitive conditions. The increase in the use of antibiotics in recent years suggests that these problems are likely to become more acute or more prevalent in the future. Continued research into the structure and function of the gut microbiota is required to address this challenge.

Highlights

Scientific advances made in recent decades have led to an increased recognition of the role of the human gut microbiota in health and disease (Ananthakrishnan et al, 2019)
Wostmann and his team proved Pasteur’s hypothesis wrong when they developed methods for breeding animals in germ-free conditions (Wostmann, 1981). They discovered that germ-free animals required large quantities of nutrient-rich food, yet Antibiotics and the Gut Microbiota continued to have stunted growth and development compared with normal animals
Compared with placebo or no treatment, the risk of associated diarrhea (AAD) among adults and children treated with antibiotics was significantly reduced with probiotic therapy comprised of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (Szajewska and Kolodziej, 2015a) or Saccharomyces boulardii (Szajewska and Kolodziej, 2015b)

Summary

Introduction

Scientific advances made in recent decades have led to an increased recognition of the role of the human gut microbiota in health and disease (Ananthakrishnan et al, 2019). Wostmann and his team proved Pasteur’s hypothesis wrong when they developed methods for breeding animals in germ-free conditions (Wostmann, 1981). Germ-free animals had smaller hearts, lungs, and livers, lower cardiac output, thinner intestinal walls, reduced gastrointestinal motility, lower serum gamma globulin levels, and atrophied lymph nodes (Wostmann, 1981). Most of these deficiencies can be restored by introducing intestinal microbiota from animals raised under normal conditions. While microbial colonization may not be essential for life, it is critical for health (Guarner and Malagelada, 2003; O’Hara and Shanahan, 2006)

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Findings

Conclusion