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Updated: May 22, 2026

Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota
Published on: February 15, 2019
[Differences in fecal Bifidobacterium species between patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy individuals]
Xiaojin Xu1, Hongxiang Hui, Dehong Cai
1Department of Endocrinology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China. 309322370@qq.com
Objective:
To determine the changes in fecal Bifidobacterium species in patients with type 2 diabetes in comparison with healthy individuals.
Methods:
The bacterial DNA were extracted from the fecal samples from 50 type 2 diabetic patients and 30 healthy individuals. Real-time quantitative PCR was employed to determine the copy numbers of the bacteria in the fecal samples using 16S rRNA-targeted genus- and species-specific PCR primers for a selected group of fecal Bifidobacterium species including total Bifidobacterium, B.longum, B.breve, B.adolescent, and B. infantis.
Results:
The diabetic group had significantly lower copy numbers of total Bifidobacterium and B.adolescent compared to the healthy individuals (P<0.05).
Conclusion:
Type 2 diabetic patients have a lowered number of Bifidobacterium species in the gut microflora.
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