Gut microbiota profile in healthy Indonesians

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Human gut microbiome
• Indonesian population studies

Background:

• Gut microbiota is increasingly linked to various non-intestinal diseases.
• Area-specific research is crucial due to diverse Indonesian lifestyles and tribes.
• Understanding gut microbiota composition can guide effective health improvement strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the gut microbiota composition in Javanese and Balinese Indonesian populations.
• To analyze differences between young and elderly individuals within these tribal groups.

Main Methods:

• Fecal samples were collected from 80 Indonesian subjects (Javanese and Balinese, young and elderly).
• Bacterial quantification included various Clostridium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides, Prevotella, Bifidobacterium, Atopobium, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonas subgroups.
• The Yakult intestinal flora-scan (YIF-SCAN) method was utilized for bacterial analysis.

Main Results:

• Younger subjects had higher overall bacterial populations (10.0-10.6 log10 cells/g) than the elderly.
• Clostridium, Prevotella, Atopobium, Bifidobacterium, and Bacteroides were the most abundant bacteria across all groups.
• Elderly individuals showed increased Enterobacteriaceae, Coliform, and Escherichia coli.
• Significant differences in specific bacterial subgroups were observed between age groups and regions (Yogyakarta vs. Bali).
• Balinese subjects had a notably higher Clostridium perfringens count compared to Yogyakarta subjects.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial populations are higher in younger Indonesian subjects compared to the elderly.
• Key abundant gut bacteria include Clostridium, Prevotella, Atopobium, Bifidobacterium, and Bacteroides.
• Regional lifestyle differences may influence gut microbiota, as evidenced by higher Clostridium perfringens levels in Balinese subjects.