A Modern-World View of Host-Microbiota-Pathogen Interactions
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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Assessing the Viability of a Synthetic Bacterial Consortium on the In Vitro Gut Host-microbe Interface
Published on: July 4, 2018
Chin Yee Tan1,2, Zeni E Ramirez1,2, Neeraj K Surana3,2,4
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC.
Abstract:
The microbiota-the diverse set of commensal microbes that normally colonize humans-represents the first line of defense against infectious diseases. In this review, we summarize the direct and indirect mechanisms by which the microbiota modulates susceptibility to, and severity of, infections, with a focus on immunological mechanisms. Moreover, we highlight some of the ways that modern-world lifestyles have influenced the structure-function relationship between the microbiota and infectious diseases. Ultimately, understanding how the microbiota influences infectious risks will facilitate development of microbiota-derived therapeutics that bolster host defenses.
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