Next generation probiotics: an overview of the most promising candidates

Research in the field of human microbiota and its impact on human health has opened new possibilities for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of certain pathological conditions. A negative change in the composition of the intestinal microbiota, dysbiosis, is associated with diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity, diabetes mellitus, or Clostridium difficile infections. For the use of human microbiota or its biologically active products in clinical practice, it is necessary to thoroughly identify and characterize properties that may be beneficial to human health. The use of the latest technology enables such research to be carried out, and we are already aware of several potential candidates for the so-called probiotics of the next generation. The aim of this article is to summarize available information on the bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila, Bacteroides fragilis, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, which are among the most promising and studied candidates.