Anaerobes in specific infectious and noninfectious diseases: new developments

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Human Health
• Disease Etiology

Background:

• Emerging research highlights significant associations between anaerobic bacteria and numerous human diseases.
• Understanding these complex relationships is crucial for advancing medical knowledge and developing new therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize current research on the links between anaerobic bacteria and various health conditions.
• To emphasize the need for multidisciplinary studies to further explore these microbiome-disease correlations.
• To identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets within the anaerobic microbiome.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent studies on anaerobic bacteria and disease associations.
• Analysis of correlations between specific anaerobic bacteria and conditions like IBD, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancers.
• Consideration of conflicting findings and the need for robust, longitudinal studies.

Main Results:

• Reduced Faecalibacterium prausnitzii abundance is linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• Porphyromonas gingivalis is associated with cardiovascular diseases; decreased Roseburia is found in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients.
• Anaerobes like Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Cutibacterium acnes are implicated in various cancers, though some findings are debated.

Conclusions:

• Anaerobic bacteria play a multifaceted role in human health and disease.
• Further large-scale, longitudinal studies are essential to validate these associations and understand temporal changes in the microbiome.
• Identifying reliable biomarkers and understanding the carcinogenic potential of specific anaerobes remain key research priorities.