Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026
Oral Bacterial Infection and Shedding in Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: May 31, 2018
Metagenomic analysis reveals severity-dependent microbial succession and correlation with host inflammatory response
Xijun Wang1,2,3,4,5, Lei Ye1,2,3,4,5, Yimin Liu1,2,3,4,5
1Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Background:
Oral and maxillofacial space infections (OMSI) vary widely in clinical severity, yet the relationships between microbial community patterns in the abscess niche and host inflammatory responses remain incompletely characterized.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional, severity-stratified study of 197 patients diagnosed with OMSI between January 2020 and November 2023. Patients were stratified into mild (n=90), moderate (n=41), and severe (n=66) groups based on established clinical criteria. We performed mNGS on abscess pus samples to characterize the microbial community composition and assessed associations between these features and systemic inflammatory markers.
Results:
Although α-diversity did not differ significantly among severity groups, β-diversity analysis revealed distinct microbial communities. Pairwise analyses indicated a threshold-like community shift, characterized by a significant divergence between mild and severe infections, while the moderate group exhibited an intermediate composition that overlapped with both. Severe infections were characterized by an enrichment of Prevotella. Furthermore, analysis of predominant taxa (>30% abundance) revealed considerable microbial heterogeneity, challenging a simple monoinfection model. Notably, a machine learning-identified microbial profile comprising Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and Pseudomonas was significantly correlated with elevated systemic inflammatory markers.
Conclusion:
This study characterizes associations between abscess-site microbial communities and host inflammatory profiles across OMSI severity strata. Given the cross-sectional design and the lack of an external validation cohort, the present findings should be interpreted as exploratory and non-causal. Future multicenter prospective studies including independent validation cohorts are warranted to test reproducibility and to evaluate whether any candidate features possess generalizable predictive value.
Insights
Oral and maxillofacial space infections (OMSI) show distinct microbial communities linked to severity. A specific microbial profile, including Streptococcus, was associated with higher inflammation, suggesting potential diagnostic markers.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Oral Surgery
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Oral and maxillofacial space infections (OMSI) present with variable clinical severity.
- The interplay between abscess microbial communities and host inflammatory responses in OMSI is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between microbial community composition in OMSI abscesses and host inflammatory markers across different infection severity levels.
- To identify potential microbial signatures associated with varying OMSI severity.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective, cross-sectional study of 197 patients with OMSI, stratified into mild, moderate, and severe groups.
- Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of abscess pus to analyze microbial communities.
- Assessment of systemic inflammatory markers and correlation with microbial profiles.
Main Results:
- Distinct microbial communities (β-diversity) were observed across OMSI severity groups, with a notable shift between mild and severe infections.
- Severe infections showed enrichment of Prevotella.
- A machine learning-identified microbial profile (Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Pseudomonas) correlated with elevated systemic inflammatory markers, indicating microbial heterogeneity.
Conclusions:
- This study provides exploratory insights into the associations between abscess microbiota and host inflammation in OMSI.
- Findings highlight microbial community shifts and specific taxa linked to infection severity and systemic inflammation.
- Further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and explore their predictive value.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Inflammatory Response
Inflammation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as impact, abrasion, chemical irritation, infections, and extreme hot or cold temperatures. These can damage cells and connective tissue fibers,...
01:24Inflammatory Response II: Inflammatory Exudate and Tissue Repair
The typical wound exudate is odorless, transparent, straw-colored, thin, and watery. Exudate, however, can differ depending on the state of wound healing. Likewise, the...
01:30Inflammatory Response I: Vascular and Cellular
02:17Ecological Succession
01:27Correlation and Causation
Correlation versus Causation
If the dependent variable increases or decreases when the independent variable increases, there is a positive or negative...
02:20Correlations