Research into the gut microbiome has revealed the widespread influence that microbial species have on their host. Host genetics and environmental factors influence the abundance and diversity of the bacterial species living within the gastrointestinal tract. When the normal composition of the gut microbiota is altered, a dysbiotic state incurs. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic/relapsing inflammatory disorder of the intestinal mucosa, which is characterized by a state of dysbiosis. Despite the large amount of information studying the role dysbiosis has in the pathogenesis of IBD, it is not clear how the altered microbial composition of the gut in IBD patients leads to susceptibility to enteric pathogens such as Clostridium difficile. This study aims to highlight the features of the gastrointestinal tract that are modified as a result of dysbiosis in the IBD population, and how these features facilitate colonization by C. difficile and symptom development. Review of the available literature demonstrated that the depletion of Clostridial cluster XIVa in IBD-associated dysbiosis alters bile acid metabolism and butyrate fermentation in the colon, ultimately promoting germination of C. difficile spores and weakening the gut's immune response against toxin-mediated inflammation. From continued research into the gut microbiota, more will be understood of how these microbial organisms influence human health and disease.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/16134 |
| Date | 08 April 2016 |
| Creators | Hafften, Nicholas |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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