Broad intestinal bacterial community

The broad intestinal bacterial community refers to the complex ecosystem of microorganisms in the human gut that maintains host health through metabolite-mediated ecological effects. This community acts as a functional unit, producing essential metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and secondary bile acids that regulate host immunity and metabolic processes (Koh et al., 2016). A primary role of this community is providing colonization resistance, where commensal bacteria prevent the expansion of pathogens like Clostridioides difficile by competing for nutrients and modifying the chemical environment (Buffie et al., 2015). Dysbiosis, or the loss of microbial diversity and function, is associated with diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), obesity, and recurrent infections (Belkaid & Hand, 2014). Therapeutic interventions like fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and defined microbial consortia (e.g., SER-109) aim to restore this community's ecological balance to treat disease (Khanna et al., 2022). Monitoring these therapies involves assessing microbial diversity and the restoration of key metabolic pathways within the gut environment.

Other names

Gut microbiotaIntestinal microbiomeCommensal bacterial communityGut microbiome

Restoration of colonization resistance through the production of inhibitory metabolites like secondary bile acids and short-chain fatty acids, and competitive exclusion of pathogens.