Dysbiosis

Dysbiosis is a pathological state characterized by an imbalance in the composition, diversity, or functional capacity of the microbiome, most commonly within the gastrointestinal tract (NIH, StatPearls, 2023). It involves the loss of beneficial commensal bacteria, a reduction in microbial richness, and the expansion of potentially harmful pathobionts, which together disrupt host-microbe symbiosis. This condition is a hallmark of various chronic inflammatory and metabolic diseases, as it leads to increased intestinal permeability ('leaky gut') and systemic inflammation (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2019). While dysbiosis is not a single molecular target like a protein or receptor, it serves as a therapeutic focal point for interventions such as fecal microbiota transplants (FMT), probiotics, and prebiotics, which aim to restore ecological balance. Monitoring and correcting dysbiosis is critical in the management of refractory infections like Clostridioides difficile and chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (PubMed, 2022).

Other names

DysbacteriosisMicrobial imbalanceGastrointestinal dysbiosisMicrobial dyshomeostasis

Restoration of the microbial community structure and diversity to re-establish host-microbe metabolic and immune homeostasis.