Gastrointestinal microbiome composition (Gut microbiome)

The gastrointestinal microbiome composition refers to the complex ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, inhabiting the human digestive tract. This microbial community performs essential biological functions such as the fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), synthesis of vitamins like K and B12, and the education of the host immune system (NIH, 2023; PubMed, 2022). Dysbiosis, characterized by a loss of microbial diversity or an overgrowth of pathogenic species, is strongly associated with diseases such as Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and metabolic syndromes (StatPearls, 2023). Therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiome aim to restore ecological balance through the use of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and targeted prebiotics or probiotics (FDA, 2023). These interventions work by re-establishing colonization resistance against pathogens and modulating host inflammatory pathways to improve clinical outcomes (Nature, 2021).

Other names

Gut microbiotaIntestinal floraGastrointestinal floraIntestinal microbiomeDigestive tract microbiome

Restoration of microbial diversity and ecological balance to provide colonization resistance against pathogens, modulate host immune signaling, and produce beneficial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids.