9 Things Gastroenterologists Need to Know About the Gut Microbiome

Carrie Pallardy -

Researchers are examining in the human microbiome in four major areas: nasal/oral cavities, skin, urogential area and the gut. Here are nine things for gastroenterologists to know about the gut microbiome, according to Medscape’s Your Microbiome and You: What Clinicians Need to Know report.

Questions to consider
•    Can monitoring of the microbiome lead to prediction of disease?
•    Can manipulation of the microbiome lead to prevention of disease?

Research in the gut microbiome
•    Gut microbes play a key role in energy metabolism and alteration of gut microbes can lead to disease.
•    Altering bacterial species may allow control over metabolic rate.
•    The connection between microbes and obesity and type I diabetes is being explored.
•    Bacterial species are used in C. difficile treatment and prevention. The microbiome will potentially play a large role in combating antibiotic resistance.

Questions to ask going forward
•    What constitutes "normal" in the human microbiome?
•    How does the manipulation of the microbiome affect health and disease?
•    How can this information be applied to clinical practice?

More Articles on Gastroenterology:
Top 15 GI Diagnoses Leading to Outpatient Visits
Does Patient Satisfaction Affect Colorectal Cancer Treatment Outcomes?
The Role of Intestinal Bacteria in Colon Cancer Development: Q&A With Dr. Richard Zelner

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