Trends in Microbiology最新文献

Evidence is growing that human-associated early-life microbial diversity modulates health over the long term, via effects in the infant termed 'immune and metabolic education'. Documenting high microbial diversity contexts, such as in Africa, thus, has rich potential for understanding this aspect of the landscape of health. Yet, change on the continent is occurring rapidly, and microbial communities are shifting as behaviors and diets are altered, and antibiotic use expands; we may be losing the opportunity to obtain relevant data. After introducing what is known about the effects of early life microbial diversity on late life health, we provide an overview of what is known of the current, and expected future, trajectory of human-associated microbial diversity in Africa, introducing data on the core drivers. We argue that critical insights may be lost if better understanding of infant microbial communities in Africa is not obtained soon.

Research on the human gut microbiome is expanding rapidly; yet, most published studies focus on populations from high-income regions such as North America and Europe. Underrepresentation of populations from low- and middle-income countries in the microbiome literature limits the generalizability of microbiome-health associations. These challenges are compounded by computational barriers, including biases in reference databases, nonrepresentative metadata, and infrastructure limitations in low- and middle-income countries. However, recent efforts in large-scale global sampling have begun to address these problems. This review provides recommendations for future research efforts applying computational analysis to global microbiome data, including guidelines to initiate and maintain equitable partnerships, identify representative datasets, overcome technical limitations, and contextualize results at the global scale.

High variability in human gut microbiota is a challenge in the identification of consistent microbe-disease associations. Two Cell papers by Nishijima et al. and Abdill, Graham, et al. addressed this by curating large public microbiome datasets. They highlight long overlooked drivers of gut microbiome variance, such as fecal microbial biomass and geographical locations of study participants, necessitating diverse population representation in microbiome research.

Including Indigenous Peoples in microbiome research is both a scientific imperative and an ethical responsibility. Our long-standing partnership with the Matsés Peoples from the Peruvian Amazon provided scientific insights in microbial profiles that have coevolved with humans, studies only possible via trust-based ethical partnerships. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is essential to navigate mistrust rooted in historical injustices. We present our experience implementing culturally informed protocols and equitable benefit-sharing as cornerstones of respectful, inclusive microbiome research with Peruvian Indigenous Peoples. This approach fosters sustainable research partnerships grounded in reciprocal trust and mutual benefit.

Despite significant advancements in arbovirus research, contributions remain disproportionately focused on regions with reported major outbreaks of diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. This bias risks neglecting potentially critical properties in viral evolution, transmission dynamics, ecological drivers, and host-pathogen interactions that occur within the less-studied areas. Recent developments highlight the importance of incorporating data from underrepresented regions and from recent surveillance approaches to uncover novel insights that could enhance global preparedness and response strategies. This opinion explores frameworks for generating and integrating diverse geographical data, proposing equitable research approaches to better capture the global heterogeneities and properties of at-risk environments and populations. A geographically inclusive perspective is essential to address emerging arboviral challenges, particularly in the context of a changing environment and shifting land use patterns.

Women's health is essential to global societal and economic wellbeing, yet health disparities remain prevalent. The vaginal microbiota plays a critical role in health, with research indicating that reduced levels of core bacteria, such as lactobacilli, are associated with conditions like bacterial vaginosis (BV) and increased infection susceptibility. Lower levels of vaginal lactobacilli are reported more frequently in women of African and Latin American descent compared with women of European and Asian descent. However, geographical and other study inclusion and analysis biases influence current research. This opinion highlights the need for a more comprehensive understanding of a 'healthy' vaginal microbiome. It underscores efforts to broaden global research on microbiome diversity in socially relevant contexts, avoiding inappropriate applications of terms such as race and ethnicity.

The Global Immunology and Immune Sequencing for Epidemic Response (GIISER) network, established in 2021, exemplifies the power of South-South collaboration in pandemic preparedness and response. Emerging from the COVID-19 crisis, GIISER integrated genomic surveillance, immunology, and capacity building across African, Asian, and South American sites, enabling rapid detection and characterization of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Through technology transfer, standardized protocols, and coordinated training, GIISER informed public health policy, advanced monoclonal antibody discovery, and strengthened local expertise. As COVID-19 research subsides and in the context of profound funding constraints, GIISER's scientific successes highlight the urgent need to sustain and expand regional networks to address current and future infectious disease threats, while championing diversity and scientific leadership in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by dysregulation of the immune response to gut microbiota, a phenomenon that intertwines with environmental influences and manifests as intestinal inflammation in genetically susceptible hosts. While core pathogenic factors contributing to IBD susceptibility are largely consistent across populations, substantial variations in genetic predispositions, environmental exposures, and gut microbial compositions shaped by geographical diversity may play a profound role in influencing disease risk, progression, and therapeutic responses. This critical dimension has often been overlooked in IBD-related basic and clinical research. In this review, we report differences in IBD determinants in geographically diverse cohorts and unravel the intricate interrelationships that drive disease emergence and progression. We also highlight the importance of embracing geographical and population diversity in the exploration of diagnostic approaches and therapeutic strategies for IBD, and advocate for the inclusion of diverse populations in clinical trials to enhance generalizability and applicability of research findings.

Antibiotic use can significantly alter the gut microbiome, impacting health outcomes across diverse regions. Geographic differences in baseline microbiome composition, antibiotic-resistance gene (ARG) carriage, antibiotic usage patterns, and dietary habits may shape population responses to treatment. However, most studies and public microbiome datasets are dominated by samples from North America and Europe, limiting understanding of antibiotic impacts in non-Western and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Increasing antibiotic use in LMICs, often coupled with limited regulation and surveillance, highlights the need to monitor gut microbiomes as ARG reservoirs. Additionally, long-term antibiotic effects, including impacts on chronic disease development and vaccine efficacy, remain poorly understood, particularly in underrepresented regions. Mechanistic studies incorporating diverse populations and antibiotic classes are essential to address these gaps and promote microbiome resilience and improve health outcomes globally.