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Background: The adenoids, primary sites of microbial colonization in the upper airways, can influence the development of various conditions, including otitis media with effusion (OME). Alterations in the adenoid microbiota have been implicated in the pathogenesis of such conditions. Aim: This study aims to utilize 16S rRNA genetic sequencing to identify and compare the bacterial communities on the adenoid surfaces of children with OME and children with healthy middle ears. Additionally, we seek to assess the differences in bacterial diversity between these two groups. Materials and Methods: We collected adenoid surface swabs from forty children, divided into two groups: twenty samples from children with healthy middle ears and twenty samples from children with OME. The V3-V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Alpha and beta diversity indices were calculated, and statistical analyses were performed to identify significant differences in bacterial composition. Results: Alpha diversity analysis, using Pielou's index, revealed significantly greater evenness in the bacterial communities on the adenoid surfaces of the healthy ear group compared with the OME group. Beta diversity analysis indicated greater variability in the microbial composition of the OME group. The most common bacterial genera in both groups were Haemophilus, Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, Moraxella, and Peptostreptococcus. The healthy ear group was primarily dominated by Haemophilus and Streptococcus, whereas the OME group showed higher abundance of Fusobacterium and Peptostreptococcus. Additionally, the OME group exhibited statistically significant higher levels of Alloprevotella, Peptostreptococcus, Porphyromonas, Johnsonella, Parvimonas, and Bordetella compared with the healthy ear group. Conclusion: Our study identified significant differences in the bacterial composition and diversity on the adenoid surfaces of children with healthy middle ears and those with OME. The OME group exhibited greater microbial variability and higher abundances of specific bacterial genera. These findings suggest that the adenoid surface microbiota may play a role in the pathogenesis of OME. Further research with larger sample sizes and control groups is needed to validate these results and explore potential clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbiome's role in ulcerative colitis pathogenesis is established. The influence of lifestyle on gut microbiome composition remains unclear, and interplay with COVID-19 disease warrants investigation. In a cross-sectional study conducted from June to December 2021, 49 outpatients from Rīga East Clinical University Hospital were included. Patients were categorised based on COVID-19 disease status (positive vs. negative) within the preceding six months. Lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, stress levels, and dietary patterns) were assessed and evaluated. Taxonomic classification of gut microbiome metagenome data was performed using MetaPhlAn v.2.6.0, with subsequent analysis conducted using SPSS 20.0. Thirty-one (63%) were male, and 18 (37%) were female patients. Fourteen patients (28.6%) tested positive for COVID-19. Gut microbiome composition differences were not observed between COVID-19 disease groups. Twenty-four (49%) patients engaged in sports activities and 30 (61.2%) patients reported a history of smoking. No significant microbiome differences were observed in groups regarding physical activity or smoking. Thirty-five (71.4%) were alcohol users, for whom Firmicutes abundance was significantly higher compared to non-users, p = 0.041. Patients reporting lower stress levels (18, 36.7%) exhibited higher Actinobacteria abundance compared to those with higher stress levels (31, 63.3%), p = 0.03. COVID-19 disease status did not affect gut microbiome composition, alcohol consumption and stress levels demonstrated significant associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), also known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), have a higher risk of anxiety and depression compared to healthy individuals. Therefore, it is important to investigate whether the COVID-19 outbreak influenced inflammatory bowel disease-specific quality of life. In total 49 ulcerative colitis (UC) outpatients from Rīga East Clinical University Hospital were included in a cross-sectional study from June to December 2021. The patients were divided according to COVID-19 status (COVID-19 positive vs COVID-19 negative) in the last six months. Patients were interviewed and data from the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), questionnaire about daily life aspects and subjective health evaluation score were collected. Of the 49 patients, 33 (63.3%) were males and 13 (36.7%) were females; median age was 38.0 (IQR = 17) years. Fourteen patients (28.6%) were COVID-19+ within the last six months. The median SIBDQ score was 62 (IQR = 11), for men 63 (IQR = 7.5) and women 58 [(IQR = 13.8), p > 0.05. SIBDQ score was 63 (IQR = 10) for COVID-19 negative and 60 (IQR = 15.6), p > 0.05 for positive patients. Sleep was not influenced by gender, p = 0.008. Three (16.7%) female patients reported a great negative impact on working stability (p = 0.044) and a slightly negative influence on income (p = 0.039). The COVID-19 outbreak may have an influence on daily life aspects by predisposing females more negatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in the modulation of host responses during viral infections, and recent studies have underscored its significance in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to investigate the dynamics and compositional changes in the gut microbiome of COVID-19 patients, addressing both the acute phase and the recovery process, with a particular focus on the emergence of post-COVID-19 conditions. Involving 146 COVID-19 patients and 110 healthy controls, this study employed a shotgun metagenomics approach for cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses with one- and three-month follow-ups. We observed a decline in taxonomic diversity among hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls, while a subsequent increase in alpha diversity was shown during the recovery process. A notable contribution of Enterococcus faecium was identified in the acute phase of the infection, accompanied by an increasing abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria (e.g., Roseburia, Lachnospiraceae_unclassified) during the recovery period. We highlighted a protective role of the Prevotella genus in the long-term recovery process and suggested a potential significance of population-specificity in the early gut microbiome markers of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. Our study represents distinctive gut microbiome signatures in COVID-19, with potential diagnostic and prognostic implications, pinpointing potential modulators of the disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Although the presence of micro-organisms in the blood of healthy humans is a relatively new concept, there is a growing amount of evidence that blood might have its own microbiome. Gap Statement. Previous research has targeted the taxonomic composition of the blood microbiome using DNA-based sequencing methods, while little information is known about the presence of microbial transcripts obtained from the blood and their relation to conditions connected with increased gut permeability. Aim. To detect potentially alive and active micro-organisms and investigate differences in taxonomic composition between healthy people and patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), we used the metatranscriptomics approach. Methodology. We collected blood samples from 23 IBS patients and 26 volunteers from the general population, and performed RNAseq on the isolated RNA. Reads corresponding to microbial genomes were identified with Kraken 2's standard plus protozoa and fungi database, and re-estimated at genus level with Bracken 2.7. We looked for trends in the taxonomic composition, making a comparison between the IBS and control groups, accounting for other different factors. Results. The dominant genera in the blood microbiome were found to be Cutibacterium , Bradyrhizobium , Escherichia , Pseudomonas , Micrococcus , Delftia , Mediterraneibacter , Staphylococcus , Stutzerimonas and Ralstonia . Some of these are typical environmental bacteria and could partially represent contamination. However, analysis of sequences from the negative controls suggested that some genera which are characteristic of the gut microbiome ( Mediterraneibacter , Blautia , Collinsella , Klebsiella , Coprococcus , Dysosmobacter , Anaerostipes , Faecalibacterium , Dorea , Simiaoa , Bifidobacterium , Alistipes, Prevotella , Ruminococcus ) are less likely to be a result of contamination. Differential analysis of microbes between groups showed that some taxa associated with the gut microbiome ( Blautia , Faecalibacterium , Dorea , Bifidobacterium , Clostridium , Christensenella ) are more prevalent in IBS patients compared to the general population. No significant correlations with any other factors were identified. Conclusion. Our findings support the existence of the blood microbiome and suggest the gut and possibly the oral microbiome as its origin, while the skin microbiome is a possible but less certain source. The blood microbiome is likely influenced by states of increased gut permeability such as IBS.