Bringing the effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiome into focus

Although it is well known that antibiotics alter the bacteria that live in the colon and that these changes can predispose individuals to disease (eg, C difficile colitis), the specific aspects of these changes are relatively uncharacterised. The importance of a detailed understanding of how antibiotics affect the gut microbiota is obvious given the common use of antibiotics throughout the world. In order to obtain a detailed assessment of these effects, Dr Pérez-Cobas and colleagues have carried out the first comparative OMIC investigation of gut microbial communities in faecal samples taken at different times from an individual subjected to β-lactam therapy. They have found that there is an early reduction in Gram negative bacterial populations followed by re-growth of ‘resistant’ bacterial populations and then Gram-positive bacteria. They also observed major metabolic changes after one week of therapy and alterations in bacterial transport of a variety of metabolites, including bile acids, cholesterol, hormones, and vitamins. Their results demonstrate the profound effects of antibiotics not only …