Gut Microbiome in Probable Intestinal Tuberculosis and Changes following Anti-Tuberculosis Treatment

PURPOSE: Information on the gut microbiome in patients with intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) and changes therein following anti-tuberculosis treatment (ATT) is lacking. We aimed to elucidate differences in stool microbiome between ITB patients and controls and to evaluate stool microbiome changes after ATT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with probable ITB underwent ATT for 6 months, with stool samples collected at 0, 2, and 6 months. We performed next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in stool bacteria and compared the gut microbiome. RESULTS: Initially, the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia was higher (5.0% vs. <1%) and that of Proteobacteria was lower (<1% vs. 6.6%) in ITB patients than in controls. Higher numbers of butyrate-producing bacteria (Blautia and Roseburia) were noted in ITB patients. The alpha-diversity of stool microbiome of ITB patients was lower than that in controls (p=0.045). There was a significant difference in beta-diversity between the groups (p=0.001). At 6 months, the proportion of Verrucomicrobia decreased to <1%, while the proportion of Proteobacteria remained at <1%. CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences in alpha- and beta-diversity in the stool microbiome at 0, 2, and 6 months after ATT. The stool microbiome composition of probable ITB patients was different from that of controls, and 6 months of ATT did not significantly affect it.