scholarly journals Comparison of the Respiratory Tractmicrobiome in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients with Different Disease Severity

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiali Chen ◽  
Xiong Liu ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
Chaojie Yang ◽  
Ruizhong Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Predictive Biomarkers ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Step Method ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Potential Biomarkers

Abstract Background: Little is known about the characteristics of respiratory tract microbiome in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inpatients with different severity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to characterize respiratory tract microbial communities of 69 COVID-19 inpatients from 64 nasopharyngeal swabs and 5 sputum specimens using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene V3-V4 region sequencing. The bacterial profiles were used to find potential biomarkers by the two-step method, the combination of random forest model and the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), and explore the connections with clinical characteristics by Spearman’s rank test.Results: Compared with mild COVID-19 patients, severe patients had significantly decreased bacterial diversity (Pvalues were less than 0.05 in the alpha and beta diversity) and relative lower abundance of opportunistic pathogens, including Actinomyces, Prevotella, Rothia, Streptococcus, Veillonella. Eight potential biomarkers including Treponema, Lachnoanaerobaculum, Parvimonas, Selenomonas, Alloprevotella, Porphyromonas, GemellaandStreptococcus were found to distinguish the mild COVID-19 patients from the severe COVID-19 patients. The genera of Actinomyces andPrevotella were negatively correlated with age and inpatient days. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, neutrophil count (GRA) and lymphocyte count (LYMPH) were significantly correlated with different genera in the two groups. In addition, there were a positive correlation between Klebsiella and white blood cell count (WBC) in two groups.Conclusion: The respiratory tract microbiome had significant difference in COVID-19 patients with different severity. The value of the respiratory tract microbiome as predictive biomarkers for COVID-19 severity merits further exploration.

scholarly journals Effect of Bovine MFGM and LF in Infant Formula on Gut Microbiome and Metabolome at Four Months of Age

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maciej Chichlowski ◽  
Nicholas Bokulich ◽  
Cheryl L Harris ◽  
Jennifer L Wampler ◽  
Fei Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infant Formula ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Illumina Miseq ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Metabolite Profiles

Abstract Background Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and lactoferrin (LF) are human milk bioactive components demonstrated to support gastrointestinal (GI) and immune development. Significantly fewer diarrhea and respiratory-associated adverse events through 18 months of age were previously reported in healthy term infants fed a cow's milk-based infant formula with added source of bovine MFGM and bovine LF through 12 months of age. Objectives To compare microbiota and metabolite profiles in a subset of study participants. Methods Stool samples were collected at Baseline (10–14 days of age) and Day 120 (MFGM + LF: 26, Control: 33). Bacterial community profiling was performed via16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina MiSeq) and alpha and beta diversity were analyzed (QIIME 2). Differentially abundant taxa were determined using Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LefSE) and visualized (Metacoder). Untargeted stool metabolites were analyzed (HPLC/mass spectroscopy) and expressed as the fold-change between group means (Control: MFGM + LF ratio). Results Alpha diversity increased significantly in both groups from baseline to 4 months. Subtle group differences in beta diversity were demonstrated at 4 months (Jaccard distance; R2 = 0.01, P = 0.042). Specifically, Bacteroides uniformis and Bacteroides plebeius were more abundant in the MFGM + LF group at 4 months. Metabolite profile differences for MFGM + LF vs Control included: lower fecal medium chain fatty acids, deoxycarnitine, and glycochenodeoxycholate, and some higher fecal carbohydrates and steroids (P < 0.05). After applying multiple test correction, the differences in stool metabolomics were not significant. Conclusions Addition of bovine MFGM and LF in infant formula was associated with subtle differences in stool microbiome and metabolome by four months of age, including increased prevalence of Bacteroides species. Stool metabolite profiles may be consistent with altered microbial metabolism. Trial registration:  https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02274883).

scholarly journals The Fecal Bacterial Microbiota in Horses with Equine Recurrent Uveitis

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 745
Author(s):  
Michelle Martin de Bustamante ◽  
Diego Gomez ◽  
Jennifer MacNicol ◽  
Ralph Hamor ◽  
Caryn Plummer
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Illumina Miseq ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Bacterial Microbiota ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Equine Recurrent Uveitis

The objective of this study was to describe and compare the fecal bacterial microbiota of horses with equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) and healthy horses using next-generation sequencing techniques. Fecal samples were collected from 15 client-owned horses previously diagnosed with ERU on complete ophthalmic examination. For each fecal sample obtained from a horse with ERU, a sample was collected from an environmentally matched healthy control with no evidence of ocular disease. The Illumina MiSeq sequencer was used for high-throughput sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The relative abundance of predominant taxa, and alpha and beta diversity indices were calculated and compared between groups. The phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Proteobacteria predominated in both ERU and control horses, accounting for greater than 60% of sequences. Based on linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), no taxa were found to be enriched in either group. No significant differences were observed in alpha and beta diversity indices between groups (p > 0.05 for all tests). Equine recurrent uveitis is not associated with alteration of the gastrointestinal bacterial microbiota when compared with healthy controls.

scholarly journals Gut bacterial microbiota in patients with myasthenia gravis: results from the MYBIOM study

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 175628642110356
Author(s):  
Andreas Totzeck ◽  
Elakiya Ramakrishnan ◽  
Melina Schlag ◽  
Benjamin Stolte ◽  
Kathrin Kizina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Myasthenia Gravis ◽  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Variable Regions ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease, with gut microbiota considered to be a pathogenetic factor. Previous pilot studies have found differences in the gut microbiota of patients with MG and healthy individuals. To determine whether gut microbiota has a pathogenetic role in MG, we compared the gut microbiota of patients with MG with that of patients with non-inflammatory and inflammatory neurological disorders of the peripheral nervous system (primary endpoint) and healthy volunteers (secondary endpoint). Methods: Faecal samples were collected from patients with MG ( n = 41), non-inflammatory neurological disorder (NIND, n = 18), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP, n = 6) and healthy volunteers ( n = 12). DNA was isolated from these samples, and the variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were sequenced and statistically analysed. Results: No differences were found in alpha- and beta-diversity indices computed between the MG, NIND and CIDP groups, indicating an unaltered bacterial diversity and structure of the microbial community. However, the alpha-diversity indices, namely Shannon, Chao 1 and abundance-based coverage estimators, were significantly reduced between the MG group and healthy volunteers. Deltaproteobacteria and Faecalibacterium were abundant within the faecal microbiota of patients with MG compared with controls with non-inflammatory diseases. Conclusion: Although the overall diversity and structure of the gut microbiota did not differ between the MG, NIND and CIDP groups, the significant difference in the abundance of Deltaproteobacteria and Faecalibacterium supports the possible role of gut microbiota as a contributor to pathogenesis of MG. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to develop possible treatment strategies.

scholarly journals The nasopharyngeal, ruminal, and vaginal microbiota and the core taxa shared across these microbiomes in virgin yearling heifers exposed to divergent in utero nutrition during their first trimester of gestation and in pregnant beef heifers in response to mineral supplementation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samat Amat ◽  
Devin B Holman ◽  
Kaycie Schmidt ◽  
Ana Clara B Menezes ◽  
Friederike Baumgaertner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Model ◽  
Linear Mixed Model ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
Vaginal Microbiota ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Beef Heifers ◽  
Mineral Supplement ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Significant Difference

Emerging evidence has indicated that microbial transmission from the bovine dam to her fetus may take place before birth, and that the maternal microbiota during pregnancy modulates programming of fetal metabolic and nervous system development, highlighting the potential and extended role of the maternal microbiome in calf health and development. In the present study, we characterized the nasopharyngeal, ruminal and vaginal microbiota from two cohorts of beef heifers managed at the same location: 1) virgin yearling heifers (9 months old) born from dams received gestational diets which resulted in low (LG, n = 22) or medium (MG, n = 23) weight gain during the first 84 days of gestation; and 2) pregnant replacement heifers that received a vitamin and mineral supplement (VTM, n = 17) or not (Control, n = 15) during the first 6 months of gestation. Nasopharyngeal and vaginal swabs as well as ruminal fluid were collected from both cohorts and the microbiota of each sample was assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In addition to the comparison between treatment groups within each cohort, the similarity of the microbiota of the three sample types were evaluated, and shared taxa amongst these communities were identified. The bacterial genera present in the rumen and vagina that can influence methanogenic archaeal genera were predicted using a stepwise-selected generalized linear mixed model. No significant difference was observed in the alpha and beta diversity in any of the nasopharyngeal, ruminal and vaginal microbiota between LG and MG offspring virgin heifers, or between the control and VTM pregnant heifers (p > 0.05). Subtle compositional changes in the vaginal microbiota in yearling heifers, and in the nasopharyngeal and ruminal microbiota of pregnant heifers were detected in response to treatments. Forty-one archaeal and bacterial OTUs were shared by over 60% of all samples from both virgin and pregnant heifers. Two taxa within the Methanobrevibacter genus were identified as core taxa and this genus was more relatively abundant in pregnant heifers compared to virgin heifers. Among the 25 top genera, Prevotella and Prevotella UCG-003 (negative) and Christensenellaceae R-7 group (positive) were predicted to have a significant effect on ruminal Methanobrevibacter spp. The results of this study indicate that there is little impact of divergent gestational nutrition during the first trimester on the calf microbiome at 9 months postnatal, and that VTM supplementation during pregnancy may not alter the maternal microbiome. This study provides evidence that there are several microbial taxa, including methanogenic archaea, that are shared across the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive tracts, suggesting the need for a holistic evaluation of the bovine microbiota when considering potential maternal sources for seeding calves with pioneer microbiota.

scholarly journals ANALISIS JENIS KELAMIN DAN KEBIASAAN JAJAN DENGAN KEJADIAN ISPA PADA ANAK DI TK DHARMA WANITA PERSATUAN UNIT SIDOKLUMPUK SIDOARJO

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Firdaus Firdaus ◽  
Riska Anindia Putri
Keyword(s):  
Tract Infection ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infection ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Upper Respiratory

Many snacks are less qualified of health so they threaten children's health. This condition reflects the children become accustomed to eating bad snacks in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the sex and the habit of eating snacks with upper respiratory tract infection occurrence on children in Dharma Wanita Persatuan Unit Kindergarten, Sidoklumpuk, Sidoarjo. The design of the study used an analytic-cross sectional approach. The population was the entire students in Dharma Wanita Persatuan Unit Kindergarten, Sidoklumpuk, Sidoarjo as 28 students, the sample which was 26 respondents was taken by using a simple random sampling technique. The independent variable was sex, snacks habit and the dependent variable was the occurrence of upper respiratory tract infection. The instruments used checklist and questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using spearmen rank test with a significance level (α = 0,05).The result of the study was the majority of the respondents (57.7%) was female and the majority of the respondents (53.8%) had a habit of eating bad snacks and almost half of the respondents (46.2%) was rare occurrence of URTI. Spearman Rank test result obtained that ρ = 0,020, there was no correlation of sex with the upper respiratory tract infection occurrence in Dharma Wanita Persatuan Unit Kindergarten, Sidoklumpuk, Sidoarjo. Furthermore, it was obtained that 0,010 meant that there was correlation between the habit of eating snacks and the occurrence of URTI in Dharma Wanita Persatuan Kindergarten, Sidoklumpuk, Sidoarjo. The conclusion of the study was females most often consume foods which have striking colors, attractive appearances, sweet and savory flavors that are around the school so they will occur URTI. It is advised that parents encourage their children not to buy snacks and make the children become accustomed to having breakfast first.

scholarly journals Assessment of Toll Like receptor 2 Gene Polymorphism in Children with B Cell Defects and Respiratory Tract Infections

QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
N A A Mahana ◽  
S M Reda ◽  
T B Kamel ◽  
R A Elfeky ◽  
D M Erfan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Pulmonary Function Tests ◽  
Additional Risk Factor ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Tract Infections

Abstract Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common illnesses in childhood. Respiratory defenses against infection involve a diverse and complex system. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a type of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), resulting in initiation of innate immune response and promotion of adaptive immunity. TLR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) impair the ability to respond properly to TLR ligands and increase susceptibility to infectious or inflammatory diseases. The aim of the work: To examine TLR2 Arginine 677Tryptophan (Arg 677Trp) and Arginine753Glutamine (Arg753Gln) gene polymorphisms in patients with recurrent or chronic respiratory tract infections with or without predominantly antibody deficiency (PAD). Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional case-control study included 30 patients with known PAD with/ or without respiratory tract infections, 20 non-PAD patients with recurrent chest infections and 20 age and sex-matched healthy controls. All children included in the study were subjected to full history taking, complete physical examination and laboratory investigations including CBC, serum immunoglobulins levels and genetic analysis of the TLR2 Arg677Trp and Arg753Gln polymorphisms. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest with contrast, pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid culture and sensitivity were performed to patients with recurrent and/or chronic chest infections. Results: There was a significant difference in the expression of Arg753Gln polymorphism (p 0.04) between PAD patients with and without recurrent chest infections. Patients with mutant or heterozygote state of this polymorphism had a short diagnosis lag (time elapsed between onset of symptoms and date of diagnosis). There was a significant relationship between this polymorphism and the duration of hospital admission (longer hospital stay in patients with mutant allele). A significant difference between non-PAD patients with recurrent chest infections and healthy controls regarding Arg 677 Trp polymorphism (p 0.04) was elicited. Conclusion: Our results suggest that Arg 677 Trp polymorphism could be a risk factor for increased susceptibility to recurrent and /or chronic respiratory tract infections in patients without PAD, while Arg753Gln polymorphism might be an additional risk factor for severe infections in PAD patients.

scholarly journals An observational study comparing the effect of sphenopalatine artery block on bleeding in endoscopic sinus surgery

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1010
Author(s):  
M. N. Shankar ◽  
V. Saravana Selvan ◽  
Nigil Sreedharan
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery ◽  
Sinus Surgery ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Nasal Sinus ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Sphenopalatine Artery ◽  
Significant Difference

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">The use of the sphenopalatine artery block to reduce bleeding during FESS, has been a debatable issue. This cross sectional observational study aims to study whether sphenopalatine artery block has any significant effect on bleeding. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">55 patients coming to the ENT department of Stanley Medical College from 2015–2016 were included in this study. All patients had bilateral nasal sinus disease and endoscopic sinus surgery was performed on both sides. 20 minutes prior to surgery one side was chosen randomly and sphenopalatine artery block was administered via the greater palatine canal approach. A mixture of lignocaine (2%) and adrenaline (1:80000) was used for infiltration. The surgery was done in an alternating fashion where the surgeon would operate for 15 minutes on one side and then moved onto the other side. The field was graded using the Wormald Grading at 30 minute intervals. The results were tabulated and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was done at each time interval to see if there was a statistically significant difference in the grades of bleeding on both sides at each time interval. SPSS version 22.0 was used to analyse the data. Significance level was fixed as 5% (α=0.05).  </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">It was found that for each time interval up to 120 minutes there was a significant decrease in the bleeding on the blocked side. However after 120 minutes the bleeding on both sides appeared to be same. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">Sphenopalatine artery block given prior to surgery will be effective in reducing bleeding in FESS for the first 2 hours after which the effect of the block wears away.</span></p>

scholarly journals Physical Activity Levels and Related Energy Expenditure during COVID-19 Quarantine among the Sicilian Active Population: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerio Giustino ◽  
Anna Maria Parroco ◽  
Antonio Gennaro ◽  
Giuseppe Musumeci ◽  
Antonio Palma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Short Form ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Italian government has adopted containment measures to control the virus’s spread, including limitations to the practice of physical activity (PA). The aim of this study was to estimate the levels of PA, expressed as energy expenditure (MET–minute/week), among the physically active Sicilian population before and during the last seven days of the COVID-19 quarantine. Furthermore, the relation between this parameter and specific demographic and anthropometric variables was analyzed. Methods: 802 Sicilian physically active participants (mean age: 32.27 ± 12.81 years; BMI: 23.44 ± 3.33 kg/m2) were included in the study and grouped based on gender, age and BMI. An adapted version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—short form (IPAQ-SF) was administered to the participants through an online survey. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test were used for statistical analyses. Results: As expected, we observed a significant decrease of the total weekly energy expenditure during the COVID-19 quarantine (p < 0.001). A significant variation in the MET–min/wk in the before quarantine condition (p = 0.046) and in the difference between before and during quarantine (p = 0.009) was found for males and females. The male group decreased the PA level more than the female one. Moreover, a significant difference in the MET–min/wk was found among groups distributions of BMI (p < 0.001, during quarantine) and of age (p < 0.001, both before and during quarantine). In particular, the highest and the lowest levels of PA were reported by the young and the elderly, respectively, both before and during quarantine. Finally, the overweight group showed the lowest level of PA during quarantine. Conclusion: Based on our outcomes, we can determine that the current quarantine has negatively affected the practice of PA, with greater impacts among males and overweight subjects. In regards to different age groups, the young, young adults and adults were more affected than senior adults and the elderly.

scholarly journals Standardization of Plant Microbiome Studies: Which Proportion of the Microbiota is Really Harvested?

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdoul Razack Sare ◽  
Gilles Stouvenakers ◽  
Mathilde Eck ◽  
Amber Lampens ◽  
Sofie Goormachtig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Human Microbiome ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Plant Microbiota ◽  
Root Microbiome ◽  
Plant Microbiome

Studies in plant-microbiome currently use diverse protocols, making their comparison difficult and biased. Research in human microbiome have faced similar challenges, but the scientific community proposed various recommendations which could also be applied to phytobiome studies. Here, we addressed the isolation of plant microbiota through apple carposphere and lettuce root microbiome. We demonstrated that the fraction of the culturable epiphytic microbiota harvested by a single wash might only represent one-third of the residing microbiota harvested after four successive washes. In addition, we observed important variability between the efficiency of washing protocols (up to 1.6-fold difference for apple and 1.9 for lettuce). QIIME2 analysis of 16S rRNA gene, showed a significant difference of the alpha and beta diversity between protocols in both cases. The abundance of 76 taxa was significantly different between protocols used for apple. In both cases, differences between protocols disappeared when sequences of the four washes were pooled. Hence, pooling the four successive washes increased the alpha diversity for apple in comparison to a single wash. These results underline the interest of repeated washing to leverage abundance of microbial cells harvested from plant epiphytic microbiota whatever the washing protocols, thus minimizing bias.

scholarly journals Effects of tobacco smoke and electronic cigarette vapor exposure on the oral and gut microbiota in humans: a pilot study

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Stewart ◽  
Thomas A. Auchtung ◽  
Nadim J. Ajami ◽  
Kenia Velasquez ◽  
Daniel P. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Buccal Swabs ◽  
Significant Difference

BackgroundThe use of electronic cigarettes (ECs) has increased drastically over the past five years, primarily as an alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes. However, the adverse effects of acute and long-term use of ECs on the microbiota have not been explored. In this pilot study, we sought to determine if ECs or tobacco smoking alter the oral and gut microbiota in comparison to non-smoking controls.MethodsWe examined a human cohort consisting of 30 individuals: 10 EC users, 10 tobacco smokers, and 10 controls. We collected cross-sectional fecal, buccal swabs, and saliva samples from each participant. All samples underwent V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing.ResultsTobacco smoking had a significant effect on the bacterial profiles in all sample types when compared to controls, and in feces and buccal swabs when compared to EC users. The most significant associations were found in the gut, with an increased relative abundance ofPrevotella(P= 0.006) and decreasedBacteroides(P= 0.036) in tobacco smokers. The Shannon diversity was also significantly reduced (P= 0.009) in fecal samples collected from tobacco smokers compared to controls. No significant difference was found in the alpha diversity, beta-diversity or taxonomic relative abundances between EC users and controls.DiscussionFrom a microbial ecology perspective, the current pilot data demonstrate that the use of ECs may represent a safer alternative compared to tobacco smoking. However, validation in larger cohorts and greater understanding of the short and long-term impact of EC use on microbiota composition and function is warranted.

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