Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 16: Bacteria present in the mouth can significantly influence gut health and may even help predict the risk of advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD), a new study has found. Each year, more than two million people worldwide die due to complications arising from ACLD.
The study, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, analysed saliva and stool samples from 86 patients and revealed striking changes in bacterial populations as liver disease progressed. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany, observed that while healthy individuals have distinct bacterial communities in different parts of the body, this separation breaks down in liver disease patients.
According to the findings, oral and gut microbiomes became increasingly similar as the disease worsened, with nearly identical bacterial strains detected in both the mouth and gut of affected patients. Notably, changes in the oral microbiome were evident even in the early stages of liver disease.
“These strains are typically found in the mouth and are rarely present in the healthy gut. However, we observed a significant increase in their abundance in patients with advanced chronic liver disease,” said Melanie Schirmer, Professor of Translational Microbiome Data Integration at TUM. “This strongly suggests that these bacteria migrate from the mouth and colonise the gut.”
The researchers identified several oral bacterial species that had established themselves in the gut and found that higher levels of these bacteria were linked to damage to the intestinal barrier. Gene analysis further showed that these bacteria possess genes responsible for producing collagen-degrading enzymes.
“Collagen breakdown can weaken the gut barrier, potentially allowing bacteria and their products to reach other organs such as the liver, which may worsen the disease,” explained Aurelie Cenier, a doctoral researcher and co-first author of the study.
The team believes these findings open up new therapeutic possibilities. “Protecting or restoring the gut barrier could help slow disease progression. Targeting the oral microbiome may offer a way to positively influence the course of the disease and prevent clinical complications,” said Dr Vishal Patel from King’s College London.
Researchers say the study highlights the importance of oral health in managing and potentially preventing the progression of chronic liver disease.