A Distinctive Microbiome in Children with New-Onset Crohn Disease

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Certain gut bacteria were amplified in ileal and rectal biopsy specimens.

In recent years, researchers have reported that the microbiome of the gut is associated with inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn disease (NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 31 2013). In various studies, not all researchers have identified the same microbiome “fingerprint” (the pattern of increased or decreased numbers of bacterial species). However, these reports have involved small numbers of patients, studied before and (often) after treatment, which makes interpreting the data difficult.

In a new multi-institutional study, investigators prospectively collected ileal and rectal biopsy specimens (and, often, stool specimens) from 447 children with new-onset, untreated Crohn disease and from 221 children with noninflammatory abdominal conditions. The presence and number of specific bacterial genera and species were determined with rapid gene sequencing technologies. Amplified numbers of certain bacteria (including Enterobacteriaceae and Fusobacteriaceae), and diminished numbers of others (including Bacteroidales and Clostridiales) predicted Crohn disease with relatively high reliability; organisms found on ileal and rectal biopsy specimens were better predictors than were organisms found in stool.

Citation(s):

Gevers D et al. The treatment-naive microbiome in new-onset Crohn's disease. Cell Host Microbe 2014 Mar 12; 15:382.