What’s the problem? This finding contradicts the conventional wisdom about gut and lung health, where bacterial diversity is often associated with better outcomes. However, Streptococcus mitis appears to protect against harmful bacteria by acting as a guard in the mouth. This discovery emerged as a result of a larger study of the lung microbiome in patients with IPF. Researchers initially tried to find out whether antibiotics could improve treatment outcomes. But they took a deeper dive into the study and analyzed cheek swabs to explore the potential role of the oral microbiome.
Lead researcher David O’Dwyer explains the significance of this study: “Streptococcus mitis may protect against other bacteria that contribute to the progression of IPF. However, this benefit appears to disappear in patients receiving antibiotics, highlighting the complex interactions between different bacterial communities.”
Although more research is needed, this study opens new avenues to discover potential treatments by manipulating the oral microbiome.
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Source: Ferra
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