Patients also showed relative increases in pathobionts. These are potentially pathological organisms that, under normal circumstances, live symbiotically. Janet Chow, PhD, who coined the term in a 2011 paper, said these species are typically proinflammatory (Curr Opin Immunol. 2011 Aug; 23[4]:473-80).
“Organisms proposed as pathobionts are associated with chronic inflammatory conditions – unlike opportunistic pathogens, which often cause acute infections and are typically acquired from the environment or other parts of the body. In addition, pathobionts are innocuous to the host under normal conditions,” wrote Dr. Chow of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.
In Dr. Volkmann’s study, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, which are usually reduced in proinflammatory disorders, were relatively abundant in patients, compared with controls.