Our partner Centre of Excellence for Health, Immunity and Infections (CHIP) is coordinating one of the largest multinational investigations on how gut bacteria may influence inflammation and disease risk in HIV-positive individuals. The cohort counts with 991 participants from ages between 50 and 86, and the study spans to 22 clinical sites and includes a diverse group, although predominantly males (counting on 84.1%).
Researchers from CHIP, one of MISTRAL’s partners have collected 28,237 biological samples including whole blood, plasma and stool during two study visits in the participants houses. These samples are being used to explore correlations between gut microbiome diversity and health indicators such as inflammation.
Early Findings: Inflammation Linked to Gut Diversity
Preliminary analyses suggest that individuals with higher levels of inflammation in their blood tend to have a less diverse gut microbiome. This means that they have fewer bacterial species and less balanced distribution of microbes in the gut. This observation could have significant implications for understanding long-term health risks in people living with HIV.
Lifestyle Insights from the Study Group
This study also collected lifestyle data through questionnaires. Some key findings include that almost all participants (934) followed an omnivorous diet, that on average participants exercise 5,6 hours per week, that they consume on average 4,3 units of alcohol weekly, and that about one-third had a furry or a feathered pet at home in the month prior to the survey.
What’s Next?
While the current findings are still under review, researchers are continuing to analyze the data and expect more results in the coming months.
