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Healthy gut flora is associated with fewer hospitalizations due to infections
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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A recent study published in The Lancet Microbe examined the relationship between gut microbiota composition and the risk of hospitalization due to infections. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, the researchers characterized the diversity and abundance of gut bacteria in two large, independent European population-based cohorts.
The results showed that the composition of the gut microbiota, particularly the presence of butyrate-producing bacteria, may protect against serious infections requiring hospitalization.
Despite significant advances in medicine, infectious diseases remain a major public health challenge. According to the Global Burden of Disease study (2019), nearly 25% of all annual deaths may be due to severe infections.
These data indicate that current methods of preventing and treating infections are insufficient and new strategies are needed to prevent infections that require hospitalization or lead to death.
Recent studies have shown that the composition of the gut microbiota may be closely linked to immunity to infections. Most patients with severe infections have an abnormal gut microbiota at the time of hospitalization, before treatments that may worsen dysbiosis.
Previous research has shown a link between a deficiency of butyrate-producing bacteria and an increased risk of respiratory infections in humans. The current study extends these findings and suggests that the composition and relative abundance of gut microbiota may influence a person’s susceptibility to severe infections requiring hospitalization.
The study followed the STORMS (Strengthening The Organizing and Reporting of Microbiome Studies) guidelines for organizing and reporting microbiological studies. Data were obtained from two independent large population-based cohorts in Europe: the Dutch HELIUS study and the Finnish FINRISK 2002 study. Both cohorts were national prospective studies related to hospitalization and mortality.
The study included 10,699 participants (HELIUS - 4,248; FINRISK - 6,451). The gut microbiota composition included predominantly Firmicutes (Bacillota) and Bacteroidetes with average relative abundances of 65.9% and 24.1%, respectively. 3.6% of the HELIUS cohort participants and 7.0% of the FINRISK study participants experienced severe infections during the study and follow-up period (6 years). Lower respiratory tract infections were the most common.
Groups with and without severe infections showed differences in the composition of the gut microbiota: patients who had severe infections had higher relative abundance of Veillonella and Streptococcus, while healthy participants had higher abundance of Butyrivibrio, an anaerobic bacterium that produces butyrate.
The present study highlights that in two large independent European cohorts, higher abundance of anaerobic butyrate-producing bacteria is associated with a significantly reduced risk of future severe infections. These results suggest that the gut microbiota may be an easily modifiable risk factor in preventing infections requiring hospitalization.
If these findings are confirmed by further research, they may help limit people's susceptibility to systemic infections and help doctors and policymakers identify the best dietary interventions to prevent the spread of infections on a population-wide scale.