Microbial Dysbiosis in the Urinary Microbiome of Patients With Cirrhosis.

Woltsche, Johannes; Pacher-Deutsch, Christian; Fürst, Stefan; Gulden, Lukas; Schwarzl, Jakob; Feldbacher, Nicole; Nepel, Maximilian; Celcer, Lavra et al. · Am J Gastroenterol · 2026

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

Cirrhosis is associated with microbiome alterations beyond the gut, including skin, saliva, and serum. This study investigated the urinary microbiome in patients with cirrhosis, who have an increased risk of urinary tract infections. Midstream urine from 137 patients was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing; 68 patients with cirrhosis and 32 noncirrhotic controls met inclusion criteria. Patients with cirrhosis showed significantly reduced alpha-diversity. The urinary microbiome of controls was enriched in Streptococcus species. Reduced microbial diversity and lower Streptococcus abundance in patients with cirrhosis might help to explain their heightened susceptibility to urinary tract infections.

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