Resistome and microbiome-immune interactions in an Eastern European population with high antibiotic use

Authors

Mirauta, B., Riza, A.-L., Streata, I., Pirvu, A., Dorobantu, S., Dragos, A., Surleac, M., Netea, M.

Abstract

The gut microbiome is increasingly recognised as a factor that influences host health, affecting not only gastrointestinal functions, but also metabolic, immune, cardiovascular, and neurological systems. A diverse and balanced microbiome is consistently associated with favourable health outcomes. However, increased antibiotic use and dietary habits may disrupt the ecosystem of the microbiome, causing dysbiosis and affecting body homeostasis. We present the first comprehensive metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiome in a healthy Romanian cohort. With no prior high-resolution profiling on this population, characterized by historically high antibiotic consumption, this cohort contributes to understanding microbiome variation in European populations. We report microbiome features consistent with other European populations, as well as an enrichment of Enterobacteriaceae and a ubiquitous low-level presence of Clostridiaceae, patterns that may be shaped by population-level exposures, including antibiotic use. In particular, we identify increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistance genes related to antibiotics known to be used frequently in Romanian populations, namely beta-lactams, macrolides and quinolones. Finally, we investigate the relationship between the microbial profile and the systemic immune responses, inferred from correlations with in vitro cytokine production profiles. Notably, we identify a potential immune-priming role for Collinsella species and a link between the Prevotella enterotype and the cytokine production capacity.

Preprint server: bioRxiv
The authors list and abstract were imported from bioRxiv on 23 Jan 2026.

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