Association of altered gut microbiota composition withchronic urticaria

Background and Aim : An altered gut microbiota composition has recently been linked to sometypes of allergies. To compare the relative amounts of Akkermansia muciniphila, Clostridiumleptum, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Enterobacteriaceae as members of gut microbiota amongpatients with chronic urticaria (CU) and healthy controls.Methods : A total of ۲۰ patients with CU and ۲۰ healthy individuals matched by age and sexparticipated in the study. Fresh fecal samples were collected, and DNA extracted from stoolsamples was analyzed by real time polymerase chain reaction for the qualitative and quantitativeassays of the so-called bacteria.Results : The frequencies of A muciniphila, C leptum, and F prausnitzii in healthy controls’ stoolsamples were significantly more than those of patients with CU (P < .۰۰۱, P < .۰۱, and P < .۰۵,respectively), whereas the Enterobacteriaceae family was detected in all patients and healthycontrols’ stool samples. The relative amounts of A muciniphila in healthy control positive sampleswere significantly higher than those of samples from patients with CU (P < .۰۰۱). Furthermore,there was a corresponding increase of relative amounts of C leptum and F prausnitzii in healthycontrol positive samples compared with those of patients with CU (P = .۰۹ and P= .۰۸,respectively). The mean of the relative amounts of Enterobacteriaceae family in the stool samplesfrom patients with CU was more than that of healthy controls; however, the difference was nearlysignificant (P = .۱۲).Conclusion : The results reveal a change of frequency and relative amounts of A muciniphila, Cleptum, and F prausnitzii in patients with CU compared with healthy controls. This is the firststudy, to our knowledge, to show the change of microbiota composition in patients with CU.