Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. Researchers wanted to see if there was a link between the bacteria in the gut and MS. They studied 148 people with MS and 148 healthy people and found that people with MS had different bacteria in their gut compared to healthy people. Some of these bacteria were linked to inflammation markers in the blood. In people with MS who were not experiencing an active phase of the disease, there were higher levels of two types of bacteria that are known to have anti-inflammatory effects. These findings suggest that there are changes in the gut bacteria of people with MS and that these changes may be related to the disease. The researchers also found that people with MS had a higher diversity of viruses and more of a certain type of virus called Caudovirales bacteriophages in their feces. This suggests that viruses in the gut also play a role in MS. Further research is needed to understand the role of the gut microbiome in MS and to potentially develop new treatments for the disease.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13073-022-01148-1