Fungal microbes like the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans frequently reside in the human gut - and researchers are finding that they can influence health in surprising ways.

An article appearing in Science News quoted David Andes, MD, professor and head, Infectious Disease. The story described two recent studies finding that diet affects the relationships between bacterial and fungal microbes in mouse and humans, respectively. The studies were led by scientists at the University of Minnesota and Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Medical Center, respectively.

Dr. Andes, who was not involved in either study, commented on the importance of considering the gut's fungal mix, or mycobiome. "To get the whole picture, we’re going to need to start looking at the mycobiome in addition to the [bacterial] microbiome," he said.

Resources:

• "Gut fungi might be linked to obesity and inflammatory bowel disorders," Science News, October 16, 2017

Image caption: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Licensed under CC-SA 3.0, created by Mogana Das Murtey and Patchamuthu Ramasamy.