New research published today in Nature Communications has provided evidence that the presence of certain common blood microbes is associated with good health. It provides a foundation for the development of therapies that could potentially modulate human health by manipulating the microbial content of our blood.

Our bodies are home to an incredible diversity of microbes, many of which are not harmful, but even beneficial. In recent years, researchers have begun to uncover potential links between the microbial content of our blood and good health. The new study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego, has now identified four common bacterial species that are consistently associated with healthy individuals. The bacteria, which are known as Prevotella copri, Bacteroides vulgatus, Bacteroides fragilis, and Bacteroides ovatus, are found in the human gut, but can also be present in the blood. The researchers studied the blood of over 3,000 individuals, finding that those with higher levels of these four bacterial species had lower levels of inflammation and were generally in better health.

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source: Phys.org