Microbiome Linked to Risk of Death from Disease

Certain gut microbiota can predict possible causes of mortality, reports a new study from Finland’s University of Turku. Researchers collected stool samples from 7,055 Finnish adults around 50 years old and followed them for 15 years. They found that greater numbers of bacteria from the Enterobacteria family increase the risk of death from cancer, respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal disease. “Many bacterial strains that are known to be harmful were among the Enterobacteria predicting mortality, and our lifestyle choices can have an impact on their amount in the gut,” says study co-author Teemu Niiranen.