Blastocystis Colonization Alters Gut Microbiota in Patients With Urticaria
In a recent case-control study, researchers analyzed microbiota profiles of patients with urticaria and healthy controls, identifying significant microbial shifts linked to both disease state and parasite colonization.
While the role of gut dysbiosis in allergic diseases has been increasingly recognized, the potential interaction between Blastocystis—a protozoan commonly found in the human gut—and host immune mechanisms remains underexplored.
A total of 67 individuals were included in the analysis, comprising 33 patients with urticaria and 34 healthy controls. Researchers performed microbial diversity assessments using Shannon, Simpson, and Chao-1 indices and applied independent sample t-tests, Welch's t-tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests to evaluate between-group differences.
“Significant differences were observed in Proteobacteria (p = 0.015), Bacteroidetes (p = 0.008), Escherichia (p = 0.005), Phocaelcola (p = 0.043), and Prevotella (p = 0.047) between the urticaria and control groups,” the authors reported.
Further analysis revealed that bacteroidetes (p = 0.003) and phocaelcola (p = 0.032) differed significantly between samples based on Blastocystis status. Overall microbiota composition varied significantly between blastocystis-positive and -negative samples (p = 0.009).
The firmicutes/bacteroidetes ratio, a key marker of microbial balance, was higher in patients with urticaria (6.4) compared to healthy controls (4.1), suggesting possible dysbiosis in the disease state.
“Both urticaria and Blastocystis infection significantly influence intestinal microbiota composition,” the authors concluded. These findings suggest a potential interaction between Blastocystis colonization and host immune regulation in urticaria and may open avenues for targeted microbiome-based interventions.
Reference
Ciftci N, Macin S, Saylam Kurtipek G, Arslan U. Comparison of the intestinal microbiota of patients with urticaria and healthy controls: The role of blastocystis. Pathogens. Published online November 11,2025. doi:10.3390/pathogens14111140
