TABLE 3.
Cell numbers for species of the Bacteroides fragilis group in fecal samples before and after pollen season
| Species | Time relative to pollen season | Mean cell no./g ± SD (% prevalence)a
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placebo (n = 13) | BB536 (n = 20) | Healthy (n = 14) | ||
| Bacteroides caccae | Before | 8.84 ± 0.06 (30.8) | 8.73 ± 0.81 (35.0) | 8.61 ± 0.79 (71.4) |
| After | 8.73 ± 0.90 (61.5)* | 8.47 ± 0.99 (45.0) | 8.54 ± 0.46 (64.3) | |
| Bacteroides coprocola | Before | 8.69 ± 0.46 (23.1) | 8.72 ± 0.38 (15.0) | 9.03 ± 0.31 (28.6) |
| After | 9.89 ± 0.00 (7.7) | 9.77 ± 0.26 (15.0) | 8.96 ± 0.54 (28.6) | |
| Bacteroides coprophilus | Before | 7.70 ± 0.33 (23.1) | 8.99 ± 0.00 (5.0) | NDb (0) |
| After | 7.95 ± 0.00 (7.7) | 9.28 ± 1.72 (10.0) | 7.72 ± 0.20 (14.3) | |
| Bacteroides dorei | Before | 8.98 ± 0.89 (92.3) | 8.82 ± 0.62 (75.0) | 8.49 ± 0.57 (92.9) |
| After | 9.52 ± 0.94 (100)* | 9.16 ± 1.15 (95.0)** | 8.74 ± 0.67 (92.9) | |
| Bacteroides eggerthii | Before | 7.89 ± 0.58 (46.2) | 8.15 ± 0.90 (30.0) | 7.94 ± 0.63 (21.4) |
| After | 8.97 ± 0.77 (53.9)* | 8.64 ± 0.76 (50.0)* | 9.26 ± 0.56 (21.4) | |
| Bacteroides finegoldii | Before | 7.76 ± 0.30 (30.8) | 7.53 ± 0.24 (15.0) | 8.05 ± 0.30 (14.3) |
| After | 8.70 ± 0.37 (30.8) | 8.52 ± 0.22 (15.0) | 8.41 ± 0.11 (21.4) | |
| Bacteroides fragilis | Before | 8.80 ± 0.78 (92.3)† | 8.30 ± 0.51 (70.0) | 8.19 ± 0.37 (35.7) |
| After | 9.43 ± 0.78 (92.3)*†‡ | 9.12 ± 0.65 (50.0) | 8.36 ± 0.79 (42.9) | |
| Bacteroides intestinalis | Before | 8.13 ± 0.41 (23.1) | 8.60 ± 0.83 (45.0) | 8.54 ± 0.00 (7.1) |
| After | 8.87 ± 1.45 (69.2)*† | 9.37 ± 0.93 (35.0) | 7.70 ± 0.10 (14.3) | |
| Bacteroides ovatus | Before | 8.24 ± 0.51 (84.6) | 8.41 ± 0.47 (60.0) | 8.25 ± 0.50 (50.0) |
| After | 8.88 ± 0.55 (92.3)* | 8.78 ± 0.71 (70.0)* | 8.61 ± 0.64 (71.4)** | |
| Bacteroides plebeius | Before | 8.42 ± 0.65 (23.1) | 8.04 ± 0.58 (35.0) | 7.87 ± 0.81 (28.6) |
| After | 9.50 ± 1.60 (30.8) | 9.97 ± 1.76 (40.0)* | 8.86 ± 0.51 (28.6) | |
| Bacteroides stercoris | Before | 9.04 ± 0.42 (23.1) | 8.05 ± 0.00 (5.0) | ND (0) |
| After | 9.04 ± 0.23 (15.4) | 8.85 ± 0.64 (20.0) | ND (0) | |
| Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron | Before | 9.24 ± 0.97 (46.2) | 8.88 ± 0.21 (40.0) | 8.64 ± 0.24 (57.1) |
| After | 9.50 ± 0.62 (69.2)* | 9.53 ± 0.61 (55.0)* | 9.04 ± 0.48 (64.3) | |
| Bacteroides uniformis | Before | 9.04 ± 0.88 (76.9) | 9.03 ± 0.69 (75.0) | 8.94 ± 0.68 (100) |
| After | 10.43 ± 0.59 (84.6)** | 9.76 ± 0.98 (85.0)** | 9.46 ± 0.71 (100)** | |
| Bacteroides vulgatus | Before | 9.16 ± 1.22 (53.9) | 9.37 ± 0.77 (65.0) | 9.40 ± 0.56 (71.4) |
| After | 9.36 ± 1.42 (76.9)* | 9.22 ± 1.11 (85.0) | 9.26 ± 0.47 (71.4) | |
| Total (14 species) | Before | 9.85 ± 0.88 (100) | 9.66 ± 0.81 (100) | 9.68 ± 0.56 (100) |
| After | 10.93 ± 0.50 (100)**† | 10.45 ± 0.94 (100)** | 9.93 ± 0.55 (100) | |
Cell numbers were determined as log 10 cells per gram (wet weight) of feces, with prevalence given as a percentage in parentheses. Detection limits for each bacterial species by real-time PCR were 106/g (wet weight) of feces. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 14.0 statistical software (SPSS, Japan). Intra- and intergroup differences were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis H test with Bonferroni's correction, respectively. Both statistical analyses were conducted on cell numbers after logarithmic transformation, by substituting data with log 106 values for individuals under detection limits. * and **, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively, for significant intragroup difference from baseline (before); †, P < 0.01 for significant intergroup difference from the healthy group at each time point; ‡, P < 0.01 for significant intergroup difference between the placebo and BB536 groups at each time point.
ND, not detected (<log 106 cells/g).