Figure 4.

Microbiome analyses at species level in acute appendicitis. Seventeen species were found by bacterial culturing with the highest abundance of Escherichia coli in all 3 stages of inflammation, which differed significantly from each other in their composition (P < .05). By 16S rDNA sequencing, 267 species were identified, which did not differ between the histological groups. Species with an abundance of ≥2% in at least 1 group were included in the figure. Bacterial species showing an abundance <2% or detected only once in bacterial culture are summarized in “other.” Nonallocable sequences are indicated “not assigned.”