Abstract
BACKGROUND: Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) is a epidemiologically significant food-borne parasite, causing several hepatobiliary diseases. Biliary microbiota community structure might be influenced by infection with pathogens. However, the biliary microbiome of biliary obstruction patients infected with C. sinensis is still an unexplored aspect. METHODS: A total of 50 biliary obstruction patients were enrolled, including 24 infected with C. sinensis and 26 non-infected subjects. The bile samples were collected by Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancretography. Biliary microbiota alteration was analyzed through high-throughput 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. RESULTS: Our findings revealed that there was significant increase in both richness and diversity, as well as changes in the taxonomic composition of the biliary microbiota of C. sinensis infected patients. At the phylum level, C. sinensis infection induced Proteobacteria increased and Firmicutes reduced. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus increased significantly, while Enterococcus decreased prominently in infected groups (P < 0.05). The PICRUSt analysis further showed remarkably different metabolic pathways between the two groups. CONCLUSION: C. sinensis infection could modify the biliary microbiota, increasing the abundance and changing the phylogenetic composition of bacterial in biliary obstruction patients. This study may help deepen the understanding of the host-biliary microbiota interplay with C. sinensis infection on the background of biliary obstruction and provide new insights into understanding the pathogenesis of clonorchiasis.