STUDY OF ANAEROBIC BACTERIAL FLORA AND SHORT CHAIN FATTY ACIDS CHANGES IN CIRRHOTIC PATIENTS

Abstract

In this study, fecal samples were taken from three pathological groups

(Compensated liver cirrhosis, decompensated liver cirrhosis -without

- ' encephalopathy-, and decompensated liver cirrhosis with hepatic \ encephalopathy), as well as from normal control individuals. The aim was

to study the anaerobic bacterial fecal flora in liver disease patients, and their response (expressed in their growth rate, and SCFAs production) to local environmental changes produced as a result of bleeding and therapy with colonic ecology modulators such as lactulose. It was found in both liver cirrhosis groups (compensated and de­ compensated without encephalopathy) that addition of blood (simulation of in-vivo bleeding) increases significantly the rate of growth of anaerobic fecal flora (expressed in the sum of anaerobic bacterial colony counts). On the other hand, addition of lactulose with blood in the culture media

decreases significantly the rate of growth of anaerobic fecal flora.

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In the compensated liver cirrhosis group, the following spectes were isolated: Bacteroides fragilis (4 cases), and Bacteroides coccae was isolated. from one case (i.e. Bacteroides species were isolated from 5 cases). Clostridium difficile was isolated from from 2 cases, and Clostridium perfringens was isolated from one case, Clostridium clostridiforme was isolated from one case (i.e. Clostridia were isolated from 4 cases). Other isolates included Peptostreptococcus indolicus (from one case), and Peptostreptococcus prevotii (from one case). In case No. 5, 2 organisms were isolated (Streptococcus constellatus, and Bacteroides coccae). In case No. 8, 2 organisms were identified (Clostridium difficile,