title: [Differences in fecal Bifidobacterium species between patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy individuals].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the changes in fecal Bifidobacterium species in patients with type 2 diabetes in comparison with healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The bacterial DNA were extracted from the fecal samples from 50 type 2 diabetic patients and 30 healthy individuals. Real-time quantitative PCR was employed to determine the copy numbers of the bacteria in the fecal samples using 16S rRNA-targeted genus- and species-specific PCR primers for a selected group of fecal Bifidobacterium species including total Bifidobacterium, B.longum, B.breve, B.adolescent, and B. infantis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diabetic group had significantly lower copy numbers of total Bifidobacterium and B.adolescent compared to the healthy individuals (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Type 2 diabetic patients have a lowered number of Bifidobacterium species in the gut microflora.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China. 309322370@qq.com
authors.forename: Xiaojin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hongxiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Dehong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction