title: Lower bifidobacteria counts in adult patients with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ingestion of gluten is responsible for the symptoms of Celiac disease, but other environmental factors can also influence. Strains of the Bifidobacterium genus have been shown to afford protection against the inflammatory response and mucosal damage caused by gliadin peptides in vitro.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to compare the concentration of fecal bifidobacteria and pH of patients with celiac disease on gluten-free diet and control subjects in order to identify if the imbalance on fecal microbiota still remain during the treatment of celiac disease and identify the necessity of dietary supplementation with pre- or probiotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was analyzed the feces of 42 healthy subjects and 14 celiac patients. The bifidobacteria count in feces was done in selective medium BIM-25. Microscopic analysis of the colonies was performed by Gram stain. The identification of the genus Bifidobacterium was performed by determination of fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase. Fecal pH was measured using a pH meter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of bifidobacteria per gram of feces was significantly higher in healthy subjects (controls) (1.5 ± 0.63 x108 CFU/g) when compared to celiac patients (2.5 ± 1.5 x107 CFU/g). The fecal pH was not different between celiac patients (7.19 ± 0.521) and controls (7.18 ± 0.522).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that with lower levels of bifidobacteria, celiac patients have an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota, regardless of pH, even while on a gluten-free diet. This fact could favor the pathological process of the disorder.
authors.affiliation: Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lisléia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Golfetto
authors.affiliation: Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Duarte
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: de Senna
authors.affiliation: Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hermes
authors.affiliation: Nutricionista, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Bruna Teles Soares
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Beserra
authors.affiliation: Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Franciane da Silva
authors.initials: Fda S
authors.lastname: França
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análise Clínica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Flávia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D055050:Diet, Gluten-Free; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged