title: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis and the Microbiome.
abstract: Primary biliary cirrhosis is a rather uncommon, slowly progressive, cholestatic liver disease that predominantly affects middle-aged women. Apart from the changes in the gut microbiome that have been described in liver disease in general, little is known of the composition of the microbiome in primary biliary cirrhosis. Nevertheless, epidemiological, clinical, and some experimental evidence points to the possible role of a bacterium (or bacteria) in the initiation of the autoimmune process that leads to the development of this unique clinical phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Eamonn M M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Quigley
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D010641:Phenotype