Your gut microbiome may be more contagious than scientists thought

Scientists have found evidence that some gut bacterial populations can spread rapidly between people and across continents, suggesting the microbiome may be more transmissible than previously thought. The research also revealed hidden bacterial groups associated with aging, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and type 2 diabetes.

The human gut is home to trillions of microorganisms (the microbiome), a vast community that helps shape digestion, immune function and metabolism. Now, researchers led by the University of Vienna have found that many gut bacterial species are more complex than they appear.

Using an analytical strategy known as ‘reverse ecology,’ the team showed that individual bacterial species can contain several evolutionarily distinct populations, each adapted to different conditions inside the gut. Some of these populations were associated with advanced age, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes.

The findings, published in Nature, could help scientists identify more precise microbiome biomarkers and may eventually support treatments aimed at specific bacterial populations rather than entire species.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260906170129.htm