Antibiotics-induced microbiota depletion (AIMD)

Antibiotics Induced microbiota depletion (AIMD) refers to the administration of one or more antibiotics that deplete the microbiota and disrupt the microbial balance, including richness and diversity. This can harm host health by increasing susceptibility to pathogen infection (Modi et al., 2014). This procedure is often used to investigate the role of gut microbiota in some pathological conditions (Patangia et al., 2022).

Antibiotics induced microbiota depletion can alter the composition and metabolic activity of intestinal microorganisms, potentially affecting microbial metabolites, intestinal barrier function, immune signaling, and host metabolism. The magnitude and duration of these changes depend on factors such as the antibiotic class, dose, treatment duration, route of administration, and the individual’s baseline microbiota. Recovery after treatment can also vary, with some microbial communities showing resilience while others may remain altered.

In research, AIMD is used as an experimental approach to examine whether specific physiological or behavioral outcomes are mediated by the gut microbiota. Researchers may compare antibiotic-treated animals or other experimental models with untreated controls and subsequently investigate microbiota restoration or microbial transfer approaches. Because antibiotics can have direct effects beyond microbiota depletion, experimental findings should be interpreted carefully rather than attributing every observed effect solely to changes in gut microorganisms.