This 2018 study tests the hypothesis that the intestinal microbiome of children with food allergies may be significantly different to those found in genetically similar non-allergic children and age-matched controls. The objective of this study was to characterize the microbiota found in fecal samples to identify the bacteria taxa that may affect expression of food allergy. Stool samples were taken from children with IgE-mediated food allergies, siblings without food allergy, and non-allergic controls. Overall, this study recruited 22 child participants with food allergies, 25 siblings without food allergies, and 21 non-allergic control subjects. Compared to their siblings and the control group, the food-allergic sample group had higher abundances of microbes within the Clostridia class and Firmicutes phylum (such as Oscillobacter valericigenes, Lachnoclostridium bolteae, Faecalibacterium sp.). Whereas non-allergic siblings were found to have a larger population of the Alistipes sp. bacteria. Moreover, the scientists identified differences in specific Clostridia that may trigger the separation of the allergic from the siblings and controls. There were important differences in microbiome signatures discovered in the feces of food-allergic children, siblings, and healthy children. Both genetic and environmental factors appear to contribute to the manifestation of food-allergic disease.
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