Association Between Adult Antibiotic Use, Microbial Dysbiosis and Atopic Conditions – A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Strong associations between early antibiotic exposure and increased risk of childhood allergies have been established.

Antibiotics have the potential to induce microbial dysbiosis that may be linked to allergic conditions.

This review examines the limited available evidence on the associations between adult antibiotic use, microbial dysbiosis and atopic conditions.

METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and Embase for relevant studies, published between 01–01–2000 and 08–17–2022.

We searched for associations between antibiotic use, microbial dysbiosis, and allergic conditions in adults, defined as over 13 years of age for the purposes of this review.

RESULTS: Twenty-one studies were analyzed, with the inclusion of four narrative reviews as scarce relevant literature was found when stricter selection criteria were employed.

Relevant studies predominantly focused on asthma.

Significant microbial differences were observed in most measures between healthy subjects and subjects with allergic conditions.

However, no system-wise and strain-wise associations were evident.

Notably, at the phyla level, the Bacillota and Pseudomonadota phyla were associated with asthmatics, while the Actinobacteria phylum was linked to healthy controls.

Asthmatics tends to reflect upregulation in the Bacillota and Pseudomonadota phyla in both airway and gut microbiomes.

CONCLUSION: No compelling evidence could be found between adult antibiotic exposure, consequent microbial dysbiosis, and allergic conditions in adults.

Our review is limited by scarce literature and therefore remains inconclusive.

However, potential implications of antibiotic use impacting on allergic conditions justify additional research and heightened pharmacovigilance in this area.