Metagenomics reveals impact of geography and acute diarrheal disease on the Central Indian human gut microbiome

Abstract

We report distinct differences in antimicrobial resistance gene profiles, enrichment of metabolic pathways and phage composition between rural and urban populations, as well as a higher burden of <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> disease in the urban population. Our results reveal that geography is the key driver of variation in urban and rural Indian microbiomes, with acute diarrheal disease, including <i>C. difficile</i> disease exerting a lesser impact. Future studies will be required to understand the potential role of dietary, cultural, and genetic factors in contributing to microbiome differences between rural and urban populations.