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Leptospirosis, a re-emerging zoonotic disease, remains a significant global health concern, especially amid floods and disasters such as the Kakhovka Dam destruction. As is known, the stress that occurs in the conditions of military conflicts among civilian and military personnel significantly affects susceptibility to infectious diseases and possibly even influences their course. This review aims to explore how the gut microbiome and stress mediators (such as catecholamines and corticosteroids) might impact the leptospirosis disease course. The review opens new horizons for research by elucidating the connections between the gut microbiome, stress, and leptospirosis.
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Introduction: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common mental health disorder to develop following exposure to trauma. Studies have reported conflicting results regarding changes in immune biomarkers and alterations in the abundance of bacterial taxa and microbial diversity in patients with PTSD. Aim: The purpose of this meta-analysis is to summarize existing studies examining gut microbiota characteristics and changes in immune biomarkers in patients with PTSD. Methods: Relevant studies were systematically searched in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, published in English between January 1, 1960, and December 1, 2023. The outcomes included changes in abundance and diversity in gut microbiota (gut microbiota part) and changes in immune biomarkers (immune part). Results: The meta-analysis included a total of 15 studies, with 9 focusing on changes in inflammatory biomarkers and 6 focusing on changes in gut microbiota composition in patients with PTSD. No differences were observed between groups for all inflammatory biomarkers (P≥0.05). Two of the six studies found that people with PTSD had less alpha diversity. However, the overall Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) for the Shannon Diversity Index was not significant (SMD 0.27, 95% CI -0.62-0.609, p = 0.110). Regarding changes in abundance, in two of the studies, a significant decrease in Lachnospiraceae bacteria was observed. Conclusion: This meta-analysis provides a comprehensive overview of gut microbiota characteristics in PTSD, suggesting potential associations with immune dysregulation. Future research should address study limitations, explore causal relationships, and consider additional factors influencing immune function in individuals with PTSD. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk, identifier CRD42023476590.