Ramón y Cajal Hospital

Research in mice shows that the gut microbiota of pregnant mice influences the development of stem cells in their offspring. Changes in the bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila in the maternal microbiota alter the proliferation of intestinal and neural cells in the offspring, according to the study published in Cell Stem Cell.

Rituximab and ocrelizumab are two antibodies with a similar mechanism of action that are used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Although the former had not shown benefits in primary progressive multiple sclerosis — which affects between 10% and 15% of patients — the latter is approved for this form of the disease. Now, a study conducted in France with more than 1,000 patients has found no benefits with either treatment, as they did not slow the progression of disability in these individuals. The results are published in the journal Neurology.

After the first year of life, the father's contribution to his baby's microbiota is comparable to the mother's contribution, whether born vaginally or by caesarean section, says a study published in Cell Host & Microbe. In addition, faecal microbiome transplants from the mother to her baby can restore the microbiome in the case of caesarean birth, says the study, which included 74 babies and involved Spanish participants. 

Researchers have found specific antibodies in the blood of patients years before they showed symptoms of multiple sclerosis. This group of antibodies was present in 10% of the 250 people who later developed the disease, and were part of a sample of over 10 million US military personnel. The finding could have potential for early detection of multiple sclerosis, says the research team in a paper published in Nature Medicine. 

Two studies have found changes in the microbiome of patients affected by chronic fatigue syndrome. In particular, they have found a decrease in both butyrate and certain bacteria that produce butyrate. Butyrate is a factor related to the protection of the intestinal barrier and appears to play a role in the regulation of the immune system. Both papers are published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe.

An international team including researchers from Spain has analysed the level of exchange of microbial strains between different generations (vertical transmission) and between people who share a household or are close contacts (horizontal transmission). The analysis, published in the journal Nature, is based on about 9,700 microbiome samples from the faeces and saliva of people with different lifestyles from countries. According to the research, the transmission of bacteria is more frequent for the mouth microbiome than for the gut microbiome among people living together.   

The establishment of the baby's microbiota occurs around the time of birth, when it receives bacteria directly from the mother. A study in the journal Cell suggests that genes can also be transmitted between them by horizontal transfer, without the need for the passage of these micro-organisms.

Two studies published in the journal Nature Communications have found specific characteristics in the microbiota of people with depression, including populations of different ethnicities and habits.

A double clinical trial has analyzed the efficacy of ruxolitinib cream in treating depigmentation associated with vitiligo. The results are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Today the World Health Organisation declared smallpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The move was announced at a press conference by its director general, Tedros Adhanom, despite a lack of consensus in the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee.