Volume : 13, Issue : 04, April – 2026
Title:
HUMAN MICROBIOME AND ITS ROLE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Authors :
Ms. Sakshi D. Zore, Ms. Sakshi G. Jaybhaye, Ms. Sakshi D. Ghuge, Ms. Sadashiv P. Mundhe, Mr. Nivrutti D. Pandit, Dr. Prafulla R. Tathe
Abstract :
The human microbiome represents a complex and dynamic ecosystem composed of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and archaea, residing in and on the human body. These microbial communities play a fundamental role in maintaining physiological homeostasis and influencing various aspects of human health. Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies and metagenomic analysis have significantly expanded our understanding of microbiome composition, diversity, and functionality. This review paper explores the structure, diversity, and functions of the human microbiome, emphasizing its critical role in health and disease. The gut microbiome, in particular, has been extensively studied for its involvement in metabolic processes, immune modulation, and protection against pathogens. Dysbiosis, or imbalance in microbial communities, has been linked to numerous diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic syndromes, autoimmune conditions, neurological disorders, and cancers. The review further discusses recent findings on microbiome-host interactions, microbial metabolites, and therapeutic interventions such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation. Understanding the human microbiome offers promising opportunities for personalized medicine and disease prevention strategies. This paper synthesizes current literature to provide a comprehensive overview and highlights future research directions in this rapidly evolving field.
Keywords: Human microbiome, gut microbiota, dysbiosis, probiotics, host-microbe interaction, metagenomics, immune system, metabolic disorders, personalized medicine
Cite This Article:
Please cite this article in press Sakshi D. Zore et al Human Microbiome And Its Role In Health And Disease: A Comprehensive Review, Indo Am. J. P. Sci, 2026; 13(04).
REFERENCES:
1. Cryan, J. F., & Dinan, T. G. (2012). Mind-altering microorganisms: The impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 13(10), 701–712. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3346
2. Dominguez-Bello, M. G., Costello, E. K., Contreras, M., Magris, M., Hidalgo, G., Fierer, N., & Knight, R. (2010). Delivery mode shapes the acquisition and structure of the initial microbiota across multiple body habitats in newborns. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(26), 11971–11975. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1002601107
3. Fan, Y., & Pedersen, O. (2021). Gut microbiota in human metabolic health and disease. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 19(1), 55–71. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-020-0433-9
4. Flint, H. J., Scott, K. P., Louis, P., & Duncan, S. H. (2012). The role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 9(10), 577–589.
5. Gilbert, J. A., Blaser, M. J., Caporaso, J. G., Jansson, J. K., Lynch, S. V., & Knight, R. (2018). Current understanding of the human microbiome. Nature Medicine, 24(4), 392–400. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.4517
6. Human Microbiome Project Consortium. (2012). Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome. Nature, 486(7402), 207–214. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11234
7. Kho, Z. Y., & Lal, S. K. (2018). The human gut microbiome—A potential controller of wellness and disease. Frontiers in Microbiology, 9, 1835. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01835
8. Koneru, S., Thiruvadi, V., & Ramesh, M. (2023). Gut microbiome and its clinical implications: Exploring key players in human health. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care, 36(5), 353–359.
9. Ley, R. E., Peterson, D. A., & Gordon, J. I. (2006). Ecological and evolutionary forces shaping microbial diversity in the human intestine. Cell, 124(4), 837–848.
10. Ley, R. E., Hamady, M., Lozupone, C., Turnbaugh, P. J., Ramey, R. R., Bircher, J. S., Schlegel, M. L., Tucker, T. A., Schrenzel, M. D., Knight, R., & Gordon, J. I. (2008). Evolution of mammals and their gut microbes. Science, 320(5883), 1647–1651.
11. Lynch, S. V., & Pedersen, O. (2016). The human intestinal microbiome in health and disease. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(24), 2369–2379. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1600266
12. Marchesi, J. R., Adams, D. H., Fava, F., Hermes, G. D. A., Hirschfield, G. M., Hold, G., Quraishi, M. N., Kinross, J., Smidt, H., Tuohy, K. M., Thomas, L. V., Zoetendal, E. G., & Hart, A. (2016). The gut microbiota and host health: A new clinical frontier. Gut, 65(2), 330–339.
13. Rinninella, E., Raoul, P., Cintoni, M., Franceschi, F., Miggiano, G. A. D., Gasbarrini, A., & Mele, M. C. (2019). What is the healthy gut microbiota composition? Microorganisms, 7(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7010014
14. Shreiner, A. B., Kao, J. Y., & Young, V. B. (2015). The gut microbiome in health and in disease. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, 31(1), 69–75.
15. Sommer, F., & Bäckhed, F. (2013). The gut microbiota—Masters of host development and physiology. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 11(4), 227–238.
16. Tilg, H., & Moschen, A. R. (2014). Microbiota and diabetes: An evolving relationship. Gut, 63(9), 1513–1521.
17. Turnbaugh, P. J., Ley, R. E., Mahowald, M. A., Magrini, V., Mardis, E. R., & Gordon, J. I. (2006). An obesity-associated gut microbiome. Nature, 444(7122), 1027–1031. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05414
18. Turnbaugh, P. J., Hamady, M., Yatsunenko, T., Cantarel, B. L., Duncan, A., Ley, R. E., Sogin, M. L., Jones, W. J., Roe, B. A., Affourtit, J. P., Egholm, M., Henrissat, B., Heath, A. C., Knight, R., & Gordon, J. I. (2007). A core gut microbiome in obese and lean twins. Nature, 457(7228), 480–484. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07540
19. Valdes, A. M., Walter, J., Segal, E., & Spector, T. D. (2018). Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health. BMJ, 361, k2179. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2179
20. Zmora, N., Suez, J., & Elinav, E. (2019). You are what you eat: Diet, health and the gut microbiota. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 16(1), 35–56. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-018-0061-2
21. Collado, M. C., Devkota, S., & Ghosh, T. S. (2024). Gut microbiome: A biomedical revolution. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 21, 830–833. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-024-01001-3
22. Sangiuolo, K., Cheng, E., Terala, A., Dubrosa, F., & Milanaik, R. L. (2022). The gut microbiome: Trends and risks in pediatric populations. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 34(6), 634–642.
23. Gulliver, E. L., Young, R. B., Chonwerawong, M., et al. (2022). The future of microbiome-based therapeutics. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 56(2), 192–208.
24. Pal, P., & Shastry, R. P. (2023). Role of gut microbiome in colon cancer and precision medicine. Folia Microbiologica, 68, 691–701.
25. Journal of Advanced Research. (2025). Targeting the human gut microbiome: Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics. Journal of Advanced Research.