Abstract
Purpose :
This study aim to characterize by the Next Generation Sequencing method, the microbiome of ocular surface, oral, and gut in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and compare to microbiome of individuals with Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) and healthy patients.
Methods :
Sterile swabs were utilized to collect specimens from the inferior conjunctiva of the right eye, oral mucosa, and fecal samples from a total of 10 SJS patients, 10 patients diagnosed with primary SS and 10 healthy controls. The DNA extraction was performed using ZymoBIOMICS DNA Kit. Microbiome profile (Bacteria and Fungi) was characterized by Next Generation sequence of 16S V3-V4 and ITS region using Qiagen libary kit. Sequencing was perfomed in MiSeq Illumina platform and data analyzed using Silva database. The severity of ocular surface disease and dry eye indices were graded.
Results :
The mean age of individuals with SJS was 37.44 years, 56.33 years for SS and 39.33 years for the control group. A total of 66.6% of the SJS group and control group were female and 100% of the SS group. Regarding the gut microbiomes already processed, 100% of patients from both disease groups had gut dysbiosis. All SJS and SS patients had a lower-than-normal Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio with irregular phylum distribution. All SS patients and 77% of SJS patients had absence of the anti-inflammatory bacterium Akkermansia with the presence of pathobiont bacteria, and None SJS or SS patient had pathogenic bacteria. Regarding the oral microbiomes already processed all patients from both groups had irregular phylum distribution. A total of 2 SJS patients had pathogenic bacteria (Haemophilus aegyptius and Granulicatella elegans), and one SJS patient had a pathobiont bacterium. In the evaluation of fungi microbiome, 66% of SS patients had Candida albicans in their flora. Regarding ocular microbiome, at this moment, the samples were already sequenced and the data is in bioinformatics analyses.
Conclusions :
The finds of this study will provide information that will be important to guide treatment with prebiotics and probiotics in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome and restore the gut ecosystem and bring back a healthy ocular surface.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.