Unique link found in mice offers another possible explanation to the rising global threat that kills 35,000 Americans annually.

A new gut microbiome study noted an interesting discovery that could potentially explain why antibiotic resistance is on the rise among populations with nutrient deficiencies.
The gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live within the gastrointestinal tract and assist with digestion, metabolism, immunity, and other functions. Antibiotic resistance happens when pathogenic bacteria outsmart the drugs that are meant to kill them and create infections that are difficult or impossible to treat.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that deficiencies in the micronutrients folate, iron, and zinc, as well as vitamins A and B12, led to significant changes in the gut microbiomes of mice that made them vulnerable to infection. Study results were published Nov. 16 in Nature Microbiology.