Host factors associated with gut mycobiome structure

The study included 923 participants. Fecal DNA samples were analyzed by next-generation sequencing. Subsequently, fungi taxonomic profiles were determined and accompanied by computational and statistical analyses of the association with 53 host-related factors.Fungal communities were characterized by a high prevalence of Saccharomyces, Candida, and Sporisorium. Ten factors were found to correlate significantly with the overall mycobiome variation. Most were dietary-related, including the consumption of chips, meat, sodas, sweetening, processed food, and alcohol, followed by age and marital status. Differences in alpha and/or beta diversity were also reported for other factors such as BMI, job type, autoimmunological diseases, and probiotics. Differential abundance analysis revealed fungal species that exhibited different patterns of changes under specific conditions.