Based on extracted DNA samples and shotgun sequencing collected from stool of 82 untreated rheumatoid arthritis patients and 42 healthy subjects, the team of OKADA Toshihiro at Osaka University School of Medicine has found that some species of Prevotella are significantly increased in the microbiome of rheumatoid arthritis patients. It could not be concluded whether the increase of Prevotella is the cause or the result of disease. However, since the stool of patients at an early stage was analyzed, the finding may be used as a risk prediction marker. As there was no significant difference in the metagenomic diversity between patients with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy individuals, dysbiosis did not seem to be related to rheumatoid arthritis.

Nikkei Biotech news release, November 11, 2019