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Certain bacteria may become harmful in the gut when they disrupt the microbial ecosystem, damage host tissues, or contribute to inflammation and disease. Important examples include Blautia, Ralstonia pickettii, and Clostridium cluster XI (1).
Clostridium cluster XI may represent an important group of harmful bacteria in the large intestine. Its relevance depends on the surrounding microbiota, host conditions, and bacterial activity (2).
Pathogens and pathobionts can exploit disturbances in the gut ecosystem. They have evolved strategies to evade protection provided by commensal bacteria and thereby weaken colonization resistance (3).
Colonization resistance is the ability of the resident gut microbiota to limit the establishment and expansion of pathogens. When this protective function is impaired, potentially harmful bacteria may gain a competitive advantage (3).
Harmful gut bacteria should be assessed in context: species identity alone does not determine risk. Their effects depend on location, abundance, microbial interactions, and the host environment (1, 2, 3).
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see also:
Biological effects / Functions & Gut microbiota
Gut microbiota
Hermaphrodites
Pathogens / Pathobionts / Pathogenic Bacteria