Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41781852›Full record

ArticleBMC microbiology2026

Uncovering the relationship between the human ocular surface microbiome and gut microbiome.

Nina Eldridge, Livia Spörri, Marco Kreuzer, Gianna Haldimann, Martin S Zinkernagel, Denise C Zysset-Burri

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02438111 (The Role of the Gut Metagenome on the Development of Age Related Macular Degeneration), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT02438111 unknown statusnot on this map

The Role of the Gut Metagenome on the Development of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

TypeobservationalSponsorInsel Gruppe AG, University Hospital BernRan2013 to 2023Enrolled1,200ConditionsAge Related Macular DegenerationArmsmetagenome
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Nina EldridgeDepartment of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern, CH-3010, Switzerland.
Livia SpörriDepartment of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern, CH-3010, Switzerland.
Marco KreuzerInterfaculty Bioinformatics Unit and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, Bern, CH- 3012, Switzerland.
Gianna HaldimannDepartment of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern, CH-3010, Switzerland.
Martin S ZinkernagelDepartment of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern, CH-3010, Switzerland.
Denise C Zysset-BurriDepartment of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern, CH-3010, Switzerland. denise.zysset@insel.ch.

Funding

Foundation Bertarelli Catalyst Fund, EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Lausanne, Switzerland CF10000044-EPFL SCR0237812
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe human body harbors diverse microbial communities that play essential roles in health and disease. While the gut microbiome (GM) has been extensively studied and linked to numerous systemic conditions, the ocular surface microbiome (OSM) remains less well understood due to its low microbial biomass and technical challenges in sequencing. Previous work has suggested possible connections between gut dysbiosis and ocular disease, but whether the OSM and GM are directly related remains unclear.

resultsThis study investigated the relationship between the ocular surface microbiome (OSM) and the gut microbiome (GM) by analysing matched samples from both niches in the same individuals. Using high-throughput sequencing, we characterised microbial composition and diversity at each niche, followed by statistical analysis to show common taxa. A Mantel test was applied to assess potential correlations between the two microbial communities. Our results revealed no significant correlation between the composition of the OSM and GM, neither in structure nor in diversity.

conclusionThis study suggests that the two niches are shaped independently, likely due to their distinct environmental conditions and microbial densities. These findings highlight the uniqueness of each microbiome and underscore the need for niche specific approaches when investigating host microbiome interactions.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, TRN: NCT02438111, Registration date: 28 April 2015, and TRN: NCT 04658238, Registration date: 01 December 2020.

Indexed as

BacteriaEyeGastrointestinal MicrobiomeMicrobiotaAdultDysbiosisFemaleHigh-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingHumansMaleMiddle AgedRNA, Ribosomal, 16SRNA, Ribosomal, 16SGut microbiomeOcular surface microbiomeWhole metagenome shotgun sequencing

Identifiers

PMID41781852
PMCPMC13069832

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.