OBJECTIVETo examine the differential levels of fecal Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Eubacterium rectale-Clostridium, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Clostridium difficile between patients with hepatic cirrhosis and healthy controls. Fecal samples were collected from 29 patients with hepatic cirrhosis treated in the Department of Digestive Diseases at Zunyi Hospital between March and December of 2010.

METHODSFecal samples were collected from 13 healthy college students for use as controls. All samples were assessed by pH measurement, bacterial culture for turbidity, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and laser scanning confocal microscopy. The t-test and rank correlation test were used to determine statistical significance of intergroup differences in each tested parameter.

RESULTSThe feces of patients with hepatic cirrhosis had higher pH than that of healthy controls (6.79+/-0.64 vs. 6.18+/-0.74, P less than 0.05). The bacterial turbidity was not significantly different between the feces of hepatic cirrhosis patients and healthy controls (1.15+/-0.59 vs. 1.39+/-1.01, P more than 0.05). The numbers of Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Eubacterium rectale-Clostridium, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Clostridium difficile in feces of patients with hepatic cirrhosis were significantly lower than those of the controls (all P less than 0.01). No significant correlation was found between the number or ratio of bacteria species and the severity of hepatic cirrhosis (Child-Pugh scores; P more than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe total quantity of intestinal bacteria in patients with hepatic cirrhosis is not significantly different from that in healthy patients. However, the profile of intestinal bacteria is different, which may explain the increased pH of fecal samples from patients with hepatic cirrhosis, but the differential profile is not correlated to cirrhosis pathogenesis.