Assessment of Salivary Microbiota Profile as a Potential Diagnostic Tool for Pediatric Celiac Disease

Abstract

Abstract The association between oral dysbiosis and celiac disease (CD) remains poorly understood, as does the impact of CD-associated dysbiosis on disease development or exacerbation. This study aims to investigate alterations in salivary microbial composition among children with CD. In this cross-sectional study, saliva samples from 12 children with active CD (A-CD group), 14 children with CD on a gluten-free diet, and 10 healthy control children were analyzed using DNA sequencing targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA. Patients with CD exhibited a significant increase (p=0.00) in the Bacteroidetesphylum, while the Actinobacteria phylum showed a significant decrease (P=0.00). Notably, the Rothia genus and R.aeria also demonstrated a significant increase (P=0.00) within the CD group. Additionally, the control group displayed a significant increase (P=0.006) in R.mucilaginosaspecies compared to both CD patient groups. Distinct bacterial strains were abundant in the saliva of patients with active CD, indicating a unique composition of the salivary microbiome in individuals with CD. These findings suggest that our approach to assessing salivary microbiota changes may contribute to developing noninvasive methods for diagnosing and treating CD.