AUTHOR=Cuperus Tryntsje , Kool Jolanda , Boverhoff David , van der Ark Kees , Opsteegh Marieke , Fuentes Susana 

TITLE=Prevotella as the main driver for the association between dairy farming and human gut microbiome composition

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiomes

VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiomes/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2025.1612922

DOI=10.3389/frmbi.2025.1612922

ISSN=2813-4338

ABSTRACT=The human gut microbiota is shaped by a multitude of environmental factors, including contact with animals. To investigate the association between occupational exposure to cattle and the gut microbiome, a cross-sectional study was performed on 65 individuals working and/or living on Dutch dairy cattle farms in comparison to controls. The gut microbiome of the participants was assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of stool samples. A lower alpha diversity and divergent microbiome composition was observed, driven largely by a greater Prevotella abundance in dairy farm participants when compared to controls. Prevotella was also associated with contact frequency with the dairy cattle, with participants with more frequent contact showing higher abundance. The results of this study show occupational contact with cattle is associated with gut microbiome composition, which is of relevance because of the importance of the microbiome for human health.