Physiological Indications and Gut-Microbial Community in Army Personnel in High- Altitude and Base-Line Environments: A Comparative Study

Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences

Animesh Samanta¹ 

关键词: High-altitude (HA);    Acute mountain sickness (AMS);    Microbial enzymes;    Gut-microflora;    Oxygen saturation level (SPO2).;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Hashemite University, Deanship of Research and Higher Studies

【 摘 要 】

High altitude (HA) environments contain low levels of oxygen, which often cause nonspecific gastrointestinal (GI) disorders associated with acute mountain sickness (AMS). This study is conducted to investigate the alternation of microbial population and the physiological indices after being exposed to HA. Fecal and blood samples were collected from twelve army personnel in base-level environments in (Delhi, India) after acclimatization for seven days at 3505 m HA (Lah, India). Different bacterial groups, oxygen saturation level (SPO2), serum hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), blood urea, creatinine and microbial enzymes such as the α-amylase, proteinase, alkaline phosphatase and β-glucuronidase levels were all measured. It was observed that the total aerobic bacteria decreased significantly and the anaerobic and facultative anaerobic increased gradually in the intestines. Strict anaerobes including Bacteroidetes sp., Bifidobacterium sp., Lactobacillus sp. as well as pathogenic bacteria such as the Salmonella sp. exhibited positive growth. Various physiological parameters including serum hemoglobin, hematocrit, and urea-creatinine were also significantly changed. The microbial enzyme- activity also increased at HA. This confirms that the exposure to HA can change the intestinal microbial population affecting the microbial enzyme production possibly causing GI dysfunctions as a result of the decreased availability of oxygen.

【 授权许可】

CC BY