PREVALENCE AND ANTI-MICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF GRAM NEGATIVE BAXTERIA ISOLATED FROM URINE OF ABIA STATE STUDENTS.

ABSTRACT The gut microbiome plays a vital role in host health, influencing digestion, immunity, and overall wellbeing. This study provides metagenomic insight into the gut microbiome of Wistar rats administered fermented foods, with the aim of understanding how dietary inclusion of fermented products modulates microbial composition and functional potential. A total of 4 Wistar rats were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received measured doses of locally prepared fermented foods, while the control group was maintained on a standard diet. Fecal samples were collected and subjected to DNA extraction and high-throughput sequencing. Bioinformatics tools were used to analyze the diversity, abundance, and functional gene profiles of the gut microbial community. The results revealed significant shifts in the gut microbiota of rats fed fermented foods, including increased abundance of beneficial bacterial taxa such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, as well as enrichment of genes linked to short-chain fatty acid production and improved metabolic pathways. These findings suggest that fermented foods can positively modulate the gut microbiome, potentially enhance gut health and provide protective effects against dysbiosis-related conditions. This study contributes to the growing evidence supporting the incorporation of fermented foods into diets for better gut health and offers a foundation for further research on functional foods and microbiome-targeted dietary interventions.