Haemophilus parainfluenzae in the Gut Microbiome

Haemophilus parainfluenzae is most commonly found in the mouth and throat but can also be found in the gut. Like many potentially disruptive microbes, they don’t tend to cause issues unless they grow to too high a level in places where the body is not used to dealing with them. H. parainfluenzae can cause respiratory tract and urogenital infection as well as gastrointestinal problems occasionally [1], [2], [3], [4]. There is some evidence that people with inflammatory bowel diseases and irritable bowel syndrome have higher levels of H. parainfluenzae but more research is needed to understand this [5], [6], [7].

We consider low to undetectable levels of Haemophilus parainfluenzae in the gut to be optimal, although as stated above the evidence for this remains speculative. The best way to combat H. parainfluenzae is to encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria that will outcompete them for resources. Interestingly, there is also some evidence that cinnamon may specifically inhibit this bacterium [8], [9]. (Adapted from Tiny Health)