What is the key historical divergence between Marshall's and Ghannoum's testing implications?
Marshall led to diagnostic testing for a single pathogen, Ghannoum toward community profiling.
The work of these two researchers represents a significant historical divergence in how gut microbes are tested and understood. Dr. Marshall’s discovery provided a clear clinical endpoint: testing for the presence of the specific pathogen, *H. pylori*, allowed for targeted diagnosis and subsequent treatment of ulcers. In contrast, Dr. Ghannoum’s research, which emphasized the significance of fungal dysbiosis in conditions like Crohn’s disease, pushed the scientific endeavor toward understanding the composition and balance of the entire microbial community. This laid the groundwork for modern tests that profile the totality of inhabitants (bacteria, fungi, archaea, viruses) rather than just seeking one known culprit.

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Understanding Gut Microbiome Science with Jeffrey Gordon, MD