The host-microbiome in specialty patient populations

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This is a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study across three centres in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia examining differences in the microbiota of people with leukaemia, people with liver disease, people with other types of cancer who are receiving immunotherapy and healthy volunteers. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are an adult aged 18 years or older and you are either: a) a healthy volunteer who has not been diagnosed with cancer or liver disease, or b) someone who has been diagnosed with acute leukaemia who has or has not received an allogeneic stem cell transplant, or c) someone who has end stage liver disease and has received a liver transplant, or d) someone who has another type of cancer who is receiving an immunotherapy treatment. Study details Participants who fall into one of the health conditions described above who choose to enrol in this study will be asked to provide a series of blood, stool (faeces) and saliva samples weekly for initial hospital duration then 3 monthly for up to 2 years after enrolment. Participants who are healthy volunteers will be asked to provide a once off blood, stool and saliva sample at the time of enrolment. It is hoped this research will determine whether there are any differences in the diversity of microbiota in people who are immunocompromised compared to healthy volunteers, and whether the type of microbiota that a person hosts has an impact on their susceptability to infection.