Erysipelotrichaceae is a family within the phylum Firmicutes that has drawn increasing attention for its consistent enrichment in metabolic disorders. Members of this family are Gram-positive, obligate anaerobes found throughout the mammalian gastrointestinal tract, where they participate in lipid and cholesterol metabolism.
Multiple studies have identified Erysipelotrichaceae enrichment as a recurring feature of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Mendelian randomization analyses have linked elevated abundance of this family to altered lipid profiles, including higher LDL cholesterol and triglycerides ([1], Mendelian randomization). The family is also enriched in cardiovascular disease states, where its abundance correlates with pro-atherogenic metabolic pathways ([2], cross-sectional; [3], review). Notably, Erysipelotrichaceae shifts have been observed in autoimmune thyroid conditions alongside other metabolic disruptions ([4], cross-sectional), suggesting the family may serve as a broader marker of host metabolic dysregulation rather than a pathogen in any single disease.
Cross-References
- bacteroidetes — often inversely correlated with Erysipelotrichaceae in metabolic disease
- atherosclerosis — cardiovascular disease associations
- obesity — primary condition of enrichment
- metabolic syndrome — associated metabolic context