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Researchers discovered new microbial species and never-before-reported metagenomes from several African sites, according to Professor Scott Hazelhurst, senior scientist at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) and Professor of Bioinformatics, Wits University, as reported in a January 30 2025 issue of Phys.org. The study adds high-quality genomes of 1,005 bacterial and 40,135 viral species.

 

We now know that geography largely shapes microbiome differences, with some species thriving in rural areas and others in industrialized settings,” says co-author Dr. Luicer Ingasia Olubayo of the SBIMB as quoted in the Phys.org report.

 

The study identified “food deserts” where there is a gross deficiency of healthier fresh produce and foods. In addition, there is the absence of important bacteria, Treponema, in urban participants. The study found that people living in food deserts have a “higher risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.”