This study investigates the fungal microbiota in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and healthy controls. Using 16S and ITS2 sequencing, the researchers analyzed the bacterial and fungal composition of fecal samples from 235 IBD patients and 38 healthy subjects. They found that the fungal microbiota in IBD patients was skewed, with an increased Basidiomycota/Ascomycota ratio, a decreased proportion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and an increased proportion of Candida albicans compared to healthy controls. The diversity of the fungal microbiota was also altered in IBD patients, particularly in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Correlation analyses revealed a dense and homogeneous correlation network in healthy subjects but a significantly unbalanced network in IBD patients, suggesting disease-specific inter-kingdom alterations. The study also explored the relationship between fungal and bacterial microbiota, finding specific associations in IBD patients. Additionally, the researchers investigated the potential role of specific fungal taxa in IBD pathogenesis, noting that Saccharomyces cerevisiae may exhibit anti-inflammatory effects, while Candida albicans was not significantly associated with the disease phenotype. The study concludes that fungal microbiota dysbiosis, characterized by changes in biodiversity and composition, is a distinct feature of IBD, suggesting that fungi may play a role in IBD pathogenesis beyond bacteria.This study investigates the fungal microbiota in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and healthy controls. Using 16S and ITS2 sequencing, the researchers analyzed the bacterial and fungal composition of fecal samples from 235 IBD patients and 38 healthy subjects. They found that the fungal microbiota in IBD patients was skewed, with an increased Basidiomycota/Ascomycota ratio, a decreased proportion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and an increased proportion of Candida albicans compared to healthy controls. The diversity of the fungal microbiota was also altered in IBD patients, particularly in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Correlation analyses revealed a dense and homogeneous correlation network in healthy subjects but a significantly unbalanced network in IBD patients, suggesting disease-specific inter-kingdom alterations. The study also explored the relationship between fungal and bacterial microbiota, finding specific associations in IBD patients. Additionally, the researchers investigated the potential role of specific fungal taxa in IBD pathogenesis, noting that Saccharomyces cerevisiae may exhibit anti-inflammatory effects, while Candida albicans was not significantly associated with the disease phenotype. The study concludes that fungal microbiota dysbiosis, characterized by changes in biodiversity and composition, is a distinct feature of IBD, suggesting that fungi may play a role in IBD pathogenesis beyond bacteria.