A question was ask – are there significant gender differences with ME/CFS. A partial answer is possible from our citizen science data (Available here). The number of bacteria identify as statistical drops because we are reducing sample sizes. The table below shows the shifts that are seen in common with P < 0.01.

For Symptom of ME/CFS

Source	Tax_name	tax_rank	Male	Female	Male_Chi2	FeMale_Chi2
thryve	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	increases	increases	234.0375	138.4544
biomesight	Verrucomicrobiaceae	family	increases	increases	8.333333	7.262051
biomesight	Rhodothermaeota	phylum	increases	increases	179.2	217.3071
biomesight	Akkermansiaceae	family	increases	increases	8.718378	9.965634
biomesight	Erysipelothrix muris	species	increases	increases	9.533889	10.08333
biomesight	Akkermansia	genus	increases	increases	8.718378	9.965634
biomesight	Rhodothermales	order	increases	increases	179.2	217.3071
biomesight	Akkermansia muciniphila	species	increases	increases	8.718378	9.965634
biomesight	Erysipelothrix	genus	increases	increases	9.663289	9.663289
biomesight	Rhodothermia	class	increases	increases	179.2	217.3071
biomesight	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	increases	increases	281.1738	299.9112

ME/CFS With IBS

We find differences here.

Source	Tax_name	tax_rank	Taxon	Male	Female	Male_Chi2	FeMale_Chi2
biomesight	Sutterella	genus	40544	decrease	increases	8.333333	11.25018
biomesight	Rhodothermales	order	1853224	increases	increases	139.9274	114.5716
biomesight	Dorea	genus	189330	increases	decrease	18.75	16.17875
biomesight	Rhodothermia	class	1853222	increases	increases	139.9274	114.5716
biomesight	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	280.3333	187.9779
biomesight	Sutterellaceae	family	995019	decrease	increases	8.333333	11.25018
biomesight	Alcaligenaceae	family	506	decrease	increases	8.333333	9.120714
biomesight	Rhodothermaeota	phylum	1853220	increases	increases	139.9274	114.5716

ME/CFS Without IBS

We found no differences yet (given the sample size)

Source	Tax_name	tax_rank	Taxon	Male	Female	Male_Chi2	FeMale_Chi2
biomesight	Bacteroides fluxus	species	626930	increases	increases	7.355161	7.910588
biomesight	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	124.4571	170.4624

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Following up from above and noting that there is a gender bias in incidence, we find some differences

thryve	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	252.8232	95.10095
biomesight	Rhodothermales	order	1853224	increases	increases	125.1467	110.6182
biomesight	Rhodothermia	class	1853222	increases	increases	125.1467	110.6182
biomesight	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	314.4971	174.6182
biomesight	Rhodothermaeota	phylum	1853220	increases	increases	125.1467	110.6182
biomesight	Sharpea azabuensis	species	322505	increases	increases	16.18526	6.80625
biomesight	Sharpea	genus	519427	increases	increases	16.18526	6.80625
thryve	Mycoplasma	genus	2093	increases	decrease	12.81524	20.3229
thryve	Mycoplasmataceae	family	2092	increases	decrease	14.88581	20.3229
thryve	Phocaeicola vulgatus	species	821	increases	decrease	7.893492	17.06273
thryve	Mycoplasmatales	order	2085	increases	decrease	14.88581	26.01485

Depression

Another condition with a gender association

Source	Tax_name	tax_rank	Taxon	Male	Female	Male_Chi2	FeMale_Chi2
thryve	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	227.7557	148.4336
thryve	Parabacteroides distasonis	species	823	decrease	increases	9.118356	13.46941
thryve	Eubacterium oxidoreducens	species	1732	decrease	increases	12.99507	6.76
biomesight	Rhodothermales	order	1853224	increases	increases	121.2002	91.125
biomesight	Rhodothermia	class	1853222	increases	increases	121.2002	91.125
biomesight	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	223.4402	189.2431
biomesight	Rhodothermaeota	phylum	1853220	increases	increases	121.2002	91.125
thryve	Lactobacillus rogosae	species	706562	decrease	decrease	23.88368	12.12781

Symptom: Problems remembering things

This is one of the characteristics of ME/CFS, Long Covid, etc

Source	Tax_name	tax_rank	Taxon	Male	Female	Male_Chi2	FeMale_Chi2
thryve	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	316.4446	120.0944
biomesight	Rhodothermales	order	1853224	increases	increases	171.7445	133.3333
biomesight	Rhodothermia	class	1853222	increases	increases	171.7445	133.3333
biomesight	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	369.0078	289.0992
biomesight	Odoribacteraceae	family	1853231	increases	increases	12.79311	7.962632
biomesight	Rhodothermaeota	phylum	1853220	increases	increases	171.7445	133.3333
biomesight	Acetivibrio	genus	35829	decrease	increases	9.180865	17.49208
biomesight	Odoribacter	genus	283168	increases	increases	9.334949	12
biomesight	Acetivibrio alkalicellulosi	species	320502	decrease	increases	9.180865	19.95636
biomesight	Hathewaya histolytica	species	1498	decrease	increases	9.180865	7.262051
biomesight	Hathewaya	genus	1769729	decrease	increases	9.180865	7.262051
biomesight	[Clostridium] thermoalcaliphilum	species	29349	increases	increases	7.35	6.880909
thryve	Intestinimonas	genus	1392389	decrease	increases	16	8.552727
thryve	Intestinimonas butyriciproducens	species	1297617	decrease	increases	16.48646	9.992258
ubiome	Bacteroides sp. EBA5-17	species	447029	increases	decrease	9.055577	7.314286

Symptom: Worsening of symptoms with stress.

Another common symptom of ME/CFS

Source	Tax_name	tax_rank	Taxon	Male	Female	Male_Chi2	FeMale_Chi2
thryve	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	282.4023	185.22
biomesight	Thermoanaerobacterales Family III. Incertae Sedis	family	543371	decrease	increases	22.00454	8.491649
biomesight	Sharpea	genus	519427	increases	increases	17.55625	12.38345
biomesight	Hathewaya	genus	1769729	decrease	increases	16.98612	11.70814
biomesight	Rhodothermales	order	1853224	increases	increases	142.9353	188.8704
biomesight	Hathewaya histolytica	species	1498	decrease	increases	16.98612	11.70814
biomesight	Sharpea azabuensis	species	322505	increases	increases	17.55625	12.97965
biomesight	Rhodothermia	class	1853222	increases	increases	142.9353	188.8704
biomesight	Thermodesulfobacteria	phylum	200940	increases	increases	352.2616	362.7038
biomesight	Acetivibrio alkalicellulosi	species	320502	decrease	increases	12.65818	8.491649
biomesight	Rhodothermaeota	phylum	1853220	increases	increases	142.9353	188.8704
biomesight	Acetivibrio	genus	35829	decrease	increases	12.65818	8.491649

Other Symptoms with Significant Gender Differences in patterns

• Immune Manifestations: Abdominal Pain
• Sleep: Unrefreshed sleep
• Comorbid: High Anxiety
• General: Fatigue
• Neurological-Audio: hypersensitivity to noise
• DePaul University Fatigue Questionnaire : Unrefreshing Sleep, that is waking up feeling tired
• DePaul University Fatigue Questionnaire : Fatigue
• Neurocognitive: Brain Fog
• Neurocognitive: Problems remembering things
• DePaul University Fatigue Questionnaire : Anxiety/tension
• General: Myalgia (pain)
• Immune Manifestations: Constipation
• Post-exertional malaise: Rapid muscular fatigability,
• Neuroendocrine Manifestations: Poor gut motility
• Comorbid: Restless Leg
• Comorbid: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
• DePaul University Fatigue Questionnaire : Difficulty finding the right word
• DePaul University Fatigue Questionnaire : Mood swings
• DePaul University Fatigue Questionnaire : Pain in Multiple Joints without Swelling or Redness
• Sleep: Problems falling asleep
• Sleep: Problems staying asleep