Cannabis use, microbial diversity and <scp> <i>Dialister</i> </scp> abundance in older adults with <scp>HIV</scp> : A cross‐sectional study

Cannabis consumption in older people with HIV, including those with and without MCI, was associated with lower microbial diversity and reduced Dialister abundance, a taxon with dual roles in mucosal integrity and gastrointestinal symptom modulation. Reduced alpha diversity and Dialister depletion are notable given links to impaired mucosal barrier integrity, microbial translocation and systemic immune activation in HIV. These findings suggest cannabis may modify HIV-associated dysbiosis, warranting further longitudinal studies to disentangle symptomatic benefits from long-term impacts on mucosal health and systemic inflammation.