Methanogens are the archaea most commonly found in humans, in particular in the digestive tract and are an integral part of the digestive microbiota. They are present in humans from the earliest moments of life and represent the only known source of methane production to date. They are notably detected in humans by microscopy, fluorescent in situ hybridization, molecular biology including PCR-sequencing, metagenomics, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and culture. Methanogens present in the human digestive tract play major roles, in particular the use of hydrogen from the fermentation products of bacteria, thus promoting digestion. They are also involved in the transformation of heavy metals and in the use of trimethylamine produced by intestinal bacteria, thus preventing major health problems, in particular cardiovascular diseases. Several pieces of evidence suggest their close physical contacts with bacteria support symbiotic metabolism. Their imbalance during dysbiosis is associated with many pathologies in humans, particularly digestive tract diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colonic polyposis, and colorectal cancer. There is a huge deficit of knowledge and partially contradictory information concerning human methanogens, so much remains to be done to fully understand their physiological role in humans. It is necessary to develop new methods for the identification and culture of methanogens from clinical samples. This will permit to isolate new methanogens species as well as their phenotypic characterization, to explore their genome by sequencing and to study the population dynamics of methanogens by specifying in particular their exact role within the complex flora associated with the mucous microbiota of human.

产甲烷菌是人类中最常见的古细菌，尤其是在消化道中，并且是消化菌群的组成部分。它们最早出现在人类中，是迄今为止唯一已知的甲烷生产来源。通过显微镜，原位荧光在人体中检测到它们杂交，分子生物学（包括PCR测序），宏基因组学，基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱和培养。存在于人类消化道中的产甲烷菌起主要作用，特别是利用细菌发酵产物中的氢，从而促进消化。它们还参与重金属的转化以及肠细菌产生的三甲胺的使用，从而预防重大的健康问题，特别是心血管疾病。几项证据表明它们与细菌的紧密身体接触支持共生代谢。它们在营养不良期间的失衡与人类的许多疾病有关，尤其是消化道疾病，例如克罗恩氏病，溃疡性结肠炎，憩室病，炎性肠病，肠易激综合症，结肠息肉病和大肠癌。关于人类产甲烷菌的知识和部分矛盾的信息存在着巨大的不足，要充分了解它们在人类中的生理作用，还有许多工作要做。有必要开发从临床样品中鉴定和培养产甲烷菌的新方法。这将允许分离新的产甲烷菌种及其表型特征，通过测序探索其基因组，并通过特别指定其在与人类粘液微生物群相关的复杂菌群中的确切作用来研究产甲烷菌的种群动态。要充分了解它们在人类中的生理作用，还有许多工作要做。有必要开发从临床样品中鉴定和培养产甲烷菌的新方法。这将允许分离新的产甲烷菌种及其表型特征，通过测序探索其基因组，并通过特别指定其在与人类粘液微生物群相关的复杂菌群中的确切作用来研究产甲烷菌的种群动态。要充分了解它们在人类中的生理作用，还有许多工作要做。有必要开发从临床样品中鉴定和培养产甲烷菌的新方法。这将允许分离新的产甲烷菌种及其表型特征，通过测序探索其基因组，并通过特别指定其在与人类粘液微生物群相关的复杂菌群中的确切作用来研究产甲烷菌的种群动态。