Intestinal protozoan infections shape fecal bacterial microbiota in children from Guinea-Bissau.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Intestinal protozoan infections shape fecal bacterial microbiota in children from Guinea-Bissau.
Authors: Sebastian von Huth, Louise B Thingholm, Poul-Erik Kofoed, Corinna Bang, Malte C Rühlemann, Andre Franke, Uffe Holmskov
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 15, Iss 3, p e0009232 (2021)
Publisher Information: Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2021.
Publication Year: 2021
Collection: LCC:Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
LCC:Public aspects of medicine
Subject Terms: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine, RC955-962, Public aspects of medicine, RA1-1270
More Details: Intestinal parasitic infections, caused by helminths and protozoa, are globally distributed and major causes of worldwide morbidity. The gut microbiota may modulate parasite virulence and host response upon infection. The complex interplay between parasites and the gut microbiota is poorly understood, partly due to sampling difficulties in remote areas with high parasite burden. In a large study of children in Guinea-Bissau, we found high prevalence of intestinal parasites. By sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes of fecal samples stored on filter paper from a total of 1,204 children, we demonstrate that the bacterial microbiota is not significantly altered by helminth infections, whereas it is shaped by the presence of both pathogenic and nonpathogenic protozoa, including Entamoeba (E.) spp. and Giardia (G.) lamblia. Within-sample diversity remains largely unaffected, whereas overall community composition is significantly affected by infection with both nonpathogenic E. coli (R2 = 0.0131, P = 0.0001) and Endolimax nana (R2 = 0.00902, P = 0.0001), and by pathogenic E. histolytica (R2 = 0.0164, P = 0.0001) and G. lamblia (R2 = 0.00676, P = 0.0001). Infections with multiple parasite species induces more pronounced shifts in microbiota community than mild ones. A total of 31 bacterial genera across all four major bacterial phyla were differentially abundant in protozoan infection as compared to noninfected individuals, including increased abundance of Prevotella, Campylobacter and two Clostridium clades, and decreased abundance of Collinsella, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, Veillonella and one Clostridium clade. In the present study, we demonstrate that the fecal bacterial microbiota is shaped by intestinal parasitic infection, with most pronounced associations for protozoan species. Our results provide insights into the interplay between the microbiota and intestinal parasites, which are valuable to understand infection biology and design further studies aimed at optimizing treatment strategies.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1935-2727
1935-2735
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2727; https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2735
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009232
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/ccf8d5cdc75a47d1ae407acdec984cfb
Accession Number: edsdoj.f8d5cdc75a47d1ae407acdec984cfb
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:19352727
19352735
DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0009232
Published in:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Language:English