Role of the Gut Microbiota of Children in Diarrhea Due to the Protozoan Parasite Entamoeba histolytica.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

An estimated 1 million children die each year before their fifth birthday from diarrhea. Previous population-based surveys of pediatric diarrheal diseases have identified the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, the etiological agent of amebiasis, as one of the causes of moderate-to-severe diarrhea in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

METHODS:

We prospectively studied the natural history of E. histolytica colonization and diarrhea among infants in an urban slum of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

RESULTS:

Approximately 80% of children were infected with E. histolytica by the age of 2 years. Fecal anti-galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine lectin immunoglobulin A was associated with protection from reinfection, while a high parasite burden and expansion of the Prevotella copri level was associated with diarrhea.

CONCLUSIONS:

E. histolytica infection was prevalent in this population, with most infections asymptomatic and diarrhea associated with both the amount of parasite and the composition of the microbiota.

• Authors: Carol A Gilchrist, Sarah E Petri, Brittany N Schneider, Daniel J Reichman, Nona Jiang, Sharmin Begum, Koji Watanabe, Caroline S Jansen, K Pamela Elliott, Stacey L Burgess, Jennie Z Ma, Masud Alam, Mamun Kabir, Rashidul Haque, William A Petri Jr
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 213 Issue 10 Pg. 1579-85 (May 15 2016) ISSN: 1537-6613 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26712950 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)
• Copyright: © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Protozoan
• Immunoglobulin A
• Lectins

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Protozoan (immunology)
• Bangladesh (epidemiology)
• Cohort Studies
• Diarrhea, Infantile (etiology)
• Entamoeba histolytica (immunology)
• Entamoebiasis (complications, parasitology)
• Feces (parasitology)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Gastrointestinal Microbiome
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin A (immunology)
• Infant
• Lectins (immunology)
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Poverty Areas
• Prevalence
• Prospective Studies