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Strongyloides stercoralis Infestation in a Child: How a Nematode Can Affect Gut Microbiota

Authors :
Anna Sacco
Lorenza Putignani
Stefania Pane
Lorenza Romani
Andrea Iorio
Source :
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 22, Iss 2131, p 2131 (2021), International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

Background: Strongyloidiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the intestinal nematode Strongyloides stercoralis and characterized by gastrointestinal and pulmonary involvement. We report a pediatric case of strongyloidiasis to underline the response of the host microbiota to the perturbation induced by the nematode. Methods: We performed a 16S rRNA-metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiota of a 7-year-old female during and after S. stercolaris infection, investigating three time-point of stool samples’ ecology: T0- during parasite infection, T1- a month after parasite infection, and T2- two months after parasite infection. Targeted-metagenomics were used to investigate ecology and to predict the functional pathways of the gut microbiota. Results: an increase in the alpha-diversity indices in T0-T1 samples was observed compared to T2 and healthy controls (CTRLs). Beta-diversity analysis showed a shift in the relative abundance of specific gut bacterial species from T0 to T2 samples. Moreover, the functional prediction of the targeted-metagenomics profiles suggested an enrichment of microbial glycan and carbohydrate metabolisms in the T0 sample compared with CTRLs. Conclusions: The herein report reinforces the literature suggestion of a putative direct or immune-mediated ability of S. stercolaris to promote the increase in bacterial diversity.

Details

ISSN :
14220067
Volume :
22
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....34665f537cf7a7b25748c9037f9a543f
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22042131