Field evaluation of the gut microbiome composition of pre-school and school-aged children in Tha Song Yang, Thailand, following oral MDA for STH infections

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 Jul 26;15(7):e0009597. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009597. eCollection 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Soil-transmitted helminths, such as roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura) and hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma spp.), are gastrointestinal parasites that occur predominantly in low- to middle-income countries worldwide and disproportionally impact children. Depending on the STH species, health status of the host and infection intensity, direct impacts of these parasites include malnutrition, anaemia, diarrhoea and physical and cognitive stunting. The indirect consequences of these infections are less well understood. Specifically, gastrointestinal infections may exert acute or chronic impacts on the natural gut microfauna, leading to increased risk of post-infectious gastrointestinal disorders, and reduced gut and overall health through immunomodulating mechanisms. To date a small number of preliminary studies have assessed the impact of helminths on the gut microbiome, but these studies are conflicting. Here, we assessed STH burden in 273 pre-school and school-aged children in Tha Song Yang district, Tak province, Thailand receiving annual oral mebendazole treatment. Ascaris lumbricoides (107/273) and Trichuris trichiura (100/273) were the most prevalent species and often occurred as co-infections (66/273). Ancylostoma ceylanicum was detected in a small number of children as well (n = 3). All of these infections were of low intensity (<4,999 or 999 eggs per gram for Ascaris and Trichuris respectively). Using this information, we characterised the baseline gut microbiome profile and investigated acute STH-induced alterations, comparing infected with uninfected children at the time of sampling. We found no difference between these groups in bacterial alpha-diversity, but did observe differences in beta-diversity and specific differentially abundant OTUs, including increased Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides coprophilus, and reduced Bifidobacterium adolescentis, each of which have been previously implicated in STH-associated changes in the gut microfauna.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anthelmintics / administration & dosage
  • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects*
  • Helminthiasis / drug therapy*
  • Helminthiasis / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Drug Administration
  • Mebendazole / administration & dosage
  • Mebendazole / therapeutic use*
  • Soil / parasitology*
  • Thailand / epidemiology

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • Soil
  • Mebendazole

Grants and funding

This work, including the efforts of ARJ, was funded by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (APP1126395). KS, RJT and ARJ are supported by the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support (https://www.vic.gov.au/) and Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme (https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/). HK was supported by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (APP1064772). KS was supported by a Melbourne Research Scholarship and the Riady Scholarship through the University of Melbourne (https://www.unimelb.edu.au/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.