Interplay Between Helminth Infections, Malnutrition, and Gut Microbiota in Children and Mothers from Pemba, Tanzania: Potential of Microbiota-Directed Interventions

Despite efforts within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goal to end malnutrition by 2030, malnutrition and soil-transmitted helminth infections persist in sub-Saharan Africa. A significant barrier to success is the inadequate understanding of effective intervention methods. Most research on the gut microbiota's role in health has been conducted in developed countries, leaving a critical gap in knowledge regarding low-income populations. This study addresses this gap by expanding research on the gut microbiota of underprivileged populations to help tackle these public health challenges. We employed 16S rDNA sequencing to assess the bacterial gut microbiota composition of 60 children (mean age: 26.63 ± 6.36 months) and their 58 mothers (mean age: 30.03 ± 6.31 years) in Pemba, with a focus on helminth infection and nutritional status. Our differential abundance analysis identified bacterial taxa that were significantly negatively associated with both helminth infections and malnutrition, highlighting the potential for microbiota-directed interventions to address these health issues simultaneously. Notably, we identified , , , and as promising probiotic candidates for such interventions. In stunted children, positive co-occurrences were observed between , , and , while displayed negative co-abundance relationships with short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers in the gut microbiota. These findings suggest that administering and SCFA-producing probiotics to children may foster the growth of beneficial bacteria like and while reducing the relative abundance of , potentially enhancing overall health. This study underscores the importance of microbiota-directed interventions in children and women of reproductive age as promising strategies, alongside established approaches, for combating helminth infections and malnutrition in vulnerable populations.