Vitamin A deficiency impacts the structural segregation of gut microbiota in children with persistent diarrhea

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Pediatric Nutrition
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Persistent diarrhea in infants is a significant health concern.
• Vitamin A deficiency can impact child development and immunity.
• The role of gut microbiota in pediatric persistent diarrhea and vitamin A status is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between gut microbiota composition and vitamin A nutritional status in infants with persistent diarrhea.
• To identify specific microbial differences between vitamin A-deficient and vitamin A-normal pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• Fecal samples were collected from 59 infants (1-12 months) with persistent diarrhea.
• Gut microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina MiSeq).
• Bioinformatic statistical approaches, including Shannon and Simpson indices, LEfSe, and Metastats, were used for comparison.

Main Results:

• Infants with vitamin A deficiency exhibited significantly lower gut microbiota diversity (Shannon index, p=0.02; Simpson index, p=0.01).
• Key phylotypes differed between groups: Escherichia coli and Clostridium butyricum were abundant in the vitamin A-normal group.
• Enterococcus species predominated in the vitamin A-deficient group.

Conclusions:

• Gut microbiota diversity and composition are significantly altered in children with persistent diarrhea based on vitamin A nutritional levels.
• Specific bacterial taxa are associated with vitamin A status in this pediatric population.
• Findings suggest a potential link between gut dysbiosis and vitamin A deficiency in persistent diarrhea.