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Published on: March 10, 2020
Gut Microbiota Features Associated With Campylobacter Burden and Postnatal Linear Growth Deficits in a Peruvian Birth
Saba Rouhani1, Nicholas W Griffin2,3, Pablo Peñataro Yori1,4
1Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Insights
Campylobacter infection is common in Peruvian children and linked to impaired growth, even without symptoms. This study reveals how gut bacteria changes may explain these growth effects in early life.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Microbiome research
- Global child health
Background:
- Campylobacter infection is prevalent in children in the Amazonian lowlands of Peru.
- The infection is associated with impaired linear growth, even in asymptomatic cases.
- Understanding the mechanisms linking infection, gut microbiota, and growth is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Campylobacter infection, linear growth, and fecal microbial community composition.
- To explore the role of gut microbiota disruptions in early-life growth impairment caused by asymptomatic infections.
Main Methods:
- Prospective birth cohort study of 271 children.
- Campylobacter detection via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing for fecal microbial analysis at multiple time points.
- Multiple linear regression to assess associations with growth and microbial data.
Main Results:
- Campylobacter was present in 93% of children's asymptomatic fecal samples.
- Increased Campylobacter infection proportion correlated with reduced length-for-age z scores (LAZ).
- Specific bacterial taxa were identified as indicators of Campylobacter burden and associated with other enteric pathogens.
Conclusions:
- Campylobacter infection is frequent in this high-burden setting and alters gut microbial composition.
- Fecal microbiota disruptions likely contribute to the negative impact of asymptomatic Campylobacter infections on child growth.
- Findings highlight the importance of the gut microbiome in early-life development and disease.
Background:
Campylobacter infection is associated with impaired growth of children, even in the absence of symptoms. To examine the underlying mechanisms, we evaluated associations between Campylobacter infection, linear growth, and fecal microbial community features in a prospective birth cohort of 271 children with a high burden of diarrhea and stunting in the Amazonian lowlands of Peru.
Methods:
Campylobacter was identified using a broadly reactive, genus-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 16S rRNA-based analyses were used to identify bacterial taxa in fecal samples at ages 6, 12, 18, and 24 months (N = 928). Associations between infection, growth, and gut microbial community composition were investigated using multiple linear regression adjusting for within-child correlations, age, and breastfeeding. Indicator species analyses identified taxa specifically associated with Campylobacter burden.
Results:
Ninety-three percent (251) of children had Campylobacter present in asymptomatic fecal samples during the follow-up period. A 10% increase in the proportion of stools infected was associated with mean reductions of 0.02 length-for-age z scores (LAZ) at 3, 6, and 9 months thereafter (P < .01). We identified 13 bacterial taxa indicative of cumulative Campylobacter burden and 14 taxa significantly associated with high or low burden of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli, norovirus, or Giardia.
Conclusions:
Campylobacter infection is common in this cohort and associated with changes in microbial community composition. These results support the notion that disruptions to the fecal microbiota may help explain the observed effects of asymptomatic infections on growth in early life.
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