Whipworm-Associated Intestinal Microbiome Members Consistent Across Both Human and Mouse Hosts

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Parasitology
• Host-Microbiome Interactions

Background:

• * *Trichuris trichiura* (whipworm) infects nearly 300 million people globally, causing significant illness.
• * Current treatments have low cure and high reinfection rates, necessitating novel strategies.
• * Understanding the whipworm-host intestinal microbiome interaction is complex and lacks standardized methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To identify bacterial taxa consistently associated with whipworm infection across host species (humans and mice).
• * To establish a cross-species analysis approach for studying whipworm-induced microbiome changes.
• * To validate potential bacterial targets for infection control or prevention.

Main Methods:

• * Utilized a 16S rRNA gene Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) analysis (QIIME2) on human and mouse samples.
• * Analyzed four independent comparisons: infected vs. uninfected, and pre- vs. post-deworming in both species.
• * Employed RT-qPCR for validation of identified bacterial taxa.

Main Results:

• * Identified seven bacterial taxa positively associated with whipworm infection, including *Escherichia* and *Bacteroides*.
• * Found five taxa negatively associated, including members of *Clostridiales* and *Lachnospiraceae* (e.g., *Blautia*).
• * Demonstrated a mouse model's utility in mimicking human whipworm-induced microbiome disruption and recovery.

Conclusions:

• * A novel cross-species analysis approach successfully identified consistent bacterial associations with whipworm infection.
• * Key bacterial taxa (*Escherichia*, *Bacteroides*, *Blautia*) are implicated in whipworm infection dynamics.
• * The findings provide a valuable tool for future research into whipworm-host microbiome interactions and potential interventions.