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Assays for the Specific Growth Rate and Cell-binding Ability of Rotavirus
Published on: January 28, 2019
Microbiome profiling of rotavirus infected children suffering from acute gastroenteritis
Muhammad U Sohail1, Hebah A Al Khatib2, Asmaa A Al Thani2,3
1Proteomics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, P.O. Box 24811, Doha, Qatar.
Insights
Rotavirus infection alters gut microbiome diversity, increasing Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria. Rotavirus vaccination (RVV) shows dose-dependent effects on gut microbes, suggesting potential for enhanced vaccine efficacy through microbiome manipulation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Rotavirus (RV) is a major global cause of pediatric diarrhea and mortality.
- RV infection can lead to microbial dysbiosis, impacting disease outcomes and chronic disease development.
- The gut microbiome's role in the immune response to rotavirus vaccines (RVV) requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the gut microbiome composition in RV-positive children.
- To compare gastroenteritis manifestations in relation to the gut microbiome.
- To assess the impact of rotavirus vaccination on the gut microbiome.
Main Methods:
- Stool samples were collected from 39 RV-positive children and 8 healthy controls.
- 16S rRNA sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform.
- Microbiome diversity and composition were analyzed, including comparisons between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
Main Results:
- RV infection significantly increased microbiome diversity, with higher relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Streptococcus.
- Two doses of RVV were associated with distinct microbiome clustering, higher species richness, and increased Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia.
- Microbiome composition changes were not directly correlated with diarrhea, vomiting, or other gastroenteritis symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus vaccination elicits significant, dose-dependent microbial signatures in the gut microbiome.
- Manipulating gut microbes may offer a novel strategy to enhance RVV efficacy.
- Further research is needed to explore immune status and mechanisms for improving RVV seroconversion.
Background:
Rotavirus (RV) is a leading cause of pediatric diarrhea and mortality worldwide. The virus causes acute gastroenteritis characterized by moderate to severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and fever. Microbial dysbiosis caused by RV infection may significantly influence disease prognosis and the development of other chronic diseases. The gut microbiome plays a vital role in enteric immune response for rotavirus vaccine (RVV) that requires further elucidations. The current study evaluates the gut microbiome of RV positive children and compares gastroenteritis manifestation in children admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Centre, Hamad Medical Cooperation, Doha, Qatar. Stool samples were collected from thirty-nine RV positive and eight healthy control children. 16S rRNA sequence was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform.
Results:
The data demonstrated a significant increase in microbiome diversity denoted by higher relative abundances of phylum Proteobacteria (p = 0.031), Fusobacteria (p = 0.044) and genus Streptococcus (p ≤ 0.001) in the infected group relative to the control. Similarly, district clustering pattern (PERMANOVA p = 0.01) and higher species richness (Shannon entropy p = 0.018) were observed in the children who received two RVV doses compared with the non-vaccinated or single-dose groups. These microbiome changes were represented by over-abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes (p = 0.003) and Verrucomicrobia (p ≤ 0.001), and lower expression of family Enterobacteriaceae in two RVV doses group. However, microbiome composition was not associated with diarrhea, vomiting, and other parameters of gastroenteritis.
Conclusions:
The observations assert significant microbial signatures of RVV, which is dose-dependent, and suggest manipulating these microbes as a novel approach for improving RVV efficacy. Further studies are warranted to investigate the immune status of these patients and mechanistic investigation to enhance RVV seroconversion.

