Malian Children's Core Gut Mycobiome.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Mycology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Data on the fungal gut community structure of African children are limited.
• Understanding the gut mycobiome is crucial for child health and disease susceptibility.
• Previous research focused on bacterial microbiota, leaving fungal communities understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the gut mycobiome structure in Malian children.
• To identify the core gut mycobiome in this population.
• To compare fungal community structure between breastfed children (0-2 years) and other age groups.

Main Methods:

• Reanalysis of rRNA ITS1 and ITS2 metabarcoding data from 296 stool samples.
• DNA extraction, amplification of genomic barcodes, and Illumina MiSeq sequencing.
• Operational taxonomic unit (OTU) analysis and alpha diversity assessment.

Main Results:

• The ITS1 barcode yielded higher alpha diversity compared to ITS2 (p < 0.05).
• No significant differences in gut fungal community structure were observed between age groups, including breastfed children.
• The core gut mycobiome included Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, Pichia kudriavzevii, Malassezia restricta, Candida tropicalis, and Aspergillus section Aspergillus.

Conclusions:

• The study provides foundational data on the gut mycobiome of Malian children.
• Key fungal species constituting the core mycobiome were identified.
• Further research across diverse African populations is needed for a comprehensive understanding of the African children's gut mycobiome.