0
0
Danish and Ethiopian researchers uncover link between gut microbiome and chronic diarrhea, offering hope for life-saving treatments.
Diarrhea remains a leading cause of death among young children, claiming the lives of around 500,000 children each year in low- and middle-income countries. However, new research from Danish and Ethiopian scientists has revealed a potential breakthrough in understanding and treating chronic diarrhea, a condition that can have devastating consequences for young children.
Chronic diarrhea in children, unlike the more common acute form, lasts for extended periods and can leave children severely malnourished and underdeveloped. Despite its widespread prevalence, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the cause of chronic diarrhea has remained largely elusive. Now, a team of researchers led by Professor Dennis Sandris Nielsen from the University of Copenhagen and Getnet Tesfaw from Addis Ababa University has uncovered a crucial link between gut bacteria and the persistence of diarrhea, a discovery that could lead to targeted treatments capable of saving lives.
In a groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications, the researchers analyzed the gut microbiomes of over 1,300 children under the age of five from Ethiopia, one of the countries hardest hit by childhood diarrhea. Their findings reveal a stark difference between the gut bacteria of children with chronic diarrhea and those of healthy children: the former have significantly reduced diversity in their gut microbiomes, with fewer beneficial bacteria and a greater abundance of harmful pathogens.
“We found that children with chronic diarrhea not only have more harmful bacteria, such as Escherichia and Campylobacter, but they also have far fewer beneficial microbes like Faecalibacterium, which play a critical role in gut health,” said Tesfaw, who will soon defend his PhD thesis on the subject. The study also highlighted a disturbing lack of bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, essential compounds that help regulate the immune system and maintain healthy gut function.
According to Nielsen, the findings suggest that the loss of beneficial bacteria may lead to a vicious cycle, where children who experience acute diarrhea and are treated with antibiotics fail to recover their healthy gut bacteria, leading to the development of chronic diarrhea. “While antibiotics are effective in treating acute diarrhea, they can also destroy the good bacteria in the gut, preventing the microbiome from recovering. This leaves children vulnerable to persistent diarrhea,” Nielsen explained.
The researchers’ work sheds new light on the complex interplay between diet, antibiotics, and gut health in children suffering from chronic diarrhea. Understanding the composition of the gut microbiome in these children opens the door to developing new, targeted therapies that can help restore a healthy microbiome and break the cycle of chronic diarrhea.
One promising avenue for treatment lies in the local diet. In Ethiopia, a highly nutritious grain called teff is widely consumed, and it could hold the key to treating chronic diarrhea. “Teff is rich in fiber and nutrients that are beneficial for gut health, and we believe it could play a key role in restoring the gut microbiome of affected children,” said Nielsen.
The researchers hope that their findings will encourage further studies into dietary interventions and microbiome restoration as part of a comprehensive treatment strategy. Their next step is to secure funding for a new research project aimed at testing the potential of teff and other locally available foods to restore the gut microbiome and alleviate chronic diarrhea.
“By focusing on locally available foods that are rich in fiber and nutrients, we can create sustainable and affordable solutions to combat chronic diarrhea,” Nielsen concluded. “This could make a significant impact on the health of children in developing countries, ultimately saving lives and improving quality of life.”
With further research and collaboration, the discovery of this gut-bacteria link to chronic diarrhea could mark the beginning of a new era in the treatment of this devastating condition, offering hope to the millions of children who suffer from it each year.
