Biology subjects

Lyantagaye, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Lyantagaye, S..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Impact of WaSH and dietary practices on age-driven gut microbiome in stunted young children

BackgroundStunting, defined as height-for-age below -2 standard deviations of the WHO child growth standards median, is influenced by nutritional and environmental factors. It remains a public health challenge in Tanzania, particularly in Iringa (prevalence 57%, exceeding the national average of 30%), despite abundant food production. This study explored the gut bacteriome as a potential biomarker for child growth and its association with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) practices in food-secure settings. MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study (September-October 2024) enrolled children aged 5-23 months in Iringa, collecting fecal samples and household data on growth metrics, WaSH, feeding practices, and illness. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using Illumina MiSeq and analysed with QIIME2 and R for alpha and beta diversity, differential abundance (ANCOM-BC), and random forest (RF) modelling. ResultsOverall, 60.5% of 297 children were stunted. Stunting was associated with older age, male gender, discontinued breastfeeding, poor feeding diversity, toilet sharing, and residence location (p < 0.001, p = 0.049, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, and p = 0.005, respectively). Significant differences in bacterial community composition were observed between stunted and normally growing children (Shannon p = 0.0053; Bray-Curtis p = 0.001). A shared core bacteriome was identified in both groups, influenced by environmental and dietary factors. Normally growing children were enriched with Bifidobacterium, Rothia, Olsenella, Slackia, Lactobacillus, Gemella, and Oscillibacter, while stunted children showed enrichment of Prevotella, Akkermansia, Fusobacterium, Acinetobacter, Alistipes, Odoribacter, Fournierella, and the Ruminococcus torques group. ConclusionAge was the most consistent predictor of gut microbial diversity. Stunting does not appear to be caused by a completely different gut microbiome; instead, shared environmental and dietary factors shape both gut bacteria and child growth. Promoting diverse complementary feeding, continued breastfeeding, and improved hygiene could mitigate risks and inform targeted interventions in food-secure regions.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

A comparative study on the impact of five Desmodium species on soil microbiome reveals enrichment of selected bacterial and fungal taxa

IntroductionSeveral Desmodium spp. are used as intercrops in push-pull pest management systems to repel insect herbivores. In addition, Desmodium suppresses the parasitic weed Striga, and diversifies the soil microbiome with negative impacts on fungi. We investigated the impact of a 2-year cropping of five Desmodium species on soil microbiome populations. MethodologyTotal DNA was obtained from root zone soil samples collected from a two-years-old common garden experiment with replicated plots of five Desmodium spp. at the international centre for insect physiology and ecology (ICIPE), Mbita, Kenya. Subsequently, 16S and ITS DNA sequencing were performed and the data was analysed by using QIIME2 and Calypso. ResultsOur findings show significant differences in composition and abundance of specific microbial taxa among the Desmodium plots and the bulk soil, with a stronger shift observed for fungal community profiles than bacteria. There was, however, no significant difference in overall diversity, richness and evenness of microbial communities among the Desmodium plots and the bulk soil. Similarly, beta diversity analysis did not reveal a significant association of variation to specific Desmodium spp. plots. Discussion and conclusionThis is the first study to compare impact and association of whole soil microbiomes to different Desmodium species. Whereas long-term Desmodium cropping clearly shifts whole microbiome communities, no significant difference in overall diversity and richness of microbial populations was observed among the studied plots. However, there was a divergence of individual taxa reflected on their increased abundance in association to specific Desmodium spp., pointing towards potential impact on ecosystem services. These findings indicate that significant shifts in whole microbial populations due to Desmodium spp. and thus potentially provision of associated ecosystem services require longer cultivation periods to solidify. Future studies should focus on techniques that monitor real-time changes in microbial populations such as RNA-seq to ascertain live and dead microbes, and thus infer ecological services.

ecology↗