Giardia Antagonizes Beneficial Functions of Indigenous and Therapeutic Intestinal Bacteria during Malnutrition

In a murine model of undernutrition, we investigated the direct interactions Giardia lamblia, a prevalent small intestinal pathogen, on indigenous microbiota and specifically on Lactobacillus strains known for their mucosal and growth homeostatic properties. Our research reveals that Giardia colonization shifts the balance of lactic acid bacteria, causing a relative decrease in Lactobacillus spp. and an increase in Bifidobacterium spp. This alteration corresponds with a decrease in multiple indicators of mucosal and nutritional homeostasis.

在营养不良小鼠模型中，我们研究了流行小肠病原体蓝氏贾第鞭毛虫（Giardia lamblia）与宿主固有菌群的直接相互作用，尤其是对以黏膜和生长稳态特性著称的乳杆菌属（Lactobacillus spp.）菌株的影响。本研究发现，蓝氏贾第鞭毛虫定植会改变乳酸菌的菌群平衡，导致乳杆菌属相对丰度下降，而双歧杆菌属（Bifidobacterium spp.）相对丰度上升。该菌群结构改变与黏膜及营养稳态的多项指标降低存在相关性。