Impact of topical emollient therapy with sunflower seed oil on the skin and gut microbiomes of children with severe acute malnutrition in Bangladesh

Severe acute malnutrition in combination with infectious diseases contributes significantly to morbidity and under-five mortality globally. Emollient therapy with sunflower seed oil reduces mortality in pre-term infants in low-middle income countries. Mechanisms are thought to include increased skin and gut barrier functions, possibly mediated by alterations in the local microbiota. Because the latter has been poorly studied, we characterized the microbiota of infants with severe acute malnutrition enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial of emollient therapy with sunflower seed oil in Bangladesh.