Metataxonomic analysis of stool samples from visceral leishmaniasis cases and endemic controls

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by the obligate intracellular parasite Leishmania donovani remains of public health concern in rural India. Those at risk of VL are also at risk of other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) including soil transmitted helminths. Intestinal helminths are potent regulators of host immune response mediated through cross-talk with the gut microbiome. Here we present a scoping study that uses 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA meta-taxonomic analysis of fecal samples with the primary aims of determining the composition of gut prokaryotic and eukaryotic microflora in an area of India endemic for VL and whether this differs between VL cases and non-VL controls, and secondary aims of determining the potential influence of prokaryotic or eukaryotic taxa known to contain pathogenic species on gut microbial diversity. This scoping study provides useful baseline data upon which to develop a broader analysis examining the influence of pathogenic enteric microflora on gut microbial health and as risk factors for NTDs generally.