Urogenital schistosomiasis is associated with signatures of microbiome dysbiosis in Nigerian adolescents

Urogenital schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Schistosoma haematobium, which resides in the vasculature surrounding the urogenital system. Previous work has suggested that helminthic infections can affect the intestinal microbiome, and we hypothesized that S. haematobium infection could result in an alteration of immune system-microbiota homeostasis and impact the composition of the gut microbiota. To address this question, we compared the fecal microbiomes of infected and uninfected schoolchildren from the Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Nigeria, detecting significant differences in community composition between the two groups.Full results and analysis can be found here:Ajibola O, Rowan AD, Ogedenge CO, Mshelia MB, Cabral DJ, Eze AA, Obaro S, & Belenky P. "Urogenital schistosomiasis is associated with signatures of microbiome dysbiosis in Nigerian adolescents." Scientific Reports, 9(829), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36709-1.