Surveying Gut Microbiome Research in Africans: Toward Improved Diversity and Representation. Issue 10 (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brewster, Ryan; Tamburini, Fiona B.; Asiimwe, Edgar; Oduaran, Ovokeraye; Hazelhurst, Scott; Bhatt, Ami S.
• Is Part Of: Trends in microbiology. Volume 27:Issue 10(2019)
• Page Start: 824
• Page End: 835
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: microbiome -- Africa -- global health; Microbiology -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; Virulence (Microbiology) -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; Microbiology -- Periodicals; Virulence -- Periodicals; Microbiologie -- Périodiques; Infection -- Périodiques; Virulence (Microbiologie) -- Périodiques; Infection; Microbiology; Virulence (Microbiology); 579
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.05.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0966-842X

Abstract

Abstract : Descriptive and translational investigations into the human gut microbiome (GM) are rapidly expanding; however, studies are largely restricted to industrialized populations in the USA and Europe. Little is known about microbial variability and its implications for health and disease in other parts of the world. Populations in Africa are particularly underrepresented. What limited research has been performed has focused on a few subject domains, including the impact of long-term lifestyle and dietary factors on GM ecology, its maturation during infancy, and the interrelationships between the microbiome, infectious disease, and undernutrition. Recently, international consortia have laid the groundwork for large-scale genomics and microbiome studies on the continent, with a particular interest in the epidemiologic transition to noncommunicable disease. Here, we survey the current landscape of GM scholarship in Africa and propose actionable recommendations to improve research capacity and output. Highlights: Most human GM research has concentrated on westernized societies. Whether these findings can be generalized to African populations is poorly understood. Comparative studies between western individuals and hunter-gatherer and agriculturalist communities in Africa have revealed distinct taxonomic signatures based on lifestyle and dietary factors. Microbiome alterations are associated with and may underlie malnutrition-associated pathologies. Contemporary nutrient replacement strategies have failed to durably correct these changes, limiting their therapeutic efficacy. Infectious diseases have been linked to disruptions in microbial ecology. Colonization with parasites may be an important determinant of microbiome structure. Representing diverse populations must be prioritized in future microbiome studies to capture the full ensemble of microbial diversity worldwide.