title: Role of the Gut Microbiota of Children in Diarrhea Due to the Protozoan Parasite Entamoeba histolytica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An estimated 1 million children die each year before their fifth birthday from diarrhea. Previous population-based surveys of pediatric diarrheal diseases have identified the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, the etiological agent of amebiasis, as one of the causes of moderate-to-severe diarrhea in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied the natural history of E. histolytica colonization and diarrhea among infants in an urban slum of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 80% of children were infected with E. histolytica by the age of 2 years. Fecal anti-galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine lectin immunoglobulin A was associated with protection from reinfection, while a high parasite burden and expansion of the Prevotella copri level was associated with diarrhea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  E. histolytica infection was prevalent in this population, with most infections asymptomatic and diarrhea associated with both the amount of parasite and the composition of the microbiota.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Petri
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Brittany N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Reichman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Nona
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Sharmin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Begum
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Caroline S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: K Pamela
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Stacey L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
authors.forename: Jennie Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Masud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Mamun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Rashidul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Petri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000209:etiology*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000276:immunology*; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D037102:Lectins / Q000276:immunology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D037102:Lectins
keywords: Entamoeba histolytica; IgA; Prevotella copri; amebiasis; environmental enteropathy