Abstract
Alteration of the intestinal microbiome by enteropathogens is commonly associated with gastrointestinal diseases and disorders and has far-reaching consequences for overall health. Significant advances have been made in understanding the role of microbial dysbiosis during intestinal infections, including infection with the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis, one of the most prevalent gut protozoa. Altered species composition and diversity, functional changes in the commensal microbiota, and changes to intestinal bacterial biofilm structure have all been demonstrated during the course of Giardia infection and have been implicated in Giardia pathogenesis. Conversely, the gut microbiota has been found to regulate parasite colonization and establishment and plays a critical role in immune modulation during mono and polymicrobial infections. These disruptions to the commensal microbiome may contribute to a number of acute, chronic, and post-infectious clinical manifestations of giardiasis and may account for variations in disease presentation within and between infected populations. This review discusses recent advances in characterizing Giardia-induced bacterial dysbiosis in the gut and the roles of dysbiosis in Giardia pathogenesis.
Highlights
The Protozoan Giardia duodenalis is one of the most common human parasitic enteropathogens worldwide, infecting on average 2% of adults and 8% of children in developed countries and up to 33% of individuals in the developing world (Dunn and Juergens, 2020)
Giardia infections are common in livestock and companion animals and are responsible for significant global health and economic burdens
We provide state-of-the-art information on the interactions between Giardia and the gut microbiota, and their roles in the pathogenesis of giardiasis
Summary
The Protozoan Giardia duodenalis is one of the most common human parasitic enteropathogens worldwide, infecting on average 2% of adults and 8% of children in developed countries and up to 33% of individuals in the developing world (Dunn and Juergens, 2020). The intestinal microbiota plays a critical role in homeostasis of the gut and overall health and is frequently found to be altered during gastrointestinal disease. Giardia interacts both directly and indirectly with the microbiome, and through these interactions can modulate host metabolism, immune responses, pain signaling, and the mucus barrier, all of which may have systemic effects that potentially persist even after parasite clearance. The disrupted microbiota plays a role in Giardia pathogenesis, influencing colonization resistance, immune responses, and brush border defects. Understanding the role of the intestinal microbiota in Giardia pathogenesis will help to develop therapeutics for a broad range of disorders that implicate disruptions of gut commensal microbes. We provide state-of-the-art information on the interactions between Giardia and the gut microbiota, and their roles in the pathogenesis of giardiasis
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