The microbiome in urogenital schistosomiasis and induced bladder pathologies.

Chiaka I. Anumudu,Mangesh Survayanshi,Adewale S. Adebayo,Shrikanth Bhute,Michael H. Hsieh,Yogesh S. Shouche,Raphael D. Isokpehi,Atinuke M. Agunloye

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005826

Abstract

BackgroundHuman schistosomiasis is a highly prevalent neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Schistosoma species. Research on the molecular mechanisms influencing the outcomes of bladder infection by Schistosoma haematobium is urgently needed to develop new diagnostics, therapeutics and infection prevention strategies. The objective of the research study was to determine the microbiome features and changes in urine during urogenital schistosomiasis and induced bladder pathologies.MethodologySeventy participants from Eggua, southwestern Nigeria provided morning urine samples and were screened for urogenital schistosomiasis infection and bladder pathologies in a cross-sectional study. Highthroughput NGS sequencing was carried out, targeting the 16S V3 region. Filtered reads were processed and analyzed in a bioinformatics pipeline.Principal findingsThe study participants (36 males and 34 females, between ages 15 and 65) were categorized into four groups according to status of schistosomiasis infection and bladder pathology. Data analytics of the next-generation sequencing reads revealed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated and had influence on microbiome structure of both non-infected persons and persons with urogenital schistosomiasis. Furthermore, gender and age influenced taxa abundance independent of infection or bladder pathology. Several taxa distinguished urogenital schistosomiasis induced bladder pathologies from urogenital schistosomiasis infection alone and from healthy persons, including known immune-stimulatory taxa such as Fusobacterium, Sphingobacterium and Enterococcus. Some of these significant taxa, especially Sphingobacterium were projected as markers of infection, while several genera including potentially beneficial taxa such as Trabulsiella and Weissella, were markers of the non-infected. Finally, expected changes in protein functional categories were observed to relate to cellular maintenance and lipid metabolism.ConclusionThe urinary microbiome is a factor to be considered in developing biomarkers, diagnostic tools, and new treatment for urogenital schistosomiasis and induced bladder pathologies.

Highlights

The urinary microbiome is a factor to be considered in developing biomarkers, diagnostic tools, and new treatment for urogenital schistosomiasis and induced bladder pathologies
Human schistosomiasis is a devastating and highly prevalent neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Schistosoma species, a genus of parasitic flatworms with life cycle forms found in freshwater, freshwater snails and human organ systems [1]
One of the key findings of this research was that microbial taxa membership and predicted protein function were uniquely discriminant for persons with urogenital schistosomiasis and those who were not infected

Summary

Introduction

Human schistosomiasis is a devastating and highly prevalent neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Schistosoma species, a genus of parasitic flatworms with life cycle forms found in freshwater, freshwater snails and human organ systems [1]. Few studies have reported on the immune response to urogenital schistosomiasis in Nigeria [6], with several studies in different parts of the country reporting prevalence rates between 15–57%[7, 8]. The occurrence and different forms of bladder tumors and bladder pathologies have been associated with urogenital schistosomiasis in Nigeria[9]and in other parts of Africa [2,10]. Human schistosomiasis is a highly prevalent neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Schistosoma species. The objective of the research study was to determine the microbiome features and changes in urine during urogenital schistosomiasis and induced bladder pathologies

Objectives

Results

Conclusion