Prevalence and Load of the Campylobacter Genus in Infants and Associated Household Contacts in Rural Eastern Ethiopia: a Longitudinal Study from the Campylobacter Genomics and Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (CAGED) Project
Löıc Deblais, Amanda Ojeda, Mussie Brhane, Bahar Mummed, Kedir Abdi Hassen, Belisa Usmael Ahmedo, Yenenesh Demisie Weldesenbet, Jafer Kedir Amin, Ibsa Abdusemed Ahmed, Ibsa Aliyi Usmane, Efrah Ali Yusuf, Abadir Jemal Seran, Fayo I. Abrahim, Halengo Game, Ballo A. Mummed, Meri M. Usmail, Kunuza Adem Umer, Mawardi M. Dawid, Wondwossen A. Gebreyes, Nigel French, Jemal Yousuf Hassen, Kedir Teji Roba, Abdulmuen Mohammed, Getnet Yimer, Cyrus Saleem, Dehao Chen, Nitya Singh, Mark Manary, Sarah McKune, Arie H. Havelaar, Gireesh Rajashekara
Abstract
A high Campylobacter prevalence during early childhood has been associated with environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) and stunting, especially in low-resource settings. Our previous study demonstrated that Campylobacter was frequently found (88%) in children from eastern Ethiopia; however, little is known about potential Campylobacter reservoirs and transmission pathways leading to infection of infants by Campylobacter during early growth. In the longitudinal study presented here, Campylobacter was frequently detected in infants within the 106 surveyed households from eastern Ethiopia, and the prevalence was age dependent. Furthermore, preliminary analyses highlighted the potential role of the mother, soil, and livestock in the transmission of Campylobacter to the infant. Further work will explore the species and genetic composition of Campylobacter in infants and putative reservoirs using PCR and whole-genome and metagenomic sequencing. The findings from these studies can lead to the development of interventions to minimize the risk of transmission of Campylobacter to infants and, potentially, EED and stunting.