Intestinal worm infection was linked to greater gut bacterial diversity
A synthesis of human studies linked helminth infection with more diverse and richer gut bacterial communities. The abstract does not show whether those differences translate into better health.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
People with intestinal worm infections had greater bacterial diversity and richness in the pooled human evidence. Those outcomes describe the makeup of gut microbial communities, not a demonstrated health benefit. The review does not establish that infection improves disease outcomes or vaccine responses, or that the infections caused the observed microbial differences.
The abstract provides no numerical effect sizes, confidence intervals, participant count, or follow-up periods. This limits an abstract-based assessment of the size, precision, and persistence of the reported differences.
What researchers found
Gut bacterial diversity and richness
People with helminth infection versus those without it, across the included human studies; assessment timing and numerical effect estimates are not reported.
What the review examined
The researchers combined studies of human gut microbes and helminths, or parasitic worms. Their analysis examined diversity measures and accounted for age, sex, and treatment directed against the parasites.
What remains unanswered
The authors propose further research on whether microbiome differences help explain variation in infections, diseases, and vaccine responses. Those possible connections are future research questions, not outcomes established by this review.
The original publication
The effects of helminth infections on the human gut microbiome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Walusimbi B, Lawson MAE, Nassuuna J et al.
Front Microbiomes · 2023
- PubMed ID
- 41853384
- Record checked
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