Parasites and childhood stunting – a mechanistic interplay with nutrition, anaemia, gut health, microbiota, and epigenetics

Isobel L. Gabain; Anouschka S. Ramsteijn; Joanne P. Webster

doi:10.1016/j.pt.2022.12.004

Parasites and childhood stunting – a mechanistic interplay with nutrition, anaemia, gut health, microbiota, and epigenetics

Isobel L. Gabain^* (Corresponding Author)
, Anouschka S. Ramsteijn
, Joanne P. Webster

^*Corresponding author for this work

The Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health

Royal Veterinary College University of London
Imperial College London

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

15 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Globally, stunting affects approximately 149.2 million children under 5 years of age. The underlying aetiology and pathophysiological mechanisms leading to stunting remain elusive, and therefore few effective treatment and prevention strategies exist. Crucial evidence directly linking parasites to stunting is often lacking – in part due to the complex nature of stunting, as well as a lack of critical multidisciplinary research amongst key age groups. Here, based on available studies, we present potential mechanistic pathways by which parasitic infection of mother and/or infant may lead to childhood stunting. We highlight the need for future multidisciplinary longitudinal studies and clinical trials aimed at elucidating the most influential factors, and synergies therein, that can lead to stunting, and ultimately towards finding solutions to successfully mitigate against it.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	167-180
Number of pages	14
Journal	Trends in Parasitology
Volume	39
Issue number	3
Early online date	15 Feb 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2022.12.004
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We are very grateful to the Bloomsbury Colleges grant to I.G. ( VPR.1924 ), and the Global Challenges Research Fund (A.S.R. and J.P.W.: Ref MR/S01313X/1 ) for funding. Figures created with BioRender.com .

Funding

We are very grateful to the Bloomsbury Colleges grant to I.G. ( VPR.1924 ), and the Global Challenges Research Fund (A.S.R. and J.P.W.: Ref MR/S01313X/1 ) for funding. Figures created with BioRender.com .

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

anaemia
environmental enteric dysfunction
epigenetics
microbiota
parasites
stunting

Access to Document

10.1016/j.pt.2022.12.004Licence: CC BY

Gabain_etal_TIP_Parasites_And_Childhood_VoR
© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Final published version, 2.8 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Parasites and childhood stunting {\textendash} a mechanistic interplay with nutrition, anaemia, gut health, microbiota, and epigenetics",

abstract = "Globally, stunting affects approximately 149.2 million children under 5 years of age. The underlying aetiology and pathophysiological mechanisms leading to stunting remain elusive, and therefore few effective treatment and prevention strategies exist. Crucial evidence directly linking parasites to stunting is often lacking {\textendash} in part due to the complex nature of stunting, as well as a lack of critical multidisciplinary research amongst key age groups. Here, based on available studies, we present potential mechanistic pathways by which parasitic infection of mother and/or infant may lead to childhood stunting. We highlight the need for future multidisciplinary longitudinal studies and clinical trials aimed at elucidating the most influential factors, and synergies therein, that can lead to stunting, and ultimately towards finding solutions to successfully mitigate against it.",

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author = "Gabain, \{Isobel L.\} and Ramsteijn, \{Anouschka S.\} and Webster, \{Joanne P.\}",

note = "Funding Information: We are very grateful to the Bloomsbury Colleges grant to I.G. ( VPR.1924 ), and the Global Challenges Research Fund (A.S.R. and J.P.W.: Ref MR/S01313X/1 ) for funding. Figures created with BioRender.com . ",

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AU - Gabain, Isobel L.

AU - Ramsteijn, Anouschka S.

AU - Webster, Joanne P.

N1 - Funding Information: We are very grateful to the Bloomsbury Colleges grant to I.G. ( VPR.1924 ), and the Global Challenges Research Fund (A.S.R. and J.P.W.: Ref MR/S01313X/1 ) for funding. Figures created with BioRender.com .

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N2 - Globally, stunting affects approximately 149.2 million children under 5 years of age. The underlying aetiology and pathophysiological mechanisms leading to stunting remain elusive, and therefore few effective treatment and prevention strategies exist. Crucial evidence directly linking parasites to stunting is often lacking – in part due to the complex nature of stunting, as well as a lack of critical multidisciplinary research amongst key age groups. Here, based on available studies, we present potential mechanistic pathways by which parasitic infection of mother and/or infant may lead to childhood stunting. We highlight the need for future multidisciplinary longitudinal studies and clinical trials aimed at elucidating the most influential factors, and synergies therein, that can lead to stunting, and ultimately towards finding solutions to successfully mitigate against it.

AB - Globally, stunting affects approximately 149.2 million children under 5 years of age. The underlying aetiology and pathophysiological mechanisms leading to stunting remain elusive, and therefore few effective treatment and prevention strategies exist. Crucial evidence directly linking parasites to stunting is often lacking – in part due to the complex nature of stunting, as well as a lack of critical multidisciplinary research amongst key age groups. Here, based on available studies, we present potential mechanistic pathways by which parasitic infection of mother and/or infant may lead to childhood stunting. We highlight the need for future multidisciplinary longitudinal studies and clinical trials aimed at elucidating the most influential factors, and synergies therein, that can lead to stunting, and ultimately towards finding solutions to successfully mitigate against it.

KW - anaemia

KW - environmental enteric dysfunction

KW - epigenetics

KW - microbiota

KW - parasites

KW - stunting

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DO - 10.1016/j.pt.2022.12.004

M3 - Review article

C2 - 36707340

AN - SCOPUS:85147820695

SN - 1471-4922

VL - 39

SP - 167

EP - 180

JO - Trends in Parasitology

JF - Trends in Parasitology

IS - 3

ER -

Parasites and childhood stunting – a mechanistic interplay with nutrition, anaemia, gut health, microbiota, and epigenetics

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this