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UF researchers find healthy infant gut microbiomes may guard against malaria

A small UF-led study conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo found that 6-week-old infants with healthier gut microbiomes were less likely to develop malaria during their first year of life. Babies who remained malaria-free tended to carry gut bacteria associated with healthy breastfed infants, while those who contracted malaria showed higher levels of inflammation-linked microbes. The preliminary findings, published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, raise the possibility that probiotic-based interventions could one day offer protection, though researchers say larger studies are needed.

Sources: UF News