Executive Summary: The human microbiome has received great attention in recent years, as it plays essential roles in regulating metabolism and all branches of the immune system, both locally and systemically. Thus, the influence of the microbiota is not limited to the intestine, and affects the physiology of most of the host's organs, including the central nervous system. The abundance of bacteria (around 100 trillion) in the intestine allows humans to perform functions that are not encoded in their own genome.
The microbiome already from childhood, plays an essential role in health. Even more so from intrauterine life, a rich placental microbiome provides important metabolic contributions to the fetus; Thus, the formation of the microbiome is determined very early by the exchanges of the maternal-infant microbiota. After one year of life, the child's microbiota changes mainly due to diet and the influence of the external environment such as the use of antibiotics, previous illnesses, geographic location, and exposure to microorganisms.
Water is one of the most important bacterial habitats on Earth and is one of the key factors in the dissemination of bacteria between different compartments and therefore in the modeling of the Microbiome of individuals.
Studies have shown that the composition of the human microbiota can be influenced by the source of water they consume. Thus, the different drinking water distribution systems can influence the microbiome structure of individuals, mainly through the bacterial biofilm. The formation of biofilm in drinking water distribution systems can have adverse consequences for public health, so knowledge of the composition of the microbial community can help to design effective disease control strategies.
General Objectives: Determine the patterns of the intestinal microbiota of children 6-7 years of age living in urban and rural areas of the Ecuadorian highlands and relate them to the sources of drinking water they consume and their immune status.
Specific objectives:
- Expand studies on the prevalence of parasitic diseases in school-age children in urban and rural areas of the Ecuadorian highlands.
- To know the basal state of health and immunology of the children participating in the study.
- To determine the patterns of the intestinal bacterial microbiota in children from 5 to 8 years of age from three different schools in urban and rural areas of the Sierra del Ecuador (that use drinking water from three different water sources obtained from the snowmelt of the Andes mountains).
- Determine the composition of the water microbiota in: 1) collection points of natural sources, 2) treatment plants and 3) schools in urban and rural areas of the Ecuadorian highlands.
- To correlate the biochemical, hematological, immunological, nutritional and social parameters with the intestinal microbiota of school-age children in urban and rural areas of the Ecuadorian highlands and to compare the patterns of alpha and beta diversity of children from the three different schools.
Participating Institutions:
UCE, UC, USFQ.
Participants:
Project manager Lucy Baldeón Rojas.
- Lucy Baldeon Rojas
- Yosselin Vicuna
- Fernando Sempertegui
- Diana Aguirre
- Valeria Alulema
- C. Alfonso Molina
- Magdalena Diaz
- Jorge Perez G.
- Andres Caicedo
- Luis Alberto Pedroza
- Enrique Teran
- Hidaleisy Quintana Hernandez
- Alice Bustos
- Sadi Diaz
- Mariel Perez
Awarded budget: $51750
Project status: In progress.
