Helminth Infections and Gut Microbiota: The Futuristic Study of Pathogen Virulence and Gut Ecosystem

The animal gut has co-evolved with the microbes and parasites leading to an increased tolerance to their existence therein. Their peaceful co-existence has been a subject of research in the recent years to decipher their probabilities in multidimensional applications ranging from eradicating the helminths without affecting gut homeostasis or using helminths as therapeutics. Negligence in any one of the components of the animal gut can lead to unhealthy gut ecosystems often manifesting a diseased state. Supply of key nutrients, synthesis of vitamins, resistance to invasion by pathogens and helping in hatching of helminth eggs are some important services provided by the gut bacteria that may well be utilised by the helminth. The gut bacteria thus seem to be exploited by the helminths for establishment of infection in the host. However, relationships are not as simple as it seems. The paper tries to present different aspects of this host-bacteria-helminth relationship and their future perspectives. Effects of the Presence of Helminths on Gut-Microbiota Shifts in the habitat of the gut microbiota It has been hypothesized that the secretory and excretory molecules produced by the gut helminths may in some way modify the host gut for the microbiota [6]. Studies by Walk et al. [7] revealed that Heligmosomoides polygyrus infections in mice have significant impact on the bacterial communities of the ileum but not the colon of the mice gut. Though H. polygyrus itself is a resident of the duodenum, the load of Lactobacillae species were found to be increased in the ileum and the end of the caecum [7]. Adult worms removed from the mice during necropsy were also found to be associated with these bacteria [7]. The ‘traffic jam’ concept given by Biswal et al. [8] also highlights how the unfavourable site (for microbial growth) in a bird’s gut is altered to more convenient site (for microbial growth) simply by the presence of helminths in the gut. The intestine stuffed with helminths creates regions of relative stasis and the food cannot pass readily as it would in their absence [8]. This increases the bacterial density in the gut with helminths, as food is retained for a longer time allowing the bacteria to act on it [8]. Kreisinger et al. [9] also gave valuable inputs in this field by demonstrating alteration of the host gut microbiota depending on the species of helminth present in the gut. The study also revealed that the helminths could regulate the microbial communities both upstream and downstream of their location using H. polygyrus, Syphacia spp. and Hymenolepis spp in their experiments [9]. The results throw light to the potentiality of the helminths to alter the gut homeostasis [9]. The ability of the helmnith to regulate the gut microbial population, not necessarily directly on their location and/or depending on the species of helminth in question is very interesting since different species of helminths (alone Citation: Biswal D (2016) Helminth Infections and Gut Microbiota: The Futuristic Study of Pathogen Virulence and Gut Ecosystem. J Mol Biomark Diagn 7: 283. doi:10.4172/2155-9929.1000283