Surveying Gut Microbiome Research in Africans: Toward Improved Diversity and Representation

Abstract

Descriptive and translational investigations into the human gut microbiome (GM) are rapidly expanding; however, studies are largely restricted to industrialized populations in the USA and Europe. Little is known about microbial variability and its implications for health and disease in other parts of the world. Populations in Africa are particularly underrepresented. What limited research has been performed has focused on a few subject domains, including the impact of long-term lifestyle and dietary factors on GM ecology, its maturation during infancy, and the interrelationships between the microbiome, infectious disease, and undernutrition. Recently, international consortia have laid the groundwork for large-scale genomics and microbiome studies on the continent, with a particular interest in the epidemiologic transition to noncommunicable disease. Here, we survey the current landscape of GM scholarship in Africa and propose actionable recommendations to improve research capacity and output.

Keywords: Africa; global health; microbiome.

Figure 1.. Gut Microbiome Features across Host Subsistence Strategies.

Lifestyle and dietary factors exert a profound effect on gut microbiome configuration. Hunter-gatherer populations, who rely on foraging and have little exposure to therapeutic agents, are highly enriched in Prevotella and other fiber-degrading taxa. Conversely, the dietary profile and sanitation infrastructure found in westernized societies is associated with Bacteroides dominance and a concomitant decrease in microbial diversity. Traditional agriculturalists occupy a putative intermediate state, sharing features of both western and hunter-gatherer communities. Abbreviation: SCFA, short-chain fatty acid.