A research team led by the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of the Witwatersrand published results in Nature after sequencing stool samples from about 1,800 women across Kenya, Ghana, Burkina Faso and South Africa. The genetic analysis identified more than 1,000 previously unknown bacterial species and over 40,000 new viruses, yielding more than 40,000 previously unknown gut microbes in African populations.
One major finding was a distinct microbial signature linked to HIV. The study was the largest ever to investigate the microbiomes of women living with HIV, and researchers reported that bacterial patterns in people with HIV in Africa were completely different from those seen in wealthier countries. This difference could lead to new ways to detect, monitor and treat HIV for African populations.
The team also compared rural and urban participants. Rural people showed richer microbial diversity, while urban residents often lacked Treponema, perhaps because of lower-fibre diets and greater antibiotic use. Charissa Naidoo, co-director of the African Microbiome Institute, warned that beneficial gut bacteria are disappearing and urged urgent nutritional interventions. Researchers emphasised that diversity also varied between cities and regions, shaped by local diets, environment and cultural practices.
Difficult words
- sequence — to read the order of genetic materialsequencing
- microbiome — community of microbes in one body areamicrobiomes
- diversity — a wide variety of different types present
- signature — a pattern that identifies something specific
- antibiotic — a medicine that kills or stops bacteria
- stool — waste material from the body
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could finding new microbes help improve HIV detection or treatment in African populations?
- What local factors mentioned in the article change microbial diversity between cities and regions?
- What actions could help protect beneficial gut bacteria in urban areas?
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