Fecal Microbiome Composition in Healthy Adults in Ghana
Date
2021
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Abstract
Recent studies have indicated an association between gut microbiome composition
and various disorders, including infectious diseases. The composition of the microbiome differs
among ethnicities and countries, possibly resulting in diversified interactions between host immunity
and the gut microbiome. Characterization of baseline microbiome composition in healthy people is
an essential step for better understanding of the biological interactions associated with individual
populations. However, data on the gut/fecal microbiome have not been accumulated for individuals
in West Africa. In the present study, we examined the fecal microbiome composition in healthy adults
in Ghana. Toward this, 16S rRNA gene libraries were prepared using bacterial fractions derived from
55 Ghanaian adults, which were then subjected to next-generation sequencing. The fecal microbiome
of the Ghanaian adults was dominated by Firmicutes (Faecalibacterium, Subdoligranulum, and
Ruminococcaceae UCG-014), Proteobacteria (Escherichia-Shigella and Klebsiella), and Bacteroidetes
(Prevotella 9 and Bacteroides), consistent with previous observations in African cohorts. Further, our
analysis revealed differences in microbiome composition and a lower diversity of the fecal microbiome
in the Ghanaian cohort compared with those reported in non-African countries. This is the first study
to describe substantial fecal microbiome data obtained using high-throughput metagenomic tools
on samples derived from a cohort in Ghana. The data may provide a valuable basis for determining
the association between the fecal microbiome and progression of various diseases in West African
populations.
Description
Research Article