Neuraminidase-3 activity in toddlers negatively impacts the linear growth status in Bangladeshi children

Linear growth faltering and stunting in children is associated with inflammation of small gut. Intestinal alkaline phosphatase prevents gut inflammation from subclinical bacterial infection that becomes impaired in the presence of neuraminidase-3 (Neu3) activity. We investigated if total Neu3 in children at 15 months can predict their linear growth at later ages (at 18, 21, and 24 months). We collected data from 189 children enrolled in the Malnutrition and Enteric Disease Study (MAL-ED) birth cohort study in Bangladesh. We determined total Neu3 activity in stool samples at 15 months of age and measured its association with length-for-age z-scores (LAZ) at 18, 21, and 24 months of age, in addition to their socio-demographic conditions using bi-variate and multivariable linear regression analyses. We found that total Neu3 at 15 months was negatively associated with the LAZ-score at 18 (regression coefficient -0.004, 95% CI -0.006 to -0.001, p < 0.01), 21 (-0.003, 95% CI -0.006, -0.001, p < 0.01), and 24 (-0.004, 95% CI -0.006, -0.001, p < 0.01) months of age after adjusting the covariates. In conclusion, total neuraminidase-3 in stool is a significant predictor of linear growth in young children and would be key in early detection of linear growth faltering and stunting.