Microbiome to the rescue? The effect of Schistosoma mansoni on the fecal microbiome of mice and the influence on Tc1 vaccine responses 3670

Abstract Description The fecal microbiome can be affected by several biotic and abiotic factors and the extent of the dysbiosis that occurs is dependent on the interactions between these factors. One such factor is a neglected tropical disease called schistosomiasis. The causative agent of this infection is Schistosoma mansoni, which penetrates the mammalian host’s skin in a fresh body of water and sexually reproduces in mesenteric vasculature of the host. The eggs either penetrate the intestinal barrier and are excreted with feces, or they remain lodged in tissues forming granulomas. This chronic infection, which causes Th2 biasing and immune suppression, disrupts the fecal microbiome and its subsequent immune interactions of the host and has also been shown to negatively impact certain Tc1 vaccines . Here, we evaluate the effect of schistosomiasis on murine fecal microbiome bacterial composition with data from two facilities. We successfully show that schistosomiasis perturbs the murine fecal microbiome with consistent changes regardless of site variations. Additionally, we know chronic schistosomiasis causes failure of Tc1 vaccine response. Here, we are evaluating the ability of heterologous fecal microbiota transplants to rescue Tc1 vaccine failure caused by chronic schistosomiasis. Funding Sources This research was supported by a University of Georgia Research Foundation Faculty Research Grant and Old Dominion University startup funds to LMS. Topic Categories Mucosal and Regional Immunology (MUC)