Alterations in the Gut Microbiota Composition and Structure of Children Under 5 Years With Sepsis: A Case Report From a Federal Medical Center in Lagos State, Nigeria

Background: Sepsis is a major cause of death among children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although studies have suggested that the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is associated with sepsis, there are limited data on the microbiota profile of children with sepsis in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. Methods: To address this gap, this study was conducted to examine the gut microbiota of four children (S2, S4, S6, and S8) with sepsis and two apparently healthy controls (C2 and C4). DNA was extracted from stool samples, and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were used to determine the microbial composition of the microbiota. Results: A significant reduction in the abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes was observed in sepsis cases, while the family Enterobacteriaceae was dominant, with a relative abundance of 29.7%, 36.9%, 47.4%, and 34.6% in S2, S4, S6, and S8, respectively. Pathogenic bacterial species such as Megasphaera spp., Sutterella spp., and Clostridium difficile were dominant among some of the sepsis samples. The bacterial communities of the microbiota of participants with sepsis largely diverged from those of the controls, with a remarkable decrease in diversity. Conclusion: This study highlights an alteration in the gut microbiota of children presenting with sepsis. Notably, there was a reduction in beneficial commensals and an increase in potential pathogenic bacterial species. Since sepsis remains a major public health challenge, there is an urgent need to explore the gut microbiota for possible intervention.