02290nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001260004400042653002300086653002500109653001500134653002200149653001900171100001400190700001300204700001200217700001300229700001000242700001500252700001400267700001600281245014200297856005500439300000700494490000700501520147800508022001401986       2025                            d  bSpringer Science and Business Media LLC10ahelminth infection10aschool-aged children10aBile acids10aFecal metabolites10aBiological sex1 aNorton NJ1 aHand CMM1 aRowel C1 aAdriko M1 aCai P1 aMcManus DP1 aEgwang TG1 aReynolds LA00aAssociations between helminth infection status and the composition and concentration of fecal bile acids in school-age children in Uganda  uhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-11170-z  a110 v153 a<p>Over 1 billion people globally are infected with helminths, and understanding the impact of these infections on human health is crucial for further developing effective interventions. We investigated potential associations between helminth infection status and the abundance of fecal bile acids: a group of metabolites known to impact gut physiology and function and have immunomodulatory capabilities. Fecal samples were collected from school-age children in Uganda and used to determine helminth infection status (Kato-Katz technique) and to quantify the fecal bile acid pool (UPLC-MRM/MS). We found that helminth infection status was associated with changes to the fecal bile acid pool and that these differences were dependent on the biological sex of study participants. Females who were coinfected with schistosomes and hookworms had higher levels of unconjugated secondary bile acids than helminth-negative individuals. In males, no significant associations were detected between helminth infection status and levels of unconjugated secondary bile acids, however, there were reduced levels of some species of conjugated primary bile acids in schistosome-infected individuals compared to helminth-negative individuals. Further research into the specific mechanisms underlying these associations and the functional consequences of bile acid perturbations during helminth infection may provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology of helminth infections.</p>
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