Age, water source, and sex do not significantly affect the microbiome of the Hadza people of Tanzania

Abstract

Very little is currently known about the factors affecting the gut and skin microbiomes of the Hadza people of Tanzania. Most of the current microbiome research has been conducted on industrialized populations, with age, sex, water, and diet identified as some of the factors influencing microbiome composition and variation. Societies like the Hadzabe are increasingly being studied, as their hunter-gatherer lifestyle may give insight into the pre-industrial microbiome. The purpose of our analyses was to use knowledge of the Hadza lifestyle to try to determine whether age, sex, and water source, which are important determinants of industrialized microbiomes, also influence the Hadza microbiome. We investigated the effects of age and sex on the volatility and composition of the Hadza gut microbiome, respectively. We also observed the composition of the gut microbiome of individuals using water sources with distinct microbial compositions. Additionally, we looked at the effects of sex on the skin microbiome of Hadza individuals. From the results of these analyses, we observed no significant impact of age, sex, or water source on either the volatility or composition of the gut and skin microbiomes. Our study provides further insight into the unique lifestyle of the Hadza people and its effect on their microbiomes, which contributes to bridging the knowledge gap between industrialized and non-industrialized populations.