Ironing Out Anemia: High Inflammation Modulates Microbial Composition and Indicates the Activation of Cellular Stress Responses in Infected Anemic Infants

Abstract

Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) is a significant global health challenge impacting cognitive, physical, and behavioral development, particularly in infants. Despite the current knowledge on anemia and its manifestations, the role of the gut microbiome and its relationship with systemic inflammation and anemia have yet to be explored. This study explores the relationship between anemia, systemic inflammation, and the gut microbiome in infants using a dataset from McClorry et al. Our analysis revealed that neither infection status nor inflammation levels significantly altered microbial diversity, however, differentially abundant genera were related to inflammation levels in infected anemic infants. Metabolic pathways analysis further identified the upregulation of pathways involved in energy production and immune response, emphasizing the systemic effects of inflammation in anemic infants. Our findings underscore the potential of microbial interventions in managing inflammation-related anemia, highlighting the need for further research into the microbiome’s role in inflammatory processes.