Composition of the gut microbiota modulates the severity of malaria

Abstract

Plasmodium infections result in clinical presentations that range from asymptomatic to severe malaria, resulting in ∼1 million deaths annually. Despite this toll on humanity, the factors that determine disease severity remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the gut microbiota of mice influences the pathogenesis of malaria. Genetically similar mice from different commercial vendors, which exhibited differences in their gut bacterial community, had significant differences in parasite burden and mortality after infection with multiple Plasmodium species. Germfree mice that received cecal content transplants from “resistant” or “susceptible” mice had low and high parasite burdens, respectively, demonstrating the gut microbiota shaped the severity of malaria. Among differences in the gut flora were increased abundances of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in resistant mice. Susceptible mice treated with antibiotics followed by yogurt made from these bacterial genera displayed a decreased parasite burden. Consistent with differences in parasite burden, resistant mice exhibited an elevated humoral immune response compared with susceptible mice. Collectively, these results identify the composition of the gut microbiota as a previously unidentified risk factor for severe malaria and modulation of the gut microbiota (e.g., probiotics) as a potential treatment to decrease parasite burden.