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Project properties |
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| Title | Livestock ownership, gut pathogensm, gut inflammation and nutritional status in young children in Burkina Faso |
| Group | Human Nutrition and Health |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 36 |
| Supervisor(s) | Dr Edwin Tijhaar, Mrs Nhien Li, Dr Hans Verhoef |
| Examiner(s) | prof.dr.ir. EJM (Edith)Feskens |
| Contact info | hans.verhoef@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2022/09/01 |
| End date | |
| Description | ntroduction: Recent studies in developing countries indicate that nutritional interventions
(including vitamin A and zinc supplementation, balanced energy protein supplementation, complementary feeding, breastfeeding promotion, and prenatal micronutrient supplementation) have limited efficacy in reducing the prevalence of stunting in young children. This poor growth response to nutritional interventions may be due to ‘environmental enteropathy’, i.e. a condition of chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, induced by gut infections that is associated with structural changes in the small bowel, increased intestinal permeability, impaired gut immune function, and malabsorption of nutrients. Knowledge is lacking about the specific pathogens that underlie this disorder, and about the effects of selected enteropathogen infections on gut functioning and child growth. Objectives: To assess the effect of an integrated package of nutrition, agriculture and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions on enteropathogen infection, biomarkers of gut functioning and linear growth in children aged 2-5 years from Burkina Faso. Methods: The present study is part of a cluster-randomised trial to evaluate the impact and costs of an integrated package of nutrition and agriculture interventions on the diets, health and nutritional status of women and children in Burkina Faso. The baseline survey was completed in May 2017, and included 1,080 seemingly ‘healthy’ preschool children. The endline survey was completed in 2021. We have completed quantitative PCR assays to assess the presence of DNA to specific enteropathogens (e.g., Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Giardia intestinalis) in stool samples, both at baseline and endline, and ELISAs to measure faecal biomarkers of gut inflammation and gut functioning at baseline. We still need to complete laboratory assessment of plasma biomarkers of gut inflammation and gut functioning from the endline survey, as well as plasma markers that regulate appetite, food intake, and energy metabolism (endline survey). Student objectives: a. To measure plasma indicators of gut inflammation and gut functioning (see above) using ELISA assays; b. The conduct data analysis, with research objectives to be developed in consultation with the supervisors, e.g.:  To assess associations between gut inflammation and linear growth;  To assess associations between between enteropathogen carriage and markers of gut inflammation;  Identification of personal and household determinants of livestock ownership. c. The balance in time allocation between laboratory work and data analysis/report writing is to be decided in consultation with the supervisor (e.g., it could range from 50%:50% to 0%:100%). 3. Location: Wageningen University, with possibilities for on-line working Keyword(s): Child growth, micronutrient status, gut infections, gut inflammation, livestock ownership |
| Used skills | Epidemiological and statistical skills, e.g.: multiple linear and logistic regression models,
fractional polynomials, count modelling, two-part models, zero-inflated models, latent class analysis (depending on the MSc thesis topic) b. Laboratory skills: ELISAs c. Report writing |
| Requirements | We are looking for MSc students in Nutrition and Health, Biology, or similar background, with
affinities for both laboratory work and data analysis. Students will preferably work in pairs. |