Researchers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi have found that children carrying malaria parasites without showing symptoms may still experience significant changes in their gut health.

The study, published in the journal PLOS One, examined how asymptomatic malaria, a condition in which a person is infected but does not feel ill, affects the gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms living in the digestive system.

The research team, led by Dr. Amma Aboagyewa Larbi and colleagues, collected blood samples from Ghanaian children to detect malaria parasites, including Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium malariae.

They also analysed stool samples using genetic sequencing techniques to identify the types and proportions of bacteria present in the gut.

The study found that malaria infection, even without symptoms, was associated with measurable shifts in gut bacteria.

Two major bacterial groups, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, accounted for about 70% of all gut microbes. Among infected children, Firmicutes declined from about 52% to 44%, while Bacteroidetes increased from about 35% to 46%. There was also a slight rise in Proteobacteria, a group sometimes associated with infection.

At a more detailed level, certain bacteria such as Alloprevotella and Streptococcus increased in infected children. Levels of Escherichia-Shigella, a group linked to disease, rose significantly in children with mixed malaria infections. In contrast, Faecalibacterium, a bacterium associated with gut health, declined.

Although the children showed no symptoms, the findings suggest malaria may still be affecting their bodies in less visible ways.