{
  "abstract": "Background Using a longitudinal cohort of 633 Gambian children (IHAT-GUT, NCT02941081), we investigated two ecologically distinct pathways potentially linking Prevotella stercorea abundance to infection risk: a community-mediated pathway operating through overall gut microbiome richness, and a species-specific pathway operating independently of it. Methods We modelled P. stercorea abundance in relation to gut microbiome richness, adverse-event incidence (diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection [ARI], fever), inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, AGP; measured at enrolment [D1] only), and weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), using richness-mediation analysis, negative binomial and joint-species models, and WAZ-stratified interaction models, with Benjamini–Hochberg correction applied within each family of related tests. Results P. stercorea abundance positively predicted gut microbiome richness, consistent with a role in community-level colonisation resistance for enteric outcomes. Its association with reduced ARI persisted largely unchanged after richness adjustment, consistent with a richness-independent, species-autonomous pathway. WAZ was uncorrelated with microbiome richness within strata, consistent with WAZ serving as a proxy for host immune-metabolic reserve rather than a determinant of microbiome composition. In Low-WAZ children, P. stercorea abundance at Day 1 was associated with suppressed CRP; in High-WAZ children, elevated Day 1 inflammation predicted subsequent P. stercorea abundance at Day 85. ARI and fever protection was richness-independent and concentrated in Low-WAZ children (q≤ 0.006); P. copri did not retain an independent protective association when modelled jointly with P. stercorea (q = 0.381 vs. q = 0.016). Conclusions These findings are consistent with a richness-independent, host-context-dependent association between P. stercorea abundance and respiratory infection risk. Given the observational design, causal and mechanistic interpretations remain hypothesis-generating; experimental validation and independent replication are needed before translational application can be considered.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Stercora Biosciences Inc"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ogochukwu Ofordile"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/90s0qk7p308ks.bib",
  "cited_by": 4,
  "doi": "10.1186/s12920-026-02449-9",
  "fulltext_url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12920-026-02449-9",
  "id": "90s0qk7p308ks",
  "issns": [
    "1755-8794"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12920-026-02449-9",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "lcc",
      "QH426-470"
    ],
    [
      "lcc",
      "RC31-1245"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Gut microbiota and health"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7201835886",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13737801",
  "pmid": "42983788",
  "published": "2026-08-01",
  "publisher": "BMC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/90s0qk7p308ks.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-08T14:21:03Z",
      "native_id": "03717f669b0645e9b5cb1ef5b1794dcf",
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      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12920-026-02449-9"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-09T12:22:54Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13737801",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12920-026-02449-9"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1312|Gut microbiota and health",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Prevotella stercorea links gut microbiome ecology to respiratory infection protection through host-context-dependent, richness-independent associations",
  "title_text": "Prevotella stercorea links gut microbiome ecology to respiratory infection protection through host-context-dependent, richness-independent associations",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T14:21:23Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/90s0qk7p308ks",
  "venue": "BMC Medical Genomics",
  "versions": []
}