Publications by authors named "Karl Wold"
Introduction: Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) predisposes children throughout the developing world to high rates of systemic exposure to enteric pathogens and stunting. Effective interventions that treat or prevent EED may help children achieve their full physical and cognitive potential. The objective of this study is to test whether 2 components of breast milk would improve a biomarker of EED and linear growth during the second year of life.
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- Recent studies indicate that measuring fecal mRNA transcripts can be a less invasive alternative to the lactulose:mannitol test for assessing environmental enteric dysfunction in rural African children, particularly infants.
- The study evaluated seven specific fecal host transcripts (CD53, CDX1, HLA-DRA, TNF, S100A8, MUC12, REG1A) and found that none were effective in predicting severe environmental enteric dysfunction, with only CDX1 and REG1A showing some correlation to gut permeability.
- The prevalence of severe environmental enteric dysfunction in infants was found to be 14%, which is significantly lower than previously reported rates in older children, suggesting variations in vulnerability and possibly different underlying factors affecting gut health
Background: Chronic childhood malnutrition, as manifested by stunted linear growth, remains a persistent barrier to optimal child growth and societal development. Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is a significant underlying factor in the causal pathway to stunting, delayed cognitive development, and ultimately morbidity and mortality. Effective therapies against EED and stunting are lacking and further clinical trials are warranted to effectively identify and operationalize interventions.
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