Daijiworld Media Network – Zambia

Zambia, Nov 15: A groundbreaking study from Zambia has shed new light on one of the deadliest threats to infants in low-resource regions—fatal acute febrile illness (fAFI). Researchers have identified distinct nasopharyngeal microbiome patterns in newborns that could help predict which infants are most vulnerable to life-threatening infections.

The longitudinal study tracked infants from 1 to 14 weeks of age, analysing nasopharyngeal samples to understand how early microbial communities develop. The investigation examined 26 samples from nine infants who later succumbed to fAFI and compared them with samples from ten healthy infants.

The results revealed a striking difference. Infants who later developed the fatal illness had significantly lower microbial diversity. Beneficial bacteria such as Dolosigranulum, Haemophilus, Streptococcus and Corynebacterium were noticeably diminished, while harmful Pseudomonas species were found in higher abundance. This imbalance—detected even before any symptoms appeared—signals early dysbiosis that may foreshadow severe infection.

According to researchers, these findings could pave the way for new clinical tools capable of identifying high-risk infants long before illness sets in. In regions where healthcare access and diagnostic facilities are limited, an early-warning system based on microbial markers could prove life-saving.

The study underscores the potential of microbiome-based screening in transforming paediatric care. With further research and validation, experts believe such tools could form the backbone of precision healthcare for newborns, improving early diagnosis and boosting survival chances for infants across the developing world.