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Effect of Household Air Pollution on the Gut Microbiome and Virome of Adult Women Living in Uganda.

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Title: Effect of Household Air Pollution on the Gut Microbiome and Virome of Adult Women Living in Uganda.
Authors: Ching-Ying Huang1, Nuwagira, Edwin2, Tisza, Michael3,4, Kim, Minsik1,5, Tayebwa, Mellon2, Vieira, Jacob1, Lam, Nicholas6,7, Wallach, Eli7, Wiens, Matthew8,9, Tsai, Alexander C.1,5,10,11, Valeri, Linda12, Vallarino, Jose13, Allen, Joseph G.13, Lai, Peggy S.1,5,10,13 plai@mgh.harvard.edu
Source: Environmental Health Perspectives. May2026, Vol. 134 Issue 1, p75-90. 16p.
Subject Terms: *Indoor air pollution prevention, *Antibiotics, *Rural health, *Ecological impact, *Power resources, *Fossil fuels, *Environmental exposure, *Particulate matter, *Greenhouse gases, Gastrointestinal disease prevention, Respiratory disease prevention, Fecal analysis, Lighting, Pulmonary function tests, Respiratory organ sounds, Secondary analysis, Spirometry, Data analysis, Vital capacity (Respiration), Seasons, Gut microbiota, Questionnaires, Multiple regression analysis, Mann Whitney U Test, Descriptive statistics, Age distribution, Bioinformatics, Odds ratio, Respiratory organ physiology, Statistics, Forced expiratory volume, Women's health, Confidence intervals, Data analysis software, Cough, Dyspnea, Sensitivity & specificity (Statistics), Diet, Adults
Geographic Terms: Uganda
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Emerging observational studies suggest that air pollution can influence the gut microbiome. However, this association is often highly confounded by factors, such as diet and poverty. The gut virome may influence respiratory health independent of the gut microbiome. We recently demonstrated in a randomized waitlist-controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03351504) that a clean lighting intervention reduced the level of personal exposure to air pollution among adult women in rural Uganda. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of a solar lighting intervention on changes to the gut microbiome and virome and secondarily to determine the association between these changes on lung health. METHODS: Between 2018 and 2019, we collected stool samples and assessed respiratory symptoms and spirometry from 80 adult women living in rural Uganda at baseline and 12 and 18 months postrandomization. The intervention group received a solar lighting system after randomization, while the waitlist-controlled group received one at 12 months. Deep metagenomics sequencing of stool was performed and profiled for nonviral and viral taxonomic composition. The primary analysis focused on pre- vs postintervention changes due to power considerations, adjusting for potential confounding by age, diet, antibiotic use, and season. A sensitivity analysis was conducted using intention-to-treat principles. When comparing pre- vs postintervention periods, we used sparse partial least-squares models to identify nonviral and viral signatures of reduced air pollution exposure. Mixed effects models were used to evaluate changes in health outcomes as well as associations between microbial signatures of reduced air pollution exposure and health. RESULTS: The average age was 39.2 years. The solar lighting intervention led to larger changes in viral compared to nonviral microbial community structure and differential abundance of bacteria, eukaryotes, and viruses. Provision of solar lighting systems was associated with a reduction in the presence of respiratory symptoms from 57.1% to 36.1% (푝 = 0.002), while there was no impact on lung function. Microbiome and virome signatures had AUCs of 0.74 and 0.76, respectively, in predicting pre- vs postintervention stool samples. Microbiome signatures were associated with a lower risk of respiratory symptoms (OR = 0.68 (0.49 - 0.94), 푝 = 0.020). CONCLUSION: Among adult women living in rural Uganda, both nonviral and viral components of the gut microbial community changed after a clean lighting intervention. Microbiome signatures reflective of lower air pollution exposures were associated with improved respiratory symptoms. These observations suggest that air pollution may influence lung health through the gut-lung axis, warranting further exploration in future intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Environmental Health Perspectives is the property of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Effect of Household Air Pollution on the Gut Microbiome and Virome of Adult Women Living in Uganda.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ching-Ying+Huang%22">Ching-Ying Huang</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nuwagira%2C+Edwin%22">Nuwagira, Edwin</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tisza%2C+Michael%22">Tisza, Michael</searchLink><relatesTo>3,4</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kim%2C+Minsik%22">Kim, Minsik</searchLink><relatesTo>1,5</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tayebwa%2C+Mellon%22">Tayebwa, Mellon</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vieira%2C+Jacob%22">Vieira, Jacob</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lam%2C+Nicholas%22">Lam, Nicholas</searchLink><relatesTo>6,7</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wallach%2C+Eli%22">Wallach, Eli</searchLink><relatesTo>7</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wiens%2C+Matthew%22">Wiens, Matthew</searchLink><relatesTo>8,9</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tsai%2C+Alexander+C%2E%22">Tsai, Alexander C.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,5,10,11</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Valeri%2C+Linda%22">Valeri, Linda</searchLink><relatesTo>12</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vallarino%2C+Jose%22">Vallarino, Jose</searchLink><relatesTo>13</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Allen%2C+Joseph+G%2E%22">Allen, Joseph G.</searchLink><relatesTo>13</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lai%2C+Peggy+S%2E%22">Lai, Peggy S.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,5,10,13</relatesTo><i> plai@mgh.harvard.edu</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environmental+Health+Perspectives%22">Environmental Health Perspectives</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 134 Issue 1, p75-90. 16p.
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– Name: Abstract
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  Data: BACKGROUND: Emerging observational studies suggest that air pollution can influence the gut microbiome. However, this association is often highly confounded by factors, such as diet and poverty. The gut virome may influence respiratory health independent of the gut microbiome. We recently demonstrated in a randomized waitlist-controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03351504) that a clean lighting intervention reduced the level of personal exposure to air pollution among adult women in rural Uganda. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of a solar lighting intervention on changes to the gut microbiome and virome and secondarily to determine the association between these changes on lung health. METHODS: Between 2018 and 2019, we collected stool samples and assessed respiratory symptoms and spirometry from 80 adult women living in rural Uganda at baseline and 12 and 18 months postrandomization. The intervention group received a solar lighting system after randomization, while the waitlist-controlled group received one at 12 months. Deep metagenomics sequencing of stool was performed and profiled for nonviral and viral taxonomic composition. The primary analysis focused on pre- vs postintervention changes due to power considerations, adjusting for potential confounding by age, diet, antibiotic use, and season. A sensitivity analysis was conducted using intention-to-treat principles. When comparing pre- vs postintervention periods, we used sparse partial least-squares models to identify nonviral and viral signatures of reduced air pollution exposure. Mixed effects models were used to evaluate changes in health outcomes as well as associations between microbial signatures of reduced air pollution exposure and health. RESULTS: The average age was 39.2 years. The solar lighting intervention led to larger changes in viral compared to nonviral microbial community structure and differential abundance of bacteria, eukaryotes, and viruses. Provision of solar lighting systems was associated with a reduction in the presence of respiratory symptoms from 57.1% to 36.1% (푝 = 0.002), while there was no impact on lung function. Microbiome and virome signatures had AUCs of 0.74 and 0.76, respectively, in predicting pre- vs postintervention stool samples. Microbiome signatures were associated with a lower risk of respiratory symptoms (OR = 0.68 (0.49 - 0.94), 푝 = 0.020). CONCLUSION: Among adult women living in rural Uganda, both nonviral and viral components of the gut microbial community changed after a clean lighting intervention. Microbiome signatures reflective of lower air pollution exposures were associated with improved respiratory symptoms. These observations suggest that air pollution may influence lung health through the gut-lung axis, warranting further exploration in future intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Environmental Health Perspectives is the property of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1021/EHP.6c00064
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
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        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 75
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Indoor air pollution prevention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Antibiotics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rural health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ecological impact
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Power resources
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fossil fuels
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental exposure
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Particulate matter
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Greenhouse gases
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gastrointestinal disease prevention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Respiratory disease prevention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fecal analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Lighting
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pulmonary function tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Respiratory organ sounds
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spirometry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vital capacity (Respiration)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Seasons
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gut microbiota
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multiple regression analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mann Whitney U Test
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age distribution
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bioinformatics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Odds ratio
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Respiratory organ physiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Forced expiratory volume
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Women's health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Confidence intervals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cough
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dyspnea
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sensitivity & specificity (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Diet
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adults
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Uganda
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Effect of Household Air Pollution on the Gut Microbiome and Virome of Adult Women Living in Uganda.
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              M: 05
              Text: May2026
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