Impact of Renutrition Milk on the Improvement of Clinical Profile and Gut Microbiota of Malnourished Children

Abstract

Childhood malnutrition is a severe disease that kills 3.1 million children under the age of five worldwide yearly. Our objectives are to comparethe clinical profile and the intestinal microbiota of malnourished children and healthy ones residing in the city of Mascara (Algeria), and to specify the impact of the administration of renutrition milk on the improvement of their gut microbiota.40 children in total, aged between 2 and 36 months were chosen for this study. A clinical examination and a microbiological analysis of fecal matter were performed. The first results showed that the malnourished children included in the study suffer from severe malnutrition characterized by stunting and remarkable underweight and that their intestinal flora is quantitatively and qualitatively differentfrom that of healthy children. Moreover;the administration of the renutrition milk has a positive influence on the composition of the intestinal flora in these malnourished children.