Fig. 8: Proposed Mechanism of the interplay of chronic intestinal inflammation and acute infection.

Intestinal inflammation and increased barrier permeability were prevalent in the community, as measured by fecal EED biomarkers. Comparative pathway analysis identified differentially regulated pathways supporting A exacerbated barrier dysfunction and B impaired growth (stunting) among hospitalized children. C Inflammatory and immunoregulatory protein expression was associated with pathways suggesting a shift toward cytokine dysregulation, and D broader disruption of signal transduction pathways. E Together, these findings suggest that LPS-associated pathophysiology in this setting likely involves immune dysfunction driven by chronic intestinal inflammation and its interaction with acute infections. Created in BioRender. Allen, C. (2025) https://BioRender.com/w25l747.