Specific aims include exploration of possible mechanisms of adverse events that have been observed in iron supplementation trials in infants in malaria endemic regions by:
1. Characterizing the impact of enteral iron administration on the evolution of the intestinal microbiome in infants from 6 to 9 months of age.
2. Characterizing iron administration-associated inflammatory responses and correlate these with changes in the intestinal microbiome in infants from 6 to 9 months of age. Specifically, changes in the microbiome will be correlated with biomarkers reflecting:
1. Intestinal inflammation;
2. Systemic inflammation, bacterial translocation, and oxidant stress;
3. Iron status and homeostasis
3. Quantify to what degree Fe interferes with Zn absorption (TAZ) and how it affects the size of the infant's exchangeable zinc pool (EZP).
