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Escherichia coli serogroups in breast-fed and bottle-fed infants
Insights
Infant feeding method impacts gut bacteria. Breast-fed infants had simpler Escherichia coli serogroup patterns, while bottle-fed infants showed more Klebsiella and specific E. coli strains, indicating selective pressures.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- The infant gut microbiome plays a crucial role in health.
- Escherichia coli serogroups can vary based on environmental factors.
- Infant feeding methods are known to influence gut microbial composition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in Escherichia coli serogroup patterns between breast-fed and bottle-fed infants.
- To explore the impact of feeding method on the infant gut microbiome composition.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of Escherichia coli serogroups in fecal samples from 87 breast-fed and 95 bottle-fed infants.
- Serotyping of E. coli strains to determine O groups and antigen presence (e.g., K1).
- Assessment of the prevalence of Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae.
Main Results:
- Breast-fed infants exhibited a less complex E. coli serogroup composition with fewer serogroups per individual.
- Specific E. coli O groups (e.g., O6) were more common in breast-fed infants, while others (O7, O16) were absent.
- Bottle-fed infants showed a predominance of E. coli strains with the K1 antigen and higher frequencies of Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae.
Conclusions:
- The infant's intestinal environment, influenced by feeding method, exerts selective pressure on E. coli serotype distribution.
- Differences in gut milieu between breast-fed and bottle-fed infants lead to distinct microbial profiles.
- Feeding practices significantly shape the early-life gut microbiome composition and E. coli colonization patterns.
Abstract:
1) Eighty-seven breast-fed and 95 bottle-fed infants were examined for differences in Escherichia coli serogroup pattern. 2) The serogroup composition was less complex in breast-fed infants. Fewer serogroups were found in the individual breast-fed child. However, with few exceptions, the same O groups were found in the two groups of infants. The prevalent O groups were among those also found most frequently in faeces from adults. 06 strains were more common in the breast-fed group, while 07 and 016 were not at all found in that group. 3) A special search for E. coli strains with Kl antigen showed that this antigen predominated in the bottle-fed infants. 4) Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae were more frequently found among bottle-fed infants. 5) It is concluded that the intestinal milieu exerts a selective pressure which may result in a selection of different serotypes in two different intestinal milieus such as those examined.