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Pro- and pre-biotics administration in preterm infants: colonization and influence on faecal flora

A Marini1, F Negretti, G Boehm

  • 1Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology, University of Milan, Italy.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992). Supplement
|November 6, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Probiotic and prebiotic supplementation in preterm infants altered gut microbiota and immune responses. While antibodies reduced probiotic presence, beneficial shifts in bacterial ratios and improved stool characteristics were observed with prebiotics.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal nutrition
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Probiotic and prebiotic interventions are explored for preterm infant gut health.
  • Understanding immune responses and microbiota changes is crucial for optimizing these therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of prolonged probiotic administration on immune markers and gut microbiota in preterm infants.
  • To evaluate the impact of prebiotic supplementation on fecal bifidobacteria and stool characteristics in preterm infants.

Main Methods:

  • Monitoring specific IgA and IgM antibody levels against probiotics during prolonged administration.
  • Analyzing the ratio of aerobic/anaerobic and gram-positive/gram-negative bacteria in stool samples.
  • Assessing changes in fecal bifidobacteria, stool frequency, and consistency after 28 days of prebiotic administration.

Main Results:

  • Prolonged probiotic use led to increased specific IgA and IgM antibodies, reducing detectable live probiotic bacteria in stools.
  • Positive shifts observed included a decreased aerobic/anaerobic bacterial ratio and an increased gram-positive/gram-negative bacterial ratio.
  • Prebiotic administration significantly increased fecal bifidobacteria, improving stool frequency and consistency towards patterns seen in breastfed infants.

Conclusions:

  • Antibody development may limit the persistence of live probiotics in preterm infant guts despite continuous administration.
  • Probiotic administration can modulate the gut microbiota composition beneficially.
  • Prebiotic supplementation effectively enhances beneficial bifidobacteria and normalizes stool characteristics in preterm infants, mimicking benefits of human milk.

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