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Distinct pattern of commensal gut microbiota in toddlers with eczema
K W Mah1, B Björkstén, B W Lee
1Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Insights
Children with eczema have altered gut bacteria, with lower Bifidobacterium and Clostridium but higher lactic-acid-producing bacteria (LAB), particularly enterococci. These gut microbiome differences persist beyond infancy.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
Background:
- Emerging research indicates distinct gut microbiota compositions in infants with and without allergic conditions like eczema.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gut microbiota differences in toddlers with and without eczema.
- To determine if previously observed infant patterns extend to early childhood.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study compared gut microbiota in 21 toddlers with eczema and 28 age-matched controls.
- Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were quantified using selective media, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and flow cytometry.
- Molecular typing and 16S rDNA sequencing analyzed lactic-acid-producing bacteria (LAB) and enterococci.
Main Results:
- Toddlers with eczema showed significantly lower Bifidobacterium and Clostridium counts.
- Conversely, higher counts of total LAB, especially enterococci, were observed in children with eczema.
- No significant correlation was found between eczema severity and bifidobacterial levels.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms altered gut microecosystems in children with eczema, extending findings beyond infancy.
- These gut microbiome alterations may play a role in the pathogenesis of eczema in early childhood.
Background:
Recent studies have demonstrated differences in the composition of gut microbiota in infants with and without allergic diseases, particularly eczema.
Methods:
A case-control study involving 21 toddlers (age 3.0 +/- 0.5 years) with and 28 age-matched toddlers without eczema was conducted. Four groups of aerobic gut microbiota were identified and quantitated in stool samples grown on selective media. Three groups of anaerobes were enumerated by fluorescent in situ hybridization followed by quantitative flow cytometry. We also performed molecular typing of lactic-acid-producing bacteria (LAB) and enterococcal isolates to facilitate detailed analysis at species level by bacterial 16S rDNA sequencing.
Results:
Toddlers with eczema harbored significantly lower counts of Bifidobacterium [(median 0.14 (25th and 75th percentile: 0.04 and 0.47) vs. 0.71% (0.16, 1.79) of cells acquired, p = 0.003)] and Clostridium [(0.28 (0.09, 0.78) vs. 0.83% (0.35, 1.82) of cells acquired, p = 0.012)] but significantly higher counts of total LAB [7.3 (6.1, 8.5) vs. 5.7 (4.4, 7.3) log CFU/g, p = 0.006] in particular enterococci [6.3 (4.8, 7.4) vs. 5.0 (3.4, 6.4) log CFU/g, p = 0.018]. There was no significant correlation between eczema severity score and bifidobacterial counts.
Conclusion:
The results further confirm previous reports that the gut microecosystem differs between children with and without eczema and extend them beyond infancy.
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