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Gut microbiota and development of atopic eczema in 3 European birth cohorts

Ingegerd Adlerberth1, David P Strachan, Paolo M Matricardi

  • 1Department of Clinical Bacteriology, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom. ingegerd.adlerberth@microbio.gu.se

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|July 3, 2007
PubMed

Insights

This study found no link between specific gut bacteria and preventing allergies or eczema in infants. The exact microbial trigger for allergy protection remains unknown.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Gut microbiome stimulation may prevent allergy development.
  • Infantile intestinal colonization patterns are investigated for their influence on food allergen sensitization and atopic eczema.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the hypothesis that infantile intestinal colonization influences food allergen sensitization and atopic eczema.
  • To assess the relationship between specific bacterial colonization patterns and allergy development in infants.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 324 infants across three European centers (Göteborg, London, Rome).
  • Identified commensal bacteria in rectal and stool cultures from birth up to 12 months.
  • Assessed atopic eczema and IgE levels at 18 months, modeling outcomes against bacterial colonization and ratios.

Main Results:

  • No association found between the acquisition of specific bacterial groups and atopic eczema or food-specific IgE by 18 months.
  • Cesarean section altered early colonization patterns, delaying certain species and favoring others.
  • Lack of older siblings correlated with earlier Clostridium colonization and a lower anaerobic to facultative anaerobic bacterial ratio.

Conclusions:

  • The study does not support the hypothesis linking specific culturable intestinal bacteria to reduced allergy or eczema in European infants.
  • The precise microbial stimulus required for protection against allergies needs further identification.
Abstract

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