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Gram(+) anaerobic intestinal cocci in healthy adults and neonates
1Medical School-Microbiology, University of Ioannina, Greece.
Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology
|January 1, 1991
Insights
Anaerobic gram-positive cocci are common in adult intestines but rare in newborns. Factors inhibiting their establishment in neonates require further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
- Neonatal Health
Background:
- Anaerobic gram-positive cocci are key components of the human gut microbiota.
- Understanding the colonization patterns of these bacteria is crucial for infant gut health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the prevalence and diversity of anaerobic gram-positive cocci in healthy adults and neonates.
- To identify potential factors influencing the colonization of these bacteria in the neonatal gut.
Main Methods:
- Bacterial isolation and identification from fecal samples.
- Quantitative analysis of anaerobic gram-positive cocci populations.
- Comparative analysis between adult and neonatal cohorts.
Main Results:
- Anaerobic gram-positive cocci were found in 19.6% of healthy adults but only 6.1% of healthy neonates.
- A greater species diversity of these cocci was observed in adults compared to neonates.
- Neonatal gut colonization by these bacteria appears to be significantly inhibited.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in the colonization patterns of anaerobic gram-positive cocci between adults and neonates.
- The establishment of this bacterial group in the newborn gut is likely influenced by currently unclear inhibitory factors.
Abstract:
Anaerobic gram(+) cocci were found to be part of the normal indigenous flora of the intestinal tract in healthy adults (19.6%) but they were rarely isolated from healthy neonates (6.1%). A larger variation of species was also present in adults. Their installation in the newborn's intestine seems to be partially inhibited by factors that are not at present very clear.