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Intestinal microbiota in exclusively breast-fed infants with blood-streaked stools

J Nevoral1, V Rada, E Vlková

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Medical School of the Charles University in Prague and University Hospital Motol, 150 06, Prague, Czech Republic. jiri.nevoral@seznam.cz

Folia Microbiologica
|May 7, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Infants with blood-streaked stools show significantly lower levels of beneficial bifidobacteria in their gut microbiota compared to healthy infants. This dysbiosis may indicate an altered intestinal environment in affected babies.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • The intestinal microbiota plays a crucial role in infant health.
  • Alterations in gut bacteria are linked to various gastrointestinal issues in infants.
  • Blood-streaked stools in exclusively breast-fed infants warrant investigation into potential microbial imbalances.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the fecal microbiota composition of exclusively breast-fed infants with blood-streaked stools to that of healthy exclusively breast-fed infants.
  • To quantify specific bacterial groups including total anaerobes, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, coliforms, enterococci, and clostridia.

Main Methods:

  • Fecal samples were collected from 17 infants with blood-streaked stools and 22 healthy controls, all exclusively breast-fed.
  • Bacterial quantification was performed using cultivation methods and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for Bifidobacterium spp.
  • Analysis included counts of total anaerobes, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, coliform bacteria, enterococci, and clostridia.

Main Results:

  • Control infants had significantly higher counts of total anaerobes (p < 0.05).
  • Bifidobacteria were detected less frequently and in lower counts in infants with blood-streaked stools compared to controls (p < 0.01).
  • Clostridia were found only in bifidobacteria-negative infants, and patients exhibited higher rates of eosinophilia, low IgA/IgG, and pANCA positivity.

Conclusions:

  • Exclusively breast-fed infants with blood-streaked stools exhibit a significantly reduced proportion of bifidobacterial microbiota.
  • The findings suggest a potential link between low bifidobacteria and blood-streaked stools in this infant population.
  • Further research is needed to understand the clinical implications of this microbial imbalance.

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