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Intestinal microbiota of infants with colic: development and specific signatures

Carolina de Weerth1, Susana Fuentes, Philippe Puylaert

  • 1Montessorilaan 3, PO Box 9104, 6500 HE, Nijmegen, Netherlands. c.deweerth@psych.ru.nl

Pediatrics
|January 16, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Infant colic is linked to distinct gut microbial signatures in early life, with lower diversity and altered bacterial groups like Proteobacteria. These findings may enable early diagnostics and targeted therapies for excessive crying.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infant Health
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Infant colic, characterized by excessive crying, affects a significant portion of newborns.
  • The role of the gut microbiota in infant colic is an area of ongoing research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the fecal microbiota in infants with colic compared to controls during the first 100 days of life.
  • To identify specific microbial signatures associated with infant colic.

Main Methods:

  • Phylogenetic microarray analysis of microbial DNA from over 200 fecal samples.
  • Comparison of microbiota composition and diversity between 12 infants with colic and 12 age-matched controls.

Main Results:

  • Infants with colic exhibited significantly lower microbial diversity and stability in the early weeks of life compared to controls.
  • A notable increase in Proteobacteria (over twofold) and a decrease in Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli were observed in infants with colic.
  • Colic correlated positively with specific Proteobacteria (e.g., Escherichia, Klebsiella) and negatively with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla.

Conclusions:

  • Distinct microbial signatures are present in the first weeks of life in infants who develop colic.
  • These findings suggest potential for early diagnostic markers for colic.
  • The identified microbial patterns may inform the development of specific therapeutic interventions for excessive crying in infants.
Abstract

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