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Early Gut Colonization With Lactobacilli and Staphylococcus in Infants: The Hygiene Hypothesis Extended

Seppo Salminen1, Akihito Endo, Erika Isolauri

  • 1*Functional Foods Forum †Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland ‡Clinical Research, Department of Medical Affairs, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN.

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|August 1, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Formula supplemented with prebiotics (polydextrose and galactooligosaccharides) increased lactobacilli in infant gut microbiota, similar to breast milk. This prebiotic formula also reduced Staphylococcus aureus colonization, suggesting a shift towards a breast-fed infant gut microbiome.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Infant gut microbiota development is influenced by feeding mode and composition.
  • Breast milk contains beneficial bacteria like lactobacilli and Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Formula feeding can alter the infant gut microbiome compared to breast-feeding.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of prebiotic-supplemented formula on infant gut microbiota composition.
  • To compare fecal lactobacilli and Staphylococcus aureus levels in formula-fed infants with and without prebiotics to breast-fed infants.
  • To assess if formula modification can mimic the gut microbiota of breast-fed infants.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, randomized study involving term infants fed either standard formula, prebiotic-supplemented formula (polydextrose/galactooligosaccharides), or breast milk.
  • Fecal samples were collected at baseline, 30, and 60 days.
  • Bacterial populations (lactobacilli, Staphylococcus aureus) were quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Main Results:

  • Total lactobacilli counts were significantly higher in the prebiotic-supplemented formula group compared to the control formula group at 30 and 60 days.
  • Colonization with Staphylococcus aureus was lower in both control and prebiotic-supplemented formula groups compared to the breast-fed group.
  • Prebiotic supplementation in formula showed a trend towards increasing beneficial microbes.

Conclusions:

  • Infant feces can harbor bacteria found in breast milk, including lactobacilli and Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Prebiotic-modified infant formula may promote a gut microbiota profile closer to that of breast-fed infants.
  • Staphylococcus aureus, while often viewed negatively, may play a role in immune system education.
Abstract

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