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The gut resistome is highly dynamic during the first months of life

Christian J H von Wintersdorff1, Petra F G Wolffs1,2, Paul H M Savelkoul1,2,3

  • 1Department of Medical Microbiology, NUTRIM School for Nutrition & Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Future Microbiology
|April 12, 2016
PubMed

Insights

The infant gut resistome rapidly acquires antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) after birth. Factors like birth mode and breastfeeding influence ARGs, which fluctuate with gut bacteria composition.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • The infant gut microbiome undergoes rapid development post-birth.
  • Understanding the early acquisition and dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is crucial for public health.
  • The infant gut resistome's longitudinal development remains incompletely characterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the longitudinal development of specific antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the infant gut resistome.
  • To analyze ARG prevalence changes during the first months of life.
  • To identify factors influencing ARG acquisition and fluctuations.

Main Methods:

  • Fecal samples were collected from 120 infants at 5, 13, and 31 weeks of age.
  • Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was employed to detect and quantify selected ARGs.
  • Statistical analyses were performed to assess ARG prevalence and influencing factors.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of ermB, tetM, and tetQ ARGs significantly increased over time.
  • The aac(6')-aph(2') ARG showed a decreasing prevalence.
  • Birth mode and breastfeeding were found to significantly impact tetQ prevalence, with correlations to bacterial taxa suggesting a role for Bacteroides colonization.

Conclusions:

  • Antibiotic resistance genes are acquired early in the infant gut microbiota, shortly after birth.
  • The infant gut resistome composition is dynamic and fluctuates over several months.
  • These fluctuations correlate with shifts in the gut microbial community structure.
Abstract

Keywords:
antibiotic resistance genebacteroidesbirth modebreastfeedinggut microbiotainfantmetagenomemicrobiomepediatricresistomes

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