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RNA Fluorescence in situ Hybridization FISH to Visualize Microbial Colonization and Infection in Caenorhabditis elegans Intestines
Published on: July 27, 2022
Identification of bacterial invasion in necrotizing enterocolitis specimens using fluorescent in situ hybridization
F H Heida1,2, H J M Harmsen2, A Timmer3
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Groningen, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Objective:
Investigation of bacterial invasion into the intestinal wall in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) specimens.
Study Design:
We compared 43 surgical NEC specimens with 43 age-matched controls. We used fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), a universal bacterial probe together with species-specific probes for Clostridium spp., Enterobacteriaceae, bacteroides and enterococci/lactobacilli. We used a FISH scoring system to reveal invasion of the intestinal wall, in which 1 represented no colonies and 4 invasion of the intestinal wall.
Results:
We observed invasion of the intestinal wall in 22/43 of the most affected NEC tissue samples as compared with 16/43 in the least affected NEC tissue samples (P=0.03). A FISH score of 4 was reached in 7/43 control cases. Enterobacteriaceae dominated the NEC specimens. Clostridium spp. were detected occasionally in NEC samples.
Conclusion:
Bacterial invasion of the intestinal wall is more present in most affected NEC tissue samples compared with least affected NEC tissue samples or controls. Enterobacteriaceae are prevalent in advanced NEC.
