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The importance of the microbiome in pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases

Thaidra Gaufin1, Nicole H Tobin, Grace M Aldrovandi

  • 1Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Current Opinion in Pediatrics
|December 6, 2017
PubMed

Insights

The pediatric microbiome is crucial for child development, influencing immunity, growth, and disease risk. Early life microbiome alterations can lead to chronic illnesses, highlighting the need for understanding its impact on lifelong health.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Immunology

Background:

  • The pediatric microbiome plays a vital role in immune system, nervous system, and growth development.
  • Infant microbiome alterations are linked to chronic conditions like asthma and inflammatory bowel disease.
  • The microbiome influences pathogen protection, vaccine efficacy, and drug metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on the pediatric microbiome.
  • To discuss the establishment of a healthy microbiome in children.
  • To highlight the impact of microbiome composition changes on child and adolescent health and growth.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes existing research on the pediatric microbiome.
  • It examines factors influencing microbiome establishment.
  • It analyzes the consequences of microbiome alterations on health outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Vaginal delivery, breastfeeding, and maternal factors promote a healthy microbiome.
  • Cesarean delivery, formula feeding, and antibiotic use disrupt the microbiome, increasing risks for chronic diseases.
  • Interventions with prebiotics and probiotics show limited success.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the microbiome-immune system interaction is key.
  • This knowledge can guide interventions to promote lifelong health through microbiome modulation.
Abstract

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