Comparison of oral microbiome profiles in 18-month-old infants and their parents

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Human Health
• Genetics

Background:

• Oral microbiome development is crucial for preventing dental diseases like caries and periodontal disease.
• Parental transmission is a key factor influencing early oral microbiome formation.
• The timing and maternal/paternal contribution to this transmission remain largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of parental oral microbiome on infant oral microbiome composition at 18 months.
• To determine the age at which oral microbiome stabilization occurs and parental influence is significant.
• To compare the contributions of mothers versus fathers to infant oral microbiome seeding.

Main Methods:

• Saliva samples collected from 40 infants (18 months old) and their parents.
• Next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes used for microbiome analysis.
• Comparative analysis of microbial diversity and composition between infants and parents.

Main Results:

• Infant oral microbiome diversity was significantly lower than in parents.
• Microbiome composition differed significantly between infants and parents.
• Infant oral microbiomes showed greater similarity to their mothers' microbiomes compared to unrelated adults.
• Shared bacteria included both commensal and potentially disease-related species.

Conclusions:

• Parental oral microbiome significantly influences infant oral microbiome by 18 months of age.
• Maternal transmission appears to play a more prominent role than paternal transmission.
• Early-life oral microbiome seeding by parents can include bacteria associated with dental health and disease.