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Published on: August 7, 2017
Comparison of nasal microbiota between preterm and full-term infants in early life
Olga Gorlanova1,2, Annika Nissen-Kratzert1,2, Nadja Mostacci3
1University Children's Hospital Basel (UKBB), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Insights
The nasal microbiota of preterm infants differs from full-term infants, with older siblings influencing preterm infant microbiota composition. Prematurity impacts initial bacterial colonization, affecting key genera like Moraxella and Dolosigranulum.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Neonatal Health
- Immunology
Background:
- The respiratory microbiota is crucial for infant immune development.
- Limited understanding of factors affecting nasal microbiota in preterm infants post-discharge.
- Need to compare nasal microbiota between preterm and full-term infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate factors influencing nasal microbiota in preterm infants.
- Compare nasal microbiota composition between preterm and full-term infants.
- Identify differences in bacterial genera between the two groups.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of nasal swabs from 136 preterm and 299 full-term infants.
- 16S-rRNA gene sequencing using Illumina MiSeq.
- Statistical analysis including multivariable linear regression and PERMANOVA.
Main Results:
- Preterm infants showed distinct nasal microbiota compared to full-term infants.
- Presence of older siblings associated with increased beta-diversity and abundance of Moraxella and Haemophilus in preterm infants.
- Preterm infants had reduced abundance of Moraxella and Dolosigranulum genera.
Conclusions:
- Prematurity influences initial nasal microbiota colonization.
- Older siblings significantly impact the nasal microbiota of preterm infants.
- Nasal microbiota differences between preterm and full-term infants provide insights into bacterial colonization trajectories.
Background:
The respiratory microbiota influences infant immune system maturation. Little is known about how perinatal, physiological, and environmental exposures impact the nasal microbiota in preterm infants after discharge, or nasal microbiota differences between preterm and healthy full-term infants.
Methods:
Nasal swabs (from 136 preterm and 299 full-term infants at mean postmenstrual age of 45 weeks from the prospective Basel-Bern Infant Lung Development cohort) were analyzed by 16S-rRNA gene amplification and sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). Associations were tested with multivariable linear regression and principal coordinate analysis.
Results:
Presence of older siblings in preterm infants was associated with β-diversity (PERMANOVA p = 0.001) and an increased abundance of Moraxella and Haemophilus. The nasal microbiota of preterm infants exhibited a distinct composition compared to that of full-term infants (PERMANOVA, R2 = 0.014, p = 0.001), characterized by a reduced abundance of the Moraxella and Dolosigranulum genera (ANCOM-BC, p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Our results indicate that, despite both infant groups having similar nasal microbiota patterns, there are some disparities which suggest that prematurity influences the initial microbiota colonization. In preterm infants the presence of older siblings had an effect on the nasal microbiota, whereas perinatal and early postnatal factors did not show significant effects.
Impact:
Presence of older siblings affected the nasal microbiota of preterm infants. This study demonstrated that microbiota composition differs between full-term and preterm infants, with a lower abundance of Moraxella and Dolosigranulum in preterm infants. Examining the differences in nasal microbiota between preterm and full-term infants may contribute to understanding the trajectory of the bacterial component of the nasal microbiota of preterm infants.
