The characteristics of intestinal microflora in infants with rotavirus enteritis, changes in microflora before and after treatment and their clinical values
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Updated: May 29, 2025
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction-based Analyses of Murine Intestinal Microbiota After Oral Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: November 17, 2018
Qiyan Yan1, Yuanyuan Chen2, E-Bin Gao3
1Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315000, Zhejiang, China.
Insights
Rotavirus infection in children significantly alters gut microbiota diversity and composition, with increased Proteobacteria. Treatment did not restore the microbiota to a healthy state.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Rotavirus (RV) is a primary cause of childhood diarrhea.
- Gut microbiota dysbiosis is implicated in various pediatric gastrointestinal diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of rotavirus enteritis on the gut microbial structure in children.
- To compare the gut microbiota of RV-infected children with healthy controls.
- To assess the effect of treatment on RV-associated gut dysbiosis.
Main Methods:
- Fecal samples were collected from RV-infected children (pre- and post-treatment) and healthy controls.
- Microbial DNA was extracted and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed using Illumina.
- Bioinformatic analysis was used to compare microbial diversity and composition between groups.
Main Results:
- RV infection led to reduced microbial diversity compared to healthy controls.
- The abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly higher in RV-infected children.
- Significant alterations in 34 bacterial genera were observed, correlating with clinical indicators like dehydration and CRP.
- No significant microbiota recovery was observed post-treatment.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus infection profoundly disrupts the pediatric gut microbiota.
- The gut microbiota in RV-infected children shows limited recovery after treatment.
- Findings provide insights for improved diagnosis and therapeutic strategies for rotavirus enteritis.
Abstract:
Rotavirus (RV) is a leading pathogen causing diarrhea in children. In this study, a total of 51 fecal samples from children with RV enteritis, 29 post-treatment fecal samples, and 38 fecal samples from age-matched healthy controls were collected. Microbial DNA was isolated from the samples followed by high throughput Illumina sequencing targeting 16 S rRNA gene. Compared to the healthy group, the RV-infected group exhibited reduced microbial diversity. Both groups shared Firmicutes as the dominant phylum. Additionally, the abundance of Proteobacteria increased significantly in the RV-infected group. At the genus level, among the top 50 most abundant genera, 34 showed significant differences, with these differential genera correlating with certain clinical indicators such as dehydration levels and C-reactive protein (CRP). Notably, there were no significant differences in the microbiota before and after treatment in RV-infected children. Only 8.82% (3/34) of the differential genera in the post-treatment group showed a recovery trend towards the healthy state. This study enhances the understanding of how RV infection alters the gut microbiota structure in children and provides a scientific basis for improving clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.
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