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Delivery mode impacts gut bacteriophage colonization during infancy.
Poorani Subramanian1, Hector N Romero-Soto2, David B Stern2
1Poorani Subramanian. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States.
Gut Microbes Reports
|August 18, 2025
Summary
Delivery mode significantly impacts infant gut bacteriophages, altering their composition and function. Vaginal delivery promotes higher viral diversity and specific gene functions early in life, potentially influencing immune responses.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Cesarean section delivery alters infant gut bacteria and is linked to later inflammatory issues.
- Gut bacteriophages influence the microbiome and host responses, but their colonization patterns by delivery mode are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of delivery mode on infant gut bacteriophage colonization from birth to 24 months.
- To analyze changes in virome diversity, composition, and function based on delivery mode.
Main Methods:
- Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of serial infant stool samples (birth to 24 months).
- Analysis of viral sequences, focusing on bacteriophages, and their predicted hosts and functions.
- Comparison of virome diversity and composition between vaginally delivered and Cesarean section infants.
Main Results:
- Bacteriophages constituted 94% of identified viral DNA sequences.
- Infants born vaginally showed increased virome alpha diversity at 2 months.
- Delivery mode influenced bacteriophage composition, predicted hosts, and functional genes up to 24 months, with differences modulated by antibiotic use.
Conclusions:
- Delivery mode establishes distinct bacteriophage colonization patterns in early life.
- Differences in bacteriophage composition and function may contribute to delivery mode-associated inflammatory outcomes.
- Future research should consider bacteriophages and transkingdom interactions in understanding delivery mode's long-term health effects.
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