Distinct gut microbiome shifts in the NICU influence later atopic dermatitis development

While it has previously been shown that early life gut microbiome imbalance is associated with the later development of atopic dermatitis (AD) in full term infants, to our knowledge no similar studies have been conducted in infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This is an important research gap to address because a) infants in the NICU are at an increased risk for gut microbiome dysbiosis due to several clinical and environmental factors including frequent antimicrobial exposure; and b) their risk of developing AD may be different from full term infants. We demonstrate gut microbiome dysbiosis and clinical factors impacting the microbiome associated with later development of AD that are unique to infants in the NICU. These may represent early predictors of AD development and potential therapeutic targets to mitigate future disease.