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Updated: Sep 19, 2026

Oral Gavage in Neonatal Mouse Pups and Functional Assessment of Gut Barrier Integrity Using Ussing Chambers
Published on: January 9, 2026
Micronutrients, the gut microbiota, and infection susceptibility in infants
Miranda Y Bate1, Kelvin Mokaya Abuga2, Jethro S Johnson3
1Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Abstract:
Micronutrient deficiencies are common during infancy, particularly in settings with a high burden of infectious diseases. At the same time, the developing infant gut microbiota is a key determinant of susceptibility to infection from both resident pathobionts and incoming enteric pathogens. Recent human and experimental studies suggest that micronutrients regulate this developing microbial ecosystem in a highly context-dependent manner, with effects varying according to developmental stage, nutritional status, intestinal location, and environmental exposure. In this review, we synthesise current evidence linking micronutrient-microbiota interactions to microbial competition and metabolism, epithelial barrier integrity, and mucosal immunity, and discuss how these interactions may shape susceptibility to enteric and invasive bacterial infections during infancy.
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