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Intestinal microflora of Estonian and Swedish infants
Insights
Comparing infant gut microbiota, Estonian babies had more lactobacilli and eubacteria, while Swedish infants showed higher clostridia levels. This suggests a potential shift in intestinal microflora in industrialized nations.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- The intestinal microflora plays a crucial role in infant health and development.
- Understanding variations in infant gut microbiota across different populations is essential for identifying health trends.
- Previous studies indicated a general composition of infant gut microbiota in Western Europe during the 1960s.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the intestinal microflora of healthy 1-year-old infants from Estonia and Sweden.
- To identify specific bacterial groups that differ between the two infant populations.
- To assess potential shifts in infant gut microbiota composition in industrialized countries.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative culture of fecal samples from healthy Estonian (n=27) and Swedish (n=29) infants aged 1 year.
- Analysis of bacterial counts to determine the prevalence of major microbial groups.
Main Results:
- Estonian infants exhibited significantly higher counts of lactobacilli and eubacteria.
- Swedish infants displayed increased numbers of clostridia.
- Bifidobacteria and anaerobic cocci were equally prevalent in both groups; eubacteria/enterococci dominated in Estonians, while bacteroides/clostridia were more common in Swedes.
Conclusions:
- The intestinal microflora of Estonian infants showed similarities to that of Western European infants from the 1960s.
- Significant differences in gut microbiota composition exist between Estonian and Swedish infants.
- The findings suggest a potential shift in intestinal microflora patterns among infants in Western industrialized countries over time.
Abstract:
The intestinal microflora of 1-y-old healthy Estonian (n = 27) and Swedish infants (n = 29) was studied by quantitative culture of faecal samples. The major differences were high counts of lactobacilli and eubacteria in the former and increased numbers of clostridia in the latter babies. Bifidobacteria and anaerobic cocci prevailed equally in both groups, while eubacteria and enterococci were the major microorganisms in many Estonian infants and bacteroides and clostridia in many Swedish infants. The microflora of the Estonian infants was in many aspects similar to the flora prevailing in infants of western Europe in the 1960s. The results suggest a shift in the intestinal microflora among infants in western industrialized countries.