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[Intestinal flora in the neonate: impact on morbidity and therapeutic perspectives]
J P Langhendries1, T Paquay, M Hannon
1Département de pédiatrie, Centre Néonatal, Rocourt-Liège, Belgique.
Insights
Infant gut microbiota development is influenced by maternal factors, environment, and diet. Breast-feeding promotes beneficial Bifidobacteria, crucial for infant gut health and pathogen resistance.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
Context:
- Infant gut microbiome establishment begins at birth.
- Early life factors like delivery mode, environment, and antibiotic exposure shape initial colonization.
- Postnatal diet is a critical determinant of gut flora composition.
Purpose:
- To explore the factors influencing infant gut microbiota development.
- To highlight the role of diet, particularly breast-feeding, in promoting beneficial bacteria.
- To discuss the potential of probiotics in modulating infant gut health.
Summary:
- Gut microbial colonization in infants is initiated by maternal bacteria during delivery.
- Environmental factors and antibiotic use can alter primary colonizing bacteria.
- Exclusive breast-feeding encourages Bifidobacteria growth, linked to healthy infant stool flora and pathogen resistance.
- Bottle-fed infants may benefit from interventions to promote Bifidobacteria.
- Probiotics offer a novel approach to enhance host health and prevent gut infections.
Impact:
- Understanding infant gut microbiome development is key to promoting long-term health.
- Breast-feeding's positive impact on gut flora highlights its importance.
- Probiotics show promise as a therapeutic strategy for infant gut health and infection prevention.
Abstract:
Studies in recent years have focused on the role that intestinal flora plays in health and disease. At birth, infant gut colonization begins with bacteria which are derived from the mother during delivery. Environmental factors (hospital, hygiene, antibiotics administered to the mother or to the neonate) may contribute to modification of the type of primary colonizing germs. Afterwards, diet represents the most important variable by the end of the first postnatal week. Exclusive breast-feeding promotes growth of Bifidobacteria which have been associated with the healthy nature of stool flora in infants because of their potential role in resisting pathogen colonization. Clinical trials have been made to promote bifidobacteria growth in the feces of bottle-fed infants. In addition, administration of non-pathogenic micro-organisms (probiotics) has been claimed to exert a positive influence on host health or physiology, and is a new approach to the prevention or elimination of infection originating from gut.