Impact of intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis upon the intestinal microbiota and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in vaginally delivered full-term neonates

Background: Disturbances in the early establishment of the intestinal microbiota may produce important implications for the infant's health and for the risk of disease later on. Different perinatal conditions may be affecting the development of the gut microbiota. Some of them, such as delivery mode or feeding habits, have been extensively assessed whereas others remain to be studied, being critical to identify their impact on the microbiota and, if any, to minimize it. Antibiotics are among the drugs most frequently used in early life, the use of intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis (IAP), present in over 30% of deliveries, being the most frequent source of exposure. However, our knowledge on the effects of IAP on the microbiota establishment is still limited. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the impact of IAP investigating a cohort of 40 full-term vaginally delivered infants born after an uncomplicated pregnancy, 18 of which were born from mothers receiving IAP. Results: Fecal samples were collected at 2, 10, 30, and 90 days of age. We analyzed the composition of the fecal microbiota during the first 3 months of life by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantified fecal short chain fatty acids by gas chromatography. The presence of genes for resistance to antibiotics was determined by PCR in the samples from 1-month-old infants. Our results showed an altered pattern of intestinal microbiota establishment in IAP infants during the first weeks of life, with lower relative proportions of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes and increased of Preoteobacteria and Firmicutes. A delay in the increase on the levels of acetate was observed in IAP infants. The analyses of specific antibiotic resistance genes showed a higher occurrence of some beta-lactamase coding genes in infants whose mothers received IAP. Conclusions: Our results indicate an effect of IAP on the establishing early microbiota during the first months of life, which represent a key moment for the development of the microbiota-induced host homeostasis. Understanding the impact of IAP in the gut microbiota development is essential for developing treatments to minimize it, favoring a proper gut microbiota development in IAP-exposed neonates

Defining the Role of the MHC in Autoimmunity: A Review and Pooled Analysis

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is one of the most extensively studied regions in the human genome because of the association of variants at this locus with autoimmune, infectious, and inflammatory diseases. However, identification of causal variants within the MHC for the majority of these diseases has remained difficult due to the great variability and extensive linkage disequilibrium (LD) that exists among alleles throughout this locus, coupled with inadequate study design whereby only a limited subset of about 20 from a total of approximately 250 genes have been studied in small cohorts of predominantly European origin. We have performed a review and pooled analysis of the past 30 years of research on the role of the MHC in six genetically complex disease traits – multiple sclerosis (MS), type 1 diabetes (T1D), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – in order to consolidate and evaluate the current literature regarding MHC genetics in these common autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. We corroborate established MHC disease associations and identify predisposing variants that previously have not been appreciated. Furthermore, we find a number of interesting commonalities and differences across diseases that implicate both general and disease-specific pathogenetic mechanisms in autoimmunity

Variations in time and space of some physical and chemical variables in the Bernesga river (León, Spain)

The chemical composition of the river Bernesga has been evaluated throughout four seasonal sampling studies at twelve sampling points. The tendency towards an increase in mineralization all along the river can be observed when using a principal component analysis to the complete data gathered. A temporal differentiation based on the variations which affect the flow rate through out the year is also established. The spatial organization defined by the second component enables us to use the scores as the starting point in order to determine the value of the chemical distance between the different sampling stations. The contrast between the chemical and actual distance gives an overall view of the river, which is a reflection of what happens on its course with regard to its chemical processes

Utilisation de deux indices chimiques (ICG et ISQA) dans la détermination de la qualité de I'eau de plusieurs rivières espagnoles

Grâce à une analyse en composantes principales on détermine le niveau de contamination de I'eau de diverses rivières, situées dans le bassin du Duero. Ces rivières sont polluées par des localités de la Communauté de Castille et Leon représentant plus de 15 000 habitants. Les rivières dans lesquelles on observe une plus grande détérioration de la qualité de I'eau ne coïncident généralement pas avec celles où la densité de la population est la plus forte. L'augmentation du débit dans ces rivières n'est pas suffisante pour modifier cette situation. Une comparaison est également ef- fectuée entre deux indices chimiques : I'ICG et I'ISQA, il en résulte une relation de type potentielle, dont la corrélation est significative. Ces indices résument le classement des échantillons obtenus dans l'analyse en composantes principales par rapport au contrôle de l'altération de la qualité de I'eau due aux villes

Aquatic Coleoptera (Hydraenidae and Elmidae) as indicators of the chemical characteristics of water in the Orbigo River basin (N-W Spain)

The responses of 32 Hydraenidae and Elmidae species to six chemical parameters - alkalinity, Cl-, SO4--, COD, NO3- and total P have been analysed in the Orbigo river basin. The study of the distribution in relation to these factors by means of elaborating their ecological profiles pointed out the indicator species for each one of these parameters, according to their reciprocal species-factor information

Responses of Phytoplankton to Fish Predation and Nutrient Loading in Shallow Lakes: a Pan-European Mesocosm Experiment.

Abstract not availableJRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra

Continental-Scale Patterns of Nutrient and Fish Effects on Shallow Wetland Lakes. Synthesis of a Pan-European International Mesocosm Experiment.

Abstract not availableJRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra

Continental Scale Patterns of Nutrient and Fish Effects on Shallow Wetland Lakes. Introduction to a Pan-European International Mesocosm Experiment.

Abstract not availableJRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra