Dynamics of the bacterial gut microbiota in preterm and term infants after intravenous amoxicillin/ceftazidime treatment

BACKGROUND: It is important to understand the consequences of pre-emptive antibiotic treatment in neonates, as disturbances in microbiota development during this key developmental time window might affect early and later life health outcomes. Despite increasing knowledge regarding the detrimental effect of antibiotics on the gut microbiota, limited research focussed on antibiotic treatment duration. We determined the effect of short and long amoxicillin/ceftazidime administration on gut microbiota development during the immediate postnatal life of preterm and term infants. METHODS: Faeces was collected from 63 (pre) term infants at postnatal weeks one, two, three, four and six. Infants received either no (control), short-term (ST) or long-term (LT) postpartum amoxicillin/ceftazidime treatment. RESULTS: Compared to control infants, ST and LT infants' microbiota contained significantly higher abundance of Enterococcus during the first two postnatal weeks at the expense of Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus. Short and long antibiotic treatment both allowed for microbiota restoration within the first six postnatal weeks. However, Enterococcus and Bifidobacterium abundances were affected in fewer ST than LT infants. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous amoxicillin/ceftazidime administration affects intestinal microbiota composition by decreasing the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella and Streptococcus, while increasing the relative abundance of Enterococcus and Lactobacillus species during the first two postnatal weeks. Thriving of enterococci at the expense of bifidobacteria and streptococci should be considered as aspect of the cost-benefit determination for antibiotic prescription.</p

Dynamics of the bacterial gut microbiota in preterm and term infants after intravenous amoxicillin/ceftazidime treatment

BACKGROUND: It is important to understand the consequences of pre-emptive antibiotic treatment in neonates, as disturbances in microbiota development during this key developmental time window might affect early and later life health outcomes. Despite increasing knowledge regarding the detrimental effect of antibiotics on the gut microbiota, limited research focussed on antibiotic treatment duration. We determined the effect of short and long amoxicillin/ceftazidime administration on gut microbiota development during the immediate postnatal life of preterm and term infants. METHODS: Faeces was collected from 63 (pre) term infants at postnatal weeks one, two, three, four and six. Infants received either no (control), short-term (ST) or long-term (LT) postpartum amoxicillin/ceftazidime treatment. RESULTS: Compared to control infants, ST and LT infants' microbiota contained significantly higher abundance of Enterococcus during the first two postnatal weeks at the expense of Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus. Short and long antibiotic treatment both allowed for microbiota restoration within the first six postnatal weeks. However, Enterococcus and Bifidobacterium abundances were affected in fewer ST than LT infants. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous amoxicillin/ceftazidime administration affects intestinal microbiota composition by decreasing the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella and Streptococcus, while increasing the relative abundance of Enterococcus and Lactobacillus species during the first two postnatal weeks. Thriving of enterococci at the expense of bifidobacteria and streptococci should be considered as aspect of the cost-benefit determination for antibiotic prescription

The first fungi: mode of delivery determines early life fungal colonization in the intestine of preterm infants

Aim: The role of intestinal fungi in human health and disease is becoming more evident. The mycobiota composition and diversity of preterm infants is affected by interactions with bacteria and clinical variables. In this study, we aimed to characterize the composition and the diversity of the preterm infant mycobiota and the effect of clinical variables on it in the first six postnatal weeks.Methods: Preterm infants (n = 50) and full-term infants (n = 6) admitted to Isala Women and Children’s hospital (Zwolle, The Netherlands) who were born during 24-36 or 37-40 weeks of gestation, respectively, were included in this study. Feces were collected during the first six postnatal weeks (n = 109) and their mycobiota composition and diversity were characterized by ITS2 amplicon sequencing.Results: Composition analyses identified fungi and other eukaryotic kingdoms, of which Viridiplantae was most abundant. Of the fungal kingdom, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the first and second most prominent phyla in early life of all infants. Candida was the most abundant genus in the first six weeks of life and increased with gestational and postnatal age. Fungal phylogenetic diversity remained stable in the first six postnatal weeks. The individuality and the mode of delivery were identified as significant predictors for the variation in the mycobiota composition. Vaginally delivered infants were enriched in Candida spp., whereas infants delivered through emergency C-section were characterized by Malassezia spp.Conclusion: These results indicate that fungi and other eukaryotic kingdoms are detected in the intestine of preterm and full-term infants in the first six postnatal weeks. Similar to the microbiota, colonization of the preterm intestine with fungi is determined by clinical variables including individuality and mode of delivery

Microbiota development in preterm and term infants

Microbiota development in (pre)term infants receiving various durations of postpartum antibiotic treatment. Determined through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (MiSeq, Illumina)

Early life intestinal microbiota development in late preterm infants and the effect of antibiotics.

To study the effect of the duration of antibiotic treatment on intestinal microbiota development during the first six postnatal weeks in late-preterm infants through 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Total of 96 samples

Early life intestinal microbiota development in late preterm infants and the effect of antibiotics.

To study the effect of the duration of antibiotic treatment on intestinal microbiota development during the first six postnatal weeks in late-preterm infants through 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Total of 96 samples

Development of the intestinal microbiota in preterm infants during the first six postnatal weeks determined by 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene

Development of the gut microbiota is greatly impacted in preterm infants, who have an immature gut and are exposed to factors like hospitalisation, caesarean section, antibiotics, and respiratory support. Exposure to these factors increases with decreasing gestational age and could lead to divergent microbiota development between infants of varying GA. We analysed faecal microbiota composition of ten preterm infants during the first six postnatal weeks through 16S-rRNA gene sequencing

Microbiota development in preterm and term infants

Microbiota development in (pre)term infants receiving various durations of postpartum antibiotic treatment. Determined through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (MiSeq, Illumina)

Development of the intestinal microbiota in preterm infants during the first six postnatal weeks determined by 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene

Development of the gut microbiota is greatly impacted in preterm infants, who have an immature gut and are exposed to factors like hospitalisation, caesarean section, antibiotics, and respiratory support. Exposure to these factors increases with decreasing gestational age and could lead to divergent microbiota development between infants of varying GA. We analysed faecal microbiota composition of ten preterm infants during the first six postnatal weeks through 16S-rRNA gene sequencing