The sequence of bacterial events that occurs during the colonization of the gastrointestinal tract may affect the future health of the host. A clear understanding of the colonization process of the human neonatal gut in developing countries is lacking because the few available studies were mostly performed using culture techniques. Using molecular approaches, this study analyzed the fecal microbiota of children of low socioeconomic status in São Paulo, Brazil, during their first year of life. We collected fecal samples of healthy children at 3, 6, and 12 months of life. Total DNA was extracted directly from feces, and the bacteria-specific primers 27F-1492R were used to construct 16S rRNA libraries. Clones were randomly selected and partially sequenced. The main phylogenetic groups identified at 3 months were Streptococcus, unidentified bacteria, and Escherichia. At 6 months, Escherichia remained predominant, while the unidentified bacterial population increased significantly. At 12 months, a more complex composition of fecal microbiota was observed, represented by unidentified bacteria and microorganisms found at low rates at earlier ages. The genus Escherichia remained the most abundant microorganism (34% relative abundance and 75% prevalence). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed changes in the composition of the microbiota at 6 months and an increase of diversity at 12 months of life. Bifidobacterium was identified by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and showed a high incidence in the microbiota at 3 months. The present results corroborate the global observation of inter-individual variability with an early establishment of microbial complexity at the end of the first year of life and highlight the presence of the Escherichia as abundant in microbiota composition of this group of children.

OBJECTIVE:Changes in the neonatal gut environment allow for the colonization of the mucin layer and lumen by anaerobic bacteria. The aim of the present study was to evaluate Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus colonization through the first year of life in a group of 12 Brazilian infants and to correlate these data with the levels of Escherichia coli. The presence of anaerobic members of the adult intestinal microbiota, including Eubacterium limosum and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, was also evaluated.METHODS:Fecal samples were collected during the first year of life, and 16S rRNA from anaerobic and facultative bacteria was detected by real-time PCR.RESULTS:Bifidobacterium was present at the highest levels at all of the studied time points, followed by E. coli and Lactobacillus. E. limosum was rarely detected, and F. prausnitzii was detected only in the samples from the latest time points.CONCLUSION:These results are consistent with reports throughout the world on the community structure of the intestinal microbiota in infants fed a milk diet. Our findings also provide evidence for the influence of the environment on intestinal colonization due to the high abundance of E. coli. The presence of important anaerobic genera was observed in Brazilian infants living at a low socioeconomic level, a result that has already been well established for infants living in developed countries.

O óleo essencial de Mentha piperita L é amplamente utilizado nas indústrias alimentícia, farmacêutica e de cosméticos. Os tradicionais processos de obtenção deste tipo de óleo geram como subproduto o hidrolato, uma complexa mistura de compostos orgânicos em meio aquoso, que é considerado um efluente da extração. Avaliaram-se propriedades físico-químicas e antifúngicas do óleo essencial e do hidrolato frente a um “pool” de microrganismos, caracterizados macro e microscopicamente como leveduras, provenientes de morangos do comércio da cidade de São Paulo, SP. O óleo essencial e o hidrolato foram obtidos pelo método de Cleavenger por hidrodestilação. A avaliação da atividade antifúngica do hidrolato, do óleo essencial e de uma mistura óleo essencial e hidrolato (1:1) foram realizadas através do método de difusão em discos. O hidrolato apresentou características físico-químicas intermediárias às da água destilada e do óleo essencial. Quanto à análise da inibição do “pool” de contaminantes fúngicos oriundos de morangos, verificou-se que os microrganismos apresentaram sensibilidade frente ao óleo essencial e à mistura de hidrolato-óleo (1:1). Nos testes realizados utilizando apenas hidrolato não foram observados halos de inibição contra os microrganismos avaliados. A utilização do hidrolato em conjunto com o óleo essencial de Mentha piperita Lmostra-se promissora frente ao combate de leveduras com importância na conservação de alimentos, tal como o foi em morangos, permitindo assim a reutilização do resíduo de extração (hidrolato) associado ao óleo essencial, em alternativa à aplicação de fungicidas sintéticos, agregando valor a este efluente.

TALARICO, S.T. Detection and quantification of anaerobic bacteria in the fecal microbiota of children aged zero to twelve months of age. 2012. 75f.