The development of the neonatal gastrointestinal tract microbiota remains a poorly understood process. The interplay between neonatal (gestational age, genetic background), maternal (mode of delivery, nutritional status) and environmental factors (antibiotic exposure, available nutrition) are thought to influence microbial colonization, however, the exact mechanisms are unclear. Derangements in this process likely contribute to various gastrointestinal diseases including necrotizing enterocolitis and inflammatory bowel disease. As such, enhanced understanding of microbiota development may hold the key to significantly reduce the burden of gastrointestinal disease in the pediatric population. The most debatable topics during microbial seeding and possible future treatment approaches will be highlighted in this review.
In the original article, an author name was incorrectly spelled as Raphael N. Vuille-dit-Bile. The correct spelling is Raphael N. Vuille-dit-Bille.The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated.
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