Evaluation of the effects of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis on newborn intestinal microbiota using a sequencing approach targeted to multi hypervariable 16S rDNA regions

Abstract

Different factors are known to influence the early gut colonization in newborns, among them the perinatal use of antibiotics. On the other hand, the effect on the baby of the administration of antibiotics to the mother during labor, referred to as intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP), has received less attention, although routinely used in group B Streptococcus positive women to prevent the infection in newborns. In this work, the fecal microbiota of neonates born to mothers receiving IAP and of control subjects were compared taking advantage for the first time of high-throughput DNA sequencing technology. Seven different 16S rDNA hypervariable regions (V2, V3, V4, V6 + V7, V8, and V9) were amplified and sequenced using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine. The results obtained showed significant differences in the microbial composition of newborns born to mothers who had received IAP, with a lower abundance of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes as well as an overrepresentation of Proteobacteria. Considering that the seven hypervariable regions showed different discriminant ability in the taxonomic identification, further analyses were performed on the V4 region evidencing in IAP infants a reduced microbial richness and biodiversity, as well as a lower number of bacterial families with a predominance of Enterobacteriaceae members. In addition, this analysis pointed out a significant reduction in Bifidobacterium spp. strains. The reduced abundance of these beneficial microorganisms, together with the increased amount of potentially pathogenic bacteria, may suggest that IAP infants are more exposed to gastrointestinal or generally health disorders later in age.

Universal antenatal screening for group B streptococcus may cause more harm than good

“…There was consistent observational evidence that intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for GBS alters neonatal gut microbiota 4748495051525354. Changes to gut microbiota have been associated with metabolic problems (such as obesity and diabetes), atopic, inflammatory, and autoimmune problems (such as asthma and necrotising enterocolitis), and autism 616263.…”

“…The 13 randomised controlled trials at lower risk of bias investigated antibiotics and regimens different from GBS prophylaxis. Key findings were around changes in gut microbiota,4748495051525354 long term functional impairment,55 and antibiotic resistance 525657585960…”

Gastrointestinal Microbiome Dysbiosis in Infant Mice Alters Peripheral CD8+ T Cell Receptor Signaling

“…Several studies have detailed the long-term impact of even short courses of antibiotics on the density, complexity, and stability of the GIM (22, 23). The effect of maternal intrapartum antibiotics on the infant GIM has been detailed in a handful of studies and using a culture and non-culture based techniques (24–27). To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated how IAP induced dysbiosis of the infant GIM can alter the function of individual adaptive cellular immune subsets following birth.…”

Antibiotic treatment in infants: effect on the gastro-intestinal microbiome and long term consequences

“…strains. 9 The reduced abundance of these beneficial microorganisms, together with the increased amount of potentially pathogenic bacteria, may suggest these infants are more exposed to gastrointestinal or generally health disorders later in age. Dysbiosis acquired perinatal or during early life will induce long term consequences.…”