Probiotics Fight Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Preterm Babies
Probiotics May Help Preterm Babies Fight Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, Study Finds
Key Takeaways:
Probiotics can help mitigate the negative effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiome of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants.
Early antibiotic exposure disrupts the gut microbiome, possibly leading to an increase in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
Routine probiotic supplementation, specifically with Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus acidophilus, can promote a healthier gut microbiome and reduce the abundance of potentially harmful bacteria.
The study provides evidence of horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance, highlighting the importance of understanding how resistance spreads in the infant gut.
The findings suggest that probiotics could be a valuable tool in protecting vulnerable preterm infants from antibiotic-resistant infections.
Detailed Summary:
A recent study published in Nature Communications investigated the impact of early antibiotic treatment and probiotic supplementation on the gut microbiome,antibiotic resistance,and the spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens in VLBW preterm infants. Researchers followed 34 infants, exclusively fed human milk or donor breastmilk, dividing them into groups receiving probiotics (Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus acidophilus) or not. Within each group,some infants received short-term antibiotics,while others did not.
The study found that probiotic supplementation lead to a gut microbiome dominated by Bifidobacterium, while the non-supplemented group had a higher presence of potentially harmful bacteria like Klebsiella, escherichia, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus. Antibiotic exposure disrupted the gut microbiome in both groups, but the probiotic-supplemented infants showed a more resilient microbiome.
Importantly, the research demonstrated that probiotics didn’t just change the types* of bacteria present, but also influenced the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The study also provided evidence of horizontal gene transfer – the spread of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria – within the infant gut.
Through lab experiments, researchers confirmed that antibiotic resistance could be transferred between bacteria in a simulated infant gut habitat. This highlights the potential for resistance to spread rapidly and the need for strategies to minimize its progress.
Implications:
This study provides strong evidence supporting the use of probiotics as a preventative measure to protect the gut health of VLBW preterm infants, particularly those who require antibiotic treatment. By promoting a healthy gut microbiome, probiotics may help reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance and protect these vulnerable infants from potentially life-threatening infections. Further research is needed to optimize probiotic strategies and understand the long-term effects of early gut microbiome manipulation.