Progression of gut microbiome in preterm infants during the first three monthsOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Researchers tracked gut microbiota development in 46 term and 23 preterm infants during the first three months of life. They compared meconium composition between groups and followed preterm infants' microbial trajectory over time.
How was it studied?
Fecal samples were collected at six timepoints (birth, one week, two weeks, one month, two months, three months) and analyzed by 16S rRNA gene metagenomic sequencing (V3-V4 region, Illumina MiSeq).
What did they find?
Gestational age was the main driver of differences in meconium microbial composition. By one month postnatal age, preterm infants showed a more homogeneous microbiome enriched in Bifidobacterium, while Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus gradually increased and Clostridium, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas gradually decreased. Decreased microbial diversity was linked to exclusive breastfeeding and antibiotic exposure, and infants with patent ductus arteriosus had reduced diversity but higher Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus mitis.
Why it matters
These findings suggest gestational age, feeding method, and antibiotic exposure jointly shape early gut colonization in preterm infants, with potential links to cardiovascular complications like PDA.