Probiotic Treatment Reduces Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Preterm Infants' Gut, New Research Finds

Recent research highlights the benefits of probiotic supplementation for preterm babies, particularly those with very low birth weight, in shaping a healthier gut microbiome resistant to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The study, published in Nature Communications, involved 34 preterm infants born weighing less than 1500 grams—a group representing about 1 to 1.5% of all births globally. Over the first three weeks after birth, the gut bacteria of these infants were sequenced and analyzed.

Led by Professor Lindsay Hall and Dr. Raymond Kiu from the University of Birmingham, the study found that administering specific probiotic strains, including Bifidobacterium, alongside antibiotics, resulted in a gut microbiome more typical of full-term babies. This included reduced levels of antibiotic resistance genes and a lower number of multidrug-resistant bacteria such as Enterococcus, which are associated with severe infections and longer hospital stays.

Infants who received probiotics showed increased levels of beneficial bacteria naturally present in the gut. Conversely, those who did not receive probiotics developed a microbiome dominated by pathogenic bacteria, known as pathobionts, which can contribute to health problems like life-threatening infections—both early in life and later.

Professor Hall stated that probiotics not only protect preterm infants from infections but also selectively reduce resistant bacterial strains without disrupting beneficial non-resistant strains. This finding holds significance amid the global rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), especially in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The World Health Organization has recommended probiotic supplementation for preterm babies, and the study reinforces its importance.

Dr. Kiu emphasized that sequencing technology confirmed the rapid colonization of the gut by Bifidobacterium during the first three weeks, which aids in gut maturation and diminishes multidrug-resistant pathogens. The research also sheds light on complex interactions involving antibiotics, probiotics, and horizontal gene transfer in establishing the early-life microbiome.

This advancement in understanding highlights probiotics' potential role in antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention among vulnerable preterm populations, offering a promising strategy to improve neonatal health outcomes. Source: [medicalxpress.com]