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biBackground:/i/bThe microbial community in human milk is associated with many maternal and neonatal factors. This study aimed to investigate the effect of antibiotic exposure on the microbial community structure of colostrum.biMethods:/i/bTwenty women with antibiotic treatment immediately after delivery and 10 age-matched control women were enrolled at the Guangdong Women and Children Hospital. Colostrum samples were collected within postpartum 30 hours. The V4 variable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was sequenced to characterize the microbial profile using Illumina MiSeq platform.biResults:/i/bPhylaiProteobacteria/iandiFirmicutes/iwere the predominant bacteria in colostrum samples. The core and abundant genera in colostrum includediStreptococcus/i,iStaphylococcus/i, andiPseudomonas/i. Compared with the control group, principal coordinate analysis based on the Bray-Curtis distance showed a significant difference in milk microbial community in women with antibiotic exposure, accompanied by a significantly lower alpha diversity and a different microbial ecological network. Furthermore, the relative abundances of generaiActinomyces/i,iAnaerobacter/i, andiClostridium_/isensui_stricto/isignificantly decreased after antibiotic treatment.biConclusions:/i/bThis study provided evidence of alterations in the colostrum microbial community with antibiotic exposure, improving our understanding of the effects of antibiotic treatment on the milk microbiome.

Objective. ANGPTL7 is a member of the angiogenin-like protein family. Compared to other members, ANGPTL7 is the least known. Recent studies have explored the relationship between ANGPTL7 and multiple pathological processes and diseases. However, there is no research about ANGPTL7 in neonates. This study was designed to investigate the concentration of ANGPTL7 in cord blood of preterm infants. Method. Singleton infants born in November 2017 to June 2019 in the study hospital were enrolled in the study. Maternal and neonatal clinical data were collected. ANGPTL7 levels in cord blood and serum on the third day after birth were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Result. A total of 182 infants were enrolled in this study. Patients were categorized into two groups by gestational age (102 preterm, 80 full-term). ANGPTL7 levels in preterm infants were significantly higher than that in full-term babies ( t = 15.4 , P < 0.001 ). In multiple line regression analysis, ANGPTL7 levels independently correlated with gestational age ( β = − 0.556 , P < 0.001 ). There is also no correlation between preterm outcomes and ANGPTL7 levels. Cord blood levels of ANGPTL7 were significantly higher than those in serum on the third day after birth ( t = 13.88 , P < 0.001 ). Conclusion. Cord blood ANGPTL7 levels are higher in preterm infants than full-term babies. The levels are independently influenced by gestational ages and attenuated significantly after birth. The underlying mechanism needs to be further studied.

Background Aspergillus infection is more common among premature infants in neonatal intensive care units, who have decreased qualitative immune defenses and need various invasive treatment procedures. It is rare in normal full-term neonates, especially in newborn babies from the community. Moreover, the white blood cell (WBC) count and C-reactive protein (CRP) level may be normal or slightly changed in fungal infections, but the neonate reported in this study had significant increases in WBC and CRP. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on a full-term neonate from the community with aspergillus infection accompanied by significant increases in WBC and CRP levels. Case presentation A 28-day-old infant, who received empirical antibiotic treatment for 10 days because of neonatal pneumonia, was referred to our neonatal department from the local hospital. The infant had persistent infection and multiple organ failure syndromes. Bronchoscopy and deep sputum smear were performed to identify the pathogen, which confirmed aspergillus infection in the sputum. Fluconazole was immediately administered, but the baby died after three days. Thereafter, an autopsy was performed with parental consent. There were multiple necrotic areas in the lungs and liver, and pathological examination revealed aspergillus. Conclusions The present case emphasized that community-sourced aspergillus infection can exist in full-term neonates, with significantly increased WBC count and CRP level. Advanced antibiotics were not effective in this case, and fungal infections should have been considered earlier.