Gut microbial colonisation in premature neonates predicts neonatal sepsis.

Background Neonatal sepsis due to intestinal bacterial translocation is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Understanding microbial colonisation of the gut in prematurity may predict risk of sepsis to guide future strategies to manipulate the microbiome. Methods Prospective longitudinal study of premature infants. Stool samples were obtained weekly. DNA was extracted and the V6 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA was amplifi ed followed by high throughput pyrosequencing, comparing subjects with and without sepsis. Results Six neonates were 24-27 weeks gestation at birth and had 18 samples analysed. Two subjects had no sepsis during the study period, two developed late-onset culture-positive sepsis and two had culturenegative systemic infl ammation. 324 350 sequences were obtained. The meconium was not sterile and had predominance of Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus and Enterobacteriales. Overall, infants who developed sepsis began life with low microbial diversity, and acquired a predominance of Staphylococcus, while healthy infants had more diversity and predominance of Clostridium, Klebsiella and Veillonella. Conclusions In very low birth weight infants, the authors found that meconium is not sterile and is less diverse from birth in infants who will develop lateonset sepsis. Empiric, prolonged antibiotics profoundly decrease microbial diversity and promote a microbiota that is associated not only with neonatal sepsis, but the predominant pathogen previously identifi ed in the microbiome. Our data suggest that there may be a 'healthy microbiome' present in extremely premature neonates that may ameliorate risk of sepsis. More research is needed to determine whether altered antibiotics, probiotics or other novel therapies can re-establish a healthy microbiome in neonates. INSETS: What is already known on this topic;What this study adds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]