A necrotizing enterocolitis-associated gut microbiota is present in the meconium: Results of a prospective study

Abstract

Background. Anomalous intestinal microbiota development is supposedly associated with development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Our aim in this study was to identify the intestinal microbiota of patients at risk for NEC. Methods. In a prospective trial that investigated prognostic factors for development of NEC in high-risk neonates (NTR4153), 11 NEC cases were gestational age/birthweight matched with controls (ratio of 1:2). Feces were collected twice a week. We used the first feces sample of each patient (meconium), as well as the last 2 feces samples prior to development of NEC. DNA was extracted, and the bacterial 16S rRNA genes were analyzed on a MiSeq sequencer. Results. The presence and abundance of Clostridium perfringens (8.4%) and Bacteroides dorei (0.9%) in meconium were increased in neonates who developed NEC compared with controls (0.1% and 0.2%; both species, P