Aims Despite the effect of enteral feeding on the development of intestinal microbiota in preterm infants remaining poorly understood, trials aiming to prevent necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) using probiotics are well-established. Exclusively breast milk fed preterm infants have a reduced risk of developing NEC and this may be linked with a more 'beneficial' gut microbiota. Methods The NAPI Study (see abstract BEAT82431) sequentially recruited infants <32 weeks and <1.5Kg birth weight. Non-meconium faecal samples from the first and fourth weeks of life in 22 infants, 12 with NEC, were analysed by PCR-Transient Temperature Gel Electrophoresis using universal bacterial primers. Species richness and similarities were compared between infants according to feed type: EBM, expressed breast milk, vs Mixed, breast and formula milks. Results There was large variability between number (1-17) and species diversity (25-36 different species). Number of predominant bacterial species did not increase between the 1st and 4th week of life. Bacterial composition varied largely between the 2 sample points, No difference in species richness or similarity within the 2 feeding groups was observed. 4 bands were identified in >50% of infants. Intra-individual similarity varied greatly and ranged from a similarity index (Cs) of 0% to 66.8%. There was no statistical difference between the similarity indices of the feeding groups (p = 0.8852) or between those with and without NEC (p = 0.1719). Conclusion Microbial community of preterm neonates undergoes several interindividual changes during their first month of life. The feeding mode did not seem to have a major impact on the development of bacterial diversity.
CITATION STYLE
Brunner, K., Beattie, L., Gerasimidis, K., Morrison, D., & Edwards, C. (2013). G203(P) Transient Temperature Gel Electrophoresis of Stool Samples of Preterm Infants in a Multicentre Observational Study. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 98(Suppl 1), A91–A91. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2013-304107.215
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