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Prenatal administration of Lactobacillus rhamnosus has no effect on the diversity of the early infant gut microbiota
Author(s) -
Ismail Intan H.,
Oppedisano Frances,
Joseph Shayne J.,
Boyle Robert J.,
RobinsBrowne Roy M.,
Tang Mimi L. K.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pediatric allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.269
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1399-3038
pISSN - 0905-6157
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2011.01239.x
Subject(s) - lactobacillus rhamnosus , medicine , gut flora , lactobacillus , probiotic , pregnancy , immunology , bifidobacterium , feces , physiology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , bacteria , genetics
To cite this article: Ismail IH, Oppedisano F, Joseph SJ, Boyle RJ, Robins‐Browne RM, Tang MLK. Prenatal administration of Lactobacillus rhamnosus has no effect on the diversity of the early infant gut microbiota. Pediatric Allergy Immunology 2012: 23 : 255–258. Abstract We have recently shown that maternal administration of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) during late pregnancy can have beneficial effects on the early development of infant gut microbiota, promoting a bifidobacteria profile similar to that of a healthy breastfed infant. It is uncertain, however, whether such probiotic supplementation could influence the diversity of infant gut microbiota. We investigated the effect of pre‐natal LGG on gut microbial diversity in the early post‐natal period. Day‐7 faecal samples were collected from 98 infants at high risk of allergic disease, whose mothers participated in a pre‐natal probiotic eczema prevention study. Faecal microbial diversity was assessed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism using restriction enzymes Sau 96I and Alu I. A greater number of peaks represent greater diversity of bacterial communities. Administration of LGG to mothers during late pregnancy had no effects on the mean number of peaks in faecal samples from 1‐wk‐old infants as compared to placebo ( Alu I 14.4 vs. 15.5, p = 0.17, 95% CI −0.4, 2.5; Sau 96I 17.3 vs. 15.8, p = 0.15, 95% CI −3.5, 0.5). Prenatal LGG failed to modulate diversity of early infant gut microbiota despite promoting a beneficial bifidobacteria profile.