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Review
. 2020 Jun;118(3):e265-e270.
doi: 10.5546/aap.2020.eng.e265.

Perinatal microbiota: review of its importance in newborn health

[Article in English, Spanish]
José Uberos  1
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Perinatal microbiota: review of its importance in newborn health

[Article in English, Spanish]
José Uberos. Arch Argent Pediatr. 2020 Jun.
Free article

Abstract
in English, Spanish

The use of metagenomics in the study of gut bacterial ecosystems has helped to define a standard, functional genetic profile in newborn infants, so that a bacterial ecosystem will be deemed more "normal" the more similar its functional genetic profile is to a standard. The development of a specific functional enterotype in the first days of life after birth is critical for the priming of the immune system with certain bacterial antigens. Regardless of whether the first gut bacteria are acquired before or just after birth, the newborn microbiota will result from the symbiosis with the environmental microbial flora, especially with the bacterial flora of the mother. The type of delivery, the administration of perinatal antibiotics, the environment, and nutritional exposure, especially breastfeeding, have demonstrated an important relationship with the prevalent gut microbiome.

La metagenómica en el estudio de los ecosistemas bacterianos intestinales ha permitido definir un perfil genético funcional estándar en el recién nacido, de forma que un ecosistema bacteriano será tanto más “normal” cuanto más se parezca su perfil genético funcional a un estándar. El desarrollo de determinado enterotipo funcional en los primeros días de vida tras el parto es fundamental para que tenga lugar el cebado del sistema inmunológico con determinados antígenos bacterianos. Independientemente de si las primeras bacterias intestinales se adquieren antes o justo después del parto, la microbiota del recién nacido va a ser el resultado de una situación de simbiosis con la flora microbiana de su entorno, en especial, con la flora bacteriana de su madre. El tipo de parto, la administración de antibióticos perinatales, el entorno y la exposición nutricional, en especial, la lactancia materna, han demostrado relacionarse de forma importante con el microbioma intestinal predominante.

Keywords: enterotype; microbiome; microbiota; newborn infant.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

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