title: The preterm gut microbiota: changes associated with necrotizing enterocolitis and infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe gut colonization in preterm infants using standard culture and 16S gene rRNA profiling, exploring differences in healthy infants and those who developed NEC/late onset sepsis (LOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-nine stools from 38 infants of median 27-week gestation were cultured; 44 stools from 27 infants had their microbial profiles determined by 16S. Ordination analyses explored effects of patient variables on gut communities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Standard microbiological culture identified a mean of two organisms (range 0-7), DGGE 12 (range 3-18) per patient. Enterococcus faecalis and coagulase negative staphylococci (CONS) were most common by culture (40% and 39% of specimens). Meconium was not sterile. No fungi were cultured. Bacterial community structures in infants with NEC and LOS differed from healthy infants. Infants who developed NEC carried more CONS (45% vs 30%) and less Enterococcus faecalis (31% vs 57%). 16S identified Enterobacter and Staphylococcus presence associated with NEC/LOS, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Important differences were found in the gut microbiota of preterm infants who develop NEC/LOS. The relationship of these changes to current practices in neonatal intensive care requires further exploration.
authors: School of Life Sciences, University of Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors: C J
authors: CJ
authors: Stewart
authors: E C L
authors: EC
authors: Marrs
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Magorrian
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Nelson
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Lanyon
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Perry
authors: N D
authors: ND
authors: Embleton
authors: S P
authors: SP
authors: Cummings
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Berrington
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D058645:Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S