title: Human milk microbiota profiles in relation to birthing method, gestation and infant gender.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human milk is an important source of bacteria for the developing infant and has been shown to influence the bacterial composition of the neonate, which in turn can affect disease risk later in life. Very little is known about what factors shape the human milk microbiome. The goal of the present study was to examine the milk microbiota from a range of women who delivered vaginally or by caesarean (C) section, who gave birth to males or females, at term or preterm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Milk was collected from 39 Caucasian Canadian women, and microbial profiles were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing using the Illumina platform.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A diverse community of milk bacteria was found with the most dominant phyla being Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and at the genus level, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus and Lactobacillus. Comparison of bacterial profiles between preterm and term births, C section (elective and non-elective) and vaginal deliveries, and male and female infants showed no statistically significant differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study revealed the diverse bacterial types transferred to newborns. We postulate that there may be a fail-safe mechanism whereby the mother is "ready" to pass along her bacterial imprint irrespective of when and how the baby is born.
authors.affiliation: Lawson Health Research Institute, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, ON, N6A 4V2, Canada. curbania@uwo.ca.|Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. curbania@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Urbaniak
authors.affiliation: Perinatal and Women's Health, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, N6A 4L6, Canada. Michelle.Angelini@lhsc.on.ca.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. ggloor@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Gregory B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Gloor
authors.affiliation: Lawson Health Research Institute, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, ON, N6A 4V2, Canada. gregor@uwo.ca.|Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. gregor@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002170:Canada; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D064307:Microbiota / Q000502:physiology*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000382:microbiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D012737:Sex Factors; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S