title: Development of Upper Respiratory Tract Microbiota in Infancy is Affected by Mode of Delivery.
abstract: Birth by Caesarian section is associated with short- and long-term respiratory morbidity. We hypothesized that mode of delivery affects the development of the respiratory microbiota, thereby altering its capacity to provide colonization resistance and consecutive pathobiont overgrowth and infections. Therefore, we longitudinally studied the impact of mode of delivery on the nasopharyngeal microbiota development from birth until six months of age in a healthy, unselected birth cohort of 102 children (n=761 samples). Here, we show that the respiratory microbiota develops within one day from a variable mixed bacterial community towards a Streptococcus viridans-predominated profile, regardless of mode of delivery. Within the first week, rapid niche differentiation had occurred; initially with in most infants Staphylococcus aureus predominance, followed by differentiation towards Corynebacterium pseudodiphteriticum/propinquum, Dolosigranulum pigrum, Moraxella catarrhalis/nonliquefaciens, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and/or Haemophilus influenzae dominated communities. Infants born by Caesarian section showed a delay in overall development of respiratory microbiota profiles with specifically reduced colonization with health-associated commensals like Corynebacterium and Dolosigranulum, thereby possibly influencing respiratory health later in life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Spaarne Gasthuis Academy, Hoofddorp and Haarlem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Astrid A T M
authors.initials: AATM
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Systems Biology Group, TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Evgeni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Spaarne Gasthuis Academy, Hoofddorp and Haarlem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marlies A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van Houten
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Raiza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hasrat
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Systems Biology Group, TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kalkman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Giske
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biesbroek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wouter A A
authors.initials: WAA
authors.lastname: de Steenhuijsen Piters
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Spaarne Gasthuis, Hoofddorp and Haarlem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pieter-Kees C M
authors.initials: PCM
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Spaarne Gasthuis, Hoofddorp and Haarlem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pernet
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Systems Biology Group, TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands; Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart J F
authors.initials: BJF
authors.lastname: Keijser
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elisabeth A M
authors.initials: EAM
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital/University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: D.Bogaert@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Debby
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bogaert
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002585:Cesarean Section; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D064307:Microbiota; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011247:Pregnancy; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Caesarian section; Microbiome; Microbiota; Mode of delivery; Respiratory tract; Respiratory tract infection