Breastfeeding protects against diseases, with potential mechanisms driving this being human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and the seeding of milk-associated bacteria in the infant's gut.
In a cohort of 34 mother-infant dyads, researchers analyzed the microbiota and HMO profiles in breast milk samples and infants’ feces.
The microbiota in foremilk and hindmilk samples of breast milk was compositionally similar, however, hindmilk had a higher bacterial load and absolute abundance of oral-associated bacteria, but a lower absolute abundance of skin-associated Staphylococcus species.
The microbial communities within both milk and infant’s feces changed significantly over the lactation period.
On average 33% and 23% of the bacterial taxa detected in the infant’s feces were shared with the corresponding mother’s milk at 5 and 9 months of age, respectively, with Streptococcus, Veillonella, and Bifidobacterium spp. among the most frequently shared.
This investigation highlighted that breast milk microbiota changes over time and within a feeding session, likely due to a transfer of infant oral bacteria during breastfeeding, and suggest that milk-associated bacteria and HMOs direct the assembly of the infant gut microbiota.
Published: 07 June 2021
source:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43705-021-00021-3
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43705-021-00021-3
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