Early development of intestinal microbiota: implications for future health

Gut microbiota constitute a highly complex ecosystem that interacts with the host and profoundly affects gastrointestinal and systemic immunologic functions. Specific microbial patterns are associated with healthy children and adults, and these patterns are greatly related to the early acquisition o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inGastroenterology clinics of North America Vol. 41; no. 4; p. 717
Main Authors Saavedra, José M, Dattilo, Anne M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.12.2012
Subjects
Bacteria - classification
Bacteria - immunology
Bottle Feeding
Breast Feeding
Colic - microbiology
Crohn Disease - microbiology
Delivery, Obstetric
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing - microbiology
Gastrointestinal Tract - immunology
Gastrointestinal Tract - microbiology
Humans
Hypersensitivity - microbiology
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Metabolic Syndrome - microbiology
Metagenome - immunology
Obesity - microbiology
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Summary:Gut microbiota constitute a highly complex ecosystem that interacts with the host and profoundly affects gastrointestinal and systemic immunologic functions. Specific microbial patterns are associated with healthy children and adults, and these patterns are greatly related to the early acquisition of microbes by the newborn and the development of gut microbial communities in the perinatal period. Although direct causation must be firmly established and mechanisms fully elucidated, strong and increasing evidence shows that the early acquisition, development, and maintenance of specific bacterial populations are critical to human health, and a better understanding of these offers great opportunities for intervention.
ISSN:1558-1942
DOI:10.1016/j.gtc.2012.08.001