Antibiotic treatments to mothers during the perinatal period leaving hidden trouble on infants

Abstract

Antibiotic application during the perinatal period is unavoidable in the clinic, but the potential effects on mothers and infants remain unknown. Herein, 25 breast milk samples from mothers who received cefuroxime (CXM) or CXM + cefoxitin (CFX) treatments and fecal samples from their infants were collected to investigate the undesirable effects of antibiotics on the microbiota of mothers and neonates. Furthermore, five fecal samples of infants, whose mothers had antibiotic treatments, were collected at a 6-month postpartum follow-up visit to evaluate the long-term effects on infants’ gut microbiota. Moreover, the relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in fecal samples was compared to investigate the transfer of ARGs in the infant gut microbiota. The results indicated that the antibiotic treatments had no influence on the microbiota of breast milk. The dominant bacterial phyla in the fecal samples changed to Firmicutes and Proteobacteria after antibiotic treatments, while the bacterial community showed a recuperative trend at the follow-up visits. In addition, the abundance of ARGs in the infant gut microbiota demonstrated a declining trend in the CXM- and CXM + CFX-treated groups, while ARG abundance presented a significant increasing trend after a 6-month recovery period.Conclusion: Antibiotic treatments for mothers during the perinatal period disturb the gut microbiota in neonates. The infants’ gut microbiota would partly return to their initial state after rehabilitation, but the transfer of ARGs would leave the hidden trouble of antibiotic resistance. Overall, the data presented here can help to guide the scientific use of antibiotics during the perinatal period and provide potential approaches to mitigate the negative consequences. What is Known:• Antibiotic application during the perinatal period is unavoidable in the clinic.• Misuse of antibiotics can cause various unintended consequences, especially for antibiotic resistance. What is New:• Antibiotic treatments had no influence on the microbiota of breast milk but greatly disturbed the gut microbiota composition in infants.• The gut microbiota in infants would partly return to its initial state after rehabilitation but the transfer of ARGs would leave the hidden trouble of antibiotic resistance.

Cohort Profile: Zhejiang Environmental and Birth Health Research Alliance (ZEBRA) Maternity Cohort

“…While antibiotic treatments had no influence on the microbiota of breast milk, they did disturb the gut microbiota in neonates. The abundance of ARGs in the infant gut microbiota showed a declining trend in the antibiotic-treated groups but significantly increased after 6 months of recovery 56 .…”

Exploring Functional Products and Early-Life Dynamics of Gut Microbiota

“…These changes can influence the microbiota that the fetus encounters and acquires during delivery and birth, potentially resulting in a reduced or altered initial colonization of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp., which are important for the development of the baby’s immune system and protection against pathogens [ 103 ].…”

Establishing a Multifaceted Comprehensive Maternity Cohort Facilitates Understanding of How Environmental Exposures Impact Perinatal Health

“…ZEBRA has played a critical role in addressing research gaps related to screening for risk factors associated with maternal, perinatal, and neonatal diseases among Chinese females (see summaries in Content S4). ,,− Among the long-time studies, findings in the field of environmental epidemiology warrant highlighting.…”