Maternal Allergic Disease Phenotype and Infant Birth Season Influence the Human Milk Microbiome

Abstract

Early infancy is a critical period for immune development. In addition to being the primary food source during early infancy, human milk also provides multiple bioactive components that shape the infant gut microbiome and immune system and provides a constant source of exposure to maternal microbiota. Given the potential interplay between allergic diseases and the human microbiome, this study aimed to characterise the milk microbiome of allergic mothers. Full‐length 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on milk samples collected at 3 and 6 months postpartum from 196 women with allergic disease. Multivariate linear mixed models were constructed to identify the maternal, infant, and environmental determinants of the milk microbiome. Human milk microbiome composition and beta diversity varied over time (PERMANOVA R2 = 0.011, p = 0.011). The season of infant birth emerged as the strongest determinant of the microbiome community structure (PERMANOVA R2 = 0.014, p = 0.011) with impacts on five of the most abundant taxa. The milk microbiome also varied according to the type of maternal allergic disease (allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy). Additionally, infant formula exposure reduced the relative abundance of several typical oral taxa in milk. In conclusion, the milk microbiome of allergic mothers was strongly shaped by the season of infant birth, maternal allergic disease phenotype, and infant feeding mode. Maternal allergic disease history and infant season of birth should therefore be considered in future studies of infant and maternal microbiota.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: ACTRN12606000281594