Breastfeeding and early Bifidobacterium-driven microbial colonization shape the infant gut resistome.

ABSTRACT: The assembly of the gut resistome in early life is key to infant health. Specific perinatal factors such as cesarean section (C-section), antibiotic exposure and lack of breastfeeding practices are detrimental to proper microbial development and increase the antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Using 265 gut longitudinal metagenomes from 66 mother-infant pairs, we investigated how perinatal factors influence the acquisition and dynamics of ARGs during the first year of life. Our findings reveal that Bifidobacterium plays a crucial role in modulating the infant resistome, with its high relative abundance being associated with a lower ARG load. Exclusive breastfeeding during the first month of life accelerates the reduction of ARGs and ensures a lower resistome burden at six months. Moreov

SUBMITTER: Samarra A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12222458 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature