Azad MB, Konya T, Guttman DS, Field CJ, Sears MR, HayGlass KT, Mandhane PJ, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Becker AB, Scott JA, Kozyrskyj AL,
Clin. Exp. Allergy 2015 Jan;
PMID: 25599982
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota is established during infancy and plays a fundamental role in shaping host immunity. Colonization patterns may influence the development of atopic disease, but existing evidence is limited and conflicting.
OBJECTIVE: To explore associations of infant gut microbiota and food sensitization.
METHODS: Food sensitization at 1 year was determined by skin prick testing in 166 infants from the population-based Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) study. Fecal samples were collected at 3 and 12 months, and microbiota was characterized by Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing.
RESULTS: Twelve infants (7.2%) were sensitized to ≥1 common food allergen at 1 year. Enterobacteriaceae were over-represented and Bacteroidaceae were under-represented in the gut microbiota of food-sensitized infants at 3 months and 1 year, whereas lower microbiota richness was evident only at 3 months. Each quartile increase in richness at 3 months was associated with a 55% reduction in risk for food sensitization by 1 year (adjusted odds ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.23-0.87). Independently, each quartile increase in Enterobacteriaceae/Bacteroidaceae ratio was associated with a 2-fold increase in risk (2.02, 1.07-3.80). The latter was partially explained by breastfeeding, but neither association was altered by caesarean delivery or antibiotic exposure. At 1 year, the Enterobacteriaceae/Bacteroidaceae ratio remained elevated among sensitized infants, who also tended to have decreased abundance of Ruminococcaceae.
CONCLUSIONS & CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Low gut microbiota richness and an elevated Enterobacteriaceae/Bacteroidaceae ratio in early infancy are associated with subsequent food sensitization, suggesting that early gut colonization may contribute to the development of atopic disease, including food allergy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.