Modulation of Clostridium perfringens intestinal colonization in infants delivered by caesarean section.

The colonization by Clostridium perfringens was investigated in 19 infants delivered by caesarean section during the two first weeks of life. The pattern of C. perfringens colonization depended upon the feeding. Breast feeding led to the repression of C. perfringens, whereas bottle feeding allowed its maintenance. On the contrary, Bifidobacterium bifidum growth was favoured by breast feeding. However, in one breast-fed infant, B. bifidum was never isolated and C. perfringens decreased. Breast feeding was able to directly modulate C. perfringens numbers. In fact, B. bifidum also had an effect, as demonstrated by the lower mean counts of C. perfringens, in bottle-fed infants carrying the bifidobacteria flora (p = 0.05). None of the bifidobacteria investigated in this study led to the same decrease.