Transmission and Persistence of Infant Gut-Associated Bifidobacteria.

are the primary colonizers of the infant gut, yet scientific research addressing the transmission of the genus to infants remains incomplete. This review examines microbial reservoirs of infant-type that potentially contribute to infant gut colonization. Accordingly, strain inheritance from mother to infant via the fecal-oral route is likely contingent on the bifidobacterial strain and phenotype, whereas transmission via the vaginal microbiota may be restricted to . Additional reservoirs include breastmilk, horizontal transfer from the environment, and potentially in utero transfer. Given that diet is a strong predictor of colonization in early life and the absence of is observed regardless of breastfeeding, it is likely that additional factors are responsible for bifidobacterial colonization early in life.