South Asia Branch of National Engineering Center of Dairy Health for Maternal and Child, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541000, Guangxi Province, China.
Guilin University of Technology.
Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr. 2024;34(8):59-73.
The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) in the intestines of infants and the factors affecting their distribution. Breast milk and infant stool samples were collected from nine full-term, healthy mother-infant pairs. The bacterial distribution and various types of ARGs present in the samples were analyzed using metagenomic next-generation sequencing. Over a period spanning from 2 to 240 d after birth, a total of 273 types of ARGs were identified in both infant feces and breast milk, exhibiting a trend of increasing prevalence over time. High concentrations of representative ARG populations were identified in the intestines of infants, especially at 12-15 d after birth. These populations included APH3-Ib, tetW/N/W, mphA, and Haemophilus influenzae PBP3, and multiple ARG Escherichia coli soxS that were resistant to common clinically used aminoglycoside, tetracycline, macrolide, and beta-lactam antibiotics. Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli, especially Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, Streptococcus, and Escherichia were among the identified ARG carriers. Maternal age and body mass index (present and before pregnancy), infant sex, maternal consumption of probiotic yogurt during pregnancy, and lactation might be substantial factors influencing the occurrence of ARG-carrying bacteria and ARG distribution in the infant feces. These results indicate that environmental factors may influence the distribution of ARG-carrying bacteria and ARGs themselves in infants during early life. Providing appropriate recommendations regarding maternal age, body mass index during pregnancy, and use of probiotic products could potentially mitigate the transmission of antibiotic-resistant microbiota and ARGs, thereby diminishing the risk of antibiotic-resistant infections and safeguarding children's health.
本研究旨在评估婴儿肠道中抗生素耐药基因（ARGs）的流行情况及其分布的影响因素。收集了 9 对足月健康母婴的母乳和婴儿粪便样本。采用宏基因组下一代测序技术分析了样本中细菌的分布和存在的各种类型的 ARGs。在出生后 2 至 240 天的时间内，婴儿粪便和母乳中总共鉴定出 273 种 ARG，呈现出随时间推移而增加的趋势。在婴儿肠道中发现了高浓度的代表性 ARG 群体，尤其是在出生后 12-15 天。这些群体包括 APH3-Ib、tetW/N/W、mphA 和流感嗜血杆菌 PBP3，以及对常见临床使用的氨基糖苷类、四环素类、大环内酯类和β-内酰胺类抗生素具有抗性的多重 ARG 大肠杆菌 soxS。鉴定出的 ARG 携带菌包括γ-变形菌纲和芽孢杆菌纲，尤其是肠球菌、葡萄球菌、不动杆菌、链球菌和大肠杆菌。母亲年龄和体重指数（现在和怀孕前）、婴儿性别、母亲在怀孕期间食用益生菌酸奶以及哺乳可能是影响婴儿粪便中 ARG 携带菌和 ARG 分布的重要因素。这些结果表明，环境因素可能会影响婴儿在生命早期 ARG 携带菌和 ARG 本身的分布。针对母亲年龄、怀孕期间的体重指数以及益生菌产品的使用提供适当的建议，可能有助于减少抗生素耐药菌群和 ARGs 的传播，从而降低抗生素耐药性感染的风险，保障儿童健康。
