Faecalibacterium gut colonization

Faecalibacterium Gut Colonization Is Accelerated by Presence of Older Siblings

Martin Frederik Laursen, Rikke Pilmann Laursen, Anni Larnkjær, Christian Mølgaard, Kim F. Michaelsen, Hanne Frøkiær, Martin Iain Bahl, Tine Rask Licht

Abstract

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is a highly abundant human gut microbe in healthy individuals, but it is present at reduced levels in individuals with gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases. It has therefore been suggested to constitute a marker of a healthy gut and is associated with anti-inflammatory properties. However, factors affecting the colonization of F. prausnitzii in the human gut during early life are very poorly understood. By analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data from three separate infant study populations, we determined the colonization dynamics of Faecalibacterium and factors affecting its establishment in the gut. We found that in particular, the presence of older siblings was consistently associated with Faecalibacterium gut colonization during late infancy and conclude that acquisition of Faecalibacterium is very likely to be accelerated through transfer between siblings.

mSphere November/December 2017 Volume 2 Issue 6, DOI   10.1128/mSphere.00448-17

https://www.3g-center.dk/publications/faecalibacterium-gut-colonization
10 DECEMBER 2024