Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy.

<h4>Background</h4>Children growing up on farms or with pets have a lower risk of developing allergy, which may be linked to their gut microbiota development during infancy.<h4>Methods</h4>Children from the FARMFLORA birth cohort (N = 65), of whom 28 (43%) lived on a dairy fa...

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Main Authors: Annika Ljung, Monica Gio-Batta, Bill Hesselmar, Henrik Imberg, Hardis Rabe, Forough L Nowrouzian, Susanne Johansen, Carl-Johan Törnhage, Gunhild Lindhagen, Margareta Ceder, Anna-Carin Lundell, Anna Rudin, Agnes E Wold, Ingegerd Adlerberth
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313078
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author Annika Ljung
Monica Gio-Batta
Bill Hesselmar
Henrik Imberg
Hardis Rabe
Forough L Nowrouzian
Susanne Johansen
Carl-Johan Törnhage
Gunhild Lindhagen
Margareta Ceder
Anna-Carin Lundell
Anna Rudin
Agnes E Wold
Ingegerd Adlerberth
author_facet Annika Ljung
Monica Gio-Batta
Bill Hesselmar
Henrik Imberg
Hardis Rabe
Forough L Nowrouzian
Susanne Johansen
Carl-Johan Törnhage
Gunhild Lindhagen
Margareta Ceder
Anna-Carin Lundell
Anna Rudin
Agnes E Wold
Ingegerd Adlerberth
author_sort Annika Ljung
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Children growing up on farms or with pets have a lower risk of developing allergy, which may be linked to their gut microbiota development during infancy.<h4>Methods</h4>Children from the FARMFLORA birth cohort (N = 65), of whom 28 (43%) lived on a dairy farm and 40 (62%) had pets, provided fecal samples at intervals from 3 days to 18 months of age. Gut microbiota composition was characterized using quantitative microbial culture of various typical anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria, with colonization rate and population counts of bacterial groups determined at the genus or species level. Allergy was diagnosed at three and eight years of age by experienced pediatricians. Generalized estimating equations were used to identify associations between farm residence or pet ownership, gut microbiota development and allergy. Adjustments were made for important potential confounders.<h4>Results</h4>Growing up on a farm was associated with a higher ratio of anaerobic to facultative bacteria in the first week, smaller Escherichia coli populations in colonized children in the first months of life and less frequent colonization by Clostridioides difficile at 12 months of age. Having pets in the household was associated with more frequent colonization by Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Bacteroides in the first months. A higher ratio of anaerobic to facultative bacteria at one week of age, early colonization by Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Bacteroides, and reduced carriage of C. difficile at 4-12 months of age all correlated negatively with subsequent allergy diagnosis.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our findings indicate that lower rates of allergy in children growing up on farms or with pets may be related to early establishment of typical anaerobic commensals in their gut microbiota. However, further studies are needed to validate our observations in this small birth cohort study.
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spelling doaj-art-9d50c8dfffd34b7f85e439f300bf799d2024-12-04T05:31:06ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-011911e031307810.1371/journal.pone.0313078Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy.Annika LjungMonica Gio-BattaBill HesselmarHenrik ImbergHardis RabeForough L NowrouzianSusanne JohansenCarl-Johan TörnhageGunhild LindhagenMargareta CederAnna-Carin LundellAnna RudinAgnes E WoldIngegerd Adlerberth<h4>Background</h4>Children growing up on farms or with pets have a lower risk of developing allergy, which may be linked to their gut microbiota development during infancy.<h4>Methods</h4>Children from the FARMFLORA birth cohort (N = 65), of whom 28 (43%) lived on a dairy farm and 40 (62%) had pets, provided fecal samples at intervals from 3 days to 18 months of age. Gut microbiota composition was characterized using quantitative microbial culture of various typical anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria, with colonization rate and population counts of bacterial groups determined at the genus or species level. Allergy was diagnosed at three and eight years of age by experienced pediatricians. Generalized estimating equations were used to identify associations between farm residence or pet ownership, gut microbiota development and allergy. Adjustments were made for important potential confounders.<h4>Results</h4>Growing up on a farm was associated with a higher ratio of anaerobic to facultative bacteria in the first week, smaller Escherichia coli populations in colonized children in the first months of life and less frequent colonization by Clostridioides difficile at 12 months of age. Having pets in the household was associated with more frequent colonization by Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Bacteroides in the first months. A higher ratio of anaerobic to facultative bacteria at one week of age, early colonization by Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Bacteroides, and reduced carriage of C. difficile at 4-12 months of age all correlated negatively with subsequent allergy diagnosis.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our findings indicate that lower rates of allergy in children growing up on farms or with pets may be related to early establishment of typical anaerobic commensals in their gut microbiota. However, further studies are needed to validate our observations in this small birth cohort study.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313078
spellingShingle Annika Ljung
Monica Gio-Batta
Bill Hesselmar
Henrik Imberg
Hardis Rabe
Forough L Nowrouzian
Susanne Johansen
Carl-Johan Törnhage
Gunhild Lindhagen
Margareta Ceder
Anna-Carin Lundell
Anna Rudin
Agnes E Wold
Ingegerd Adlerberth
Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy.
PLoS ONE
title Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy.
title_full Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy.
title_fullStr Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy.
title_full_unstemmed Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy.
title_short Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy.
title_sort gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living pets in household and allergy
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313078
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