Preterm Infants Harbour a Rapidly Changing Mycobiota That Includes <em>Candida</em> Pathobionts
Fungi and the mycobiome are a fundamental part of the human microbiome that contributes to human health and development. Despite this, relatively little is known about the mycobiome of the preterm infant gut. Here, we have characterised faecal fungal communities present in 11 premature infants born...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/4/273 |
| _version_ | 1827702572642729984 |
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| author | Stephen A. James Sarah Phillips Andrea Telatin David Baker Rebecca Ansorge Paul Clarke Lindsay J. Hall Simon R. Carding |
| author_facet | Stephen A. James Sarah Phillips Andrea Telatin David Baker Rebecca Ansorge Paul Clarke Lindsay J. Hall Simon R. Carding |
| author_sort | Stephen A. James |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fungi and the mycobiome are a fundamental part of the human microbiome that contributes to human health and development. Despite this, relatively little is known about the mycobiome of the preterm infant gut. Here, we have characterised faecal fungal communities present in 11 premature infants born with differing degrees of prematurity and mapped how the mycobiome develops during early infancy. Using an ITS1 sequencing-based approach, the preterm infant gut mycobiome was found to be often dominated by a single species, typically a yeast. <i>Candida</i> was the most abundant genus, with the pathobionts <i>C.</i><i>albicans</i> and <i>C.</i><i>parapsilosis</i> highly prevalent and persistent in these infants. Gestational maturity at birth affected the distribution and abundance of these <i>Candida</i>, with hospital-associated <i>C.</i><i>parapsilosis</i> more prevalent and abundant in infants born at less than 31 weeks. Fungal diversity was lowest at 6 months, but increased with age and change of diet, with food-associated <i>Saccharomyces</i><i>cerevisiae</i> most abundant in infants post weaning. This study provides a first insight into the fungal communities present within the preterm infant gut, identifying distinctive features including the prominence of pathobiont species, and the influence age and environmental factors play in shaping the development of the mycobiome. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:59:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ba81dee999b8418286dc9f6739d0237f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:59:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-ba81dee999b8418286dc9f6739d0237f2023-11-20T20:19:59ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2020-11-016427310.3390/jof6040273Preterm Infants Harbour a Rapidly Changing Mycobiota That Includes <em>Candida</em> PathobiontsStephen A. James0Sarah Phillips1Andrea Telatin2David Baker3Rebecca Ansorge4Paul Clarke5Lindsay J. Hall6Simon R. Carding7Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UKGut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UKGut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UKGut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UKGut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UKNeonatal Intensive Care Unit, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich NR4 7UY, UKGut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UKGut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UKFungi and the mycobiome are a fundamental part of the human microbiome that contributes to human health and development. Despite this, relatively little is known about the mycobiome of the preterm infant gut. Here, we have characterised faecal fungal communities present in 11 premature infants born with differing degrees of prematurity and mapped how the mycobiome develops during early infancy. Using an ITS1 sequencing-based approach, the preterm infant gut mycobiome was found to be often dominated by a single species, typically a yeast. <i>Candida</i> was the most abundant genus, with the pathobionts <i>C.</i><i>albicans</i> and <i>C.</i><i>parapsilosis</i> highly prevalent and persistent in these infants. Gestational maturity at birth affected the distribution and abundance of these <i>Candida</i>, with hospital-associated <i>C.</i><i>parapsilosis</i> more prevalent and abundant in infants born at less than 31 weeks. Fungal diversity was lowest at 6 months, but increased with age and change of diet, with food-associated <i>Saccharomyces</i><i>cerevisiae</i> most abundant in infants post weaning. This study provides a first insight into the fungal communities present within the preterm infant gut, identifying distinctive features including the prominence of pathobiont species, and the influence age and environmental factors play in shaping the development of the mycobiome.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/4/273mycobiomeGI tractpreterm infantearly lifepathobiontfungi |
| spellingShingle | Stephen A. James Sarah Phillips Andrea Telatin David Baker Rebecca Ansorge Paul Clarke Lindsay J. Hall Simon R. Carding Preterm Infants Harbour a Rapidly Changing Mycobiota That Includes <em>Candida</em> Pathobionts Journal of Fungi mycobiome GI tract preterm infant early life pathobiont fungi |
| title | Preterm Infants Harbour a Rapidly Changing Mycobiota That Includes <em>Candida</em> Pathobionts |
| title_full | Preterm Infants Harbour a Rapidly Changing Mycobiota That Includes <em>Candida</em> Pathobionts |
| title_fullStr | Preterm Infants Harbour a Rapidly Changing Mycobiota That Includes <em>Candida</em> Pathobionts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preterm Infants Harbour a Rapidly Changing Mycobiota That Includes <em>Candida</em> Pathobionts |
| title_short | Preterm Infants Harbour a Rapidly Changing Mycobiota That Includes <em>Candida</em> Pathobionts |
| title_sort | preterm infants harbour a rapidly changing mycobiota that includes em candida em pathobionts |
| topic | mycobiome GI tract preterm infant early life pathobiont fungi |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/4/273 |
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