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Genetic relatedness of Gram-negative bacteria colonizing gut and skin of neonates and mother’s own milk

Journal of Perinatology volume 38, pages 1503–1511 (2018)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

We described colonization of mother’s own milk with Gram-negative bacteria and its relationship with neonatal colonization.

Study Design

Gram-negative bacteria isolated from weekly collected stool, skin and mother’s own milk of hospitalized preterm (n = 49) and healthy term neonates (n = 20) were genotyped. Colonization-related factors were determined by logistic regression.

Results

Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from mother’s own milk of 22.4% (n = 11) and 15% (n = 3) of mothers of preterm and term neonates, respectively. According to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genetically similar strains were present in mother’s own milk and gut of 8.2% (n = 4) of mother–preterm neonate, but none of mother–term neonate pairs. In three of four late-onset sepsis caused by Gram-negative bacteria, colonization of gut, but not mother’s own milk, with invasive species preceded late-onset sepsis.

Conclusions

Colonization of mother’s own milk with Gram-negative bacteria is uncommon and transmission to neonatal gut may occur in less than one-tenth of neonate–mother pairs.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the study nurses Marika Zuihhina, Eve Kaur and Tuuli Tammekunn; clinical microbiologist Dr. Marika Jürna-Ellam; laboratory assistants Dagmar Hoidmets, Tiiu Rööp and Sandra Sokmann; and all the study participants. This study was funded by Estonian Research Council (IUT34-24), European Regional Development Fund (Project SFOS WP1-NeuroAIDS), Archimedes Foundation (Project No. 3.2.1001.11-0032) and supported by Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (Grant No. KOGU-HUMB).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

    Ülle Parm, Jelena Štšepetova, Irja Lutsar & Hiie Soeorg

  2. Tartu Health Care College, Tartu, Estonia

    Ülle Parm

  3. Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia

    Imbi Eelmäe & Tuuli Metsvaht

  4. Neonatal Unit, Children’s Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia

    Mirjam Merila

  5. Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Tallinn Children’s Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia

    Mari-Liis Ilmoja

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  1. Ülle Parm
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Correspondence to Hiie Soeorg.

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Parm, Ü., Štšepetova, J., Eelmäe, I. et al. Genetic relatedness of Gram-negative bacteria colonizing gut and skin of neonates and mother’s own milk. J Perinatol 38, 1503–1511 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-018-0220-x

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