NNIW96: Microbiota And HMOs In Preterm Infants

Bifidobacterium is the most represented bacterium in the gastrointestinal tract of term-born, breastfed infants. Research has discovered a significant relationship between the composition of gut microbiota (the presence of Clostridium Neonatale and an absence of Bifidobacterium) and the occurrence of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in premature babies. The milk of mothers who deliver preterm has been found to have significantly lower levels of 2'-Fucosyllactose (2'-FL) than mothers who deliver at term. Also, 2’-FL and Lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) added to infant formula shifts the gut microbiota closer to that of breastfed infants. An ongoing French study is designed to demonstrate the effect of a liquid supplement containing two HMOs, 2’-FL and LNnT, in preterm infants.