Community analysis of bacteria colonizing intestinal tissue of neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis

2011

Bacterial Communities in Neonates with Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Sample size: 24 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Birgitte Smith, Susan Bodé, Bodil L. Petersen, Tim K. Jensen, Christian Pipper, Julie Kloppenborg, Mette Boyé, Karen A. Krogfelt, Lars Mølbak

Primary Institution: Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Hypothesis

What is the microbial composition and relative number of bacteria in intestinal tissue from neonates diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis?

Conclusion

The study found a large variability of bacteria in the analyzed specimens, with no dominant pathogenic species, suggesting that necrotizing enterocolitis may be a non-infectious syndrome.

Supporting Evidence

Bacteria were detected in 22 of the 24 specimens.
71% of the specimens had moderate to high densities of bacteria.
The dominant phylum detected was Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes and Actinobacteria.
Clostridium species were only found in 4 specimens, with a significant correlation to histological pneumatosis intestinalis.
No correlation was found between bacterial presence and NEC score or antibiotic treatment.

Takeaway

Doctors looked at the germs in the intestines of sick babies to see what kinds of bacteria were there, and they found a lot of different ones, but none that seemed to be causing the problem.

Methodology

The study used laser capture microdissection and fluorescent in situ hybridization to analyze bacterial populations in surgically removed intestinal tissue.