The role of the microbiome in childhood disease

National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

From these observational studies we have made several scientific advances over the Fiscal Year 2025 related to the involvement of the microbiome over different disease states: 1) We identified that certain features of the early life gut and skin microbiome in infancy which can predict which children will go on to develop eczema in childhood. 2) We showed that in children delivered by caesarean section, compared to vaginal delivery, there were differences in gut bacteriophages over the first two years of life. We are now investigating the potential physiological impacts of this. 3) We showed gut sulfides are a keystone metabolite for gut microbiome homeostasis and immunity, and how modulation of gut sulfides can increase susceptibility to enteric infections. 4) We identified profound microbiome changes after pediatric bariatric surgery in children with obesity, with a proinflammatory potential. 5) We showed a high prevalence of bacteria carrying colibactin genes in the developing infant gut microbiome and are now investigating under what circumstances this can be a risk for later disease.