All Early Life Microbiome articles
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NewsScientists propose national microbiome plan to prevent chronic disease
Leading microbiome researchers are calling for a global ‘moonshot’ to determine how the microbes living in and on our bodies contribute to chronic disease. The proposed agenda would combine long-term human studies, clinical trials, global research standards and public education to move the field from promising associations towards proven causes and treatments.
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NewsU-M-led consortium to receive up to $52 million in NIH funding to study why viral respiratory infections affect children differently
A Michigan Medicine-led research consortium has secured approval for up to $52 million in federal funding to launch a multicenter study examining why some young children recover fully from viral lower respiratory tract infections while others develop severe illness or lasting problems such as asthma.
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NewsGut microbes don’t just train the immune system—they keep it in shape
Immune maturation has long been viewed as a developmental milestone tied to weaning, when pups are first exposed to a flood of dietary antigens and colonizing microbes. A study now suggests that in mice, the immune competence established after weaning is not self-sustaining—it must be continuously maintained by signals from the commensal microbiota.
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NewsBreast milk antibodies show broad antiviral activity and protect mice against influenza
Researchers show that a polyclonal secretory immunoglobulin A preparation, purified from breast milk pooled from multiple donors, neutralized respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human adenovirus type 5, and H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses in laboratory assays.
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NewsVaccinating mothers protects offspring from deadly superbug
Researchers found that a vaccine given to pregnant mice protected their newborn pups from a severe bloodstream infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, a dangerous bacterium that kills thousands of infants in low- and middle-income countries each year and is the leading killer of children globally.
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NewsMaternal vaccines protect babies from serious infections, but unequal access limits benefits across Europe
Europe must act now to strengthen maternal vaccination in pregnancy and ensure all women and babies can benefit from a new generation of vaccines to protect against serious infections, says a new series being launched today.
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NewsHeel-prick blood samples from newborns could provide important insights into protection against serious infection
Heel-prick blood samples from newborns can be used to measure antibodies against Group B Streptococcus, according to a new study. In the longer term, the method could contribute to the development of vaccines designed to protect infants against serious infections.
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NewsBlood test shows whether newborns with fever have bacterial or viral infection
A new study suggests a test that compares the levels of two molecules in the blood is able to accurately distinguish between bacterial and viral infections in newborn babies with fever.
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NewsHospital expands newborn screening to identify virus that can lead to hearing loss and developmental delays
Researchers have developed a new screening program for congenital cytomegalovirus, the most common infection passed from mothers to babies during pregnancy. While many babies with congenital cytomegalovirus have no obvious symptoms, some can develop hearing loss, developmental delays or other medical complications as they grow.
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NewsResearch could lead to better prevention for a common cause of newborn meningitis
A new research project will investigate how Strep B bacteria attach to the vaginal tract and the mechanisms they use to stay there. In newborns, Strep B infections can kill and the study will look at how Streptococcus agalactiae comes to colonize the birth canal in the first place, which may lead to improved preventative measures.
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NewsGut microbiome features predict devastating disease affecting preemies
In a discovery that challenges long-standing assumptions about necrotizing enterocolitis, researchers have identified previously unknown predictors for the disease. They found that bacteria-infecting viruses and bacterial antibiotic resistance genes in the gut microbiomes of babies are additional harbingers of necrotizing enterocolitis.
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NewsBeyond the gut: Necrotizing enterocolitis drives neurodevelopmental impairment through gut-derived inflammation
A severe gut disease in premature infants, known as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), does far more than damage the intestines—it fundamentally alters brain development, leaving up to 40% of survivors with lasting cognitive, motor, and behavioral impairments.
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NewsResearchers find C. difficile colonization in infants reshapes gut development
Practically since its discovery, the highly contagious bacterium Clostridioides difficile has been reported to not cause symptoms in infants. But new findings suggest that the bacterium can reshape the developing infant gut and may have long-term consequences.
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NewsBiofortified millet benefits toddlers without supplement side effects
Toddlers who ate iron- and zinc-biofortified pearl millet for nine months did not experience adverse effects typically associated with increased iron intake and developed gut microbiomes with distinct and potentially beneficial changes.
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NewsPet dog microbiota may protect young children from respiratory tract infections
Children who have been in contact with dogs in early childhood are on average healthier and require fewer antibiotic courses than children without such contact. The protective association is explained, at least in part, by the spread of dog-associated microbes in the home.
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NewsNew research identifies potential early indicator of Johne’s disease exposure in calves
New research has found that antibodies against Johne’s disease can be detected in the blood of newborn calves after they have received colostrum from their mothers. Antibody measurements could provide a way to determine when calves are first exposed to the disease.
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NewsLast-line antibiotics at risk as children’s resistance rises
Antimicrobial resistance in children is rising globally and will worsen over the next decade, threatening the effectiveness of life‑saving antibiotics, according to a world-first monitoring platform.
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NewsNew study reveals how birth method and antibiotics may shape babies’ gut bacteria
A new systematic review has found that both the way a baby is born and exposure to antibiotics around the time of birth could be linked to differences in the development of the infant gut microbiome. Exclusively breastfeeding babies may reduce these differences.
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NewsNew clues raise hopes for better treatment of RSV in babies
Future therapies for respiratory syncytial virus must target both the virus and its immune response to ensure babies get the best possible outcomes, finds a new study that developed a lab model of baby lungs to show why RSV makes infants so much sicker than adults.
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NewsGut bacteria linked to malnutrition may pass to younger generations
A new study suggests that an intestinal disorder linked to malnutrition and stunted growth may be transmitted from one generation to the next via the small intestinal microbiome.