Certain Gut Bacteria Present in 1st Week of Life May Protect Infants From Infections

New findings could inform future probiotics and early-life interventions to strengthen infant immune health.
Certain Gut Bacteria Present in 1st Week of Life May Protect Infants From Infections
Bifidobacteria are vital to gut immunity. Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock
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A baby’s gut bacteria in its first week of life could be the key to avoiding hospital stays later—at least when it comes to serious lung infections.

A new study of nearly 1,100 newborns found that infants with specific beneficial bacteria were significantly less likely to be hospitalized for viral respiratory illnesses during their first two years.
George Citroner
George Citroner
Author
George Citroner reports on health and medicine, covering topics that include cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions. He was awarded the Media Orthopaedic Reporting Excellence (MORE) award in 2020 for a story on osteoporosis risk in men.