Study around very-low birthweight preterm infants at high risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or late-onset sepsis (LOS). Collection of stool and other biological samples to assess the strain-level stability of gastrointestinal microbiota in these preterm infants who may or may not develop NEC/LOS.
This study aims to collect biological samples (stool, stomach fluid, and blood) from preterm infants at risk of developing NEC or LOS; as well as environmental samples from infants' hospital surroundings (swabs, air), nutritional intake (formula, breastmilk) and samples from their family members (faeces, vaginal swab). The main focus of the study is to assess strain-level stability of gastrointestinal microbiota in these infants and potentially assess the source of disease-causing microbiota species/strains.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
81
University Children's Hospital Zürich
Zurich, Switzerland
University Hospital Zürich
Zurich, Switzerland
Strain-level stability
Identify members of the gastrointestinal microbiota (species/strains) that are associated with development of NEC or LOS in very-low birthweight/very preterm Identify members of the gastrointestinal microbiota (species/strains) that are associated with development of NEC or LOS in very-low birthweight/very preterm infants via changes in frequencies, absolute colonization levels, or temporal stability
Time frame: 24 months
Source of bacterial species/strains
Quantify genetic similarity between potentially disease-causing microbiota strains found within NEC/LOS patients and within family members (faeces, breastmilk, vaginal swab) and hospital surroundings
Time frame: 24 months
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