Braegger
Fakultäten » Medizinische Fakultät » Kinderspital Zürich: Medizinische Klinik » Gastroenterologie und Ernährung, Abteilung » Prof. Dr. Christian Braegger » Braegger
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Composition and function of the intestinal bacterial flora in breast-fed and formula-fed infants at the age of 4-16 weeks | ||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | It is well documented that breast-fed infants have major health benefits as compared to formula-fed infants. These health benefits include protection against gastrointestinal infections and prevention of allergic diseases later on during childhood. The mechanisms by which these beneficial effects are exerted are not clearly understood. However, it is hypothesised that some of the observed protective effects may derive from the marked differences in the development of the intestinal bacterial flora between breast-fed and formula-fed infants, the latter having a more complex adult-like flora. These differences are considered to be of importance not only for the maturation of the intestinal immune system and the prevention of allergic diseases, but also for the protection against pathogenic micro-organisms. In several studies, bifidobacteria have been demonstrated to be dominant in breast-fed infants, whereas a more diverse ecosystem containing bacteroides and bifidobacteria among others are found in formula-fed infants. The minor fecal components of breast-fed infants are mainly lactobacilli and streptococci; stool samples from formula-fed infants often contain staphylococci, Escherichia coli, and clostridia. It is hypothesised that oligosaccharides, which account for the third largest component in human milk, account for the differences in colonic bacterial flora. The flora of the formula-fed infant develops more quickly than that of the breast-fed infant. After weaning the composition of the bacterial flora diversifies quickly. However, systematic studies comparing fecal bacterial flora of breast-fed and formula-fed infants using new quantitative molecular technology are rare and studies using functional fermentation assays in these populations have not been published so far. After establishing the methods in this preliminary study it is planned to carry out an intervention study using formula containing prebiotic oligosaccharides and/or probiotic bacteria vs. placebo to investigate the effects of these compounds in infant formula on the composition and function of the infants intestinal bacterial flora. | ||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
Private Sector (e.g. Industry) |
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| In collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Nov 2005 to Dec 2006 |