Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants
Abstract Background Asymptomatic carriage of Clostridioides difficile is highly prevalent in early infancy, affecting approximately 40% of infants. This phenomenon offers a unique opportunity to study its impact on the gut microbiota without the confounding effects of disease. In this study, we anal...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Gut Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13099-025-00687-3 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849734887404208128 |
|---|---|
| author | Aleksander Mahnic Jana Lozar Krivec Darja Paro-Panjan Andreja Valcl Tanja Obermajer Bojana Bogovič Matijašić Evgen Benedik Petra Bratina Maja Rupnik |
| author_facet | Aleksander Mahnic Jana Lozar Krivec Darja Paro-Panjan Andreja Valcl Tanja Obermajer Bojana Bogovič Matijašić Evgen Benedik Petra Bratina Maja Rupnik |
| author_sort | Aleksander Mahnic |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Asymptomatic carriage of Clostridioides difficile is highly prevalent in early infancy, affecting approximately 40% of infants. This phenomenon offers a unique opportunity to study its impact on the gut microbiota without the confounding effects of disease. In this study, we analysed C. difficile-associated gut microbiome alterations in 76 asymptomatic infants, one year after receiving antibiotic treatment during early infancy. The presence and concentration of C. difficile were assessed in relation to gut microbiota structure and an extensive set of metadata. Results Bacterial gut community structure was characterized using 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing, while C. difficile concentration and the presence of the tcdB gene were quantified via digital PCR. C. difficile was detected in 36.8% of infants, with 10.5% testing positive for the tcdB gene. Significant alterations in gut microbiota were observed in relation to C. difficile concentration. Specifically, higher C. difficile loads were associated with reduced microbial diversity, greater deviations from average community structure, and co-occurrence with the genus Escherichia. Conversely, C. difficile colonization alone or the presence of the tcdB gene did not result in significant gut microbiota alterations. Additionally, no host-specific factors were significantly linked to C. difficile prevalence or concentration. Conclusions Asymptomatic carriage of C. difficile in neonates is not associated with significant gut microbiota alterations unless pathogen concentration is considered. Our findings suggest that elevated C. difficile proliferation occurs in dysbiotic infant gut microbiota, characterized by reduced alpha diversity and an increase in Escherichia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-522648687c30488eb4b0060410fa88b3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1757-4749 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gut Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj-art-522648687c30488eb4b0060410fa88b32025-08-20T03:07:41ZengBMCGut Pathogens1757-47492025-04-011711610.1186/s13099-025-00687-3Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infantsAleksander Mahnic0Jana Lozar Krivec1Darja Paro-Panjan2Andreja Valcl3Tanja Obermajer4Bojana Bogovič Matijašić5Evgen Benedik6Petra Bratina7Maja Rupnik8Department for Microbiological Research, National Laboratory of Health, Environment and FoodDepartment of Neonatology, Division of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre LjubljanaDepartment of Neonatology, Division of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre LjubljanaDepartment of Paediatrics, General Hospital Slovenj GradecBiotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Institute of Dairy Science and Probiotics, University of LjubljanaBiotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Institute of Dairy Science and Probiotics, University of LjubljanaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre LjubljanaDepartment of Neonatology, Hospital for Women Diseases and Obstetrics PostojnaDepartment for Microbiological Research, National Laboratory of Health, Environment and FoodAbstract Background Asymptomatic carriage of Clostridioides difficile is highly prevalent in early infancy, affecting approximately 40% of infants. This phenomenon offers a unique opportunity to study its impact on the gut microbiota without the confounding effects of disease. In this study, we analysed C. difficile-associated gut microbiome alterations in 76 asymptomatic infants, one year after receiving antibiotic treatment during early infancy. The presence and concentration of C. difficile were assessed in relation to gut microbiota structure and an extensive set of metadata. Results Bacterial gut community structure was characterized using 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing, while C. difficile concentration and the presence of the tcdB gene were quantified via digital PCR. C. difficile was detected in 36.8% of infants, with 10.5% testing positive for the tcdB gene. Significant alterations in gut microbiota were observed in relation to C. difficile concentration. Specifically, higher C. difficile loads were associated with reduced microbial diversity, greater deviations from average community structure, and co-occurrence with the genus Escherichia. Conversely, C. difficile colonization alone or the presence of the tcdB gene did not result in significant gut microbiota alterations. Additionally, no host-specific factors were significantly linked to C. difficile prevalence or concentration. Conclusions Asymptomatic carriage of C. difficile in neonates is not associated with significant gut microbiota alterations unless pathogen concentration is considered. Our findings suggest that elevated C. difficile proliferation occurs in dysbiotic infant gut microbiota, characterized by reduced alpha diversity and an increase in Escherichia.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13099-025-00687-3Gut microbiotaClostridioides difficileInfantAsymptomaticDysbiosis |
| spellingShingle | Aleksander Mahnic Jana Lozar Krivec Darja Paro-Panjan Andreja Valcl Tanja Obermajer Bojana Bogovič Matijašić Evgen Benedik Petra Bratina Maja Rupnik Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants Gut Pathogens Gut microbiota Clostridioides difficile Infant Asymptomatic Dysbiosis |
| title | Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants |
| title_full | Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants |
| title_fullStr | Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants |
| title_short | Clostridioides difficile concentration-dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants |
| title_sort | clostridioides difficile concentration dependant alterations in gut microbiota of asymptomatic infants |
| topic | Gut microbiota Clostridioides difficile Infant Asymptomatic Dysbiosis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13099-025-00687-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aleksandermahnic clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants AT janalozarkrivec clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants AT darjaparopanjan clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants AT andrejavalcl clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants AT tanjaobermajer clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants AT bojanabogovicmatijasic clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants AT evgenbenedik clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants AT petrabratina clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants AT majarupnik clostridioidesdifficileconcentrationdependantalterationsingutmicrobiotaofasymptomaticinfants |