Skip to main content
About the Institute
  • English
  • Français
  • Español
  • Russian

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Microbiota and child health
  3. Antibiotics, child microbiota and long-term health effects
  • Our publications
    • News
    • Microbiota Mag
    • Thematic pages
    • Experts' point of view
    • Thematic folders
    • Overviews - Microbiota Magazine
  • About the Institute
    • About us
    • International Microbiota Observatory
    • Press room
    • Partnerships
  • Congresses
    • Congress calendar
    • Congress reviews
  • Continuing Medical Education
    • Accrediting courses
  • Useful documents
    • How to talk about
    • Infographics
    • IBS Diagnosis Check List
    • Patients Stories

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    • Bluesky

Lay public section

Find here your dedicated section
Gastroenterology
Gynecology
Pediatrics
General Medicine

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Microbiota and child health
  3. Antibiotics, child microbiota and long-term health effects
Pediatrics

Antibiotics, child microbiota and long-term health effects

Drug
Pediatrics

Antibiotic therapy is a cornerstone of the modern therapeutic arsenal but it displays a number of side effects, in particular a detrimental action on the human microbiota and the creation of a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (resistome). While the resistome is still under-investigated, the impact of dysbiosis caused by antibiotics is increasingly understood through scientific research, particularly in children. Let’s explain further.

Gastroenterology
Gynecology
Pediatrics
General Medicine
  • Our publications
    • News
    • Microbiota Mag
    • Thematic pages
    • Experts' point of view
    • Thematic folders
    • Overviews - Microbiota Magazine
  • About the Institute
    • About us
    • International Microbiota Observatory
    • Press room
    • Partnerships
  • Congresses
    • Congress calendar
    • Congress reviews
  • Continuing Medical Education
    • Accrediting courses
  • Useful documents
    • How to talk about
    • Infographics
    • IBS Diagnosis Check List
    • Patients Stories

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    • Bluesky

Lay public section

Find here your dedicated section

Sources

This article is based on scientific information

Sharing is caring

Your colleagues might be interested in this topic. Why not share it?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail

Sections

Santé-infantile-bandeau1

About this article

Created 18 October 2019
Updated 25 November 2021

Scientific literature has confirmed that perinatal exposure to antibiotics disrupts the establishment of the intestinal microbiota and has potential consequences on the child’s health throughout his/her growth.

GUT MICROBIOTA HOMEOSTASIS AND HEALTH

The intestinal microbiota is a complex and diverse ecosystem composed of microorganisms coexisting with their host in a collaborative relationship. This microbiota plays an important part in the proper functioning of the digestive system, but also in metabolic and immune homeostasis. Its particularities made it a key component in human health and a significant research field aiming at exploring the consequences of antibiotics-induced dysbioses. A literature review provided a better understanding of the effects of antibiotics on the intra- and postpartum development of the intestinal microbiota in children.1 During that period, exposure to antibiotics can take many different forms: mother treatment during pregnancy, cesarean delivery, postpartum treatment (especially in premature children), and even breastfeeding since antibiotics can change breast milk microbiota and/or be transmitted to the child.

THE GUT RESISTOME: AN AVENUE WORTH EXPLORING

  • The resistome designates all microbiota genes potentially coding for antibiotic resistance.
  • The growth of this gene reservoir has hardly been studied, but early acquired resistance could be related to the exposure to maternal and environmental microbes during and after birth.
  • The role of the resistome in the composition of the intestinal microbiota and its impact on individual or collective human health have yet to be defined.

HOST-MICROBIOTA INTERACTIONS: A SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

Several publications emphasize the importance of early intestinal colonization and the existence of a perinatal window of opportunity during which microbial exposure defines the “basic programming“ of the future microbiota, and consequently the long-term health of the child. The beginning and duration of this window of opportunity has not yet been documented and represents an active field of research. It is apparently short, however, and encourages a limited use of antibiotics to restrict adverse effects. Research shows that not all antibiotic drugs have the same effect on the microbiota and that individual sensitivity plays an important role in the impact on health. That being said, most children in developed countries are exposed to them during their first year of life. This observation calls for research to dig deeper into early dysbiosis caused by antibiotic therapies in order to better manage the associated metabolic and autoimmune disorders.

ANTIBIOTICS ARE PERINATAL DETERMINANTS

  • Newborns are colonized at a very early stage in life by aerobic bacteria and facultative anaerobic bacteria, and later, by strictly anaerobic bacteria from the maternal microbiota and the environment.
  • Antibiotics, as well as mode of delivery, gestational age or feeding method, have an impact on this colonization.
  • An antibiotic treatment of over 3 days is a risk factor for colonization by antibiotic resistant enteric bacteria, especially if a broad-spectrum drug is used.
[Source] : Marteau M, Doré J. Gut microbiota, a full-fledged organ. March 2017. John Libbey Eurotext
Sources

1 Nogacka AM, Salazar N, Arboleya S, et al. Early microbiota, antibiotics and health. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2018;75(1):83-91.

Old sources

 

 

Tags
Gut health Antibiotics Microbiome Flora
    Focus
    Microbiota and child health
    • Impact of antibiotics
      • Antibiotics, child microbiota and long-term health effects
      • Focus on the risks of excess weight and obesity
      • Zoom on the risks of IBD
    • Behavioral disorders
      • The role of oral and intestinal microbiota and mycobiome in autism
      • Gut-brain axis and ADHD in adolescents
    • Respiratory diseases
      • Respiratory microbiota and pulmonary infections associated with cystic fibrosis
      • Nasal microbiota: a reliable marker of bronchiolitis severity
    • Gastrointestinal disorders
      • Infectious diarrhea and intestinal microbiota
      • Is intestinal dysbiosis the cause of persistent diarrhea?
    • Expert opinion
      • Pr. Olivier Goulet : Gastrointestinal disorders in children, the need to act
    Created 18 October 2019
    Updated 25 November 2021

    About this article

    To know more about this topic.

    Main topic

    Drug

    Medical practice

    Pediatrics

    Content type

    Dossier detail
    Microbiota and child health
    Focus on the risks of excess weight and obesity
    Focus

    Microbiota and child health

    Impact of antibiotics

    Antibiotics, child microbiota and long-term health effects Focus on the risks of excess weight and obesity Zoom on the risks of IBD

    Behavioral disorders

    The role of oral and intestinal microbiota and mycobiome in autism Gut-brain axis and ADHD in adolescents

    Respiratory diseases

    Respiratory microbiota and pulmonary infections associated with cystic fibrosis Nasal microbiota: a reliable marker of bronchiolitis severity

    Gastrointestinal disorders

    Infectious diarrhea and intestinal microbiota Is intestinal dysbiosis the cause of persistent diarrhea?

    Expert opinion

    Pr. Olivier Goulet : Gastrointestinal disorders in children, the need to act
    Pediatrics
    Actu PRO : Malnutrition : agir sur le microbiote pour améliorer la croissance, un prototype à l’essai
    08.07.2021

    Malnutrition: acting on the microbiota in order to improve growth, a trial prototype

    Read the article
    22.11.2023

    Is vaginal microbiota transfer the new miracle for C-section babies?

    Read the article
    Everything you need to know about Microbiota & Immunity
    15.09.2022

    Everything you need to know about Microbiota & Immunity

    Read the article
    Everything you need to know about Microbiota & Dysbiosis
    27.07.2022

    Everything you need to know about Dysbiosis

    Read the article
    11.03.2022

    When an infant’s sleep hinges on a few bacteria

    Read the article
    Photo: Atténuer la dénutrition avec des biotiques ?
    26.04.2023

    Mitigating malnutrition with biotics?

    Read the article
    03.07.2024

    Gut dysbiosis in men: what are the consequences for their children?

    Read the article
    Intestinal bacteria, illustration.
    24.08.2023

    Everything you need to know about probiotics

    Read the article
    • Our publications
      • News
      • Microbiota Mag
      • Thematic pages
      • Experts' point of view
      • Thematic folders
      • Overviews - Microbiota Magazine
    • About the Institute
      • About us
      • International Microbiota Observatory
      • Press room
      • Partnerships
    • Congresses
      • Congress calendar
      • Congress reviews
    • Continuing Medical Education
      • Accrediting courses
    • Useful documents
      • How to talk about
      • Infographics
      • IBS Diagnosis Check List
      • Patients Stories

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • LinkedIn
      • YouTube
      • Instagram
      • Bluesky

    Lay public section

    Find here your dedicated section
    Gastroenterology
    Gynecology
    Pediatrics
    General Medicine
    • English
    • Français
    • Español
    • Russian

    Browse the site

    • Our publications
      • News
      • Microbiota Mag
      • Thematic pages
      • Experts' point of view
      • Thematic folders
      • Overviews - Microbiota Magazine
    • About the Institute
      • About us
      • International Microbiota Observatory
      • Press room
      • Partnerships
    • Congresses
      • Congress calendar
      • Congress reviews
    • Continuing Medical Education
      • Accrediting courses
    • Useful documents
      • How to talk about
      • Infographics
      • IBS Diagnosis Check List
      • Patients Stories

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • LinkedIn
      • YouTube
      • Instagram
      • Bluesky

    Lay public section

    Find here your dedicated section

    Discover

    Gastroenterology
    Gynecology
    Pediatrics
    General Medicine

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    • Bluesky

    Lay public section

    Find here your dedicated section

    Redirection

    You are about to be redirected and leave our website

    • Be redirected
    • Stay on the Biocodex Microbiota Institute's website

    Stay with us !

    Join the Microbiota Community of HCPs and researchers and receive “Microbiota Digest” and "Microbiota Mag" to stay up to date on the latest news about microbiota.

    * Mandatory Fields

    BMI 20-35

    Explore

    14.05.2025

    Towards worldwide redefinition of healthy vaginal microbiota

    Read the article
    07.05.2025

    The microbial-metabolic nexus in colon cancer

    Read the article
    02.05.2025

    A new lens on chlamydia: beyond behavior, into the microbiome

    Read the article

    Stay updated

    Join the Microbiota Community of HCPs and researchers and receive “Microbiota Digest” and "Microbiota Mag" to stay up to date on the latest news about microbiota.

    * Mandatory Fields

    BMI 20-35

    • Our publications
      • News
      • Microbiota Mag
      • Thematic pages
      • Experts' point of view
      • Thematic folders
      • Overviews - Microbiota Magazine
    • About the Institute
      • About us
      • International Microbiota Observatory
      • Press room
      • Partnerships
    • Congresses
      • Congress calendar
      • Congress reviews
    • Continuing Medical Education
      • Accrediting courses
    • Useful documents
      • How to talk about
      • Infographics
      • IBS Diagnosis Check List
      • Patients Stories

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • LinkedIn
      • YouTube
      • Instagram
      • Bluesky

    Lay public section

    Find here your dedicated section

    Discover

    Gastroenterology
    Gynecology
    Pediatrics
    General Medicine

    Lay public section

    Find here your dedicated section

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    • Bluesky

    © 2025 Biocodex. All rights reserved.

    • Legal notice
    • GTU
    • Data protection policy
    • Sitemap
    • Cookies settings
    • Digital accessibility : partially compliant
    Biocodex logo