Dynamics of gut resistome and mobilome in early life: a meta-analysis

The study investigates the gut microbiota of infants, revealing a higher proportion of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) compared to adults. It found distinct trajectories of the resistome and mobilome associated with birth mode, gestational age, antibiotic use, and geographical location. Geographical variation was evident in ARG diversity and abundance. However, breastfeeding did not significantly impact infants’ gut resistome. Over half of detected ARGs co-localized with plasmids in key bacterial hosts, such as Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. The study suggests that birth mode, gestational age, antibiotic exposure, and geographical location significantly influence the development of the infant gut resistome and mobilome.