Breast milk found to reduce antibiotic resistance genes in infants

An international study led by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) has found that exclusive breastfeeding may help protect infants from antibiotic resistance. Published in ‘Cell Reports Medicine’, the research indicates that breastfeeding is associated with a lower abundance and diversity of antimicrobial resistance genes in a baby's gut.

The study identifies human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) as a key factor. Because infants cannot digest HMOs directly, these molecules travel to the intestine to serve as nourishment for beneficial bacteria. Dr. Maria Carmen Collado, a researcher at the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), described HMOs as ‘ecological modulators of the gut microbiota’ that promote beneficial microorganisms while limiting the spread of bacteria carrying resistance genes.

Researchers initially analyzed samples from 57 one-month-old infants in Valencia, Spain, and their mothers. The findings were subsequently validated using data from 199 breastfed infants in the Netherlands.