Dynamics of early-life bacteriophage-bacteria interactions in very preterm infants and their implications in disease

Preterm infants, especially if born very premature (before week 32 of gestation), are characterised by having immature organs including the gastrointestinal tract, associated with a skewed gut microbiota maturation and increased risk of gastrointestinal disorders. Early life gut microbiota maturation is crucial for various biological functions, influencing host metabolism, immune response, and pathogen protection. While the maturation of the bacterial gut microbiota component in preterm infants is well studied, very little is known about the interplay between these bacteria and their viruses, i.e. bacteriophages. This study focuses on the faecal bacterial and bacteriophage communities of very preterm infants during their first 90 days of life.