Table_4_Longitudinal and Comparative Analysis of Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Newborns According to Delivery Mode.xlsx

Microbiota colonization is a dynamic process that impacts the health status during an individual's lifetime. The composition of the gut microbiota of newborns is conditioned by multiple factors, including the delivery mode (DM). Nonetheless, the DM's influence remains uncertain and is still the subject of debate. In this context, the medical indication and the emergency of a cesarean delivery might have led to confounding conclusions regarding the composition and diversity of the neonatal microbiome. Herein, we used high-resolution shotgun sequencing to decipher the composition and dynamics of the gut microbiota composition of Tunisian newborns. Stool samples were collected from 5 elective cesarean section (ECS) and 5 vaginally delivered (VD) newborns at the following time points: Day 0, Day 15, and Day 30. The ECS and VD newborns showed the same level of bacterial richness and diversity. In addition, our data pointed to a shift in microbiota community composition during the first 2 weeks, regardless of the DM. Both ECS and VD showed a profile dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. However, ECS showed an underrepresentation of Bacteroides and an enrichment of opportunistic pathogenic species of the ESKAPE group, starting from the second week. Besides revealing the intestinal microbiota of Tunisian newborns, this study provides novel insights into the microbiota perturbations caused by ECS.

微生物群定植是一个动态过程，贯穿于个体的一生，并对健康状况产生深远影响。新生儿肠道微生物群的组成受多种因素影响，包括分娩方式（DM）。然而，DM的影响尚不明确，且仍存在争议。在此背景下，医疗指征和剖腹产的紧急情况可能导致关于新生儿微生物群组成和多样性的混淆结论。本研究中，我们运用高分辨率的全基因组测序技术，解析了突尼斯新生儿肠道微生物群的组成和动态变化。从5例择期剖宫产（ECS）和5例阴道分娩（VD）的新生儿中收集粪便样本，分别在以下时间点进行采集：第0天、第15天和第30天。ECS和VD新生儿表现出相同的细菌丰富度和多样性。此外，我们的数据显示，无论分娩方式如何，微生物群群落组成在最初的两周内均发生了变化。ECS和VD均表现出以变形菌门、放线菌门和厚壁菌门为主的微生物群特征。然而，ECS在第二周开始显示拟杆菌门相对不足，并富含ESKAPE组的机会性致病菌。除了揭示突尼斯新生儿肠道微生物群的特征外，本研究还提供了关于剖宫产引起的微生物群紊乱的新见解。