Buccal administration of human colostrum: impact on the oral microbiota of premature infants.

Abstract

To determine whether the administration of mother's colostrum into the buccal pouch in the first days of life alters the oral microbiota compared with control infants. In this pilot study, 12 very low birth weight (VLBW) infants were randomly assigned to receive either colostrum from their mothers directly into the buccal pouch every 2 h for 46 h or standard care. We analyzed the oral microbiota at initiation and 48 and 96 h later using next-generation sequencing. The oral microbiota changed markedly over the 96 h period in all babies. Patterns of colonization differed between groups with Planococcaceae, the dominant family at 48 and 96 h in the colostrum group, and Moraxellaceae and Staphylococcaceae, the dominant families at 48 and 96 h, respectively, in the control group. Buccal administration of mother's colostrum to VLBW infants influenced the colonization of the oral cavity with differences persisting 48 h after completion of the intervention.