Bloodstream Infections From Gut Resident Bacteria
Pathogenic bacteria represent a threat to vulnerable infants in early life.
During the neonatal phase of life, the intestinal microbiota is relatively simple and composed of small gram-negative bacteria. Once across the intestinal epithelium, bacteria can cause bloodstream infections. The severity of these infections depends on the age of the offspring. Those closer to birth develop a more severe inflammatory response, resulting in neonatal sepsis.
We are investigating how the immune system responds to gut resident pathogen changes during the neonatal phase of life.