Study finds single course of antibiotics affects infants' gut microbiota

A recent study at the University of Helsinki revealed that the fungal microbiota in the gut is more abundant and diverse in children treated with antibiotics compared with the control group even six weeks following the start of the antibiotic course.

In light of the findings, a reduction in the number of gut bacteria as a result of antibiotic therapy reduces competition for space and leaves more room for fungi to multiply. The study was published in the Journal of Fungi.

A new key finding in the study was that the changes in the fungal gut microbiota, together with the bacterial microbiota, be part of the cause of the long-term adverse effects of antibiotics on human health. Antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed drugs for infants.