REGULATION OF THE BACTERIAL INTESTINAL IMPLANTATION IN INFANT BORN BY CESAREAN-SECTION

Studies were undertaken to determine the regulation of the bacterial intestinal implantation in 19 newborns delivered by caesarian section. Correlation was made with the infant feeding mode. The effect of human milk seemed to be the result of B. bifidum proliferation, in contrast to artificial alimentation that seemed to favour C. perfringens implantation. The question was raised by us as to whether this opposition was only related to alimentation. In fact, B. bifidum itself also had an effect as demonstrated by the lower mean counts of C. perfringens in bottle-fed infants carrying the bifidobacterial flora (P = 0.05). None of the other faecal bacteria investigated in this study led to the same decrease.