Research progress in human breast milk microecology / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

It is widely acknowledged that breast milk is the first choice for infant.The presence of complex commensal bacteria in human breast milk has been confirmed by traditional culture-dependent methods,while in recent years,some advanced technologies,such as next-generation sequencing,have revealed that a complex microbial ecosystem exist in human milk.Microbes in human breast milk has different origins,and its composition is influenced by various factors.Moreover,the micro-ecosystem of human breast milk,which is considered as an important source of infant intestinal flora,is vital for infants' growth and long-term health because of its antibacterial effect and abilities of promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and regulating the immune system as well as intestinal nutrition metabolism.Hence,in-depth research on the complex microecosystem of human breast milk will be of great value.