The gut microbiota plays a substantial role in various aspects of human health, including inflammation, immune system function, and metabolism,” Dr Rajeev Jayadevan shared.
“Due to their secluded lifestyle, these infants were spared the usual infections common among young children, such as respiratory viruses and common colds,” says Dr Jayadevan.
“Notably, the lower allergy rates among newborns during the lockdown could highlight the impact of various factors, such as frequent antibiotic use,” adds the author.
“We hope to re-examine these children when they are 5 years old to see if there are longer term impacts of these interesting changes in early gut microbiome,” he added.