Identification of bacterial invasion in necrotizing enterocolitis specimens using fluorescent in situ hybridization

F H Heida; H J M Harmsen; A Timmer; E M W Kooi; A F Bos; J B F Hulscher

doi:10.1038/jp.2016.165

Identification of bacterial invasion in necrotizing enterocolitis specimens using fluorescent in situ hybridization

J Perinatol. 2017 Jan;37(1):67-72. doi: 10.1038/jp.2016.165. Epub 2016 Sep 29.

Authors

F H Heida^{1

2}, H J M Harmsen², A Timmer³, E M W Kooi⁴, A F Bos⁴, J B F Hulscher¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Groningen, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
² Department of Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Neonatology, University of Groningen, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

PMID: 27684417
DOI: 10.1038/jp.2016.165

Abstract

Objective: Investigation of bacterial invasion into the intestinal wall in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) specimens.

Study design: We compared 43 surgical NEC specimens with 43 age-matched controls. We used fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), a universal bacterial probe together with species-specific probes for Clostridium spp., Enterobacteriaceae, bacteroides and enterococci/lactobacilli. We used a FISH scoring system to reveal invasion of the intestinal wall, in which 1 represented no colonies and 4 invasion of the intestinal wall.

Results: We observed invasion of the intestinal wall in 22/43 of the most affected NEC tissue samples as compared with 16/43 in the least affected NEC tissue samples (P=0.03). A FISH score of 4 was reached in 7/43 control cases. Enterobacteriaceae dominated the NEC specimens. Clostridium spp. were detected occasionally in NEC samples.

Conclusion: Bacterial invasion of the intestinal wall is more present in most affected NEC tissue samples compared with least affected NEC tissue samples or controls. Enterobacteriaceae are prevalent in advanced NEC.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Case-Control Studies
Clostridium / isolation & purification
Enterobacteriaceae / isolation & purification*
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / pathology*
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / surgery
Female
Humans
In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
Infant, Newborn
Intestines / microbiology*
Intestines / pathology*
Male
Netherlands
Retrospective Studies
Tertiary Care Centers