Gut virome:The next frontier in the treatment of necrotizing enterocolitisOACSTPCDMEDLINE

Necrotizing enterocolitis(NEC)is a devastating gastrointestinal disease over decades,which,however,remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants.^([1])Although multiple factors,including gastrointestinal tract bacterial colonization,immaturity,and formula feeding,are reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of NEC,the precise mechanisms are not well understood.Owing to the advances in metagenomic sequencing,ample evidences have illustrated the presence of gut dysbacteriosis in infants with NEC,which is characterized by an elevated abundance of Proteobacteria,reduced abundance of Firmicutes phyla,and an overall decrease in bacterial diversity,providing novel insights into NEC progression.^([1,2])Additionally,the bacterial replication rates,particularly those of Enterobacteriaceae,rapidly increase two days prior to NEC diagnosis.^([2])