Reduced genetic potential for butyrate fermentation in the gut microbiome of infants who develop allergic sensitization

BACKGROUND: Allergic disease is the most frequent chronic health issue in children and has been linked to early-life gut microbiome dysbiosis. Many lines of evidence suggest that microbially derived short-chain fatty acids, and particularly butyrate, can promote immune tolerance. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether bacterial butyrate production in the gut during early infancy is protective against the development of atopic disease in …