Babies at nursery shape each other’s microbiomes
Nature
February 13, 2026
The study of the gut microbiome of infants in nurseries revealed that peer-to-peer interaction during the first years of life is a prominent route of acquisition of microbial strain diversity. The impact of nursery-acquired microorganisms is comparable to that of microorganisms sourced, starting at birth, from family members. Strains of commensal gut bacteria spread among babies and their families in a matter of months.
Verticals
scienceresearch
Originally published on Nature on 2/13/2026