Impact of Cystic Fibrosis on Gut Microbiota

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder known to affect multiple organs, including the gut, impacting the microbiome's development. Infants with CF experience significant delays in gut microbiota maturation. This condition creates an altered gut environment that leads to microbiota composition changes which may affect health outcomes.

"Our major conclusion was that in CF the microbiome really doesn't change very much, so it's essentially stunted or delayed in its maturation compared to healthy kids, and this failure to mature may contribute to poor health," says Ross.

A longitudinal study, tracking 40 infants with CF over three years, provides detailed insights into these developmental delays (Verster et al., 2025).

Role of Antibiotics in Microbiome Development

Antibiotic use is common in CF treatment but may have unintended effects on gut microbiota maturation. These medications, while essential for managing infections, disrupt beneficial microbial populations, consequently delaying normal developmental processes. The study pointed out a negative correlation between cumulative antibiotic exposure and microbiota age.

"A negative correlation exists between cumulative antibiotic exposure and relative microbiota age, indicating antibiotics may contribute to maturation defects."

On average, infants with CF were exposed to antibiotics 7.6 times, adversely impacting their microbiome development (The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, 2025).