Bifidobacterium, Enterobacteriaceae, total bacterial colony counts and pH values were quantified and measured in 84 feces from 29 breast-fed and 23 bottle-fed infants aged 24 hours to 5 days. Both the breast-fed and bottle-fed infants from 24 hours to 5 days of age had similar total bacterial counts ranging from log 10.0±1.0/gm to log 10.1±0.4/gm, and from log 9.0±1.3/gm to log 10.1±0.4/gm respectively. Both the breast-fed and bottle-fed infants had similar Enterobactericeae counts ranging from log 9.1±1.5/gm to log 9.7±0.4/gm, and from log 9.6±1.2/gm to log 9.7±0.5/gm, respectively. On the 3rd day to 5th day after birth breast-fed infants had fecal Bifidobacterium with mean counts of log 9.1±1.4/gm, whereas bottle-fed infants had fecal Bifidobacterium with mean counts of log 7.6±2.0/gm. Breast-fed infants had significantly higher mean fecal Bifidobacterium counts than bottle-fed infants (P<0.01) though they had similar positive culture frequency (59% and 53%). There was significant correlation between low fecal pH value and high relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in feces (P=0.012) but no consistent relationship between Bifidobacterium counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts. The fecal pH values of breast-fed infants showed steady decline from 6.37±0.49 to 5.67±0.52 after the 24 hours of life, but the fecal pH values of bottle-fed infants showed no steady decline.
Bifidobacterium, Enterobacteriaceae, total bacterial colony counts and pH values were quantified and measured in 84 feces from 29 breast-fed and 23 bottle-fed infants aged 24 hours to 5 days. Both the breast-fed and bottle-fed infants from 24 hours to 5 days of age had similar total bacterial counts ranging from log 10.0±1.0/gm to log 10.1±0.4/gm, and from log 9.0±1.3/gm to log 10.1±0.4/gm respectively. Both the breast-fed and bottle-fed infants had similar Enterobactericeae counts ranging from log 9.1±1.5/gm to log 9.7±0.4/gm, and from log 9.6±1.2/gm to log 9.7±0.5/gm, respectively. On the 3rd day to 5th day after birth breast-fed infants had fecal Bifidobacterium with mean counts of log 9.1±1.4/gm, whereas bottle-fed infants had fecal Bifidobacterium with mean counts of log 7.6±2.0/gm. Breast-fed infants had significantly higher mean fecal Bifidobacterium counts than bottle-fed infants (P<0.01) though they had similar positive culture frequency (59% and 53%). There was significant correlation between low fecal pH value and high relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in feces (P=0.012) but no consistent relationship between Bifidobacterium counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts. The fecal pH values of breast-fed infants showed steady decline from 6.37±0.49 to 5.67±0.52 after the 24 hours of life, but the fecal pH values of bottle-fed infants showed no steady decline.