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Results: Despite no significant differences in overall microbial diversity between groups, distinct
compositional shifts were observed in both groups. Staphylococcus epidermidis was highly
dominant in C/S infants with ISD, consistent with hospital-derived colonization. In contrast,
NL infants with ISD exhibited marked overrepresentation of Gardnerella vaginalis and
Escherichia coli, likely reflecting vertical transmission from maternal vaginal flora. At the
genus level, Bifidobacterium was commonly found in C/S infants with ISD but was largely
absent in NL cases with ISD, whilst Gardnerella was prominent among NL infants with ISD.
Conclusion: The skin microbiota of healthy infants typically displays a balanced composition without
excessive overgrowth whilst ISD infants exhibit a markedly disrupted profile. This shift
toward monodominant, niche-displaced taxa, along with the apparent loss of microbial
balance and diversity, underscores a state of cutaneous dysbiosis.
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