University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston finds thirdhand smoke impacts gut bacteria in infants

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HOUSTON, TX - In a recent study published in Environmental Research, researchers with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have found that infants exposed to thirdhand smoke while hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) show a difference in their gut microbiome composition.

Thirdhand smoke refers to tobacco smoke particles and residue (e.g., nicotine) that linger on surfaces and in-house dust. Long after smoking has stopped, the residue can be found on hands, clothes, furniture, walls, dust, carpets, and other surfaces. Children can still be exposed even if an adult smokes outside the home or building.

Associate professor of family and community medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and lead author on the study, Thomas Northrup, Ph.D., said that adults who smoke tobacco have gut microbiome differences compared to nonsmoking adults.

The researchers collected stool and urine samples from 43 newborns admitted to the NICU shortly after birth. Eleven of the 43 infants came from nonsmoking homes, while 32 came from a home where at least one person smoked tobacco. Before being discharged from the NICU, the researchers examined the infants and confirmed that they were never exposed to secondhand smoke.

Researchers discovered that infants from nonsmoking homes or those having less exposure to nicotine residue from NICU furniture had greater gut microbiome diversity than infants from smoking households. This study expands on an earlier study led by Northrup that measured nicotine residue from furniture in the NICU’s waiting areas and rooms.

The gut microbiome consists of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that are beneficial to overall health. A healthy gut microbiome aids vitamin and nutrient absorption, and in some cases, it provides immunity to particular diseases.

Researchers are unaware of whether exposure to thirdhand smoke during infancy causes a long-term health change. However, previous research has shown that thirdhand smoke can impair wound healing, impede respiratory development, and cause metabolic changes in the body. On the other hand, Northrup says that current research is looking into the use of probiotics in infancy to see if it can restore the gut microbiome to balance.

“If you begin to alter the microbial community, you may impact specific microbes or bacteria that serve important health-promoting functions. If the gut microbiome is affected in some way, where it is less able to protect our health, it’s easy to understand how that could become problematic for an infant’s overall health and development,” Northrup said.

“One of the most important things parents can do is to completely eliminate the use of tobacco in the household. If you can get everyone in the household to stop smoking, you can better protect the infant’s overall health,” he added.

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