A Mother’s Touch: Emerging Roles in Development of the Cutaneous Microbiome

Skin-associated bacteria constitute a large proportion of the human microbiome and influence host immunity. The healthy cutaneous microbiome adopts site-specific composition, weeks to months postpartum. Zhu et al. (2019) expand the scope of pediatric data, tracking infant skin microflora changes by site, through childhood, and establish new associations with delivery mode and maternal microbiome.