Eur J Pediatr

Early-life antibiotic exposure linked to persistent food allergies in children

January 29, 2026

A follow-up analysis from the INCA prospective cohort found that infants who received IV antibiotics in the first week of life had higher odds of food allergies at ages 9 to 12 compared with unexposed peers. Among 314 participants, antibiotic‑exposed children showed increased parent‑reported (odds ratio [OR], 3.52) and test‑confirmed (OR, 6.6) food allergies. No associations were observed with asthma, inhalant allergies, or eczema, suggesting that early-life dysbiosis may differentially influence pathways leading to food vs. inhalant atopy. General practitioner diagnoses of “any allergy” were also more common in exposed children (OR, 3.0).

Clinical takeaway: First‑week antibiotic exposure may have lasting associations with food allergies into preadolescence, though links to airway atopy weren't observed.

Source:

Carpay NC, et al. (2026, January 14). Eur J Pediatr. Antibiotics in the first week of life and the association with atopic diseases at ages 9-12: a prospective cohort study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41533251/