Predictive Diagnosis of Ulcero-Necrotizing EnteroColitis in Premature Babies Using an Artificial Intelligence Approach Based on Early Analysis of the Fecal Microbiota

Systematic collection of stool (excluding meconium) from premature infants up to 21 days of age. Systematic analysis of the first two stools at the MEDiS laboratory: analysis of fecal microbiota by direct metagenomic sequencing (RiboTaxa), coupled with artificial intelligence (deep neural network previously trained on literature data). The test gives us a dichotomous response (yes/no) for each stool. In the event of discordant analysis between the 2 stools (approximately 35% of cases in our preliminary study), a 3ème stool will be analyzed in order to classify the child as being at risk of NEC or not. The person performing these analyses will not be informed of the child's clinical evolution. The diagnosis of NEC will be made by the clinician in charge of the child, according to the Bell classification. Follow-up until return home or transfer to a peripheral center. A telephone call will be made to parents at 3 months of age, to ensure that no NECN has occurred after transfer to a peripheral center.