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Published on: January 27, 2019

Effect of probiotic Lactobacillus strains in young children hospitalized with acute diarrhea

Vibeke Rosenfeldt1, Kim Fleischer Michaelsen, Mogens Jakobsen

  • 1Research Department of Human Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark. VRosenfeldt@dadlnet.dk

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|August 2, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Two probiotic Lactobacillus strains, L. rhamnosus 19070-2 and L. reuteri DSM 12246, reduced diarrhea duration and rotavirus excretion in children. Early intervention showed the most significant benefits, shortening hospital stays.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Acute childhood diarrhea remains a significant health concern, with limited effective therapeutic options.
  • Probiotic interventions, particularly using Lactobacillus strains, show promise in managing diarrheal diseases.
  • Identifying specific strains with proven efficacy is crucial for advancing oral bacteriotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the therapeutic potential of two novel probiotic Lactobacillus strains, L. rhamnosus 19070-2 and L. reuteri DSM 12246, in treating acute childhood diarrhea.
  • To assess the impact of these probiotics on diarrhea duration, stool consistency, rotavirus excretion, and hospitalization length.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 69 hospitalized children with acute diarrhea.
  • Participants received a mixture of L. rhamnosus 19070-2 and L. reuteri DSM 12246 (10(10) CFU each) or placebo twice daily for 5 days.
  • In vitro and healthy volunteer studies preceded strain selection to confirm probiotic characteristics.

Main Results:

  • Probiotic treatment reduced the diarrheal phase by 20% (82h vs. 101h, P=0.07), with significantly fewer patients having loose stools at study end (P=0.03).
  • Early intervention (diarrhea <60h) demonstrated a clear probiotic effect, reducing diarrhea duration (80h vs. 130h, P=0.003) and hospitalization by 48% (P=0.03).
  • Rotavirus antigen detection was significantly lower in the probiotic group (12% vs. 46%, P=0.02).

Conclusions:

  • L. rhamnosus 19070-2 and L. reuteri DSM 12246 effectively ameliorated acute diarrhea in hospitalized children.
  • Oral bacteriotherapy with these strains reduced rotavirus shedding and length of hospital stay.
  • The most pronounced benefits were observed in children receiving early intervention during the diarrheal phase.
Abstract

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