Bacteriotherapy for preventing recurrent upper respiratory infections in children: a real-world experience

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Pediatrics
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• Recurrent upper respiratory infections (RURI) pose significant pharmaco-economic and familial burdens.
• Bacteriotherapy presents a potential preventive strategy for RURI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the preventive efficacy of a specific bacteriotherapy in children experiencing RURI.
• To assess the impact of this treatment on infection frequency and associated absences.

Main Methods:

• A real-life study involving 80 children diagnosed with RURI.
• Treatment involved a nasal spray with Streptococcus salivarius 24SMB and Streptococcus oralis 89a over three monthly courses.
• Outcomes measured included the number of URIs and school/work absences, compared to the previous year.

Main Results:

• Bacteriotherapy treatment led to a significant reduction in mean URI episodes, from 5.98 to 2.75 per year (p<0.0001).
• A notable decrease of over 35% in monthly school and work days missed was observed.
• Statistical analysis confirmed the significance of these improvements (p<0.0001).

Conclusions:

• This real-world study provides initial evidence for the effectiveness of Streptococcus salivarius 24SMB and Streptococcus oralis 89a nasal spray in preventing RURI in children.
• The findings suggest this bacteriotherapy is a viable option for reducing the incidence of recurrent respiratory infections and associated disruptions.