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Infectious complications following probiotic ingestion: a potentially underestimated problem? A systematic review of

Rafael Lessa Costa1,2,3, José Moreira4,5, Andrea Lorenzo4

  • 1Intensive Care Unit of Unimed-Rio Hospital, Av. Ayrton Senna, 2550, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, CEP 22775-003, Brazil. lessa.med@gmail.com.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
|December 14, 2018
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Probiotic ingestion can lead to infectious complications, primarily fungemia, especially in older adults. Careful evaluation is crucial for at-risk patient groups to mitigate potential risks.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Limited research exists on complications from probiotic ingestion.
  • Infectious complications of probiotics require further investigation to inform clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize and critically evaluate case reports and series on infectious complications linked to probiotic ingestion.
  • To enhance awareness regarding the safe prescription and use of probiotics in vulnerable patient populations.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review of PubMed, SciELO, and Scopus databases was conducted for reports and case series up to August 2018.
  • Manual cross-reference investigation of article citations was performed.
  • Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were conducted using SPSS version 23.0.

Main Results:

  • A total of 93 patients from 60 case reports and 7 case series were analyzed.
  • Fungemia was the most frequent infectious complication (37.6%), with Saccharomyces being the most common genus identified (50.6%).
  • Mortality was associated with older age (>60 years), Clostridium difficile colitis, antibiotic use, and Saccharomyces infections.

Conclusions:

  • Probiotic use is not without risk and necessitates careful consideration.
  • Specific patient groups require a thorough risk-benefit evaluation before probiotic administration.
Keywords:
FungemiaInfectionLactobacillusProbioticsSaccharomycesSepsis

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