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Investigating the Effects of Probiotics on Pneumococcal Colonization Using an In Vitro Adherence Assay
09:20

Investigating the Effects of Probiotics on Pneumococcal Colonization Using an In Vitro Adherence Assay

Published on: April 28, 2014

Effects of Probiotics on Respiratory Tract Infections and Quality of Life in Children: A Large, Prospective,

Yali Zhang1, Xiaohui Li2, Jie Yuan2

  • 1School of Public Health, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

Patient Preference and Adherence
|August 3, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study found that probiotics significantly reduced respiratory infections in children, improving their health and well-being in real-world settings. Caregivers reported fewer symptoms and medical visits, supporting probiotic use as a preventive strategy.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Microbiome Research
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are a significant burden in children's healthcare.
  • While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggest probiotic benefits, real-world evidence from community settings is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of combined Lactobacillus rhamnosus CRL1505 and Bifidobacterium breve M-16V on respiratory and general health in children.
  • To assess the effectiveness of probiotics in a large, community-based pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, multicenter, single-arm, community-based study involving 236 children aged 0-14 years with recent RTIs.
  • Children received a 4-week course of probiotics; outcomes included symptom frequency, medical visits, and quality of life (QoL) via questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • Probiotic use was associated with significant reductions in cold frequency (95.34%) and medical visits (94.49%).
  • Marked improvement or complete symptom disappearance was observed in 80.51% of children, with symptom relief within 1-3 days for 58.47%.
  • Quality of life improved in 97.88% of children, with notable gains in appetite, energy, and sleep.

Conclusions:

  • Probiotic supplementation demonstrated a reduction in RTI burden and enhanced daily well-being in a real-world pediatric cohort.
  • These findings support the use of probiotics as a preventive strategy in community settings, complementing existing RCT data.
Abstract

Keywords:
childrengut–lung axisprobioticsreal-world studyrespiratory tract infections

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