Probiotics in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases

The mammalian intestinal tract contains a complex and diverse society of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. While it is estimated that there are more than 400 bacterial species inhabiting the human intestinal tract, many of these are uncultivated micro-organisms that have complex interactions with other microflora and their host. Recent advances in molecular biology and genetics will facilitate the identification of some unknown organisms through the science of metagenomics. Subsequent analyses of genetic code may inform microbiologists on how to create suitable culture conditions for these unknown organisms in order to facilitate further study and characterization. Although environmental factors and the genetic make-up of the host can modulate the distribution of microbial strains, diet appears to be a major factor in regulating the concentration of individual species of micro-organisms that colonize the gut. In addition, several gastrointestinal diseases have been associated with imbalances in the endogenous microflora population.