Probiotics are live micro-organisms with a health promoting effect. Because of their immunomodulating capacity as well as improvement of gut barrier function, probiotics have the capacity to prevent infectious complications in a variety of clinical settings. Now selected probiotics show potential for improving the clinical outcome of severe trauma patients.

BACKGROUND Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is considered to be a worldwide issue along with the development of supportive ventilation. The preventing strategy is of great importance for its poor prognostic and difficulties in treatment. Probiotics have been advocated as one of the possible preventive measures. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the potential ben...

The role of intestinal microbiota and probiotics in prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, including diarrheal diseases in children and animal models, is increasingly recognized. Intestinal commensals play a major role in development of the immune system in neonates and in shaping host immune responses to pathogens. Lactobacilli spp. and Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 are two probiotics...

Probiotics are live nonpathogenic microorganisms. Many of these microorganisms are part of the normal human gut flora, where they live in a symbiotic relationship. Probiotics have been used to treat gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI medical conditions. However, the data supporting their use are often conflicting, especially for non-GI-associated illnesses. The strongest evidence supporting the u...

Accumulated evidence, corroborated by a new systematic review by Kristensen et al. (Genome Med 8:52, 2016), suggests that probiotics do not significantly impact the fecal microbiota composition of healthy subjects. Nevertheless, physiological benefits have been associated with probiotic consumption by healthy people. Some studies have suggested that probiotics may impact the function of coloniz...

Probiotics have been recently introduced in dentistry and is one of the newer approaches in caries management. They have been used successfully for several years mainly for gastrointestinal disorders. Most probiotic strains belong to Lactobacilli or bifidobacteria group. Mechanism of action of probiotics is mainly unknown but may include intermicrobial species interactions and immunostimulatory...

Gastrointestinal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. The use of probiotics to prevent and treat a variety of diarrheal diseases has gained favor in recent years. Examples where probiotics have positively impacted gastroenteritis will be highlighted. However, the overall efficacy of these treatments and the mechanisms by which ...

Sir, The World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations have defi ned probiotics as “live microorganisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefi t on the host.” They are also called “friendly bacteria” or “good bacteria.” The concept of probiotics arose at the turn of the 20th century from a hypothesis fi rst proposed by t...

Media reports on probiotics have been conflicting which has led to increased confusion among the general population and also among health professionals. To disentangle myths and reality, the British Nutrition Foundation has carried out a review on probiotics and health. There is good evidence that probiotics are effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and, although only few stud...

Candidais an opportunistic pathogen that causes mucosal and deep systemic candidiasis. The emergence of drug resistance and the side effects of currently available antifungals have restricted their use as long-term prophylactic agents for candidal infections. Given this scenario, probiotics have been suggested as a useful alternative for the management of candidiasis. We analyzed the available ...