OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of intervention with oral probiotic METHODS: This study were conducted among 155 women in the third trimester of pregnancy with positive results of GBS culture in the Outpatient Department of Zhujiang Hospital from March to November, 2019. After excluding 32 patients who received lactobacillus intervention for less than 2 weeks or underwent postpartum GBS retesting, the women were divided into oral probiotics intervention group (60 cases) and non-intervention group (63 cases). According to the results of GBS retesting, the 60 women in the intervention group were divided into GBS-negative group (18 cases) and persistent GBS-positive group (42 cases). At the end of the intervention, the rates of negative GBS culture result were calculated and the pregnancy outcomes were compared. From 5 women randomly selected from the intervention group, samples of vaginal secretions were collected before and after the intervention for amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: At the end of the intervention, the GBS-negative rate in the intervention group was 30% (18/60), as compared with 23% (3/13) in the non-intervention group. Probiotic intervention significantly reduced the incidence of premature rupture of membranes ( CONCLUSIONS Intervention with oral probiotics can reduce vaginal GBS colonization in late pregnancy and improve the pregnancy outcome.
Female ; Humans ; Lactobacillus reuteri ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Microbiota ; Pregnancy ; Probiotics/therapeutic use* ; Streptococcus agalactiae ; Vagina

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has become a significant threat to public health. Although broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy is the primary treatment option for CDI, its use has evident limitations. Probiotics have been proved to be effective in the treatment of CDI and are a promising therapeutic option for CDI. In this study, 4 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), namely, Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR5), Lactococ-cuslactis (SL3), Bifidobacterium breve (BR3), and Bifidobacterium lactis (BL3) were evaluated for their anti-C. difficile activity. Co-culture incubation of C. difficile (106 and 1010 CFU/ml) with each strain of LAB indicated that SL3 possessed the highest antimicrobial activity over a 24-hr period. The cell-free supernatants of the 4 LAB strains exhibited MIC50 values between 0.424 mg/ml (SL3) and 1.318 (BR3) mg/ml. These results may provide a basis for alternative therapies for the treatment of C. difficile-associated gut disorders.
Bacteria ; Bifidobacterium ; Clostridium ; Clostridium difficile ; Coculture Techniques ; Complementary Therapies ; Lactic Acid ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Probiotics ; Public Health ; Pyridines ; Sprains and Strains ; Thiazoles

PURPOSE: To evaluate a therapeutic efficacy of probiotics mixture (probiotics) in the treatment of children with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (AD). METHODS: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel trial with a washout period of 2 weeks and an intervention period for 6 weeks, conducted from November 2010 to October 2011. One hundred children with mild to moderate AD (2-9 years old) were randomly allocated to the probiotics (Lactobacilluss casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium lactis) or placebo groups. The assessment of efficacy was based on the change in eczema area severity index (EASI), visual analogue scale for pruritus (VASP), fecal cell counts of each strains (log10[cell counts/g stool]), and serum cytokine levels (Interleukin-4 [IL-4]; IL-10; Tumor necrosis factor alpha, [TNF-alpha]) in weeks 0 and 6. RESULTS: Demographics and baseline characteristics at the week 0 were not significantly different between the 2 groups. The significant increments in fecal-cell counts were observed in the probiotcs group at week 6 (P=0.00), while the cytokine levels between the 2 groups were not significantly different in week 6 (IL-4, P=0.50; IL-10, P=0.58; TNF-alpha, P=0.82). The probiotics significantly improved clinical severity after 6 weeks' intervention of probiotics; however, the placebo group also showed significant improvement (EASI; P=0.00, VASP; P=0.00). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that probiotics successfully colonized in the intestine after 6 weeks' intervention; nevertheless, we could not find an additional therapeutic or immunomodulatory effects on the treatment of AD. Further long-term studies will be necessary to clarify the therapeutic efficacy of probiotics.
Bifidobacterium ; Cell Count ; Child* ; Colon ; Cytokines ; Demography ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Eczema ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; Intestines ; Lactobacillus plantarum ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Probiotics* ; Pruritus ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Human malignant melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer which has been rising at a greater rate than any other cancers. Although various new therapeutic methods have been developed in previous studies, this disease has properties of high proliferation and metastasis rate which remain obstacles that have lead to a poor prognosis in patients. It has been reported that a specific Lactobacillus extract has anti-cancer and –metastasis effect in vitro and in vivo. However, previous research has not specified precisely what effect the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) extract has had on human malignant melanomas. In this study, we showed that the LGG extract has anti-cancer and –metastasis effects on the human malignant melanoma cell lines, A375P and A375SM. At first, it was found that, while the LGG extract affects human neonatal dermal fibroblasts slightly, it induced the dose-dependent anti-cancer effect on A375P and A375SM by a WST-1 proliferation assay. As a result of a real-time PCR analysis, the expression patterns of several genes related to cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis were modulating in a manner that inhibited the growth of both malignant melanoma cell lines after the treatment of the LGG extract. Furthermore, genes related to the epithelialmesenchymal transition were down-regulated, and migration rates were also decreased significantly by the LGG extract. Our study showed that the LGG extract could be used as a potential therapeutic source.
Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Fibroblasts ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus* ; Lactobacillus* ; Melanoma* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infectious diseases. There are reports that loss or destruction of normal urinary flora such as Lactobacillus increases UTI, and in more recent reports, human urinary epithelial cells have been found to competitively block uropathogen conjugation. We investigated the blocking effect of the Lactobacillus rhamnosus in a rat model of UTI caused by Escherichia coli. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two adult female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250 to 350 g (Samtako BioKorea, Osan, South Korea) were randomly divided into 4 groups (Group I, control group; Group II, Lactobacillus group; Group III, E. coli group; Group IV, E. coli and Lactobacillus group). After 3 weeks, the urine and bladder were cultured for microbiological study and the bladder was examined histopathologically. RESULTS: Microbiological culture of urine demonstrated no significant differences in the four groups, but there were significantly fewer bacteria in group IV than in group III (p<0.05). The bacterial growth of the bladder tissue showed the same result. Histological exam of the bladder of group IV showed decreased infiltration of leukocytes and less submucosal edema than in group III. CONCLUSIONS: We were able to confirm the blocking effect of L. rhamnosus on E. coli growth. More studies are needed to further identify the therapeutic effect of Lactobacillus and to determine the optimal lactobacilli species, dose, and method of administration.
Adult ; Animals ; Bacteria ; Communicable Diseases ; Edema ; Epithelial Cells ; Escherichia ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Humans ; Lactobacillus ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Leukocytes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections

PURPOSE: Probiotic bacteria can induce immune regulation or immune tolerance in allergic diseases. The underlying mechanisms have been recently investigated, but are still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lcr35) in a mouse model of asthma and to identify its mechanism of action. METHODS: Lcr35 was administered daily by the oral route at a dosage of 1x10(9) CFU/mouse in BALB/c mice for 7 days before the first sensitization. Clinical parameters and regulatory T (Treg) cells were examined. The role of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells was analyzed using a Treg cell-depleting anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody (mAb). RESULTS: Airway hyperresponsiveness, total IgE production, pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation, and splenic lymphocyte proliferation were suppressed after Lcr35 treatment. Th1 (IFN-gamma) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) cytokines in the serum were suppressed, and the percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells in the spleen was significantly increased in the Lcr35 treatment group. Anti-CD25 mAb administration abolished the protective effects of Lcr35, indicating that CD4+ CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells are essential in mediating the activity of Lcr35. CONCLUSIONS: Oral administration of Lcr35 attenuated the features of allergic asthma in a mouse model and induced immune regulation by a CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cell-mediated mechanism.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Asthma ; Bacteria ; Cytokines ; Eosinophils ; Immune Tolerance ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-5 ; Lactobacillus ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Lymphocytes ; Mice ; Negotiating ; Probiotics ; Spleen ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory

BACKGROUND: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a very common gynecologic infection associated with a vast number of complications both in gynecologic and obstetric patients. One of the major concerns in its treatment is a high recurrence rate which was multifactorial and the choice of the suitable antimicrobial is important to decrease the treatment failure.

METHODS: All gynecologic patients aged 18 years old and above in a tertiary hospital diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis according to Amsel's criteria. A total of 80 patients were randomly assigned into two groups; one group to receive oral Probiotics (Protexin) while the other group to receive Metronidazole. The patients will be followed up accordingly on Days 1, 3, 7 and 30 and will be graded according to Amsel's criteria. The primary endpoint of the study is the treatment of bacterial vaginosis based on the mentioned criteria. (Anukam, 2006)

RESULTS: The results showed that there was a significant improvement in the character of the vaginal discharge based on the Amsels criteria on Day 1 of treatment for the Metronidazole group (0/40; 100%, p value <0.001) and Day 3 for Oral Lactobacillus arms. (7/40; 20%, p value 0.01). The Metronidazole arm showed a significant improvement in the fishy odor on vaginal examination with addition of 10% KOH on day 1 (0/40; 100%, p value <0.001) and Day 3 for oral Lactobacilus (0/40; 100%, p value 1.00). Then vaginal pH was noted to be more acidic in the Metronidazole compared to the Protexin arm on Day 1 of treatment (0/40; 0% and 40/40; 100% p value

CONCLUSION: The Metronidazole remains to be the standard treatment for Bacterial vaginosis. There was also faster recovery and clinical improvement in the character of the vaginal discharge, amount and smell based on the Amsel's criteria as early as Day 1 of follow-up; however, there was a small number of population with poor compliance resulting to higher recurrence rate which was evident on the 30 th day of follow-up. The oral lactobacillus rhamnosus showed advantage over Metronidazole due to lower recurrence rate of BV as noted on Day 30 of follow up.

Human ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Pregnancy ; Vaginosis, Bacterial ; Lactobacillus Rhamnosus ; Metronidazole ; Lactobacillus ; Probiotics ; Anti-infective Agents ; Gynecological Examination ; Odorants ; Smell ; Vaginal Discharge

BACKGROUND: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a very common gynecologic infection associated with a vast number of complications both in gynecologic and obstetric patients. One of the major concerns in its treatment is a high recurrence rate which was multifactorial and the choice of the suitable antimicrobial is important to decrease the treatment failure.

METHODS: All gynecologic patients aged 18 years old and above in a tertiary hospital diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis according to Amsel's criteria. A total of 80 patients were randomly assigned into two groups; one group to receive oral Probiotics (Protexin) while the other group to receive Metronidazole. The patients will be followed up accordingly on Days 1, 3, 7 and 30 and will be graded according to Amsel's criteria. The primary endpoint of the study is the treatment of bacterial vaginosis based on the mentioned criteria. (Anukam, 2006)

RESULTS: The results showed that there was a significant improvement in the character of the vaginal discharge based on the Amsels criteria on Day 1 of treatment for the Metronidazole group (0/40; 100%, p value <0.001) and Day 3 for Oral Lactobacillus arms. (7/40; 20%, p value 0.01). The Metronidazole arm showed a significant improvement in the fishy odor on vaginal examination with addition of 10% KOH on day 1 (0/40; 100%, p value <0.001) and Day 3 for oral Lactobacilus (0/40; 100%, p value 1.00). Then vaginal pH was noted to be more acidic in the Metronidazole compared to the Protexin arm on Day 1 of treatment (0/40; 0% and 40/40; 100% p value

CONCLUSION: The Metronidazole remains to be the standard treatment for Bacterial vaginosis. There was also faster recovery and clinical improvement in the character of the vaginal discharge, amount and smell based on the Amsel's criteria as early as Day 1 of follow-up; however, there was a small number of population with poor compliance resulting to higher recurrence rate which was evident on the 30 th day of follow-up. The oral lactobacillus rhamnosus showed advantage over Metronidazole due to lower recurrence rate of BV as noted on Day 30 of follow up.

Human ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Pregnancy ; Vaginosis, Bacterial ; Lactobacillus Rhamnosus ; Metronidazole ; Lactobacillus ; Probiotics ; Anti-infective Agents ; Gynecological Examination ; Odorants ; Smell ; Vaginal Discharge

6 years (RR=4.15), with previous abdominal pain (RR=7.2) or constipation (RR=4.06). Constipation was recorded in 23/289 (8.0%), with increased risk in children having surgery (RR=2.56) or previous constipation (RR=7.38). Probiotic supplementation significantly reduced AAD (RR=0.30) and abdominal pain (RR=0.36). Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and L. reuteri significantly reduced AAD (RR=0.37 and 0.35) and abdominal pain (RR=0.37 and 0.24).CONCLUSION: AAD occurred in 20.4% of children, with increased risk at younger age, lower respiratory and urinary tract infections, intravenous treatment and previous AAD. LGG and L. reuteri reduced both AAD and associated abdominal pain.]]>
Abdominal Pain ; Administration, Intravenous ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Constipation ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Lactobacillus reuteri ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Probiotics ; Prospective Studies ; Protective Factors ; Urinary Tract Infections

PURPOSE: Lactobacilli are probiotic bacteria that are effective in the management of allergic diseases or gastroenteritis. It is hypothesized that such probiotics have immunoregulatory properties and promote mucosal tolerance. Our goal was to investigate whether Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus Lcr35 could inhibit airway inflammation in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine model of asthma. METHODS: BALB/c mice aged 6 weeks were used in the present study. Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus Lcr35 was administered daily, starting 1 week prior to the first OVA sensitization (group 1) and 2 days before the first 1% OVA airway challenge (group 2). Mice that received only saline at both sensitization and airway challenge time points were used as negative controls (group 3), and those that had OVA-induced asthma were used as positive controls (group 4). Airway responsiveness to methacholine was assessed, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed. At the endpoint of the study, total IgE as well as OVA-specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a in serum was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lung pathology was also evaluated. RESULTS: Airway hyperresponsiveness, total cell counts and the proportion of eosinophils in BAL fluid were significantly decreased in group 1 compared with group 4 (P<0.05). Total serum IgE levels were also significantly decreased in group 1 compared with group 4. Serum levels of OVA-specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG(2a) were not significantly influenced by treatment with Lcr35. There was significantly less peribronchial and perivascular infiltration of inflammatory cells in group 1 compared with group 4; however, there were no significant differences in methacholine challenge, BAL, serology or histology between groups 2 and 4. CONCLUSIONS: Oral treatment with Lcr35 prior to sensitization can attenuate airway inflammation and hyperreactivity in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation. These results suggest that Lcr35 may have potential for preventing asthma.
Aged ; Animals ; Asthma ; Bacteria ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Cell Count ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophils ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Inflammation ; Lactobacillus ; Lactobacillus casei ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Lung ; Methacholine Chloride ; Mice ; Ovalbumin ; Ovum ; Primary Prevention ; Probiotics