Probiotics are microbes that are consumed while they are alive in order to benefit health. In most cases, these microbes are bacteria, but a single yeast species, Saccharomyces boulardii, has also been lauded for its probiotic properties. Yeasts differ from bacteria in that bacteria do not have a nucleus, while yeasts do. Probiotics are being promoted as an aid in treating many different conditions. Several types of infection have been found to benefit from probiotic treatment.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Necrotizing enterocolitis is a disease that can be especially dangerous when it occurs in premature infants. It is the most common cause of gastrointestinal emergencies in that demographic. Its symptoms include abdominal distension, bloody stools, lethargy and tenderness over the abdomen. It can sometimes have a sudden onset and rapid progression that leads to serious complications and even death, according to Dr. Isabelle De Plaen of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. It is believed that pathogens such as E. coli and Clostridia are causes of this condition.
In May of 2007 Dr. Prashant G. Deshpande of King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women in Australia published research in the journal "Lancet" noting that supplementation with probiotics has been found to reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature babies. Deshpande adds that further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Urinary Tract Infections
Infections of the urinary tract are more common in women, due to anatomical factors that enable harmful bacteria to reach the urinary system. Symptoms of theses infections commonly include frequent urination, a painful, burning feeling while urinating, pelvic or back pain and cloudy or bloody urine.
The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that lactobacilli bacterial strains may be helpful in preventing infections of the urinary and genital tracts. These probiotics are commonly found in yogurt and in the fermented milk beverage kefir. Other probiotics that may be useful in this capacity are bifidobacteria, Enterococcus faecium and Streptococcus thermophilus. Again, further studies are needed to confirm the helpfulness of probiotics in fighting urinary tract infections.
Clostridium Difficile Disease
Healthy bacteria such as those touted by probiotic enthusiasts normally inhabit the human intestinal tract. When antibiotics are used, these healthy bacteria can be destroyed along with the harmful bacteria that the medicine was meant to target. This leaves the intestines open to infection by harmful pathogens, such as Clostridium difficile. Dr. LV McFarland of the Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System has found that three different types of probiotic are promising as treatment in this type of infection. These include the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii, the bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and a preparation of mixed probiotics. These probiotics were also found to show promise as treatments for antibiotic induced diarrhea.
References
- "American Journal of Gastroenterology"; Meta-analysis of Probiotics for the Prevention of Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea and the Treatment of Clostridium Difficile Disease; LV McFarland: April 2006
- Pediatre.be: Necrotizing Enterocolitis
- "Lancet"; Probiotics for Prevention of Necrotising Enterocolitis in Preterm Neonates with Very Low Birthweight: Prashant G. Deshpande; May 2007
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Urinary Tract Infections
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