Objective: prevention of repeated infections and allergies in children of allergic mothers by oral colonization with probiotic E. coli strain.The development of some immunologic parameters. Long - term studies.
Design: Original contribution
Setting: Mother and Child Care Institute of Prague.
Methods and results: The results of our long-term studies confirmed that orally administered probiotic E. coli strain after birth rapidly colonized the gastrontestinal tract of the newborn and remained dominant for many weeks. The long-term presence of the strain in the intestine stimulated local and serum antibody response. Early induction of secretory IgA production is important particularly in formula-fed infants. The long-term presence of the E. coli strain in the intestine decreased the numer of pathogens colonizing intestinal and other mucous membranes , the frequency of infections and reduced need for antibiotics in premature and high-risk infants. Ten years later, there was still a lower frequency of repeated infections (23%) in comparison with control children (58%). Colonization with probiotic E. coli strain in infants treated in protected (pathogen-free) environment represented effective prevention of nosocomial infections In the colonized group infections occured in 16% of infants and 130 isolates and 7 genera of pathogens were demonstrated. In the group treated in conventional environment 40% of infants had nosocomial infections, 238 isolates and 10 genera of pathogens were proved. The hospitalization period was shorter in the first group (26 versus 34 days). Intentional colonization with probiotic E. coli after birth reduced incidence of allergies after 10 and 20 years (being 12% and 16% in the colonized groups and 33 and 32% in controls). In the present long - term study (evaluated after the first year) colonization with vaccine COLINFANT after birth influenced the levels of some cytokines ( IL-4, IFN-gama,TGF-beta) and also clinical manifestation of allergy (there were no signs of allergy in colonized infants of allergic mothers, but 25% of infants of control allergic mothers had clinical manifestations of allergies).
Conclusions: By replacement of the natural but incidental ( event. pathogenic ) colonization of the intestine by a targeted orally administered E. coli strain after birth we may have come upon the possibility of how to prevent nosomial infections particularly in formula-fed and high-risk infants and prevent occurence of allergies in infants of allergic mothers.