BIOTHERAPEUTIC ROLE OF FERMENTED MILK

Fermented milk was used as therapy in infantile diarrhoea due to post- gastroenteritis syndrome. This treatment eliminated the disease in 4.0 days (mean value, SD=2.8; n=13) and allowed patients to return to fre e feeding according to their age. The weight percentile variation duri ng treatment with fermented milk (15 days) was higher in the patients showing 3(rd) degree malnutrition than in other children. Bacteriother apy can restore faecal flora which has been lowered by diarrhoea. Our results showed that levels higher than 10(6) UFC lactobacilli/g of fae ces correlated with a healthy status of the children. Clinical applica tions of fermented milk with a mixture of Lactobacillus casei and Lact obacillus acidophilus in the prevention of gastrointestinal disorders are possible.