ORAL BACTERIOTHERAPY FOR VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS

The effect of orally administered lactobacilli on acute rotavirus diar rhea was tested in 42 well-nourished children ages 5-28 months. After oral rehydration, the patients were randomized to a study group, recei ving human Lactobacillus casei strain GG 10(10) colony-forming units t wice daily for five days, or a control group not given lactobacilli. L actobacillus GG was found in the feces in 83% of the study group. The diarrheal phase was shortened in that group. Dietary supplementation w ith lactobacilli significantly influenced the bacterial enzyme profile : urease activity during diarrhea transiently increased in the control group but not in the study group; F = 8.6, P = 0.01. No intergroup di fferences were found in beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase, and glyc ocholic acid hydrolase levels. We suggest that rotavirus infection giv es rise to biphasic diarrhea, the first phase being an osmotic diarrhe a and the second associated with overgrowth of specifically urease-pro ducing bacteria. Oral bacteriotherapy appears a promising means to cou nteract the disturbed microbial balance.