LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE ROTAVIRUS GASTROENTERITIS

We compared different lactic acid bacteria for their effect on the imm une response to rotavirus in children with acute rotavirus gastroenter itis. After initial oral rehydration, 49 children aged 6 to 35 months with rotavirus gastroenteritis randomly received either Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei strain GG (LGG), L. casei subsp. rhamnosus (Lactoph ilus), or a combination of Streptococcus thermophilus and L. delbrucki i subsp. bulgaricus (Yalacta) twice daily for 5 days. Serum antibodies to rotavirus, total number of immunoglobulin-secreting cells (ISC), a nd specific antibody-secreting cells (sASC) to rotavirus were measured at the acute stage and at convalescence. The mean (SD) duration of di arrhea was 1.8 (0.8) days in children who received LGG, 2.8 (1.2) days in those receiving Lactophilus, and 2.6 (1.4) days in those receiving Yalacta (F = 3.3, p = 0.04). The ISC response was comparable in the t hree study groups, but the rotavirus-specific immune responses were di fferent. LGG therapy was associated with an enhancement of IgA sASC to rotavirus and serum IgA antibody level at convalescent stage. We conc lude that certain strains of lactic acid bacteria, particularly LGG, p romote serum and intestinal immune responses to rotavirus, and thus ma y be important in establishing immunity against rotavirus reinfections .