A PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY OF LACTOBACILLUS GG COLONIZATION IN ONE-TO-3-YEAR-OLD PERUVIAN CHILDREN - SHORT REPORT

A pilot, placebo-controlled study conducted in Peruvian toddlers in a periurban shanty-town community demonstrates that 1) a simple fluoresc ent antibody test performed on bacteria from colonies grown on solid c ulture media can be used as a presumptive screening tool for Lactobaci llus GG, 2) Lactobacillus GG powder sprinkled on flavored gelatin as a nutritional supplement is well-accepted by infants and mothers in thi s population, and 3) daily doses of Lactobacillus GG result in efficie nt colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of Peruvian infants. Thi s study demonstrates that Lactobacillus GG should be evaluated as an a djunct for diarrhea control programs at the community level as well as in hospital-based settings.