Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus F19 prevent antibiotic-associated ecological disturbances of Bacteroides fragilis in the intestine.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare the effect of clindamycin on the intestinal microflora in subjects ingesting yogurt with added probiotic microorganisms with the microflora in subjects ingesting placebo yogurt.


METHODS
Twenty-four healthy subjects were included in the study. All subjects received 150 mg clindamycin four times daily for 7 days and 250 ml yogurt twice daily for 14 days. Faecal samples were collected before, during and after administration of clindamycin.


RESULTS
In the aerobic intestinal microflora, the numbers of enterococci increased after treatment in both groups, whereas other Gram-positive microorganisms decreased. In both groups, the numbers of Escherichia coli also decreased, whereas there was a concomitant increase in numbers of other Gram-negative bacilli. In the anaerobic microflora in subjects receiving yogurt with added microorganisms, the numbers of lactobacilli and bacteroides remained at the same levels throughout the study, whereas the numbers decreased in the placebo group. Other anaerobic bacteria decreased in both groups. The minimum inhibitory concentration of clindamycin against strains of bacteroides increased in both groups during the study.


CONCLUSIONS
The probiotic microorganisms evaluated in this study prevented ecological disturbances in the numbers of intestinal Bacteroides fragilis group species during clindamycin administration.
Sullivan
Asa
A
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
Barkholt
Lisbeth
L
Nord
Carl Erik
CE
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015014:Yogurt / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002981:Clindamycin