Probiotics for the developing world.
Every minute of every day more and more children die of diarrheal diseases and women, and girls become infected by HIV. An estimated 7,000 women become infected each day. While many valiant efforts are being made to address these issues, until now they have proved to be markedly ineffective. The notion that lactic acid bacteria, formulated into food or dietary supplements, could have a role to play in slowing the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV/AIDS and gastroenteritis, is built upon sound clinical findings and scientific investigations, yet no international efforts have been placed in this approach, to date. We hereby summarize the reasons why such efforts should be made, provide an example of one model being set up in sub-Saharan Africa, and challenge the international community to consider the potential benefits of probiotics, especially for communities not reached by governmental and nongovernmental agencies.
Reid
Gregor
G
Canadian Research and Development Centre for Probiotics, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada. gregor@uwo.ca
Anand
Sanjeev
S
Bingham
Max O
MO
Mbugua
Gabriel
G
Wadstrom
Torkel
T
Fuller
Roy
R
Anukam
Kingsley
K
Katsivo
Melanie
M
D003906:Developing Countries; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*