title: Effect of probiotics on vaccine antibody responses in infancy--a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial.
abstract: Probiotics are immunomodulatory and may thus affect vaccine antibody responses. With the accumulating evidence of their health-promoting effects, probiotics are increasingly administered in allergy-prone infants. Therefore, we studied the effect of probiotics on antibody responses to diphtheria, tetanus and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines in 6-month-old infants participating in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind allergy-prevention trial. Mothers of unborn children at increased risk for atopy used a combination of four probiotic strains, or a placebo, for 4 wk before delivery. During 6 months from birth, their infants received the same probiotics and galacto-oligosaccharides, or a placebo. The infants were immunized with a DTwP (diphtheria, tetanus and whole cell pertussis) at ages 3, 4, and 5 months, and with a Hib polysaccharide conjugate at 4 months. Serum diphtheria, tetanus, and Hib IgG antibodies were measured at 6 months. In the probiotic group, protective Hib antibody concentrations (>/=1 microg/ml) occurred more frequently, 16 of 32 (50%) vs. six of 29 (21%) (p = 0.020), and the geometric mean (inter-quartile range) Hib IgG concentration tended to be higher 0.75 (0.15-2.71) microg/ml than in the placebo group 0.40 (0.15-0.92) microg/ml (p = 0.064). In these respective groups, diphtheria, 0.38 (0.14-0.78) vs. 0.47 (0.19-1.40) IU/ml (p = 0.449), and tetanus, 1.01(0.47-1.49) vs. 0.81 (0.56-1.39) IU/ml (p = 0.310), IgG titers were comparable. In conclusion, in allergy-prone infants probiotics seem not to impair antibody responses to diphtheria, tetanus, or Hib, but may improve response to Hib immunization.
authors.affiliation: Skin and Allergy Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. kaarina.kukkonen@hus.fi
authors.forename: Kaarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kukkonen
authors.forename: Tea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nieminen
authors.forename: Tuija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poussa
authors.forename: Erkki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Savilahti
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuitunen
mesh_terms: D001644:Bifidobacterium; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus; D008297:Male; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011247:Pregnancy; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011424:Propionibacterium
chemical_list: D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D009844:Oligosaccharides