Prevention of allergy in infants of allergic mothers by probiotic Escherichia coli.
BACKGROUND
The objective is to study the effect of after-birth oral colonization by a probiotic Escherichia coli strain in infants of allergic mothers to reduce occurrence of allergy later in life.


METHODS
In a controlled clinical trial, 158 infants were randomly divided into groups of (i) 56 colonized infants of allergic mothers, (ii) 57 control infants of allergic mothers, and (iii) 45 control infants of healthy mothers. Incidence rates of bacterial pathogens in stool and levels of anti-E. coli immunoglobulins and some cytokines in serum were determined, and secretory IgA was monitored in stool filtrates and maternal milk. Clinical check-ups of infants aged 4 days, 3 and 6 months, 2, 3 and 5 years were carried out and clinical symptoms of allergy were monitored. One milliliter of the probiotic E. coli strain was administered to infants of allergic mothers at first within 48 h after birth and subsequently 3 times a week over a period of 4 weeks. Control infants of allergic and healthy mothers were monitored in these intervals as well.


RESULTS
Presence of the E. coli strain was monitored in stool samples throughout the study. At the conclusion of the study, allergy symptoms were found in 14 infants of control allergic mothers, 7 infants of healthy mothers, and in 2 colonized infants of allergic mothers. Colonization affected levels of several cytokines and specific anti-E. coli antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
After birth, targeted colonization of the intestine by a probiotic E. coli strain can be an effective means of allergy prevention in infants of allergic mothers.
Lodinová-Zádníková
Raja
R
Institute for Care of Mother and Child, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. annajan@volny.cz
Prokesová
Ludmila
L
Kocourková
Ingrid
I
Hrdý
Jirí
J
Zizka
Jan
J
D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016207:Cytokines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E