title: Human milk probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 reduces the incidence of gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tract infections in infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a follow-on formula containing Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 (L. fermentum) on the incidence of infections in infants between the ages of 6 and 12 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized double-blinded controlled study including infants at the age of 6 months was conducted. Infants were assigned randomly to either follow-on formula supplemented with L. fermentum plus galactooligosaccharide (experimental group, EG), or the same formula supplemented with only galactooligosaccharide (control group, CG). The main outcome was the incidence of infections for the 6-month duration of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EG showed a significant 46% reduction in the incidence rate (IR) of gastrointestinal infections (EG: 0.196 ± 0.51, CG: 0.363 ± 0.53, IR ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.307-0.950, P = 0.032), 27% reduction in the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (EG: 0.969 ± 0.96, CG: 1.330 ± 1.23, IR ratio 0.729, 95% CI 0.46-1.38, P = 0.026), and 30% reduction in the total number of infections (EG: 1.464 ± 1.15, CG: 2.077 ± 1.59, IR ratio 0.70, 95% CI 0.46-1.38, P = 0.003), at the end of the study period compared with CG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of a follow-on formula with L. fermentum CECT5716 may be useful for the prevention of community-acquired gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cañabate
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sempere
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vela
authors.forename: Ana R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Narbona
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: López-Huertas
authors.forename: Arjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geerlings
authors.forename: Antonio D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Valero
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olivares
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lara-Villoslada
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000737:chemistry; D052197:Limosilactobacillus fermentum; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000382:microbiology*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*