title: Probiotics-containing yogurts suppress Helicobacter pylori load and modify immune response and intestinal microbiota in the Helicobacter pylori-infected children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The benefits of probiotics to the pediatric Helicobacter pylori infection remain uncertain. We tested whether the H. pylori-infected children have an altered gut microflora, and whether probiotics-containing yogurt can restore such change and improve their H. pylori-related immune cascades.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively included 38 children with H. pylori infection confirmed by a positive ¹³C-urea breath test (UBT) and 38 age- and sex-matched noninfected controls. All of them have provided the serum and stool samples before and after 4-week ingestion of probiotics-containing yogurt. The serum samples were tested for the TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6, immunoglobulin (Ig) A, G, E, pepsinogens I and II levels. The stool samples were tested for the colony counts of Bifidobacterium spp. and Escherichia coli. The follow-up UBT indirectly assessed the H. pylori loads after yogurt usage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The H. pylori-infected children had lower fecal Bifidobacterium spp. count (p = .009), Bifidobacterium spp./E. coli ratio (p = .04), serum IgA titer (p = .04), and pepsinogens I/II ratio (p < .001) than in controls. In the H. pylori-infected children, 4-week yogurt ingestion reduced the IL-6 level (p < .01) and H. pylori loads (p = .046), but elevated the serum IgA and pepsinogen II levels (p < .001). Moreover, yogurt ingestion can improve the childhood fecal Bifidobacterium spp./E. coli ratio (p = .03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The H. pylori-infected children have a lower Bifidobacterium microflora in gut. The probiotics-containing yogurt can offer benefits to restore Bifidobacterium spp./E. coli ratio in children and suppress the H. pylori load with increment of serum IgA but with reduction in IL-6 in H. pylori-infected children.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors: Yao-Jong
authors: YJ
authors: Yang
authors: Bor-Shyang
authors: BS
authors: Sheu
mesh_terms: D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D054892:Metagenome / Q000187:drug effects*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology; D015014:Yogurt / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10