title: Effects of bifidobacterial supplementation to pregnant women and infants in the prevention of allergy development in infants and on fecal microbiota.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Probiotic administration may be a useful method for preventing allergies in infants; however, there have been controversial results about the efficacy. We investigated the effects of bifidobacterial supplementation on the risk of developing allergic diseases in the Japanese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an open trial, we gave Bifidobacterium breve M-16V and Bifidobacterium longum BB536 prenatally to 130 mothers beginning 1 month prior to delivery and postnatally to their infants for 6 months. Another 36 mother-infant pairs served as controls and did not receive the bifidobacterial supplementation. Development of allergic symptoms in the infants was assessed at 4, 10 and 18 months of age. Fecal samples were collected from the mothers and infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The risk of developing eczema/atopic dermatitis (AD) during the first 18 months of life was significantly reduced in infants in the probiotic group (OR: 0.231 [95% CI: 0.084-0.628] and 0.304 [0.105-0.892] at 10 and 18 months of age, respectively). Pyrosequencing analyses indicated an altered composition of the fecal microbiota at 4 months for infants who developed eczema/AD at 4 and 10 months of age. The proportion of Proteobacteria was significantly lower (P = 0.007) in mothers at the time of delivery who received the supplementation when compared with the control group and was positively correlated (r = 0.283, P = 0.024) with that of infants at 4 months of age. No adverse effects were related to the use of probiotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the prenatal and postnatal supplementation of bifidobacteria is effective in primary preventing allergic diseases. Some limited changes in the composition of fecal microbiota by the bifidobacterial supplementation were observed.
authors: NPO (Nonprofit Organization) Japan Health Promotion Supporting Network, Wakayama, Japan.
authors: Tadao
authors: T
authors: Enomoto
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hidaka General Hospital, Wakayama, Japan.
authors: Masanori
authors: M
authors: Sowa
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hidaka General Hospital, Wakayama, Japan.
authors: Keiji
authors: K
authors: Nishimori
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Kitade Hospital, Wakayama, Japan.
authors: Shinichiro
authors: S
authors: Shimazu
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Japanese Red Cross Society Wakayama Medical Center, Wakayama, Japan.
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Yoshida
authors: School of Health and Nursing Science, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.
authors: Kazuko
authors: K
authors: Yamada
authors: Department of Dermatology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.
authors: Fukumi
authors: F
authors: Furukawa
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Kawazoe Clinic, Wakayama, Japan.
authors: Takemasa
authors: T
authors: Nakagawa
authors: Nutrition Science Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Naotake
authors: N
authors: Yanagisawa
authors: Food Science & Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Noriyuki
authors: N
authors: Iwabuchi
authors: Food Science & Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Toshitaka
authors: T
authors: Odamaki
authors: Food Science & Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Fumiaki
authors: F
authors: Abe
authors: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Jiro
authors: J
authors: Nakayama
authors: Food Science & Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Jin-Zhong
authors: JZ
authors: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000276:immunology*; D044822:Biodiversity; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D056186:Metagenomics; D064307:Microbiota; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult