title: Probiotics and necrotizing enterocolitis.
abstract: One of the most controversial areas in neonatology is whether probiotics should be provided routinely to preterm infants to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This review provides the reader with a brief overview of NEC and current concepts of its pathophysiology, discusses the microbial ecology of the intestine in preterm infants and factors that may lead to a "dysbiosis", summarizes studies of probiotics in preterm infants, elaborates on the need for regulation in this area, and discusses alternatives to probiotics and what is the future for the prevention of NEC.
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, 1600 Southwest Archer Road, Human Development Building, HD 112, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address: neuj@peds.ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neu
mesh_terms: D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D064307:Microbiota; D008895:Milk, Human; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
keywords: Dysbiosis; Necrotizing enterocolitis; Pathophysiology; Probiotics