title: Enhanced vaccination effect against influenza by prebiotics in elderly patients receiving enteral nutrition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effect of prebiotics on the immunological response after influenza vaccination in enterally fed elderly individuals. The intervention group was given an enteral formula containing lactic acid bacteria-fermented milk products. In addition, two different types of other prebiotics, galacto-oligosaccharide and bifidogenic growth stimulator, were also given. The two prebiotics improved intestinal microbiota differently. In a control group, a standard formula without prebiotics was given.
  
  
  METHODS
  An enteral formula with (intervention group [F]) or without (control group [C]) prebiotics was given through percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy to elderly participants for 10 weeks. Influenza vaccine was inoculated at week 4. Nutritional and biochemical indices, intestinal micro bacteria and immunological indices were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Bifidobacterium count in groups F and C at week 0 was 6.4 ± 1.9 and 6.6 ± 3.0 (log10 [count/g feces]), respectively. Although the count in group C decreased at week 10, the count in group F increased. The Bacteroides count in group F increased from 10.7 ± 0.9 to 11.4 ± 0.5, but decreased in group C from 11.2 ± 0.2 to 10.7 ± 0.4. Although the enhanced titers of H1N1, H3N2 and B antigens against the vaccine decreased thereafter in group C, these enhanced titers in group F could be maintained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that prebiotics affect the intestinal microbiota and might maintain the antibody titers in elderly individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine for Aging Place, Community Health Care/Community-Based Medical Education, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.|Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan.|Department of Mechanism of Aging, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akatsu
authors.affiliation: Meiji Co., Ltd, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagafuchi
authors.affiliation: Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.affiliation: Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.affiliation: Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanesaka
authors.affiliation: Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine for Aging Place, Community Health Care/Community-Based Medical Education, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanematsu
authors.affiliation: Meiji Co., Ltd, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takasugi
authors.affiliation: Meiji Co., Ltd, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Taketo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaji
authors.affiliation: Meiji Co., Ltd, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takami
authors.affiliation: Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine for Aging Place, Community Health Care/Community-Based Medical Education, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanism of Aging, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D056692:Prebiotics; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D056692:Prebiotics
keywords: clinical immunology; influenza; nutrition; prebiotics; vaccination