title: EFFECTS OF PROBIOTIC INTAKE ON INTESTINAL BIFIDOBACTERIA OF CELIAC PATIENTS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Healthy individuals exhibit a significantly higher concentration of faecal bifidobacteria in comparison to celiac patients. Even though there are potential benefits in probiotic usage, they have been little explored as an adjunctive therapy in celiac disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed at the comparison of faecal bifidobacteria concentration and pH among celiac patients and healthy subjects before and after the daily intake of 100 g of yogurt containing probiotic for a thirty-day period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Feces from 17 healthy subjects and 14 celiac patients were analyzed, in which stool culture was performed for the isolation and quantification of faecal bifidobacteria. Furthermore, Gram's method was employed for the microscopic analysis of the colonies, while the identification of the Bifidobacterium genus was made through determination of the fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase enzyme. Faecal pH was measured using a calibrated pHmeter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Faecal bifidobacteria concentration before probiotic consumption was significantly higher in healthy individuals (2.3x108±6.3x107 CFU/g) when compared to celiac patients (1.0x107±1.7x107 CFU/g). Faecal pH values did not show a significant difference. After the daily consumption of probiotic-containing yogurt both groups showed a significant increase in the concentration of faecal bifidobacteria, but healthy subjects presented significantly higher bifidobacteria concentrations (14.7x108±0.2x108 CFU/g) than the celiac group (0.76x108±0.1x108 CFU/g). The obtained pH values from both groups were not significantly different, being 7.28±0.518 for the celiac patients and 7.07±0.570 for healthy individuals after the probiotic intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The probiotic supplementation significantly increased the number of bifidobacteria in the feces of celiac patients, although it was not sufficient to reach the concentration found in healthy individuals prior to its consumption.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinello
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Fontana
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Alves de
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015014:Yogurt; D055815:Young Adult