Probiotics in neonatology

L Hickey; SE Jacobs; SM Garland

Journal article

Probiotics in neonatology

L Hickey, SE Jacobs, SM Garland

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | Published : 2012

DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2012.02508.x

Abstract

Probiotics are micro-organisms that confer health benefits on the host. Postulated mechanisms include: increasing resistance of the mucosal barrier to migration of bacteria and their toxins by strengthening intestinal cell junctions, modification of host response to microbial products, augmentation of immunoglobulin A mucosal responses, enhancement of enteral nutrition to inhibit the growth of pathogens; production of antimicrobial proteins; and competitive exclusion of potential pathogens. Published meta-analyses and systematic reviews report the effects of probiotics on important clinical outcomes in neonates. This paper will review the evidence for probiotic supplementation in neonatology..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Susan Jacobs Author

Suzanne Wark Author

Related Projects (1)

Reducing neonatal sepsis with probiotics.

Currently, premature infants are born without the normal immune defenses of infants born at the correct time because the protective factors ..

Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

The three authors are investigators in the ProPrems trial, an RCT investigating the effects of probiotics on late-onset sepsis in very low birthweight premature infants (ANZCTR012607000144415). This trial is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Project Grant #: 454629).