Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2002 Jul;51(1):51-5.
doi: 10.1136/gut.51.1.51.

Aberrant composition of gut microbiota of allergic infants: a target of bifidobacterial therapy at weaning?

P V Kirjavainen  1 , T Arvola, S J Salminen, E Isolauri
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Aberrant composition of gut microbiota of allergic infants: a target of bifidobacterial therapy at weaning?

P V Kirjavainen et al. Gut. 2002 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Recent data have outlined a relationship between the composition of the intestinal microflora and allergic inflammation, and demonstrated the competence of probiotics in downregulation of such inflammation.

Aims: Our aims were to characterise the relationship between gut microbes and the extent of allergic sensitisation and to assess whether the efficacy of bifidobacterial supplementation in the treatment of allergy could relate to modulation of the intestinal microbiota.

Methods: This randomised study included 21 infants with early onset atopic eczema of whom eight were intolerant (highly sensitised group (HSG)) and 13 tolerant (sensitised group (SG)) to extensively hydrolysed whey formula (EHF). In the SG, six were weaned to EHF without (placebo group (PG)) and seven to EHF with Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 supplementation (bifidobacteria treated group (BbG)). The faecal microflora of infants in the HSG was analysed only before weaning whereas in the SG the faecal microflora was analysed both before and after weaning.

Results: Infants in the HSG had greater numbers of lactobacilli/enterococci than those in the SG. Serum total IgE concentration correlated directly with Escherichia coli counts in all infants and with bacteroides counts in the HSG, indicating that the presence of these bacteria is associated with the extent of atopic sensitisation. The effect of supplementation was characterised as a decrease in the numbers of Escherichia coli and protection against an increase in bacteroides numbers during weaning.

Conclusions: These data indicate that bifidobacterial supplementation appears to modify the gut microbiota in a manner that may alleviate allergic inflammation. Further studies are needed to confirm this conclusion.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Scattergram showing faecal concentrations of bacteroides and Escherichia coli versus serum total IgE concentration in each individual. Regression lines with 95% confidence intervals (broken lines); Spearman's rho and p values are given for both slopes. HSG, highly sensitised group; SG, sensitised group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Majamaa H, Isolauri E. Probiotics: a novel approach in the management of food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997;99:179–85. - PubMed
    1. Isolauri E, Arvola T, Sütas Y, et al. Probiotics in the management of atopic eczema. Clin Exp Allergy 2000;30:1604–10. - PubMed
    1. Moreau MC, Ducluzeau R, Guy-Grand D, et al. Increase in the population of duodenal IgA plasmocytes in axenic mice monoassociated with different living or dead bacterial strains of intestinal origin. Infect Immun 1978;21:532–9. - PMC - PubMed
    1. de Simone C, Ciardi A, Grassi A, et al. Effect of Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus acidophilus on gut mucosa and peripheral blood B lymphocytes. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 1992;14:331–40. - PubMed
    1. Kaila M, Isolauri E, Soppi E, et al. Enhancement of the circulating antibody secreting cell response in human diarrhoea by a human Lactobacillus strain. Pediatr Res 1992;32:141–4. - PubMed

Publication types

Substances