Antibiotic resistance: the pros and cons of probiotics

Abstract

For the prevention of intestinal disorders, probiotics can be rendered multidrug resistant to survive in the presence of co-administered antibiotics. This generates the possibility of resistance transfer from the probiotic to human bacterial pathogens, either directly or indirectly via the commensal flora. This article reviews the experiments to be performed and the criteria for assessment of safety of antibiotic resistant probiotics.