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Review
. 2025 Mar;52(1):87-100.
doi: 10.1016/j.clp.2024.10.006. Epub 2024 Nov 27.

Probiotics and the Risk of Infection

Noelle Younge  1 , Ravi M Patel  2
Affiliations
Review

Probiotics and the Risk of Infection

Noelle Younge et al. Clin Perinatol. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Probiotic use has increased in preterm infants and may reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis. Probiotic-associated infection is a concern for infants receiving probiotic supplementation in the neonatal intensive care unit, as highlighted by a recent case and subsequent action by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Based on reports to date, invasive infection is an infrequent but known risk of probiotic supplementation. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology and pathophysiology of invasive infection in preterm infants, review the benefits and risks of probiotic as regulations and available products continue to evolve.

Keywords: Dietary supplement; Necrotizing enterocolitis; Nosocomial infection; Sepsis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure R M. Patel serves as a consultant for Noveome, Inc and serves on the data-safety monitoring committee for trial by Infant Bacterial Therapeutics/Premier Research.

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