International archives of allergy and immunology
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jul 2003
Oral administration of probiotic Escherichia coli after birth reduces frequency of allergies and repeated infections later in life (after 10 and 20 years).
The development of allergies is a complex in which both composition and influence of the intestinal flora play an important role. We observed in earlier studies that the presence of an orally administered probiotic Escherichia coli strain in the intestine stimulated both a serum and local antibody response, decreased the presence of pathogens, the number of infections and the need for antibiotics. ⋯ Intentional colonization of the intestine with E. coli after birth (offering the advantage of the first colonizer) was found to decrease the incidence of allergies and repeated infections in later life.