International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Nov 2012
Review Meta AnalysisIs primary prevention of Clostridium difficile infection possible with specific probiotics?
The efficacy of probiotics for the prevention of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is highly controversial, particularly with regard to the prevention of recurrent CDI. We hypothesize that primary prevention of CDI among patients receiving antibiotics might be a more achievable goal for probiotics than prevention in patients with previous CDI where the host flora is markedly altered. ⋯ While potential flaws in study design were identified, a review of the available literature suggests that the primary prevention of CDI with specific probiotic agents may be achievable. Additional studies of sufficient size and with rigorous design are needed to confirm these findings.