Can lactobacillus prevent viral infections?
Evidence of the health benefits of lactobacillus and other probiotics also known as “friendly bacteria” is impressive. Many studies have investigated the role of various strains of bacteria in preventing and treating such illnesses as inflammatory bowel disease, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, and even colon cancer. Last year the American Journal of Gastroenterology published an entire supplemental issue dedicated to the use of probiotics in disease treatment.3 A recent study on the prevention of gastrointestinal infections suggests that probiotics may also be effective against viral infections. In this study, a group of 81 children was randomized to receive either a strain of lactobacillus (Lactobacillus GG) or placebo after hospital admission. Because many infections are acquired in the hospital (termed nosocomial infections), the researchers decided to test the protective effects of probiotics in this setting. Of the 81 children in the study, 15 (18.5 percent) experienced diarrh
