probiotics in the treatment and prevention of allergy in children益生菌在儿童过敏的治疗和预防.pdfVIP

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Probiotics in the Treatment and Prevention of Allergy in Children Erkki Savilahti, MD, Kaarina Kukkonen, MD, and Mikael Kuitunen MD, PhD INTRODUCTION Abstract: Several fold increase in allergic diseases in developed, high-income countries during recent decades is attributed to envi- he marked increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases ronmental changes such as urbanization with improved hygiene. Tduring the past 50 years is associated with the decrease of This, together with conquering severe bacterial infections during life-threatening infections during childhood and the postin- childhood, has reduced the microbial stimulation of the developing dustrial changes in lifestyle, characterized by a high standard immune system of infants. Studies on the pathogenesis of allergy of hygiene and reduced exposure to microbes in daily envi- both in man and experimental animal have shown the importance of ronments.1,2 Gerrard et al already proposed in the 1970s that commensal bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract in stimulating and this increase is the price we have to pay for better survival of directing the immune system. The interest in modulating commensal children, although the “hygiene hypothesis” was formulated bacterial flora with probiotics to prevent and treat allergy has by Strachan, who found fewer allergies in families with a multiplied in recent years. greater number of children. This led him to postulate that In the present review we report results on randomized, co