Three-Combination Probiotics Therapy in Children With Salmonella and Rotavirus Gastroenteritis

Goals: Quantitative Vesikari scales and qualitative severe diarrhea(Vesikari scale Z11) assessments were used to grade the Salmonella-induced and rotavirus-induced gastro enteritis severity. A significantreduction in severe diarrhea (Vesikari score Z11) was used to evaluatethe efficacy of three-combination probiotics (BIO-THREE).Background: Several studies have shown that rotavirus andSalmonella infections are the leading causes of infectious gastro-enteritis. Although probiotics have been effective in some studies,the use of 3-combination formulation probiotics is rare.Study: This single-center, open-label, randomized, controlled trialincluded 159 patients (age range, 3mo to 14y) hospitalized withinfectious gastroenteritis betw een February 2009 and October 2010.Results: Patients were grouped according to the pathogen identified(48, Salmonella; 42, rotavirus; and 69, unknown origin). The totaldiarrhea duration was significantly shorter for children who receivedBIO-THREE (P<0.0001). After BIO-THREE administration, therewere significantly less intervention group patients with severe diarrheaat intervention day 3. Vesikari scale or diarrhea frequency results didnot reveal significant differences between groups (except for day 5 inpatients with rotavirus), and there were no significant changes in otherclinical parameters or the length of hospital stay.Conclusions: Seven-day BIO-THREE administration demonstratedhigh efficacy and safety in infants and children with severe gas-troenteritis. The incidence of severe gastroenteritis was significantlyreduced in the rotavirus origin and BIO-THREE interventiongroups.Key Words: probiotics, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, rotavirus,Salmonella