The purpose of a study was to assess the beneficial effects of probiotics in patients suffering from acute watery diarrhea and their effects on the serum immunoglobulins of children.

This was a prospective clinical trial that included 166 children between 1-12 years old – who were hospitalized with acute watery diarrhea in Bangladesh. The participants received probiotics, antibiotics, or probiotics, along with antibiotics for 30 days. 

The pediatric patients were categorized based on the intervention – probiotics, antibiotics; and probiotics + antibiotics. The causative organism responsible for the diarrhea was majorly rotavirus and E. Coli, followed by multiple organisms in a small fraction. Other significant pathogens identified were Campylobacter, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella, Shigella, and Klebsiella. 

The probiotics group showed the most rapid recovery, which was followed by the probiotics + antibiotics and the antibiotics-alone intervention groups. Probiotics Administration was associated with the detection of commensal Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in stools – at 30-day follow-up.

Hence, probiotics for the treatment of pediatric acute watery diarrhea were deemed effective, safe and allowed for a shorter diarrhea duration and shorter hospital stay.

Source: Research Square. 2022 Jan. Doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1060454/v1