Trial of Oral Administration of Bifidobacterium breve for the Prevention of Rotavirus Infections

Abstract

It was investigated that Bifidobacterium breveYIT4064 (B. breveYIT4064), Which had augmented IgA production and prevented rotavirus-induced diarrhea in mice, prevented rotavirus infection in infants. The effect of B. breveYIT4064was evaluated in ten infants from an infants home who received 50mg of the bacterium every day for 28 days (the B. brevegroup). Nine infants did not receive this (the control group). Though rotavirus shedding in the control group was detected from 2 (a total of 5 stool samples) of 9 infants (a total of 112 stool samples), it was not detected in any infants (a total of 133 stool samples) in the B. brevegroup during the administration period. From day 8 to day 14 of the test, rotavirus shedding was detected from 4 of 32 stool samples in the control group, but was not detected at all from 38 stool samples in the B. brevegroup. The frequency of rotavirus shedding in the B. brevegroup was significantly lower than that in the control group. Further, the frequency in appearances of anti-IgA in stool samples in the B. brevegroup showed a tendency to increase in comparison with the control group from day 8 to 14 of the test. The oral administration of B. breveYIT4064 significantly decreased rotavirus shedding in stool samples and prevented rotavirus infection.