Abstract
Intestinal microbiota plays important roles in the immune development of the host, including the induction of oral tolerance. Recent studies have demonstrated that lactobacillus is critically involved in the development of allergic diseases in childhood. Recent meta-analysis has shown that prenatal and postnatal probiotic supplementation reduces prevalence of atopic dermatitis in the offspring but did not affect allergic sensitization or prevalences of other allergic diseases. The mechanisms how lactobacillus affects host immune responses remain largely unknown. The clinical importance of the effect of probiotics and the mechanisms involved require further investigation.
