Via practica 6/2021
Can a fermented dairy product reduce the incidence, duration and severity of common infectious diseases?
Common infectious diseases still contribute to the global burden of non-fatal diseases. It is generally accepted that the term ‘common infectious diseases’ refers to respiratory tract infections (rhinosinusitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, acute mediotitis, acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis, tracheitis and pneumonia) and gastrointestinal infections (infectious diarrhoea). Due to their high incidence, common chronic diseases are associated with significant direct healthcare costs as well as indirect costs resulting from lost productivity and absenteeism from work or school, resulting in increased economic burdens. In addition, common infectious diseases have a significant adverse effect on the quality of life of patients and their families. Experience to date with the fortification of foods containing probiotic strains has confirmed that their consumption is a promising preventive measure in the prevention of various infectious diseases, including respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. The most commonly used genera in probiotic studies are bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. In recent years, several systematic reviews of the effects of probiotics on infectious diseases have been published. In 2020, a study was published, the content of which has been a systematic overview and meta-analysis of the effects of proven cultures of the probiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei CNCM I-1518 (former name Lactobacillus casei CNCM I-1518), which is present in a fermented milk beverage. The results of this work contribute to the overall understanding of the beneficial effects of foods containing the probiotic L. paracasei subsp. paracasei CNCM I-1518 for common infectious diseases in a population of healthy children and healthy adults. This review and meta-analytical study confirmed that, compared to controls, the consumption of a fermented milk beverage containing a probiotic strain of L. paracasei subsp. paracasei CNCM I-1518 led to a significant reduction in the likelihood of common infectious diseases. However, no effect on the duration or severity of these infections was observed.
Keywords: fermented milk drink, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei CNCM I-1518, common infectious diseases, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal diseases, diarrhoea
