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probiotic , or " safe bacteria , " are generally thought to be safe for most people , but a newborn in Poland appears to have developed an infection after he was given a probiotic product , accord to a fresh theme of the case .
The baby was born at full terminal figure , but was pocket-sized — he count about 5 lbs . ( 2.3 kg ) . The doctors diagnosed him with intrauterine growth restriction , meaning he had grow at a slower rate than normal while in the uterus .
When the baby was two day old , tests suggested he had an contagion , and although this was not confirm , he was start on antibiotic drug as a precaution while further tests were done . doctor also gave the infant a probiotic product , containing the bacteriaLactobacillus rhamnosusGG , toprevent diarrheaor other complications from the antibiotic drug . Lactobacillus rhamnosusGG is used in some democratic probiotics yoghurt and supplements , such as Culturelle .
Four days later , the sister ’s antibiotic drug was switched , and a blood sampling taken on that same day tested positivist for an infection withLactobacillus rhamnosusGG . A genetic run register that the nervous strain that caused the boy ’s infection was the same strain found in the probiotic product , the research worker order . The babe was " very tinge - sensitive " and weep a wad , the researchers said . [ Do n’t Be put one across : 5 Probiotics Myths ]
discipline have suggested thatprobiotics do not look to be harmful for goodish youngster , but whether they have benefits is not clear either , and the American Academy of Pediatrics does not advocate probiotics as stock care for babies . In plus , some groups of people are screw to be at risk for adverse force resulting from probiotics — include people with impaired resistant systems — but warning label are rarely seen on probiotic , the researchers say .
The new findings suggest that babies with intrauterine growth restriction " might be a new potential risk of exposure mathematical group … for which dependable function of probiotics needs careful attention , " the researcher , from Poland ’s National Institute of Public Health , write in the July 17 issue of the diary Beneficial Microbes .
There is an pressing motivation to educate standard guideline for exactly how probiotics should be used in patient role with health conditions that may put them at endangerment for complications , the researchers said .
Because the new study involved just one baby , the determination do not necessarily apply to all tiddler with intrauterine growth confinement , said Dr. William Muinos , co - director of the gastroenterology section at Miami Children ’s Hospital , who was not involve in the study .
But the slip could alert doctors to the possibility of a risk for child with this condition , and doctor should conceive this danger , and consider it against the possible benefit of probiotic flora , before using probiotics in these child , Muinos say .
Even though this babe was on antibiotic at the clock time of the contagion , probiotic bacteria can be resistant to certain types of antibiotic drug , Muinos said .
Muinos say he does not routinely recommendprobiotics for infantsyounger than 3 months old . Probiotics may pose risk to infants because the lining of a newborn ’s intestinal piece of ground is less mature , and could allow some bacteria to ooze into the stock flow , he order .
For most babe , the natural way of acquiring gut bacteria — through breastfeed and normal interactions with the environment — " is in all probability the safest way , " Muinos say .
Doctor continued to treat the sister in Poland with antibiotics for two workweek , until his contagion cleared . He went home from the hospital when he was about 1 month old , concord to the story .
The investigator noted that althoughLactobacillus rhamnosusGG was observe in the babe ’s blood , it ’s potential that another , undetected microbe was do the baby ’s symptoms .
