The role of probiotic "Diastop probio" in prevention of Clostridium difficile colonization and infection in hospitalized patients

Abstract

Mechanisms for adaptation of microbes from the intestinal microbiome determine their quantitative and qualitative presence in the intestinal tract. One of the most important disturbing factors of the intestinal microbiome, which enable oportunistic bacteria of the gut to reveal their pathogenic properties and cause infections is the antibiotic treatment of infections with different locations. Clostridium difficile infection is a typical example of this kind. The aim of our study was to investigate the possibility of the probiotic Diastop probio in preventing colonization and infection of intestine with Clostridium difficile, in hospitalized patients. Material and methods: A total of 32 patients who were treated with any two of the following antibiotics: Ampicillin, Ceftriaxon, Clindamycin, Ciprofloxacin, Imipenem, Meropenem, Amikacin, were included in the study. Sixteen patients represented the respondent group that received the probiotic "Diastop probio" simultaneously with their antibiotic treatment and the other 16 patients represented the control group who were treated with antibiotics only. Two specimens from each patient were obtained for detection of C.difficile colonization or infection with classical microbiological methods. Qualitative presence of normal intestinal flora was simultaneously analyzed. Results: The percentage of toxigenic  C.difficile strains was three times higher in the respondent group of patients than in the control group of patients (p< 0.05). A significantly lower percentage of disbalance in the normal intestinal flora was registered in patients receiving probiotic simultaneously with their antibiotic treatment. In all patients who had not received probiotics, the normal intestinal flora was reduced or completely absent and in 43.57% of them other pathogenic microorganisms: P. aeruginosa, VRE, ESBL+ E. coli and Candida albicans were detected. Conclusions: The treatment of hospitalised patients with probiotic "Diastop probio" simultaneously with their antimicrobial treatment, contributes to: significant decrease of intestinal flora disturbance, as an important prerequisite for colonization of C. difficile, significant decrease of the frequency of C.difficile infection, which decreases the risk for development of life- threatening complications. Treatment of hospitalized patients with the examined probiotic simultaneously with their antimicrobial treatment should prevent gut colonization with microorganisms, known as causes of hospital infections.