Probiotics and diarrhea management
Diarrhea is the leading cause of pediatric mortality, affecting around 10,000 Filipino children annually. Probiotics are live microbes that colonizes the intestines. When administered in adequate amounts,they are shown to be beneficial in the management of diarrhea by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota and suppressing the growth of pathogens. When comparing probiotics, not all probiotics are the same. The Bacillus species have an advantage since they are delivered as spores. It enables them stability and resistance to reach the intestines intact. In a Sanofi-sponsored symposium during the 27th Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines Convention at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria on 19 February 2020, Dr Pramod Jog, Professor of Pediatrics at the D.Y. Patil Medical College in Pune, India, discussed the development and diversity of the gut microbiota; the characterization, mode of action, guidelines and strain specificity of probiotics; and the role of probiotics, particularly Bacillus clausii, in the management of diarrhea.
