Chronic Diarrheal Disorders
Heinz F. Hammer, MD Guest Editor Chronic diarrhea is defined as more than 3 bowel movements, or loose stools, for at least 4 weeks. Population-based studies from the Mayo Clinic…
A Commentary on the Safety of Probiotics
Probiotics have a long record of safety, which relates primarily to lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Experience with other forms of probiotics is more limited. There is no such thing as zero…
Nucleic Acid-based Methods to Assess the Composition and Function of the Bowel Microbiota
This article describes nucleic acid-based methods to assess the composition and function of the bowel microbiota. The methods range from the relatively simple (polymerase chain reaction) to the technically sophisticated…
Probiotics, Prebiotics, Energy Balance, and Obesity
Obesity-related disorders derive from a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Recent evidence supports the role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and…
Probiotic Bacteria in the Prevention and the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Definitive curative strategies for inflammatory bowel disease remain challenging for physicians and patients. For decades, probiotic organisms have been used in various gastrointestinal diseases. Only recently has comprehension of the…
Probiotics in the Management of Functional Bowel Disorders
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic constipation (CC) are common problems worldwide and are associated with significant impact on activities of daily living and quality of life. Recent interest, in…
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has gained widespread recognition in light of the recent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) epidemic, responsible for almost 110,000 deaths per year. The procedure’s success rate has…
The Role of Probiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea and Clostridium Difficile Colitis
Clostridium difficile colitis is the most common gastrointestinal infection, exceeding all other gastrointestinal infections combined. There has been a dramatic increase in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) worldwide during the past…
Probiotics in the Development and Treatment of Allergic Disease
Gut microbiota composition can discriminate between allergic and healthy children, and the distinction may precede clinical manifestations of disease. The mother provides the first inoculum of bacteria, which influences the…
Treatment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis with Probiotics
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating condition characterized by diffuse intestinal inflammation and necrosis in preterm infants. It is the most common gastrointestinal emergency in the neonatal intensive care unit…
