Effect of probiotics on vaccine antibody responses in infancy - a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial

• Published in: Pediatric allergy and immunology 2006-09, Vol.17 (6), p.416-421
• Main Authors: Kukkonen, Kaarina, Nieminen, Tea, Poussa, Tuija, Savilahti, Erkki, Kuitunen, Mikael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: allergy-prevention; antibody response; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the nervous system. Bacterial myositis; Bifidobacterium; Biological and medical sciences; diphtheria; Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine - administration & dosage; Double-Blind Method; Female; Haemophilus influenzae; Haemophilus influenzae type b; Haemophilus Vaccines - administration & dosage; high-risk infants; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - analysis; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunopathology; Infant; Infectious diseases; Lactobacillus rhamnosus; Male; Medical sciences; Oligosaccharides - administration & dosage; Pregnancy; probiotic; Probiotics - administration & dosage; Propionibacterium; tetanus; vaccine
• ISSN: 0905-6157; 1399-3038
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2006.00420.x

Probiotics are immunomodulatory and may thus affect vaccine antibody responses. With the accumulating evidence of their health‐promoting effects, probiotics are increasingly administered in allergy‐prone infants. Therefore, we studied the effect of probiotics on antibody responses to diphtheria, tetanus and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines in 6‐month‐old infants participating in a randomized placebo‐controlled double‐blind allergy‐prevention trial. Mothers of unborn children at increased risk for atopy used a combination of four probiotic strains, or a placebo, for 4 wk before delivery. During 6 months from birth, their infants received the same probiotics and galacto‐oligosaccharides, or a placebo. The infants were immunized with a DTwP (diphtheria, tetanus and whole cell pertussis) at ages 3, 4, and 5 months, and with a Hib polysaccharide conjugate at 4 months. Serum diphtheria, tetanus, and Hib IgG antibodies were measured at 6 months. In the probiotic group, protective Hib antibody concentrations (≥1 μg/ml) occurred more frequently, 16 of 32 (50%) vs. six of 29 (21%) (p = 0.020), and the geometric mean (inter‐quartile range) Hib IgG concentration tended to be higher 0.75 (0.15–2.71) μg/ml than in the placebo group 0.40 (0.15–0.92) μg/ml (p = 0.064). In these respective groups, diphtheria, 0.38 (0.14–0.78) vs. 0.47 (0.19–1.40) IU/ml (p = 0.449), and tetanus, 1.01(0.47–1.49) vs. 0.81 (0.56–1.39) IU/ml (p = 0.310), IgG titers were comparable. In conclusion, in allergy‐prone infants probiotics seem not to impair antibody responses to diphtheria, tetanus, or Hib, but may improve response to Hib immunization.