Human rhinovirus in experimental infection after peroral Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG consumption, a pilot study. Issue 8 (17th March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tapiovaara, Laura; Kumpu, Minna; Mäkivuokko, Harri; Waris, Matti; Korpela, Riitta; Pitkäranta, Anne; Winther, Birgit
• Is Part Of: International forum of allergy & rhinology. Volume 6:Issue 8(2016:Aug.)
• Page Start: 848
• Page End: 853
• Publication Date: 2016-03-17
• Subjects: probiotics -- rhinovirus -- inoculation -- viral load -- nasopharyngeal lavage; 617.51005
• DOI: 10.1002/alr.21748
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2042-6976

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Data has emerged on possible beneficial effects of probiotics in respiratory tract viral infections, but it is unclear if the promising positive effects evidenced are due to a reduced viral load during infections. The aims of this work were to investigate the effect of peroral probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (American Type Culture Collection [ATCC], Accession No. 53103) consumption on human rhinovirus (HRV) load in nasopharyngeal lavage samples in experimental HRV infection, and to correlate viral load to clinical symptoms. Methods: Intranasal HRV A39 inoculation was performed on 59 adults, who had consumed juice enriched with live or heat‐inactivated L. rhamnosus GG or control juice for 3 weeks prior to inoculation in a randomized, controlled, pilot trial setting. Nasopharyngeal lavage samples and symptom data were analyzed on day 0 before inoculation, and on days 2 and 5. Samples were subjected to quantitative HRV detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Before inoculation 9 of 59 (15%) samples presented with another HRV strain than the studied A39. There was a tendency toward the lowest HRV loads in the L. rhamnosus GG groups and the highest in placebo group (log10 copies/mL, 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.20 [5.18 to 7.40] in live, 6.30 [4.91 to 7.08] in inactivated L. rhamnosus GG, and 7.25 [5.81 to 7.52] in placebo group, p = 0.57 in day 2) in the wild‐type excluded population. The HRV load positively correlated with the symptom scores on days 2 and 5 (correlation coefficient 0.61 [ p < 0.001] and 0.28 [ p = 0.034], respectively). Conclusion: Results did not show statistical differences in viral loads in subjects using L. rhamnosus GG when compared to placebo. HRV load positively correlated with the total symptom scores.