Bifidobacterium strains for the treatment of enteric disorders in newborns

Several studies support the use of probiotics for the treatment of minor gastrointestinal problems of newborns such as colics. The pathogenesis of colics remains largely unknown although evidences suggested multiple independent causes, including modification of the gut microbiota with an increased number of gas-forming coliforms. Positive effects on newborn colics have been evidenced after administration of Lactobacillus reuteri, whereas no studies have been reported regarding the use of bifidobacteria for this purpose. The aim of this work is to select bifidobacteria to be used as probiotics in newborns for the treatment of enteric disorders with a special attention on colics. 46 Bifidobacterium strains were originally screened and, among them, 16 showed high antimicrobial activity against potential pathogens; these strains were further characterized from a taxonomic point of view for the presence and transferability of antibiotic resistances, for cytotoxic effects and adhesion to nontumorigenic gut epithelium cell lines. Moreover, their ability to stimulate gut health by increasing the metabolic activity and the immune response of epithelial cells was also studied. The results obtained allowed to identify 3 B. breve strains and a B. longum strain as potential probiotics for the treatments of enteric disorders in newborns such as infantile colics.