Method for preventing or treating respiratory infections and acute otitis media in infants using
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to a novel method for preventing or treating respiratory infections and acute otitis media in infants. The method comprises the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a Bifidobacteria strain and an adherence-promoting probiotic, such as LGG, to the infant.
1. A method for reducing the incidence of respiratory infections in an infant between the ages of birth and about one year, the method comprising the steps of:
administering to the infant Bifidobacteria lactis Bb-12 incorporated into an infant formula; and
administering Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG with the Bifidobacteria lactis Bb-12, wherein the ratio of Bifidobacteria lactis Bb-12 to Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is between about 10:1 and 1:10 and wherein the infant formula provides about 10 5 to about 10 11 cfu/day to the infant.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the administration of at least one prebiotic.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the prebiotic is selected from the group consisting of galacto-oligosaccharide, inulin, fructo-oligosaccharide, lactulose, neosugars, and combinations thereof.
4. A method for reducing the incidence of acute otitis media in an infant, the method comprising administering to the infant from birth until about one year of age Bifidobacteria lactis Bb-12, together with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, wherein the Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 and the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG are administered together in an infant formula in a ratio of between about 10:1 and 1:10 and in an amount sufficient to provide between about 10 5 and 10 11 cfu/day.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the amount of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG administered is between about 10 6 and 10 8 cfu/day.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is between about 5:1 and 1:5.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is about 1:1.
8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the ratio of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is between about 5:1 and 1:5.
9. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the ratio of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is about 1:1.
10. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising the administration of at least one prebiotic.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the prebiotic is selected from the group consisting of galacto-oligosaccharide, inulin, fructo-oligosaccharide, lactulose, neosugars, and combinations thereof.