A meta-analysis reveals the effectiveness of probiotics and prebiotics against respiratory viral infection

Abstract Experimental experience suggests that microbial agents including probiotics and prebiotics (representative microbial agents) play a critical role in defending against respiratory virus infection. We aim to systematically examine these agents’ effect on respiratory viral infection and encourage research into clinical applications. An electronic literature search was conducted from published data with a combination of a microbial agents search component containing synonyms for microbial agents-related terms and a customized search component for respiratory virus infection. Hazard ratio (HR), risk ratio (RR) and standard deviation (SD) were employed as effect estimates. In 45 preclinical studies, the mortality rates decreased in the respiratory viral infection models that included prebiotics or prebiotics as interventions (HR: 0.70; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56–0.87; P=0.002). There was a significant decrease in viral load due to improved gut microbiota (SD: −1.22; 95% CI: −1.50 to −0.94; P<0.001). Concentrations of interferon (IFN)-α (SD: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.33–1.77; P=0.004), IFN-γ (SD: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.01–1.65; P=0.05) and interleukin (IL)-12 (SD: 2.42; 95% CI: 0.32–4.52; P=0.02), IL-1β (SD: 0.01; 95% CI: −0.37 to 0.40; P=0.94) increased, whereas those of TNF-α (SD: −0.58; 95% CI: −1.59 to 0.43; P=0.26) and IL-6 (SD: −0.59; 95% CI: −1.24 to 0.07; P=0.08) decreased. Six clinical studies had lower symptom scores (SD: −0.09; 95% CI: −0.44 to 0.26; P=0.61) and less incidence of infection (RR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.64–1.01; P=0.06). Our research indicates that probiotics and prebiotics pose a defensive possibility on respiratory viral infection and may encourage the clinical application.

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Comparative Efficacy of N95, Surgical, Medical, and Non-Medical Facemasks in Protection of Respiratory Virus Infection: A Living Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.3768550 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Min Seo Kim ◽

Dawon Seong ◽

Han Li ◽

Seo Kyoung Chung ◽

Youngjoo Park ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Respiratory Virus ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Comparative Efficacy ◽

Respiratory Virus Infection

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CLINICAL-ULTRASOUND AND MORPHOLOGIC CHARACTERISTIC OF SEVERE CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA IN NEWBORNS WITH INTRAUTERINE MONO- AND MIXED-RESPIRATORY VIRUS INFECTION

Bulletin physiology and pathology of respiration ◽

10.12737/article_5a249f53a20982.32868686 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (66) ◽

pp. 60-64

Author(s):

Ирина Кречкивская ◽

Irina Krechkivskaya ◽

Евгений Бородин ◽

Evgeniy Borodin ◽

Игорь Гориков ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Ischemia ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Influenza A ◽

Respiratory Virus ◽

Necrosis Factor Alpha ◽

The Third ◽

Umbilical Blood ◽

Morphologic Characteristic ◽

Tnf Α ◽

Respiratory Virus Infection

The contents of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the serum of the umbilical blood as well as ultrasound and morphologic composition of liquor ways of the brain at severe cerebral ischemia was studied in 103 full-term newborns. The first group included 30 newborns from mothers with a physiologic course of pregnancy (subgroup A) and 20 dead newborns with antenatal anamnesis with uncomplicated virus infection, severe somatic pathology and late gestosis in their mothers during gestation (subgroup B); the second one included 28 newborns with severe cerebral ischemia against intrauterine parainfluenza infection (parainfuenza of 1 and 3 type), and 18 of them died at 3-6th day. The third group consisted of 25 newborns with severe cerebral ischemia against antenatal mixed-respiratory virus infection (parainfluenza of 1 and 3 types and influenza A(H3N2), and 16 of them died at the 2-4 days). It was found out that in the patients of the third group the contents of TNF-α increased till 62.7±2.14 pg/L (in the first and second groups it was 17.6±1.53 pg/L, p1<0.001 and 34.6±2.04 pg/L, respectively, p1<0.001). High values of pro-inflammatory cytokine were caused by the development of system inflammation reaction as a result of direct and mediated influence of some respiratory viruses. In the third group periventricular ischemia was found statistically oftener in 88% of newborns and brain immaturity in 48% of children (in the second group it was 32.1 and 10.7% of newborns, respectively); under pathomorphological study there were revealed big haematomas, subarachnoid haemorrhages, full-blown hyperemia and haematomas in the vascular plexus, karyorhexis, severe perivascular and pericellular edema, vasculitis as well as big focuses of atelectasis, aspirating pneumopathy and pneumonia. This suggested an important role of antenatal mixed-respiratory virus infection and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the improvement of penetrance of blood vessels wall under severe cerebral ischemia in newborns.

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Clinical Role of Respiratory Virus Infection in Acute Otitis Media

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.86.6.848 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 86 (6) ◽

pp. 848-855

Author(s):

Mikko Arola ◽

Olli Ruuskanen ◽

Thedi Ziegler ◽

Jussi Mertsola ◽

Kirsti Näntö-Salonen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virus Infection ◽

Viral Infection ◽

Otitis Media ◽

Respiratory Virus ◽

Acute Otitis Media ◽

Virus Antigen ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Clinical Role ◽

Respiratory Virus Infection ◽

Syncytial Virus

The clinical characteristics of acute otitis media in relation to coexisting respiratory virus infection were studied in a 1-year prospective study of 363 children with acute otitis media. Respiratory viruses were detected using virus isolation and virus antigen detection in nasopharyngeal specimens of 42% of the patients at the time of diagnosis. Rhinovirus (24%) and respiratory syncytical virus (13%) were the two most common viruses detected. Adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses, and coronavirus OC43 were found less frequently. The mean duration of preceding symptoms was 5.9 days before the diagnosis of acute otitis media. Ninety-four percent of the children had symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. Fever was reported in 55% and earache in 47% of cases. Patients with respiratory syncytial virus infection had fever, cough, and vomiting significantly more often than patients with rhinovirus infection or virus-negative patients. No significant differences were found in the appearance of the tympanic membrane and outcome of illness between virus-negative and virus-positive patients with acute otitis. Most patients respond well to antimicrobial therapy despite the coexisting viral infection. If the symptoms of infection persist, they can be due to the underlying viral infection, and viral diagnostics preferably with rapid methods may be clinically useful in these patients.

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