The frequency of nosocomial infections, mainly of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract, in children hospitalized in hospitals in developed countries remains high and varies from 5 to 44%. Unfortunately, at present, there is no really effective strategy to prevent such infections.

The aim of the study, conducted at the children's hospital in Zagreb (Croatia), was to determine the role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in the prevention of nosocomial infections of the gastrointestinal tract and the system in a children's hospital. The scientists conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 742 hospitalized children aged 1 to 18 years, the results of which were published in the May 2010 issue of Pediatrics. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: the first the group received Lactobacillus GG throughout the hospitalization period at a dose of 109 CFU / 100 ml of fermented milk product (n = 376), the second received the same pasteurized fermented milk product, but without lactobacilli (n = 366).

It has been found that the use of Lactobacillus GG has shown a significant reduction in the risk of nosocomial gastrointestinal infections (relative risk 0.4, 95% confidence interval 0.25- 0.7) compared to placebo. The number of patients to be treated to prevent a case of nosocomial gastrointestinal infection was 15. With regard to nosocomial infections of the respiratory system, the use of probiotics also led to a lower risk of their occurrence compared placebo (relative risk 0.38, 95% CI 0.18-0.85), and to prevent one case of nosocomial respiratory tract infection treat 30 children.

In addition, administration of Lactobacillus GG reduced the risk of vomiting (relative risk 0.5%, 95% CI 0.3-0.9), episodes of diarrhea (relative risk 0, 24, 95% CI 0.1-0.5), episodes of gastrointestinal infections lasting more than 2 days (relative risk 0.4, 95% CI 0.25-0.7) and episodes of respiratory infections of more than 3 days (relative risk 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.9).

During the study, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups according to the length of hospitalization (p = 0.1).

The limit of this study was the exclusion of children under 1 year of age, since the product tested contained 10 ml of whole fermented cow's milk.

Thus, the use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG may be recommended as an effective preventive measure aimed at reducing the risk of nosocomial infections of the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system in children's hospitals.