Chapter 15 - Probiotics in the prevention and treatment of nosocomial infections

Abstract

This chapter focuses on nosocomial infections, specifically Clostridium difficile diarrhea, hospital-acquired pneumonia, and ventilator-associated pneumonia. As evidence on the use of probiotics for the treatment and prevention of nosocomial infections has grown over the past decade, the summary in this chapter is based on literature published between 2010 and 2020 in adult and pediatric populations. The chapter outlines the mechanisms, dosage forms, and characteristics of probiotic formulations used for the prevention and treatment of nosocomial infections. The available evidence for the use of probiotics for the three types of nosocomial infections covered in this chapter varies greatly. The heterogeneous study designs and varying doses of probiotics utilized may make it difficult for healthcare providers to apply this knowledge to practice.