Therapeutic potency of probiotics in the treatment of gastrointestinal parasites

Abstract

Current World Health Organization estimates suggest that around 1.5 billion people worldwide and approximately a quarter of all people on earth, chiefly among the developing countries, are affected by intestinal parasites, despite the aggressive control and an alarming treatment over the years. Besides, the extensive use of the available chemotherapeutic agents, against the infection, has created widespread drug resistance problem. Probiotics, therapeutic non-pathogenic microorganisms have been recently identified as a novel alternative prophylactic and chemotherapeutic agents against several gastrointestinal parasites. They are mostly gram-positive bacteria, isolated from the human gut microflora or various dairy products such as curds, lassi and kulfi with characteristics non-pathogenic, resistant to low pH and acid. Their non-pathogenic symbiotic activities in the gut help in the restoration of gut bacteria microbiota by stimulating immune system, metabolism and anti-pathogenic effect, especially when administered in large quantity. In addition, several strains of probiotics have been identified to possess antiparasitic effects against some gastrointestinal parasites both in egg and larval stage of the parasites. This present review therefore elucidates the potential of probiotics in the treatment and management of gastrointestinal parasites. There is need for more clinical studies and especially molecular studies for better perception of the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of probiotics on parasitic infections.