Treatment of Salmonellosis with Saccharomyces boulardii

Abstract

The salmonella is the most common pathogen of acute intestinal infections in Ukraine. There are not benefits of antibiotic therapy of salmonella diarrhea. There has recently a growing interest in use of Saccharomyces boulardii (S.B.) in the treatment of infectious diarrhea. The effects of prescribing of the non-pathogenic yeast for treatment of salmonellosis are not fully clear. We randomly assigned 73 patients with salmonellosis caused by Salmonella enterica enteritidis (36 female, 37 males) aged between 19 and 49 (mean age 31) years. The efficacy of S.B. were investigated in patients who were treated with S.B. at a daily dose between 500/750 mg and oral-rehydration solution. Standard therapy was oral-rehydration. The efficacy of S.B. was determined on the basis of frequency and consistency of stool, changes of symptoms and differences of microbiological composition of feces. The mean frequency of stool in periods 24–36 hours and 72-96 hours after enrollment were significantly lower in the S.B. group (5,6 + 1, 8; 1,4 + 0,6) than in the standard therapy group (7,6 + 0,8; 3,9 + 0,8 P = 0,4 and P = 0,02 respectively). The length of time to the first formed stool was mean of 6,8 + 1,0 days among the patients treated with standard therapy but it was significantly shorter among the patients in the S.B. group (4,1+0,5 days P = 0,02). Results of fecal culture in compared groups were different. The mean data of microbiological structure in group with the S.B. therapy was significantly different (Bifidobacterium sps. lg1 10,4 + 0,9; Lactobacillus sps. lg2 6,9 + 0,5; Escherichia coli lg3 8,4 + 0,6) than group with oral-rehydration lg1 8,0 + 0,5 P = 0,05; lg2 5,2+0,4 P = 0,01; lg3 6,2 = 0,3 P = 0,02 respectively). The addition of Saccharomyces boulardii with oral-rehydration therapy reduces frequently of stool and fluid loss and shortens the duration of diarrhea in patient with salmonellosis. The present study shows, that in patient with salmonellosis, when added to Saccharomyces boulardii can successfully increases level of normal microflora in intestine, which is effected in salmonella infection.