<strong>Introduction:</strong> COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 increasingly involves people worldwide. Probiotics can improve immune system functions via different mechanisms. ...<strong>Introduction:</strong> COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 increasingly involves people worldwide. Probiotics can improve immune system functions via different mechanisms. We proposed that Synbiotic Lactocare<span style="white-space:nowrap;"><sup><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">?</span></span></sup></span> may also reduce SARS-Cov2 infection in high-risk medical staff working in COVID-19 hospital wards. <strong>Method:</strong> In a randomized, controlled trial, 60 hospital staff without any history of clinical or laboratory evidence of SARS-Cov2 infection were received either once-daily oral synbiotic capsule (Lactocare<span style="font-size:10px;"><sup><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">?</span></span></sup></span>) that contains 1 billion CFU/Cap of L. (Lactobacillus) casei, <em>L. rhamnosus</em>, <em>Streptococcus thermophilus</em>, <em>Bifidobacterium breve</em>, <em>L. acidophilus</em>, <em>Bifidobacterium infantis</em>, <em>L. bulgaricus</em>, and Fructooligosacharide (Zist Takhmir, Tehran, Iran) or placebo with the same appearance for 30 days. They were followed for two months. <strong>Result:</strong> During the two-month period of this study, SARS-COV-2 RT-PCR test results were positive in three participants (9.67%) in placebo group compared to zero positive tests in synbiotic group. The differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.238). During the study, two persons (7 %) of placebo group had respiratory complaints such as cough, rhinorrhea and/or dyspnea, compared with one in synbiotic group (p = 0.492). <strong>Conclusion:</strong> This study showed that overall frequency of SARS-COV2 infection in participants receiving synbiotic and those receiving placebo did not differ significantly. However, 3 hospital staff in placebo group compared to no one in synbiotic group had SARS-COV2 infection. Further studies with greater power and alternative probiotic strains and mixture are warranted to determine whether Synbiotic can prevent COVID-19 in at-risk hospital staff.展开更多
文摘<strong>Introduction:</strong> COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 increasingly involves people worldwide. Probiotics can improve immune system functions via different mechanisms. We proposed that Synbiotic Lactocare<span style="white-space:nowrap;"><sup><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">?</span></span></sup></span> may also reduce SARS-Cov2 infection in high-risk medical staff working in COVID-19 hospital wards. <strong>Method:</strong> In a randomized, controlled trial, 60 hospital staff without any history of clinical or laboratory evidence of SARS-Cov2 infection were received either once-daily oral synbiotic capsule (Lactocare<span style="font-size:10px;"><sup><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">?</span></span></sup></span>) that contains 1 billion CFU/Cap of L. (Lactobacillus) casei, <em>L. rhamnosus</em>, <em>Streptococcus thermophilus</em>, <em>Bifidobacterium breve</em>, <em>L. acidophilus</em>, <em>Bifidobacterium infantis</em>, <em>L. bulgaricus</em>, and Fructooligosacharide (Zist Takhmir, Tehran, Iran) or placebo with the same appearance for 30 days. They were followed for two months. <strong>Result:</strong> During the two-month period of this study, SARS-COV-2 RT-PCR test results were positive in three participants (9.67%) in placebo group compared to zero positive tests in synbiotic group. The differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.238). During the study, two persons (7 %) of placebo group had respiratory complaints such as cough, rhinorrhea and/or dyspnea, compared with one in synbiotic group (p = 0.492). <strong>Conclusion:</strong> This study showed that overall frequency of SARS-COV2 infection in participants receiving synbiotic and those receiving placebo did not differ significantly. However, 3 hospital staff in placebo group compared to no one in synbiotic group had SARS-COV2 infection. Further studies with greater power and alternative probiotic strains and mixture are warranted to determine whether Synbiotic can prevent COVID-19 in at-risk hospital staff.
