Good bacteria enlisted to fight pneumonia risk

LONDON (Reuters) - Friendly bacteria can be used to keep hospital infections at bay in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilators, Swedish researchers said on Thursday.

The beneficial or probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus planarum 299 was found to out-compete dangerous bugs in a clinical test involving 50 patients, proving as effective as antiseptic. There were no adverse side effects.

Patients on breathing machines face a significant risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which can occur when harmful bacteria from the mouth, throat or breathing tube are inhaled into the lungs.

Each extra day of mechanical ventilation increases the danger of developing pneumonia by 1 percent.

Traditionally, doctors have used antiseptics or antibiotics to reduce the danger of infection, but both these approaches have drawbacks.

The use of antibiotics is limited by the risk of bacteria developing resistance, while antiseptic swabs can cause tooth discolouration, irritation and, very occasionally, serious allergic reactions.

Using good bacteria -- similar to the kind that have been given for decades to improve microbiotic flora in the gut -- may be a viable alternative, according to Bengt Klarin and colleagues from the University Hospital in Lund, Sweden.

Their tests showed that swabbing patients' mouths with a solution containing millions of friendly Lp299 bacteria was just as effective as using the common antiseptic chlorhexidine.

"As the bacteria adhere to the oral mucosa, they are able to counteract potentially pathogenic bacteria around the clock, which is superior to the fairly short-term effect of orally applied chemical agents," the scientists said.