The aim of the intervention is to examine the effect of the bacterial strain BB-12, provided for 6 mo, on the prevalence of infections and allergic manifestations in small children, and how BB-12 affects the immune system, the gastrointestinal tract and the microbiota. Children are enrolled during 2 winter seasons.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
40
Section of Paediatric and International nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen
Frederiksberg, Denmark
Number of days absent from day care due to respiratory and gastrointestinal infections
Recorded weekly by the parents using web-based questionnaires
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Acute upper respiratory tract infections
Number of days with acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTI); Number of children with at least 1 episode of URTI; Number of children with at least 3 episodes of URTI; Number of URTI episodes/child/year; Duration of URTI episodes (days); Additionally,symptoms of cold (defined as 2 days with runny/stuffy nose or cough) Recorded by the parents daily/weekly using web-based questionnaires.
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Acute lower respiratory infections
Number of children with at least 1 episode of a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). LRTI include bronchitis and pneumonia Recorded by the parents weekly using web-based questionnaires.
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Gastrointestinal infections
Number of children with at least 1 episode of diarrhea; Duration of episodes with diarrhea(days); Number of episodes/child/year with diarrhea; Number of days with vomiting. Recorded by the parents daily using web-based questionnaires
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Fever
Number of days with fever Recorded by the parents using web-based questionnaires
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Antibiotic use
Number of treatments with antibiotics during the intervention period Recorded weekly by the parents using web-based questionnires
Time frame: Up to 6 month
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Allergies
Number of children developing allergies during the intervention period (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergies); Age for diagnosis of allergies; Use of medication due to allergies. Recorded by the parents monthly using web-based questionnaires
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Absence from day care due to illness other than infections
Number of days the child is absent from day care due to illness, which is not due to infections. Recorded by the parents weekly using web-based questionnaires
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Parental absence from work due to illness of the child
Number of days a parent is absent from work due to illness of the child (infections and other illnesses, respectively) Recorded by the parents weekly using web-based questionnaires
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Medical visits
Number of visits to a doctor due to infections and other illnesses, respectively. Recorded by the parents using web-based questionnaires
Time frame: Up to 6 month
Change from baseline in Thymus size
Change in thymic size during intervention period will be evaluated using ultraound
Time frame: At baseline and after 6 mo (end of intervention)