Synbiotics in patients at risk for spontaneous preterm birth: protocol for a multi-centre, double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial (PRIORI).

Background: Prematurity remains one of the main causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Approximately two thirds of preterm births are spontaneous, i.e.

Multifactorial inhibition of Candida albicans by combinations of lactobacilli and probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856.

Strategies against the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans based on probiotic microorganisms represent a promising alternative to traditional antifungals. Here, we investigated the effects of Lactobacillaceae isolates from fermented foods or the human vagina, alone or in combination with the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856, against C. albicans in vitro.

Salivary microbiome of healthy women of reproductive age.

The salivary microbiome has been proven to play a crucial role in local and systemic diseases. Moreover, the effects of biological and lifestyle factors such as oral hygiene and smoking on this microbial community have already been explored. However, what was not yet well understood was the natural variation of the saliva microbiome in healthy women and how this is associated with specific use of hormonal contraception and with the number of different sexual partners with whom microbiome exchange is expected regularly.

The Dwindling Microbiota of Aerobic Vaginitis, an Inflammatory State Enriched in Pathobionts with Limited TLR Stimulation.

While bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a well-known type of vaginal dysbiosis, aerobic vaginitis (AV) is an inflammatory condition that remains understudied and under-recognised. It predisposes women to serious complications including urogenital infections and pregnancy problems. Here, we investigated the bacterial community in AV to explore its possible role in AV pathogenesis.

The use of 3 selected lactobacillary strains in vaginal probiotic gel for the treatment of acute Candida vaginitis: a proof-of-concept study.

In vitro studies suggest that certain probiotic bacterial strains have potential activity against opportunistic infections such as Candida. There are few in vivo trials using probiotics as a single treatment for acute Candida vulvovaginitis (CV). In this open-label, proof-of-concept study, selected Lactobacillus strains were tested in women with acute Candida vaginitis.

Inhibition of Candida albicans morphogenesis by chitinase from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.

Lactobacilli have been evaluated as probiotics against Candida infections in several clinical trials, but with variable results. Predicting and understanding the clinical efficacy of Lactobacillus strains is hampered by an overall lack of insights into their modes of action. In this study, we aimed to unravel molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of lactobacilli on hyphal morphogenesis, which is a crucial step in C.

Human inflammatory response of endotoxin affected by particulate matter-bound transition metals.

Bacterial endotoxins are a component of particulate matter (PM) with anticipated health implications, yet we know little about how host reception of endotoxin through toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is affected by its association with other PM components. Subsequently, we investigated the relationship between endotoxin concentration (recombinant Factor C (rFC) assay) and host recognition (HEK Blue-TLR4 NF-kB reporter cell line based assay) in various compositions of urban PM, including road traffic, industrial and urban green land use classes. While the assays did not correlate strongly between each other, the TLR4 reporter cell line was found to be better correlated to the IL-8 response of PM.

Comparing the Healthy Nose and Nasopharynx Microbiota Reveals Continuity As Well As Niche-Specificity.

To improve our understanding of upper respiratory tract (URT) diseases and the underlying microbial pathogenesis, a better characterization of the healthy URT microbiome is crucial. In this first large-scale study, we obtained more insight in the URT microbiome of healthy adults. Hereto, we collected paired nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs from 100 healthy participants in a citizen-science project.

Interplay between Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Candida and the involvement of exopolysaccharides.

A number of clinical studies have shown protective effects of lactobacilli against Candida species in the gastrointestinal tract, the urogenital tract and the oral cavity, while others did not show clear effects. Evidence on the mode of action of lactobacilli against Candida is also still lacking. In this study, the anti-Candida activity of the model probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG was explored in different assays to determine molecular interactions.