Probiotics: Current Trend in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance

Abstract

Probiotics are live bacteria, most commonly belonging to the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera, although strains of other species are also commercially available and beneficial to the host. From an antibiotic perspective, probiotics have been shown to reduce the risk of certain infections, such as certain types of gastro-intestinal, respiratory and other reproductive infections. This may be accompanied by a reduced need for antibiotics for secondary infections. Although antibiotics appear to be effective against most infections, resistance is increasing among bacteria. Probiotics are specifically selected to prevent cross-contamination or transmission of antibiotic resistance. It is recommended to use probiotics together with antibiotics to reduce incidence, duration and/or severity of antibiotic resistance. This provides better compatibility with antibiotics and thus reduces the development of resistance. The extent to which probiotics directly reduce the spread of antibiotics resistance has not yet been fully studied. However, maintaining the balance of the microbiome while using antibiotics has been the potential to reduce infection and consequently resistance. Probiotics may reduce the need for antibiotics thus the risk of infection. Key words: Probiotics, Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus, Antimicrobial resistance