Probiotic bacteria, B. longum and L. acidophilus inhibit infection by rotavirus in vitro and decrease the duration of diarrhea in pediatric patients.

Background And Objectives: Evidence suggests that specific probiotics may be antagonistic to enteric pathogens and enhance immunity, and thus, provide a means of preventing or treating diarrheal diseases. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of probiotic strains isolated from Koreans for the treatment of viral gastroenteritis in young children and against rotavirus in vitro.

Methods: In vitro antiviral activities of probiotic isolates on rotavirus infection were investigated in the Vero cell using a plaque reduction assay.