Prophylactic probiotics to prevent death or sepsis in preterm infants in Colombia. A ramdomized, double - blind, multicenter trial.

Neonatal infections currently cause about 1.6 million deaths annually in developing countries. Preterm infants are especially vulnerable to infections because of their immature immune responses and their exposure to the hospital milieu, which promotes gastrointestinal colonization with Gram-negative pathogens. Multiple studies have shown that the colonization of the bowel with probiotics (nonpathogenic anaerobic bacteria) competitively inhibit the attachment of Gram-negative pathogens decreasing their likelihood for bacterial translocation and the development of life threatening infections. This potential high-impact, low-cost intervention may significantly improve the survival and morbidity of preterm infants around the world.