The influence of probiotics on vaccine responses – A systematic review

Publication date: Available online 18 September 2017
Source:Vaccine
Author(s): Petra Zimmermann, Nigel Curtis
The immunomodulatory effects of probiotics offer a relatively cheap means to improve vaccine efficacy and duration of protection. We systematically reviewed prospective randomised placebo-controlled studies in humans that have investigated the influence of probiotics on humoral vaccine responses.We found 26 studies, involving 3812 participants, investigating the use of 40 different probiotic strains on the efficacy of 17 different vaccines. A beneficial effect of probiotics was reported in about half of the studies. The evidence for a beneficial effect of probiotics on vaccine response was strongest for oral vaccinations and for parenteral influenza vaccination. However, there was substantial variation between studies in the choice of probiotics, strain, dose, viability, purity, and duration and timing of administration. The one study that investigated the effect of probiotics administration to mothers during pregnancy found lower vaccine response in infants.Probiotics offer a relatively cheap intervention to improve vaccine efficacy and duration of protection. There is sufficient evidence from the studies in our review to suggest this strategy is worth pursuing. However, future studies should focus on establishing optimal strains, doses and timing of administration in relation to vaccination.



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