Prophylactic Efficacy of Lactobacilli on Traveler’s Diarrhea

Abstract

It is well established in double-blind controlled studies that travelers’ diarrhea to a great extent can be prevented by prophylactic intake of antimicrobial chemotherapeutics [1, 2, 4]. Doxycycline; the combination of sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and trimethoprim alone; mecillinam; and recently norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin have shown protection rates of 60%–95%. However, the use of these agents may cause adverse reactions and may lead to emergence of resistant strains of enteric pathogens.