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Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in infants in rural Bangladesh with oral immunoglobulins from hyperimmune bovine colostrum
Author(s) -
Casswall Th,
Sarker Sa,
Albert Mj,
G Fuchs,
Mats Bergström,
Lennart Björck,
Lennart Hammarström
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2036.1998.00335.x
Subject(s) - colostrum , helicobacter pylori , medicine , antibody , placebo , immunology , pediatrics , gastroenterology , alternative medicine , pathology
Background: Antibodies from hyperimmune bovine colostrum have been shown to be effective in treatment against a variety of microorganisms, including Helicobacter pylori in adults. Aim: To test this form of treatment in a small group of H. pylori infected children in a periurban community in Bangladesh. Methods: Twenty‐four infants, 4–29 months old (mean age 16.5 ± 7.7 months) and infected with H. pylori , were treated with purified immunoglobulins from hyperimmune bovine colostrum for 1 month, in a placebo‐controlled, double‐blind pilot study. Diagnosis was established with 13 C‐urea breath test (UBT) before and after the treatment period and at a 1‐month follow‐up. Results: None of the hyperimmune bovine colostrum‐treated children became UBT negative. Five children initially positive in the UBT screening spontaneously became negative by the start of the study with hyperimmune bovine colostrum/placebo. At the end of the 1‐month study period, three had became positive again. Conclusion: Hyperimmune bovine colostrum does not eradicate H. pylori infection in infants. Transient H. pylori infection is common among infants in high endemic areas, as is reinfection after clearance. This presents obstacles to evaluation of therapeutic investigations in young children in areas where H. pylori is prevalent.