Potential hazards of probiotic bacteria for immunodeficient patients

Probiotic bacteria provide a variety of health benefits to immunocompetent hosts; however, their use in immunodeficient patients may pose problems. Some probiotics are closely related to bacteria that are opportunistic pathogens and can transfer antibiotic resistance genes. Intestinal bacteria have recently been associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in immunodeficient hosts; similar problems may arise if probiotics are fed to immunodeficient patients. The safety, efficacy, benefits and costs of feeding probiotic bacteria to immunodeficient patients needs to be carefully considered and fully researched to assure they will not cause infectious, inflammatory or autoimmune diseases in these susceptible hosts.