The Efficacy of a Probiotic Product on Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (Common Cold) in Healthy Children
The Efficacy of a Probiotic Product on Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (Common Cold) in Healthy Children
The aim of the present study is to test the efficacy of the combination of two probiotic
 bacteria in reducing the severity of upper respiratory tract infections (common cold) in
 healthy children attending day care or school. The probiotic bacteria used are Lactobacillus
 plantarum strain DSM 15312 and Lactobacillus paracasei DSM 13434 at a total dose of 1 x 10^9
 CFU/tablet and day and will be consumed for a period of 12 weeks.
Inclusion Criteria:

 1. Parents / legal guardians signed written informed consent to participate in the study.

 2. Healthy children (male and female) aged 3 to 7 years old (inclusive) at enrollment.

 3. Children attending day care center or school.

 4. No consumption of commercial products containing probiotics during the whole study
 period.

 5. Children not being intensive consumers of regular yoghurts (no more than one 125 g
 serving per day).

 6. Ability of the parents / legal guardians (in the Investigator's opinion) to comprehend
 the full nature and purpose of the study.

 7. Parents' / legal guardians' consent to the study and willing to comply with all its
 procedures.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 Children presenting one or more of the following criteria will not be eligible to enter the
 study.

 1. Flu vaccine administration within the last 3 months prior to enrollment.

 2. Use of antibiotics within the last 30 days prior to enrollment.

 3. Acute infection or fever at enrollment.

 4. Any congenital or chronic disease that in the opinion of the investigator would
 adversely affect the results of the study.

 5. Any kind of immunodeficiency or allergy (including known food allergy).

 6. Subjects with known hypersensitivity or allergy to any component of the study
 products.

 7. Significant illness within the 2 weeks prior to the enrollment or any active systemic
 infection or medical condition that may require treatment or therapeutic intervention
 during the study.

 8. Currently participating or having participated in another clinical trial during the
 last 4 weeks prior to the beginning of this study.