There is strong evidence of a role for the indigenous flora in driving inflammatory responses in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in genetically predisposed individuals.¹ For years, researchers have tried in vain to identify a specific pathogen as the cause of these chronic intestinal inflammatory disorders but the possibility that one or more bacterial agents are responsible cannot be ruled out. Considering the implications of a pathogen in IBD, as yet undiscovered due to technical limitations, it was hypothesised that modulation of an abnormal microflora in these patients by introducing high titres of ”protective” bacteria might overwhelm the ”aggressive” strain(s) and inhibit its deleterious effects. On this basis, probiotic treatment was proposed as a therapeutic approach.²

Probiotics are defined as “living organisms which, on ingestion in certain numbers, exert health benefits beyond inherent basic nutrition”.³ Bacteria associated with probiotic activity are most commonly lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and streptococci but other non-pathogenic bacteria such as some strains of Escherichia coli and microorganisms such …