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Synbiotic for prevention of SARS-Cov2 infection in high risk hospital staffs: A randomized controlled trial
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  • hamid ahanchian,
  • Alireza ranjbar,
  • Hamidreza Reihani,
  • Arash Peyvandi,
  • Seyedali Jafari,
  • Moahammadali Kiani,
  • Rana Tafrishi,
  • Nasrinsadat Motevalihaghi,
  • Ali Kakshour,
  • Nasrin Moazzen,
  • Zahra Abbasi Shaye,
  • Sadegh Ebrahimi,
  • Hamidreza Kianifar
hamid ahanchian
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Corresponding Author:ahanchianh@mums.ac.ir

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Alireza ranjbar
Institute for interventional Allergology and Immunology
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Hamidreza Reihani
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Arash Peyvandi
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Seyedali Jafari
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Moahammadali Kiani
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Rana Tafrishi
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Nasrinsadat Motevalihaghi
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Ali Kakshour
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Nasrin Moazzen
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Zahra Abbasi Shaye
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Sadegh Ebrahimi
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Hamidreza Kianifar
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
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Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 increasingly involves people worldwide. Probiotics can improve immune system functions via different mechanisms. We proposed that Synbiotic Lactocare® may also reduce SARS-Cov2 infection in high risk medical staff working in COVID-19 hospital wards. Method: In a randomized, controlled trial, 60 hospital staff without any history of clinical or laboratory evidence of SARS-Cov2 infection were received either once daily oral synbiotic capsule (Lactocare®) that contains 1 billion CFU/Cap of L. (Lactobacillus) casei, L. rhamnosus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium breve, L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium infantis, L. bulgaricus, and Fructooligosacharide (Zist Takhmir, Tehran, Iran) or placebo with the same appearance for 30 days. They were followed for two months. Result: During the two month period of this study, SARS-COV-2 RT-PCR test results were positive in three participants (9.67%) in placebo group compared to zero positive test in synbiotic group. The differences were not statistically significant (p= 0.238). During the study, two persons (7 %) of placebo group had respiratory complaint such as cough, rhinorrhea and/or dyspnea, compared with one in synbiotic group (p= 0.492). Conclusion: This study showed that overall frequency of SARS-COC2 infection in participants receiving synbiotic and those receiving placebo did not differ significantly. However, 3 hospital staff in placebo group compared to no one in synbiotic group had SARS-COV2 infection. Further studies with greater power and alternative probiotic strains and mixture are warranted to determine whether Synbiotic can prevent COVID-19 in at-risk hospital staff. Keywords: COVID-19, Synbiotic, prevention, Lactocare, SARS-Cov2
2021Published in Open Journal of Nursing volume 11 issue 05 on pages 281-290. 10.4236/ojn.2021.115025