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REVIEW article

Front. Pediatr.
Sec. Pediatric Immunology
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1508613

Advancements related to probiotics for preventing and treating recurrent respiratory tract infections in children

Provisionally accepted
Yali Zhang Yali Zhang 1*Yingying Xu Yingying Xu 1*Ling Hu Ling Hu 2*Xiaomei Wang Xiaomei Wang 1*
  • 1 School of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
  • 2 Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) are a common condition in pediatrics and significantly impact children's quality of life; however, their pathogenesis and contributing factors are not yet fully elucidated. Probiotics have recently emerged as promising agents for modulating intestinal microecology and have gained considerable attention in clinical research on preventing and treating RRTIs in children. This article provides an initial overview of the concept, classification, and mechanisms underlying probiotics. It emphasizes their beneficial effects on respiratory health by modulating intestinal microbial equilibrium, augmenting immune system functionality, and attenuating inflammatory responses. Subsequently, we examine existing research regarding the use of probiotics in pediatric RRTIs. Numerous clinical trials have unequivocally demonstrated that supplementing with probiotics can significantly reduce both the frequency and severity of RRTIs in children while also simultaneously decreasing antibiotic usage. However, there are ongoing controversies and challenges in current research concerning the influence of probiotic type, dosage, duration of use, and other factors on efficacy. Furthermore, variations have been observed across different studies. Additionally, it is crucial to further evaluate the safety and potential long-term side effects associated with probiotic use in children with RRTIs. In conclusion, we propose future research directions including conducting more high-quality randomized controlled trials to optimize application strategies for probiotics alongside other treatments while considering variations based on age and health conditions among pediatric populations. Finally, in summary although probiotics exhibit promising benefits in preventing and treating RRTIs in children; additional studies are necessary to refine their application strategies ensuring both safety and effectiveness.

    Keywords: Recurrent respiratory tract infections, Probiotics, Children, prevention, Heal

    Received: 09 Oct 2024; Accepted: 17 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, Xu, Hu and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yali Zhang, School of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
    Yingying Xu, School of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
    Ling Hu, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
    Xiaomei Wang, School of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.