Human gastrointestinal tract microbiota in health and IBD context

The prevalence of IBD has increased in countries that adopt Western lifestyle, including Brazil. The two main IBD associated diseases are Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn¿s Disease. Discovered nearly 100 years ago, the etiology of these diseases is not yet fully understood; however, there is growing evidence that IBD results from abnormal immune responses to the gut microbiota in individuals with genetic predisposition, resulting in a chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. The treatments currently available are accompanied by serious side effects. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential therapeutic use of probiotic bacteria in the treatment of these diseases, and many probiotics, have generat promising results. Most of them belong to the Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) group, which makes part of our healthy microbiota. However, little is known about the effects of transiting dairy bacteria that make part of our diet, including Lactococcus lactis. The results of this study allowed us to identify a new probiotic strain which may represent an alternative for IBD treatment.