About the PIRATES-COV study

 

The acronym PIRATES-COV stands for Probiotics Impacting the Response of Antibodies through Time in the Elderly under Situation of COVID-19.

 

Why research probiotics in the context of the vaccination for COVID-19?

 

More info

 
 
 

Vaccine

It appears that the vaccination against COVID-19 will prove essential in controlling the pandemic. We know that the duration of the immunity decreases depending on the age of the people receiving the vaccine.

 

Microbiota

We know that the composition of the gut microbiota could explain some of the variations in immunity, and that the elderly often have an imbalance in microbiota.

 
 

Probiotics

Probiotics influence the composition of the gut microbiota and have been proven to improve the immune response obtained from certain vaccines, including the flu vaccine.

 
 
 

Hypothesis

We believe that the ingestion of probiotics around the time of vaccination for COVID-19 could boost the immune response in the elderly.

 

A few definitions

  • Immunity, or immune response, is the set of mechanisms that allow an organism to defend itself against a foreign substance (e.g. the COVID-19 virus).

    The human body releases defensive substances (antibodies) to stop harmful foreign substances.

  • All microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, protists) living in a specific environment. In the present study, we are interested in the microbiota of the intestine.

  • Probiotics are living micro-organisms that, when ingested in sufficient quantities, have positive effects on health.

Want to support the PIRATES-COV study?

 

Scientific references

  1. Breznik JA, et al. Antibody Responses 3-5 Months Post-Vaccination with mRNA-1273 or BNT163b2 in Nursing Home Residents. 

  2. Sominsky L, et al. One size does not fit all – Patterns of vulnerability and resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic and why heterogeneity of disease matters. Brain Behav Immun. 2020;87:1-3. 

  3. Abe KT, et al. Neutralizing antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 variants in vaccinated Ontario long-term care home residents and workers. medRxiv  Prepr Serv Heal Sci. Published online 2021.

  4. Lei W-T, et al. Effect of Probiotics and Prebiotics on Immune Response to Influenza Vaccination in Adults: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2017;9(11).

  5. Yeh T-L, et al. The influence of prebiotic or probiotic supplementation on antibody titers after influenza vaccination: a meta-analysis of RCT. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2018;Volume 12:217-230.

  6. Fonollá J, et al. Effects of Lactobacillus coryniformis on the immune response to influenza vaccination in elderly subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Nutr. 2019;58(1):83-90.

This study was approved by the CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS Research Ethics Board.