Treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis with probiotics.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating condition characterized by diffuse intestinal inflammation and necrosis in preterm infants. It is the most common gastrointestinal emergency in the neonatal intensive care unit and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Primary risk factors include prematurity and low birth weight. Although the pathogenesis of NEC is complex and not entirely understood, it is known that an interplay between immature intestinal immune responses and the process of bacterial colonization is required for the development of this disease.