Influence of Probiotics on Atopy With Focus on Respiratory Allergic Diseases- Follow-up to 7 Years

This study intends to continue the initial double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial (NCT00318695) which involved 253 subjects with a first degree family history of allergic disease. The infants received at least 60ml of commercially available cow's milk based infant formula with or without probiotic supplementation (Bifidobacterium longum [BL999] 1×10*7 colony-forming unit (cfu)/g and Lactobacillus rhamnosus [LPR]2×10*7 cfu/g) daily from the first day of life for the first 6 months. A follow-up study (NCT00365469) up to 5 years of age is currently in process.

This current study plans to continue the follow-up for a further 2 years till the cohort reaches 7 years of age. This study will only involve telephone calls which will be conducted every 3 months to ascertain for symptoms and incidence of respiratory allergic disease.This is critical in the evaluation of asthma and allergic rhinitis which tend to develop later in life and this step-wise, temporal development of respiratory allergies has been described as "Atopic March".

Inclusion criteria

• Subject has completed the both NCT00318695 and NCT00365469 studies.
• Parent(s) / Guardian consent to the subject's participation in the study.
• Subject and the parent(s)/ guardian are willing to comply with the study procedures

Exclusion criteria

• The parent is, in the opinion of the investigator, mentally or legally incapacitated, preventing informed consent from being obtained.
• The parent is unable/ unwilling to comply with study procedures