Effect of Honey Supplementation on Clostridium Difficile Infection in Childhood Cancer

Abstract

hemotherapy and antibiotics are essential standard therapies in malignant diseases but severe side-effects such as mucositis, diarrhea and constipation are often life-threatening. Honey is aprebiotic has the capacity to improve the composition, the activity, and the functionality of both the colonic microbiota and the intestinal mucosa thus creating the conditions for better intestinal health and well-being. In the current study, we assessed the effect of honey supplementation on CL difficle infection and gastrointestinal complications in pediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy. We conducted this study on forty- pediatric patients with cancer Patients were divided into two groups; group I (25 patients) who received honey(2gm/kg daily for 1 month) supplementation while group II (15 patients) who did not receive honey. All the studied patients were subjected to medical history and clinical examination, with special emphasis on oral mucositis and different gastrointestinal complications , routine laboratory tests. Follow up was done for weight, height z score, gastrointestinal complications and any adverse events. Stool analysis, culture, C difficle toxin A,B by ELISA was done to all