SUMMARYAim: To test whether supplements of Lactobacillus-and Bifidobacterium-containing yogurt (AB-Yogurt) affect the success of Helicobacter pylori eradication. Methods: One hundred and sixty H. pylori-infected patients were randomized into a triple-plus-yogurt group or a triple-only group, receiving 1 week of triple therapy with and without supplements of AB-Yogurt, respectively. In the triple-plus-yogurt group, AB-Yogurt was continued for 4 weeks after triple therapy. Eight weeks later, patients were assessed for the success of H. pylori eradication. The stool samples of 22 randomly selected patients, 11 from each group, were provided on enrolment, at the first week and at the fifth week for evaluation of the percentage of Bifidobacterium in anaerobes.Results: By intention-to-treat analysis, the triple-plusyogurt group had a higher H. pylori eradication rate than the triple-only group (91% vs. 78%, P < 0.05). The per protocol H. pylori eradication rates were similar for both groups (93.5% vs. 89%, P ¼ N.S.). Only patients supplemented with AB-Yogurt showed restoration of the percentage of Bifidobacterium in the anaerobes of stools at the fifth week to the level in the stools on enrolment. Conclusions: Supplement with AB-Yogurt can improve the intention-to-treat eradication rates of H. pylori, and can restore the depletion of Bifidobacterium in stools after triple therapy.

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The city of New Orleans, LA was severely impacted by flooding and wind damage following landfall of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The city's drinking water infrastructure was severely compromised and massive amounts of sediment were redeposited throughout the flooded region. Thousands of homes were water-damaged resulting in the rapid growth of mold. In September and October 2005 a convenience sample of selected homes, tap water, surface water, and sediment within New Orleans was assessed for mold contamination, microbial contamination, and heavy metal concentrations. At selected sites, indoor mold spore concentrations were compared to outdoor concentrations. The purpose of this study was to conduct a baseline environmental assessment in an effort to identify public health threats caused by wind and flood damage. Surface waters contained high concentrations of bacterial indicators whereas no bacteria were detected in tap water, even from taps containing no chlorine residual. Sediment samples contained concentrations of lead and arsenic similarto pre-Katrina concentrations. Outdoor total spore (sp) concentrations ranged from >6500 to 84 713 sp/m(3). Indoor concentrations ranged from 6142 to 735 123 sp/m(3). For the 13 locations with matched indoor/ outdoor samples, the mean indoor/outdoor spore ratio was 4.11 (ranging from 0.27 to >11.44). Inside 5 of the 13 homes, total spore counts/m(3) exceeded 100 000, with measurements in the moldiest home exceeding 700 000 sp/ m(3). In conclusion, surface waters had high concentrations of bacterial contamination but no bacterial indicators were present in tap water. Sediment samples did not have appreciable increases in lead or arsenic. Flooded homes, however, contained substantial concentrations of mold which could present a public health exposure route to individuals repopulating and restoring the City of New Orleans.