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Probiotic Strain Specificity

Meaning

Probiotic strain specificity refers to the critical principle that the health benefits of a probiotic are highly dependent on the particular genus, species, and, most importantly, the distinct strain of the live microorganism administered. It is a fundamental concept asserting that not all bacteria within a species confer the same clinical effects, and therefore, the efficacy of a probiotic intervention is not a class effect but a strain-specific property. This property must be substantiated by rigorous clinical evidence for the specific isolate. This concept is fundamental to the accurate clinical application of microbiome-based therapies.