Corrigendum to ‘Evidences and perspectives of the use of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics as adjuvants for prevention and treatment of COVID-19: A bibliometric analysis and integrative review’ [Trends in Food Science & Technology 120 (2022) 174–192]

The authors regret to inform that the reader should consider this article as a bibliometric and integrative review instead of a bibliometric and systematic review due to the methodological procedures followed.

Introduction section:

“This is an unprecedented study to identify the scientific perspectives of dietary interventions that may collaborate to immunomodulation and constrain the damage promoted by SARS-CoV-2 infection through a bibliometric analysis associated to a systematic review.”

Should be replaced with:

“This is an unprecedented study to identify the scientific perspectives of dietary interventions that may collaborate to immunomodulation and constrain the damage promoted by SARS-CoV-2 infection through a bibliometric analysis associated to an integrative review.”

Methodology section:

“Data collected in the Scopus database were then accomplished utilizing the VOSviewer v.1.6.17 (https://www.vosviewer.com/) in order to gather information related to countries network, co-occurrence networks of author keywords, and co-occurrence networks of terms in title/abstract. The data extracted from Scopus to obtain the terms present in titles and abstracts were processed utilizing binary counting without considering a repeated item in the same publication, according to the network view map. The software enables the elaboration of a map of co-occurrence terms from data exported in an Excel file format.”

Should be replaced with:

“Data collected in the Scopus database were then accomplished utilizing the VOSviewer v.1.6.17 (https://www.vosviewer.com/) in order to gather information related to countries network, co-occurrence networks of author keywords, and co-occurrence networks of terms in title/abstract. The data extracted from Scopus to obtain the terms present in titles and abstracts were processed utilizing binary counting without considering a repeated item in the same publication, according to the network view map. The software enables the elaboration of a map of co-occurrence terms from data exported in an Excel file format.

The clinical trials registered and associated to the effects of probiotics and synbiotics in the prevention and therapy of COVID-19 were collected in the ClinicalTrials.gov database (https://clinicaltrials.gov/) and included in the integrative review.”

Bibliometric analysis and scientific production section:

“In this study, the bibliometric analysis reported above, provided as a basis for leading the systematic review, approached the topics of highest relevance for microbiome modulation by means of these supplements as an adjunctive therapy, safe, effective, and a low-cost strategy to support prevention or and treatment of COVID-19.”

Should be replaced with:

“In this study, the bibliometric analysis reported above, provided as a basis for leading the integrative review, approached the topics of highest relevance for microbiome modulation by means of these supplements as an adjunctive therapy, safe, effective, and a low-cost strategy to support prevention or and treatment of COVID-19.”

Clinical evidence of probiotics to prevent or treat COVID-19 section:

“An interesting retrospective study carried out on 800 COVID-positive patients with diarrhea supplemented with probiotics showed that the disease duration time in the patients that were supplemented with probiotics, was significantly shorter compared to the control group and the probiotics contributed to relieving patients’ abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms (Huaren & Zazhi, 2021).”

Should be replaced with:

“An interesting retrospective study carried out on 800 COVID-positive patients with diarrhea supplemented with probiotics showed that the disease duration time in the patients that were supplemented with probiotics, was significantly shorter compared to the control group and the probiotics contributed to relieving patients’ abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms (Ke & Zhang, 2020).”

In the reference section:

“Huaren, S., & Zazhi, X. (2021). World Chinese journal of digestology. https://www.wjgnet.com/1009-3079/. (Accessed August 22, 2021).”

Should be replaced with:

“Ke, E., & Zhang, H. (2020). Clinical effects of probiotics in ordinary-type COVID-19 patients with diarrhea. World Chinese Journal of Digestology, 28, 834–838.”

Table 2

Studies registered in ClinicalTrials.gov database related to the effects of probiotics and synbiotics in the prevention and therapy of COVID-19.

The Table 2 was updated with the addition of the study “NCT04368351”.

Table 3

Evidence of clinical trials with probiotic strain in coronavirus disease:

In Table 3, the correct citation is “Ke and Zhang (2020)” instead of “Huaren and Zazhi (2021)”.

The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Revised Table 2. Studies registered in ClinicalTrials.gov database related to the effects of probiotics and synbiotics in the prevention and therapy of COVID-19.

Identifier	Investigators	Country	Recruitment status	Age	Supplement	Study design	Number enrolled	Intervention	Primary outcome measures	Access link
NCT04366089	Francesco Pugliese	Italy	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	152	•SivoMixx (2 x 1011 of Streptococcus thermophilus DSM322245, Bifidobacterium lactis DSM 32246, Bifidobacterium lactis DSM 32247, Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 32241, Lactobacillus helveticus DSM 32242, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DSM 32243, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 32244, Levilactobacillus brevis DSM 27961) + Oxygen-ozone therapy + Standard of care or Control with Oxygen-ozone therapy + Standard of care •Six sachets (SivoMixx) twice a day	•Number of patients, in treatment, needing orotracheal intubation	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04366089
NCT04366180	Not informed	Spain	Recruiting	≥20 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	314	•Loigolactobacillus K8 (3 × 109 CFU) or Placebo (maltodextrin) •One capsule/day for 2 months	•Occurrence of healthcare workers infected with SARS-CoV-2	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04366180
NCT04368351	Gabriella d'Ettorre	Italy	Active, not recruiting	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Case-Control	70	•SivoMixx (2 x 1011 of Streptococcus thermophilus DSM322245, Bifidobacterium lactis DSM 32246, Bifidobacterium lactis DSM 32247, Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 32241, Lactobacillus helveticus DSM 32242, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DSM 32243, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 32244, Levilactobacillus brevis DSM 27961) + Standard of care or Control with Standard of care •SivoMixx/day for 14 days	•Time interval for disappearance of acute diarrhea	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04368351
NCT04390477	Vicente Navarro	Spain	Completed	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	40	•Probiotic (1 × 109 CFU) or Placebo •One oral capsule/day for 30 days	•Patients with discharge to ICU	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04390477
NCT04399252	Anthony Sung and Paul Wischmeyer	United States	Completed	≥1 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	182	•Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG or Placebo •Two capsules/day for 28 days	•Occurrence of one or more COVID-19 symptoms along the study interval	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04399252
NCT04420676	Not informed	Austria	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Synbiotic	Parallel Assignment	120	•Omni-Biotic® 10 AAD (Bifidobacterium bifidum W23, Bifidobacterium lactis W51, Enterococcus faecium W54, Lactobacillus acidophilus W37, Lactobacillus acidophilus W55, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei W20, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum W1, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum W62, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus W71 and Ligilactobacillus salivarius W24) + a matrix containing maize starch, maltodextrin, inulin, potassium chloride, hydrolyzed rice protein, magnesium sulphate, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), enzymes (amylases), vanilla flavor and manganese sulphate or Placebo (matrix containing maize starch, maltodextrin, inulin, potassium chloride, hydrolyzed rice protein, magnesium sulphate, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), enzymes (amylases), vanilla flavor and manganese sulphate) •Administrated twice a day	•Calprotectin present in stool	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04420676
NCT04458519	Martin Y Desrosiers	Canada	Completed	18-59 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	23	•Nasal probiotic irrigations with Probiorinse (2.4 × 109 CFU of Lactococcus lactis W136, (NPN: 80085895)) or Nasal placebo irrigations with saline (NeilMed Sinus Rinse, (NPN: 80027142)) •Nasal irrigations twice-daily for 14 days	•Alteration in severity of infection by COVID-19	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04458519
NCT04462627	Hanane El Kenz	Belgium	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	500	Not detailed	•Levels of anti-A and -B antibody •Blood group	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04462627
NCT04507867	Fernado Leal Martínez	Not informed	Completed	30-75 y	• Synbiotic	Sequential Assignment	240	•Nutritional Support System (NSS) + 2 sachets of NSS-1: Spirulina Maxima 2.5 g, folic acid 5 mg, Glutamine 5g, Cyanomax Ultra (10 g of powder), ascorbic acid 1 g, zinc 20 mg, selenium 100 mcg, cholecalciferol 2000 IU, resveratrol 200 mg, concentrated omega 3 fatty acids (10 g of powder), l-Arginine 1.5 g, and magnesium 400 mg. + 500 mg of Saccharomyces bourllardii or Control with only NSS •Probiotic: 2 capsule/day during the first 6 days	•Several parameters associated to biochemical, hematological, anthropometric, and nutritional parameters; dietary information; body composition; COVID-19 symptoms; oxygen therapy; and mood.	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04507867
NCT04517422	Not informed	Mexico	Completed	18-60 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	300	•Probiotics (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CECT30292, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CECT 7484, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CECT 7485, and Pediococcus acidilactici CECT 7483) or Placebo (maltodextrin)	•Severity of COVID-19 progression; stay of patients at ICU; and death rate	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04517422
NCT04581018	Siew Chien Ng	Hong Kong	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Synbiotic	Parallel Assignment	50	•Health supplements (synbiotic, 4g/day) + standard care or Control with only standard care •Twenty-eight days of health supplements (synbiotic)	•Combined score of symptoms	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04581018
NCT04621071	Jean-Charles Pasquier	Canada	Completed	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	84	•Probiotics (2 strains 1010 CFU) or Placebo (potato starch and magnesium stearate) •Two capsules/day for a maximum of 25 days •The participants will stop the treatment if they are admitted to the hospital	•Duration of COVID-19 symptoms	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04621071
NCT04666116	Not informed	Spain	Recruiting	18-99 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	96	Not detailed	•Viral load along the admission phase to the nasopharyngeal smear	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04666116
NCT04730284	Siew Ng	Hong Kong	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Synbiotic	Single Group Assignment	20	•Health supplements (synbiotic, 4g/day) •Twenty-eight days of health supplements (synbiotic)/day	•Shifts in intestinal microbiome	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04730284
NCT04734886	Robert J Brummer	Sweden	Completed	18-60 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	400	•Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (108 CFU) + vitamin D3 (10 μg) or Placebo + vitamin D (10 μg) •Two capsules/day for 6 months	•Specific antibodies for SARS-CoV-2	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04734886
NCT04756466	Anxo Fernandez-Ferreiro	Spain	Active, not recruiting	≥60 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	201	•Lactobacillus probiotic strain (3 x 109 CFU/day) or Placebo (maltodextrin) •One capsule/day for 3 months	•Occurrence of infection by SARS-CoV-2	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04756466
NCT04793997	Not informed	Belgium	Suspended	18-65 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	150	•Throat spray: Throat spray containing 3 beneficial lactobacilli strains or Placebo spray •Daily use for 2 weeks	•Change in gravity of infection symptoms by COVID-19 after the utilizing microbiome spray	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04793997
NCT04798677	Julián A. Mateus Rodríguez	Spain	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Synbiotic	Parallel Assignment	90	•ABBC1 Immunoessential Powder (Saccharomyces cerevisiae + beta-glucan complex + selenium and zinc) or Placebo in participants who had taken COVID-19 vaccine •Dissolution in water for 30 days	•Shift in the acute and delayed immune response to the influenza vaccine and against COVID-19 after administration of supplement •Alteration in blood concentration of zinc and selenium	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04798677
NCT04813718	Not informed	Austria	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Synbiotic	Parallel Assignment	20	•Omni-Biotic Pro Vi 5 or Placebo.	•Microbiome composition •Gut barrier •Immunological and inflammatory parameters •Lung volume •Gas diffusion	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04813718
NCT04847349	Daniel B Horton	United States	Recruiting	18-60 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	45	•Probiotic OL-1, standard dose or Placebo (maltodextrin) •One capsule/day for 21 days	•Alteration in the levels of serum IgG with property anti-SARS-CoV-2	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04847349
NCT04854941	Not informed	Russia	Completed	18-75 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	200	•Probiotics (109 CFU of each strain: Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus PDV 1705, Bifidobacterium bifidum PDV 0903, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis PDV 1911and Bifidobacterium longum PDV 2301) or standard treatment for COVID-19 •3 times/day for 2 weeks	•Mortality among hospitalized patients	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04854941
NCT04877704	Not informed	United Kingdom	Not yet recruiting	18-85 y	• Probiotic	Single Group Assignment	60	•Symprove probiotic (a water-based formula containing live, active bacteria) or a matched Placebo to Symprove probiotic	•Length of stay in the hospital bed	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04877704
NCT04884776	Joyce WY Mak	Hong Kong	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	484	•Microbiome immunity formula (1010 of probiotics blend of 3 Bifidobacteria/sachet) or Placebo •2 sachets/day for 12 weeks.	•Renovation of intestinal dysbiosis	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04884776
NCT04907877	Zoriana Hoda	Not informed	Not yet recruiting	18-65 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	300	•Probiotic NordBiotic ImmunoVir (5 x 109 of a mixture of Bifido- and Lactobacilli) or Placebo (maltodextrin) •Once a day for 28 days	•Overall score of symptoms	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04907877
NCT04922918	Not informed	Spain	Recruiting	74-98 y	• Probiotic	Single Group Assignment	25	•Fermented milk containing Ligilactobacillus salivarius MP101 (>109 CFU) •Daily for 4 months	•Barthel index •MNA score •Nasal and fecal immune profile	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04922918
NCT04937556	Not informed	Spain	Recruiting	18-65 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	60	•Capsule containing Ligilactobacillus salivarius (109 CFU), vitamin D and zinc citrate •One capsules/day for 28 days	•IgM and IgG (Immunoglobulin M and G) levels of specific antibody for the SARS-CoV-2 virus	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04937556
NCT04941703	Not informed	United States	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	30	•Capsule containing probiotics and 296 ml magnesium citrate •Two capsules/day for 6 days	•Reduction in the incidence of COVID-19 cases on the ordinal outcome scale	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04941703
NCT04950803	Siew Ng	Hong Kong	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	280	•Sachet containing 3 Bifidobacteria (1010 CFU) •One sachet/day for 3 months	•Any comorbidities, including clinical manifestations related to COVID-19.	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04950803
NCT05043376	Not informed	Pakistan	Completed	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	50	•Tablet containing Streptococcus salivarius K12 •Two tablets/day for 2 weeks	•Improvement of parameters associated to COVID-19 (clinical improvement)	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05043376
NCT05080244	Jean-Charles Pasquier	Canada	Recruiting	≥18 y	• Probiotic	Parallel Assignment	618	•Capsule containing 2 strains (1010 CFU) •Two capsules/day for 10 days	•Number of patients with COVID-19 after of 90 days of diagnosis	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05080244

ICU: intensive care unit; IgG: immunoglobulin G; MNA: Mini nutritional assessment; No studies results were posted at moment.

Revised Table 3. Evidence of clinical trials with probiotic strain in coronavirus disease.

Reference	Country	Study type	Subjects	Probiotic strain	Intervention	Main results
d’Ettorre et al. (2020)	Italy	Single group	Seventy patients with COVID-19 hospitalized	Streptococcus thermophilus DSM 32345, Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 32241, Lactobacillus helveticus DSM 32242, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DSM 32243, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 32244, Levilactobacillus brevis DSM 27961, Bifidobacterium lactis DSM 32246, Bifidobacterium lactis DSM 32247.	Daily oral 2.4 billion CFU bacteria for a period of 14 days	A probiotic intervention demonstrated a significant improving on the clinical conditions of patients with COVID-19
Tang et al. (2021)	United States	Double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial	One thousand one hundred and thirty-two individuals with household contact who tested positive for COVID-19	Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103)	Daily oral Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG or placebo for a period of 28 days	Probiotics are low-cost and safe. It can serve as a rapid intervention strategy in the prevention or reduction of symptoms against pandemic diseases
Endam et al. (2020)	Canada, Saudi Arabia, and United States	Prospective randomized clinical trial	Twenty-three individuals between aged 18–59 years having received lately PCR tested positive for SARS-CoV-2	Lactococcus lactis W136	Nasal irrigations through buffered isotonic solution containing 2.4 × 109 CFU of Lactococcus lactis W136 or buffered isotonic saline isolated for along the 2 weeks (twice daily)	Probiotic intranasal intervention was correlated with a reduced number of patients showing moderate/severe symptoms of fatigue, loss of perception of smell, and sensation of breathlessness, and by an improved proportion of individuals with moderate/severe facial pain or sore throat
Gutiérrez-Castrellón et al. (2021)	México and Spain	Single-center, quadruple-blinded randomized clinical trial	Three hundred outpatients with symptomatic COVID-19 (aged between 18 and 60 years) with positive nucleic acids test for SARS-CoV-2	Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP022, KABP023 and KAPB033, Pediococcus acidilactici KABP021	109 probiotic daily ingestion for a period of 30 days	Remission was achieved by 53% of probiotic group compared to 28% in placebo
Ke and Zhang (2020)	China	This retrospective single-center study	Eight hundred positive cases of COVID-19 (ordinary-type)	Multiple strains	Decrease or remission of diarrhea in COVID-19 patients	Duration of diarrhea in probiotic group was significantly shorter in relation to placebo group. The multiple strains had effect in reducing individuals' gastrointestinal symptoms as abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting, and among others
Mozota et al. (2021)	Spain	Single group	Twenty-nine residents of a nursing home who tested positive for COVID-19	Ligilactobacillus salivarius MP101	Daily consumption of 109 CFU of Ligilactobacillus salivarius MP101 per unit of product (125 g).	Certain immune factors can be utilized as possible nasal or fecal biomarkers of the benefits of supplementation of probiotic strain in the diet of elderly people infected with SARS-CoV-2.