OM-85 in the prevention/treatment of respiratory infections and exacerbations of chronic lung diseases: selection criteria, mechanisms and evidence

Abstract

The review presents the criteria for a new classification of immunomodulatory drugs, which can be useful for a general practitioner. These criteria facilitate the selection of immunostimulant/immunomodulator in a specific clinical situation. Through the prism of these criteria, this paper provides information on the mechanisms and evidence of the prophylactic and, separately, therapeutic effectiveness of bacterial lysates, in particular OM-85 as one of the most studied and tested immunomodulators.

Keywords

• classification of immunostimulants
• bacterial lysates
• respiratory infections
• chronic lung diseases