Protective effect of Enterococcus faecium J96, a potencial probiotic strain, on chicks infected with Salmonella Pullorum

AUDISIO M. C.; OLIVER G.; APELLA M. C.

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION

International Association for Food Protection

Lugar: Des Moines, Iowa; Año: 2000 vol. 63 p. 1333 - 1337

0362-028X

Enterococcus faecium J96 was isolated from a healthy free-range chicken and it inhibited Salmonella Pullorum, in vitro, due to its lactic acid and bacteriocin production. In vivo assays were carried out with 30h-old broiler chicks. The lactic acid bacteria (1 x 109 cells per chick) were orally administered as preventive and as therapeutic treatments. In the first case they were given to the chicks twice a day for three consecutive days. In the second case the lactic bacteria were administered in the same way after a 24 h challenge by S. Pullorum (in both instances the salmonella dose was 1 x 105 cells per chick). Cecal contents, liver and spleens were analyzed and liver and spleen fragments were also fixed in formaldehyde (pH 7.00) in order to determine salmonella translocation. The chickens that were preventively treated with E. faecium J96 survived the S. Pullorum challenge. Those which were infected on the first day and then inoculated with lactic bacteria died 4 days later. Salmonellae were isolated from their livers and spleens. From these results we may conclude that E. faecium J96 can protect newly-hatched chicks from S. Pullorum infection but can not act as a good therapeutic agent.