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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #163430
Title: BACTERIOPHAGE AND PROBIOTICS- THEIR ROLE IN THE CONTROL OF SALMONELLA IN POULTRY

Author
item Donoghue, Ann - Annie
item Huff, William
item HARGIS, BILLY - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item TELLEZ, GUILLERMO - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item DONOGHUE, DAN - UNIV OF ARKANSAS

Submitted to: Asia Pacific Poultry Health Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/26/2004
Publication Date: 4/20/2004
Citation: Donoghue, A.M., Huff, W.E., Hargis, B.M., Tellez, G., Donoghue, D.J. 2004.Bacteriophage and probiotics- their role in the control of salmonella in poultry. Proceedings of Asia Pacific Poultry Health Conference. p. 10-15.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Salmonella continues to be a predominant foodborne pathogen worldwide, and poultry and poultry products are a prevailing vehicle for disease. This paper explores alternative approaches for controlling food borne pathogens in poultry including the use of bacteriophages and novel competitive exclusion strategies. Over the last several years our laboratories have focused on developing bacteriophages (viruses that attack and kill bacteria) by targeting specific pathogens in poultry. Studies evaluating E. coli respiratory infection and Salmonella contamination show potential for utilizing bacteriophages to reduce these pathogens. Effective use of competitive exclusion cultures, also known as probiotics, relies on administration of beneficial bacteria to young animals to accelerate intestinal maturity and reduce the prevalence of Salmonella infection. Without such treatment, neonatal chicks and poults are susceptible to infection by very low numbers of pathogens. These products are mixtures of bacteria with the ability to reduce or exclude pathogenic colonization in chicks or poults. While competitive exclusion has been shown to have tremendous potential, existing cultures lack consistent efficacy, may be expensive, difficult to administer, or could potentially harbor unknown pathogens. We have developed methods to pre-select microbes based on their ability to out compete food born pathogens in vitro. In vivo testing of combinations of these pre-selected microbes have demonstrated consistent efficacy against Salmonella in poultry.