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Title: In vitro inhibition of growth of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Clostridia perfringens using Probiotics

Author
item DARBY, B - UGA
item HEUSNER, G - UGA
item MURRY, A - UGA
item Hinton Jr, Arthur
item BARTON, M - UGA
item FAYRER-HOSKEN - UGA

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/7/2007
Publication Date: 6/5/2007
Citation: Darby, B.L., Heusner, G.L., Murry, A.C., Hinton Jr, A., Barton, M.H., Fayrer-Hosken 2007. In vitro inhibition of growth of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Clostridia perfringens using Probiotics. Meeting Proceedings. p. 21-23.

Interpretive Summary: There are many harmful bacteria associated with horses that also cause diseases in other animals and in humans. Because these harmful bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics, scientists are seeking alternative methods to control these bacterial illnesses. One of these alternatives consists of providing animals cultures of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) that inhibit the growth of undesirable bacteria in the intestinal tract. The purpose of these experiments was to determine if beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria and Bacillus bacteria isolated from feces of mature horses could inhibit the growth of the undesirable bacteria found in horses. Lactobacillus and Bacillus were isolated from fecal material of horses, and isolates that grew best under conditions found in the intestinal tract of horses were chosen for inhibition studies. The inhibition experiments showed that the Lactobacillus and Bacillus isolates could prevent growth of Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium; however, greater inhibition was produced by the Bacillus isolate. Findings of this study proved that Lactobacillus bacteria and Bacillus bacteria isolated from horse manure can produce substances that prevent the growth of Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium. Therefore, these isolates may be considered as potential candidates for probiotics designed to inhibit the growth of undesirable bacteria in the intestinal tract of horses.

Technical Abstract: Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens are pathogenic organisms found in horses [1] and they cause disease in animals or humans [2]. Due to concern over pathogens such as these, there is increasing interest in antimicrobial alternatives to prevent or reduce the prevalence of antibiotic resistant pathogens in horses. Probiotics have been suggested as alternatives to antibiotics to prevent and treat diseases, but there is limited evidence on the beneficial effects of probiotics in horses. Commercially available probiotics have shown little effect [3, 4], possibly because the probiotic organisms were not host species-specific. Therefore, the objective of this study was to isolate and identify specific probiotic species of equine origin with beneficial properties that will be useful in the prevention or treatment of the colonization in the intestinal tract of horses by S. Typhimurium, E. coli, and C. perfringens. Four potential probiotic species were isolated to test survivability and growth at varying pH levels and concentrations of taurocholic acid, sodium salt hydrate to determine potential survivability in the G.I. tract of the horse.