Eradication of Salmonella Typhimurium in broiler chicks by combined use of P22 bacteriophage and probiotic

• Main Authors: Guilherme Augusto Marietto Gonçalves, Edna Tereza Lima Lima, Tais Cremasco Donato, Ticiane Sousa Rocha, Luis Emiliano Cisneros Álvarez, Julio Lopes Sequeira, Raphael Lucio Andreatti Filho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2011-06-01
• Series: Microbiology Research
• Subjects: bacteriophage, intestinal microbiology, probiotic, Salmonella
• Online Access: http://www.pagepress.org/journals/index.php/mr/article/view/2413

<span style="line-height: 150%;" lang="EN-US">It has been reported that the phage therapy is effective in controlling the number of colony-forming unit (CFU) of <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Salmonella</em> spp. in chicken gut. This paper describes the protective effect of phage and <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lactobacilli</em> administration on <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Salmonella</em> infection in 1-day-old chicks. We administered the bacteriophage P22 in a single dose and a probiotic mixture of four species of bacteriocin-producing <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lactobacillus</em> once a day for one week. Samples were analyzed every 48 hours, and intestinal eradication of <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">S.</em> Typhimurium was confirmed after treatments. We observed an increase in the size of duodenal villi and cecal crypts, as well as an increase in body weight in groups that received daily doses of <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lactobacilli</em>. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;" lang="EN-US">This study confirms the efficiency of bacteriophage therapy in controlling salmonellosis in chicks and the beneficial effect of <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lactobacilli</em> mixtures in the weight gain of the birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>