Effects of Bacillus subtilis in the dynamics of infiltration of immunological cells in the intestinal mucosa of chickens challenged with Salmonella Minnesota

Abstract

The use of Bacillus subtilis (BS) as a probiotic in bird feed was studied through the evaluation of its effect on the infiltration of immune cells in the ileum and cecum mucosa of chickens challenged with Salmonella Minnesota (SM). The birds were divided into three treatment groups; Negative control, containing unchallenged birds; Positive control, with SM challenged birds; and Probiotic, with SM challenged birds fed with a diet containing BS (DSM 17299 2.13 × 106 cfu/g). The birds fed BS showed increased goblet and CD4+ cell counts in the ileum and cecum before being challenged with SM in comparison to the birds not fed BS. After the SM challenge, the birds fed BS showed a reduction in the Salmonella counts at 48 Post Inoculation (PI) in the cloaca and cecum swabs and in litter samples and furthermore a reduction in CD8+ cells in the cecum compared to the challenged birds. Based on the results, it is concluded that feeding BS as a probiotic to broilers reduced the Salmonella spp. counts and thus, affected the mobilization of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in the ileum and cecum mucosa. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2012.