Potentiation of the effectiveness of lactobacillus casei in the prevention of E. coli induced diarrhea in conventional and gnotobiotic pigs

Abstract

The influence of preventive administration of Lactobacillus casei subsp, casei and maltodextrin KMS X-70 on Escherichia coli 08: K88 adhesion in the gastrointestinal tract of 11 conventional and 6 gnotobiotic piglets was investigated. The preventive administration of L. casei alone had almost no inhibitory effect on the adherence of E. coli to the jejunal mucosa of gnotobiotic and conventional piglets while the lactobacilli administered together with maltodextrin decreased the number of E. coli colonising jejunal mucosa of gnotobiotic piglets by 1 logarithm (4.95log10/cm2) in comparison with the control group (5.96log10/cm2), L. casei administered in combination with maltodextrin decreased the number of E. coli colonising the jejunum of conventional piglets by more than two and half logarithm (4.75log10/cm2, p < 0.05) in comparison with the control (7.42log10/cm2). The inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus casei and maltodextrin KMS X-70 on the adhesion of E. coli to the intestinal mucosa of conventional and gnotobiotic pigs was probably mediated by Lactobacillus - produced antibacterial substances and stimulation of imunity.