Effectiveness of Administering a Mixture of Lactic Acid Bacteria to Control Salmonella ser. Enteritidis Infections in Broilers.

Yu-Jin Kim,Sungsu Youk,Chang-Seon Song

doi:10.3390/ani12030374

Abstract

Simple SummarySalmonella infection is one of the main causes of food poisoning through poultry consumption. Among the various methods used to control this infection, the use of lactic acid bacteria is economical, with little risk of developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We selected three Lactobacillus spp. capable of inhibiting Salmonella proliferation in vitro and administered their mixture to 1-day-old chicks to investigate their effect. We suggest that the Lactobacillus mixture formulated in this study aids in protecting poultry farms from Salmonella contamination, further securing food safety.Non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. cause persistent asymptomatic infections in poultry. The consumption of Salmonella-infected poultry products is associated with food poisoning. One of the pathogens that causes such infections is Salmonella ser. Enteritidis (SE). Therefore, alternative measures are required for better control of salmonellosis and to reduce potential antibiotic use. Here, the efficacy of a mixture of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), formulated based on competitive exclusion, was evaluated. The LAB mixture was administered to 1- to 20-day-old chickens using different schemes; the chickens were then inoculated with an SE strain, which was previously identified to be prevalent in broiler breeder farms. Even with short-term administration, the group treated with LAB exhibited lower SE isolation levels in the spleen and cecal content and greater weight gain than that in the control group. This protective efficacy of LAB was retained even after two weeks without LAB administration. According to the results of animal experiments and field tests, evidence of SE infection was absent after treatment of the animals with the LAB formulation used in this study. Thus, this LAB mixture can be used as a potential strategy for protecting poultry farms from Salmonella contamination. This will also help reduce potential antibiotic use.

Highlights

Salmonella enterica infections, human salmonellosis, caused by non-typhoidal Salmonella, are a major public health concern worldwide
The results suggested that Lactobacillus spp. were generally more effective than other species at inhibiting Salmonella growth
We demonstrated that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that were selected based on competitive exclusion and production of antibacterial compounds of ser. Enteritidis (SE) helped reduce SE re-isolation in young chicks

Summary

Introduction

Salmonella enterica infections, human salmonellosis, caused by non-typhoidal Salmonella, are a major public health concern worldwide. The consumption of contaminated poultry products is primarily responsible for human salmonellosis [1]. SE causes food poisoning in humans and is responsible for economic losses to the poultry industry, primarily due to marked growth depression [3]. This pathogen spreads across poultry farms through vertical transmission from infected hens or horizontal transmission among young chicks. It causes persistent infections and may be a predisposing factor for other pathogenic infections. Many strategies have been used to control Salmonella contamination, including vaccination of chickens and the administration of antimicrobial agents [3]. Alternative measures using different biological products as feed additives have been developed for better control of salmonellosis [4]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion