Effects of antibiotics and Saccharomyces boulardii on bacterial translocation in burn injury.

Abstract

To investigate the effects of antibiotics and the probiotic, Saccharomyces boulardii, on indigenous microflora and bacterial translocation (BT) in burned rats. Twenty-three male albino rats were divided into a sham burn group (group 1, n = 7) exposed to 21 degrees C water, a burn + antibiotic group (group 2, n = 8), and a burn + antibiotic + S. boulardii group (group 3, n = 8) exposed to 95 degrees C water for 10 s, producing a full-thickness burn to 30% of the total body surface area. Ampicillin-sulbactam (1,000 mg/kg per day) was given as two doses via an orogastric feeding tube to groups 2 and 3. Saccharomyces boulardii (1 mg/g body weight per day) was given as two doses via the same route to group 3. All rats were killed on the fifth day postburn and cultures of the mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, spleen, blood, and cecal contents were done. The incidences of BT were 0% (0/7) in group 1, 87.5% (7/8) in group 2, and 37.5% (3/8) in group 3. A significant increase in the BT incidence was found in group 2 (P < 0.01), while a significant decrease was found in group 3 when compared with group 1. The total bacteria count of cecal flora was significantly lower in group 3 than in group 1 (P < 0.01). The decrease in Gram-negative bacteria in the cecal flora was significant in group 3. These results suggest that the incidence of BT in burn injury is enhanced by using an antibiotic, and that S. boulardii decreases the incidence of antibiotic-induced BT. Thus, we conclude that S. boulardii can effectively protect the intestinal ecologic equilibrium and prevent BT in burn injury victims.