A novel multi-strain probiotic and synbiotic supplement for prevention of Clostridium difficile infection in a murine model.

Abstract

The protective effect of a multi-strain probiotic and synbiotic formulation was evaluated in C57BL/6 mice infected with Clostridium difficile (CD) NAP1/027. Antibiotic-treated mice were divided into the following four groups: Group 1, fed with a synbiotic formulation consisting of Lactobacillus plantarum F44, L. paracasei F8, Bifidobacterium breve 46, B. lactis 8:8, galacto-oligosaccharides, isomalto-oligosaccharides, and resistant starch; Group 2, fed with the same four probiotic strains as Group 1; Group 3, fed with the same prebiotic supplements as Group 1 for 7 days before CD infection; and Group 4 (control group) antibiotic treated and infected with NAP1/027 strain. Feces and cecal contents were collected for microbial cell viability, quantitative PCR (qPCR), toxin analyses and histopathology. Synbiotics- and probiotics-fed mice showed a significant increase in total bifidobacteria (P < 0.05). The total lactobacilli count was increased in Group 1. Tests for cecal toxins were negative in Group 2 mice, whereas one sample each from Group 1 and 3 was positive. qPCR of cecal contents showed significant reduction in NAP1/027 DNA copies in Groups 1 and 2 and significantly higher numbers of B. breve 46, L. plantarum F44, and L. paracasei F8 in Groups 1 and 2 (P < 0.05); these changes were much less pronounced in Groups 3 and 4. Our findings indicate that the newly developed synbiotic or multi-strain probiotic formulation confers protection against NAP1/027 infection in C57BL/6 mice. This holds promise for performing human studies.

• Authors: Kanthi Kiran Kondepudi, Padma Ambalam, Peren H Karagin, Ingrid Nilsson, Torkel Wadström, Åsa Ljungh
• Journal: Microbiology and immunology (Microbiol Immunol) Vol. 58 Issue 10 Pg. 552-8 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1348-0421 [Electronic] Australia
• PMID: 25059277 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2014 The Societies and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Topics

• Animals
• Bifidobacterium (physiology)
• Clostridioides difficile (physiology)
• Clostridium Infections (microbiology, prevention & control)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Feces (microbiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Lactobacillus (physiology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Microbial Viability
• Probiotics (administration & dosage, analysis)
• Synbiotics (analysis)