Characterization of the Effects of a Novel Probiotic on Salmonella Colonization of a Piglet-Derived Intestinal Microbiota Using Improved Bioreactor

Abstract

The carriage of Salmonella in pigs is a major concern for the agri-food industry and for global healthcare systems. Humans could develop salmonellosis when consuming contaminated pig products. On the other hand, some Salmonella serotypes could cause disease in swine, leading to economic losses on farms. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the anti-Salmonella activity of a novel Bacillus-based probiotic using a bioreactor containing a piglet-derived intestinal microbiota. Two methods of probiotic administration were tested: a single daily and a continuous dose. Salmonella enumeration was performed using selective agar at T24h, T48h, T72h, T96h and T120h. The DNA was extracted from bioreactor samples to perform microbiome profiling by targeted 16S rRNA gene sequencing on Illumina Miseq. The quantification of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) was also assessed at T120h. The probiotic decreased Salmonella counts at T96 for the daily dose and at T120 for the continuous one. Both probiotic doses affected the alpha and beta diversity of the piglet-derived microbiota (p < 0.05). A decrease in acetate concentration and an increase in propionate proportion were observed in the continuous condition. In conclusion, the tested Bacillus-based product showed a potential to modulate microbiota and reduce Salmonella colonization in a piglet-derived intestinal microbiota and could therefore be used in vivo.

Probiotic Roles of Clostridium butyricum in Piglets: Considering Aspects of Intestinal Barrier Function

“…Animals 2024, 14, 1069 2 of 14 Probiotics are living bacteria with physiological activity. Numerous in vivo and in vitro studies have confirmed that probiotics can improve the balance of microbes in the intestinal environment, enhance immune function, and benefit intestinal morphology [16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. In all of these studies, Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) has been identified as an effective probiotic that promotes animal growth and maintains intestinal barrier function [20,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29].…”