Novel Probiotic

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 (ETEC) is one of the most common etiologic agents of swine post-weaning morbidity and mortality worldwide. The aim of the present study was to examine the protective effects of Lactobacillus sobrius sp. nov. strain 001T, a member of the resident porcine gut microbiota, against ETEC immediately post weaning. Therefore, piglets (n=48) assigned to one of two dietary treatments, a control, and L. sobrius strain 001T fed group (LAB), were experimentally infected with ETEC. L. sobrius strain 001T abundance in vivo was quantified by using a strain-specific genomic fragment, identified after a representative differences analysis, as a target in a real-time PCR assay. As revealed by a strain-specific real-time PCR, L. sobrius persistence was accompanied by a significant reduction of the pathogenic prevalence in the porcine ileum at the end of the experiment. Moreover, to determine to what degree the piglet immune system was stimulated by the administered L. sobrius strain 001T, the concentration of total secretory IgA (sIgA) was measured in saliva, blood serum and intestinal jejunal secretion. At the end of the challenge experiment, total content of sIgA in saliva was maintained comparable to the values before the challenge in the LAВ group, while the values decreased significantly in the control group (р<0.05). Moreover, improved daily weight gain was also observed in the LAB group. Together, the data suggests that L. sobrius strain 001T exerts a protective effect against the ETEC infection and improves the weight gain and immunity of weaning piglets.