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ABSTRACT: Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial food-borne diarrhoeal disease throughout the world. The principal risk of human contamination is handling and consumption of contaminated poultry meat. To colonize poultry, Campylobacter adheres to and persists in the mucus layer that covers the intestinal epithelium. Inhibiting adhesion to the mucus could prevent colonization of the intestine. The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro the protective effect of defined commercial human probiotic strains on the adhesion of Campylobacter spp. to chicken intestinal mucus, in a search for alternatives to antibiotics to control this food-borne pathogen. The probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS and a starter culture strain Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis adhered well to chicken intestinal mucus and were able to reduce the binding of Campylobacter spp. when the mucus was colonized with the probiotic strain before contacting the pathogen. Human-intended probiotics could be useful as prophylactics in poultry feeding for controlling Campylobacter spp. colonization.
Zoonoses and Public Health 06/2012; · 1.89 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The intestinal mucosa functions as a defence barrier against gut intraluminar antigens. The maturational events in the gut parallel its step-wise colonization. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with aberrant barrier functions of the skin epithelium and, in a subgroup of patients, of the gut mucosa.
To investigate the interaction of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) with skin and gut microbiota and humoral immunity in infants with AD.
Thirty-nine infants with AD were randomized for a 3-month period in a double-blind design to receive extensively hydrolysed casein formula supplemented with (n=19) or without (n=20) LGG (ATCC 53103) 5.0 × 10⁷ CFU/g to achieve a daily intake of 3.4 × 10⁹ CFU. Sampling (blood and fecal samples, cotton swab from the skin) was carried out at entry, 1 and 3 months thereafter. Ig-secreting cells were determined by enzyme-linked immunospot and the proportions of CD19(+)CD27(+) B cells among peripheral blood leucocytes by flow cytometry. The major groups of gut and skin bacteria were characterized using PCR.
The proportions of IgA- and IgM-secreting cells decreased significantly in the treated group; the baseline-adjusted ratios for treated vs. untreated at 1 month were 0.59 (95%CI 0.36-0.99, P=0.044) for IgA- and 0.53 (95%CI 0.29-0.96, P=0.036) for IgM-secreting cells. The proportions of CD19(+)CD27(+) B cells increased in the probiotic-treated infants but not in the untreated. There were no significant differences in bifidobacterial species composition of the gut between the study groups. On the skin, the bacterial counts of Bifidobacterium genus vs. Clostridium coccoides in the treated and untreated infants were similar.
Specific probiotics may enhance gut barrier function and aid in the development of immune responses. Thus, specific probiotics may afford protection against offending macromolecules in the gut and provide control for future infections by accelerated immunological maturation (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01148667).
Clinical & Experimental Allergy 03/2011; 41(3):370-7. · 5.03 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Lactobacillus GG and eight strains of lactobacilli (L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, L. bulgaricus and L. helviticus) and other clinical organisms (Escherichia coli, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium difficile) were compared for their enzyme profiles. Specific activities of 19 hydrolytic enzymes for each strain were determined using the microenzyme API ZYM system. Lactobacillus GG enzyme profile showed high peptidase, chymotrypsin and phosphatase activities, and lower esterase-lipases activity; these enzyme activities were not different from other Lactobacillus strains. β-Glucuronidase activity was not detected in Lactobacillus GG. These results may facilitate identification of some of the biochemical characteristics of Lactobacillus GG, as well as indicate that Lactobacillus GG, as a dairy product, may result in less toxic compounds being released from hydrolytic reaction of β-glucuronidase in the colon.
07/2009; 7(2):99-104.
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ABSTRACT: Faecal concentrations of Lactobacillus GG in human subjects were studied after oral administration of the bacterium Lactobacillus GG was given in total to 44 healthy human volunteers for 7 d as enterocoated tablets with daily doses of 1 × 109c.f.u.,4x 109and 8 × 109 c.f.u. and in fermented milk with daily doses of 21 × 109c.f.u. and 1.2 × 1010 c.f.u. All the volunteers excreted the organism by day 3 of the test period. There were no statistical differences in mean faecal Lactobacillus GG contents between the tablet groups. With fermented milk there was a clear, statistically significant increase in mean faecal Lactobacillus GG content when the administration was l.2x 1010 c.f.u./d compared to 21 × 109 c.f.u./d. The results indicate that fermented milk and enterocoated tablets are good carriers for administering Lactobacillus GG as a probiotic organism
07/2009; 6(3):119-122.
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ABSTRACT: Normal healthy volunteers were given freeze-dried Lactobacillus casei strain GG powder per os once a day for 7 d to study the faecal colonisation properties of the strain. The dose levels administered were 1.5×106, 1.5×107, 1.5×108, 1.5×109, 1.5×1010and 1.1×1011 c.f.u./day. A comparison of the colonisation properties between production lots was made using three different lots. Faecal specimens were collected both prior to 'Lactobacillus GG' administration and daily during the respective treatments. Faecal specimens were analysed for total lactobacilli and 'Lactobacillus GG'. No 'Lactobacillus GG' was detected in the faecal samples of the volunteers prior to the study. With the doses 1010 and 1011 all volunteers were colonised. 'Lactobacillus GG' did not appear to influence the total number of lactobacilli in faeces. No significant differences were found between production lots.
07/2009; 4(4):209-214.
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ABSTRACT: Lactobacillus GG exerts inhibitory activity against a variety of bacterial species and it appears beneficial as a probiotic in human medicine. The bacterium does not ferment sucrose and lactose which makes it interesting with respect to dental diseases. We studied the recovery of Lactobacillus GG in the oral cavities of nine subjects who consumed yoghurt produced with the strain twice daily for 7 days. The bacterium could be recovered in the saliva samples of all subjects one week after discontinuation of the consuming of the yoghurt. In eight subjects out of nine the saliva cultures were still positive 2 wks later. Thus, Lactobacillus GG appears to be able to colonise the oral cavity, although further studies are needed in order to determine any influence on the microecology of the mouth.
07/2009; 7(6):295-298.
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ABSTRACT: Aims: Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are part of the human normal intestinal microbiota and may possibly be transferred to the placenta. It was hypothesized that intestinal bacteria or their components are present in the placenta and that the foetus may be exposed to them. We investigated the presence of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and their DNA in the human placenta. Methods and Results: We studied 34 human placentae (25 vaginal and nine caesarean deliveries) for the presence Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Cultivation was used for the detection of viable cells and genus and species-specific PCR for the detection of DNA. No bifidobacteria or lactobacilli were found by cultivation. Bifidobacterial DNA was detected in 33 and L. rhamnosus DNA in 31 placenta samples. Conclusions: DNA from intestinal bacteria was found in most placenta samples. The results suggest that horizontal transfer of bacterial DNA from mother to foetus may occur via placenta. Significance and Impact of the Study: Bacterial DNA contains unmethylated CpG oligodeoxynucleotide motifs which induce immune effects. Specific CpG motifs activate Toll-like receptor 9 and subsequently trigger Th-1-type immune responses. Although the newborn infant is considered immunologically immature, exposure by bacterial DNA may programme the infant's immune development during foetal life earlier than previously considered.
Letters in Applied Microbiology 11/2008; 48(1):8-12. · 1.62 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The degree of adhesion of Lactobacillus casei strain GG to human Caco-2 cell line was investigated. Assessment of adhesion was compared to the adhesion of enterotoxigenic human Escherichia coli strain H 10407 and enterotoxigenic bovine E. coli strain B44 (non-adhesive). Freeze-dried Lactobacillus GG or samples from dairy products had medium to strong binding to the Caco-2 cell line. Lactobacillus acidophilus (NCFB 1748) and L. bulgaricus showed no adhesion to the cell line while four tested Bifidobacterium strains had no or very weak adhesion to the Caco-2 cell line.
Letters in Applied Microbiology 06/2008; 13(3):154 - 156. · 1.62 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The underlying denominators and treatment targets in atopic disease may be outlined as aberrant barrier functions of the skin epithelium and gut mucosa, and dysregulation of the immune response to ubiquitous environmental antigens. The route of sensitization varies with age, dietary antigens predominating in infancy. The immaturity of the immune system and the gastrointestinal barrier may explain the peak prevalence of food allergies at an early age. Dietary methods to control symptoms and reduce the risk of allergic disease have hitherto focused on elimination diets, alone or in combination with other environmental measures. The results have not been satisfactory regarding long-term prevention, primary or secondary. In view of the increasing burden of the abnormalities, new approaches are urgently needed for the management of allergic diseases and their prevention in at-risk infants. Novel methods here may include probiotics to counteract the immunological and gut mucosal barrier dysfunction associated with allergic disease, and thereby to strengthen endogenous defence mechanisms. Notwithstanding the demonstrations of important immunoregulatory potential of the well-balanced gut microbiota, the major objective health benefits of specific strains in allergic infants have only recently been clinically proven. Advances here have prompted enthusiasm in the scientific community and food industry and have fuelled research activities currently focusing firstly on identification of specific strains with anti-allergenic potential, and secondly on the question how food matrix and dietary content interact with the most efficacious probiotic strains.
Current pharmaceutical design 02/2008; 14(14):1368-75. · 4.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The primary objective of this study was to compare the removal of cadmium, lead, aflatoxin B1 and microcystin-LR from aqueous solution by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, L. rhamnosus LC705, Propionibacterium freudenreichii shermanii JS and Bifidobacterium breve Bbi99/E8, separately and in combination.
The removal of toxins and heavy metals was assessed in batch experiments. The removal of all compounds was observed to be strain specific. The removal of lead by a combination of all the strains used was observed to be lower than could be predicted from the removal by single strains (P < 0.05). A similar trend was also observed with the other compounds studied.
The results show that the toxin-removal capacity of a combination of strains of lactic acid bacteria is not the sum of their individual capacities. Therefore, pure single strains should be used when the goal is to remove single compounds. The use of combinations of strains may be beneficial when several compounds are removed together. This needs to be studied in future experiments.
Lactic acid bacteria have been identified as potent tools for the decontamination of heavy metals, cyanotoxins and mycotoxins. The results of this study should be considered when selecting combinations of bacteria for the simultaneous removal of several toxic compounds.
Letters in Applied Microbiology 02/2008; 46(2):160-5. · 1.62 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Lactobacillus plantarum strains IS-10506 and IS-20506 isolated from Indonesian traditional fermented milk, dadih, were screened for their ability to remove the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR) from aqueous solution (100 microg/L) at 22 and 37 degrees C. The objective was to study the main environmental factors influencing the metabolic activity of L. plantarum in MC-LR removal. Residual MC-LR was quantified using HPLC. Non-viable cells inactivated by boiling or acid showed only low MC-LR removal (<23 %). Viable L. plantarum strain IS-10506 at pH 7, at 22 and 37 degrees C was able to remove MC-LR, 64% and 43%, respectively, after 30 h. Strain IS-20506 at pH 7, at 22 and 37 degrees C removed 92% and 45 %, respectively, after 30 h. At 37 degrees C, the removal of MC-LR was lower than at 22 degrees C. Supplementation with glucose (1%, 2%, and 3%, w/v) resulted in faster and higher removal of MC-LR at 37 degrees C, while at 22 degrees C it did not improve MC-LR removal. In the presence of 1 % glucose, IS-10506 and IS-20506 demonstrated significantly the most efficient removal of 80% and 65% of applied MC-LR, after 25 and 20 h, respectively, at pH 7, 37 degrees C. Viable cells as well as active metabolism play important roles in removing MC-LR. This finding offers new and economical tools for decontaminating microcystin containing water.
Food and Chemical Toxicology 02/2008; 46(2):502-7. · 3.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The sources and the impact of maternal bacteria on the initial inoculum of the intestinal microflora of newborn infants remain elusive.
To assess the association between maternal breast-milk and fecal bifidobacteria and infants' fecal bifidobacteria.
Sixty-one mother-infant pairs were included, special emphasis being placed on the maternal allergic status. Bifidobacteria were analysed by a direct PCR method in fecal samples from mothers at 30-35 weeks of gestation and from infants at 1 month of age and from breast-milk samples 1 month post-partum.
Fecal Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Bifidobacterium bifidum colonization frequencies and counts among mother-infant pairs correlated significantly (P=0.005 and 0.02 for frequencies, respectively, and P=0.002 and 0.01 for counts, respectively). Only infants of allergic, atopic mothers were colonized with B. adolescentis. Each of the breast-milk samples contained bifidobacteria [median 1.4 x 10(3) bacterial cells/mL; interquartile range (IQR) 48.7-3.8 x 10(3)]. Bifidobacterium longum was the most frequently detected species in breast-milk. Allergic mothers had significantly lower amounts of bifidobacteria in breast-milk compared with non-allergic mothers [median 1.3 x 10(3) bacterial cells/mL (IQR 22.4-3.0 x 10(3)) vs. 5.6 x 10(3) bacterial cells/mL (1.8 x 10(3)-1.8 x 10(4)), respectively, (P=0.004)], and their infants had concurrently lower counts of bifidobacteria in feces [3.9 x 10(8) bacterial cells/g (IQR 6.5 x 10(6)-1.5 x 10(9)) in infants of allergic mothers, vs. 2.5 x 10(9) bacterial cells/g (6.5 x 10(8)-3.2 x 10(10)) in infants of non-allergic mothers, P=0.013].
Breast-milk contains significant numbers of bifidobacteria and the maternal allergic status further deranges the counts of bifidobacteria in breast-milk. Maternal fecal and breast-milk bifidobacterial counts impacted on the infants' fecal Bifidobacterium levels. Breast-milk bacteria should thus be considered an important source of bacteria in the establishment of infantile intestinal microbiota.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy 01/2008; 37(12):1764-72. · 5.03 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aims of this study present were to assess and to evaluate in vitro the abilities of commercial probiotic strains derived from fermented milk products and related sources currently marketed in European countries, to inhibit, compete and displace the adhesion of selected potential pathogens to immobilized human mucus.
The adhesion was assessed by measuring the radioactivity of bacteria adhered to the human mucus. We tested 12 probiotic strains against eight selected pathogens. All strains tested were able to adhere to mucus. All probiotic strains tested were able to inhibit and displace (P<0.05) the adhesion of Bacteroides, Clostridium, Staphylococcus and Enterobacter. In addition, the abilities to inhibit and to displace adhered pathogens depended on both the probiotic and the pathogen strains tested suggesting that several complementary mechanisms are implied in the processes.
Our results indicate the need for a case-by-case assessment in order to select strains with the ability to inhibit or displace a specific pathogen. Probiotics could be useful to correct deviations observed in intestinal microbiota associated with specific diseases and also, to prevent pathogen infections.
The competitive exclusion properties of probiotics as well as their ability to displace and inhibit pathogens are the most importance for therapeutic manipulation of the enteric microbiota. The application of such strategies could contribute to expand the beneficial properties on human health against pathogen infection.
Letters in Applied Microbiology 10/2007; 45(4):454-60. · 1.62 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Our aim was to develop a prototype of a functional spread cheese containing both a specific probiotic and n-3 fatty acids and to analyze the viability of the probiotic and stability of n-3 fatty acids during 4 wk of shelf life. Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 (Lf ME-3) isolated from a healthy Estonian child has been shown to have probiotic and antioxidative properties in several recent studies. In the current study this promising bacterial strain was combined with vegetable oils rich in nutritionally important alpha-linolenic acid and with unflavored cheese to obtain soft cheese spreads with different fat contents. Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 survived well in all cheeses although the viable count did not increase during 4 wk of storage. The fatty acid composition of cheese triacylglycerols remained stable, whereas the profile of volatile compounds changed: hexanal and pentanal disappeared and the proportion of some alcohols increased. The changes in the profile of volatile compounds show the reductive power of Lf ME-3. A functional spread cheese containing n-3 fatty acids can be prepared with the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 strain leading to a reduced need for chemical anti-oxidants.
Journal of Dairy Science 08/2007; 90(7):3171-7. · 2.56 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We evaluated the ability of commercial probiotic strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, L. rhamnosus LC705, Bifidobacterium breve 99, and Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS) to adhere alone or in different combinations to immobilized mucus. Probiotic combinations were clearly able to enhance the adhesion of L. rhamnosus GG, L. rhamnosus LC705, and P. freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS. For L. rhamnosus GG and P. freudenreichii JS, all the combinations significantly improved adhesion to intestinal mucus, from 29.7 to 34.9% and from 1.9 to 2.3%, respectively. The adhesion of L. rhamnosus LC705 was improved from 0 to 46.4%. The adhesion of B. breve 99 was improved only in combination with L. rhamnosus GG and P. freudenreichii JS. Our results suggest that probiotic combinations could increase the beneficial health effects as compared with individual strains. Combinations of probiotic strains may therefore have synergistic adhesion effects, and such combinations also should be assessed in clinical studies.
Journal of Dairy Science 07/2007; 90(6):2710-6. · 2.56 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To develop real-time quantitative PCR methods, based on the use of probes labelled with a stable fluorescent lanthanide chelate, for the quantification of different human faecal bifidobacterial populations.
The designed quantitative PCR assays were found to be specific for the corresponding Bifidobacterium species or groups (Bifidobacterium longum group, Bifidobacterium catenulatum group, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium angulatum, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium dentium). The detection limits of the methodologies used ranged between 2 x 10(5) and 9 x 10(3) cells g(-1) of faeces. The applicability of the developed assays was tested by analysing 20 human faecal samples. Bif. longum group was found to be the qualitatively and quantitatively predominant bifidobacterial group.
The real-time PCR procedures developed here are specific, accurate, rapid and easy methods for the quantification of Bifidobacterium groups or species in human faecal samples.
The developed procedures will facilitate rapid and objective counting of large numbers of samples increasing our knowledge on the role of gut bifidobacterial microbiota in health and disease. This will contribute to the efficient use of intestinal bacterial assays in research, food and pharmaceutical development as well as in the assessment of dietary management of diseases.
Journal of Applied Microbiology 05/2007; 102(4):1116-22. · 2.34 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cadmium and lead are highly toxic metals. People are exposed to them primarily through food and water. Available conventional methods (precipitation, flocculation, ion exchange, and membrane filtration) for removal of these metals from water at low concentrations are claimed to be expensive and inefficient. Different microbes have been proposed to be an efficient and economical alternative in heavy metal removal from water. In this work, specific lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were assessed for their ability to remove cadmium and lead from water. Significant removal was observed, and it was found to be metal and bacterial strain specific. Removal was a fast, metabolism-independent surface process. It was also strongly influenced by pH, indicating that ion exchange mechanisms could be involved. The most effective metal removers were Bifidobacterium longum 46, Lactobacillus fermentum ME3 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12. The highest maximum cadmium and lead removal capacities of 54.7 mg metal/g and 175.7 mg/g dry biomass, respectively, were obtained with B. longum 46.
International Journal of Food Microbiology 03/2007; 114(1):30-5. · 3.33 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The strong ropy character of the Scandinavian fermented milk viili is conferred by the exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by lactococcal strains. These biopolymers can be responsible for some health benefits. We have assessed the influence of the EPS fraction isolated from commercial viili on the adhesion of some probiotics and pathogens to human intestinal mucus. Concentrations of viili EPS greater than 0.1 mg/mL promoted a decrease in adherence of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and this effect was dose-dependent. However, no modifications were detected on the adhesion levels of the pathogenic strains tested at a concentration of 1 mg/mL of EPS. Results obtained in the present work should be considered in the design of new probiotic products.
Journal of Dairy Science 08/2006; 89(7):2355-8. · 2.56 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: New knowledge has revealed that probiotics have specific properties and targets in the human intestinal tract. It is also understood that each probiotic strain, independent of the genera and species, is unique and the properties of each strain have to be assessed in a case-by-case manner. Human intervention studies are required for verification of probiotic properties. The basis of probiotics lies in the normal intestinal microbiota. The concept of healthy gut microbiota can be used in terms of preventing, correcting, and dietary manipulation of potential microbiota aberrancies. This is reflected in the search of probiotics with disease-specific properties. The effects of GI tract conditions, such as pH, bile, and digestive enzymes, on the survival and adhesion properties of probiotic bacteria have been documented. Various bacteria show different levels of tolerance to the GI conditions. Adhesion on intestinal surface lengthens the retention time of a probiotic, and it is particularly important for the small intestine. The residence time of material in the small intestine is relatively short. Such properties need to be clearly defined for probiotic microbes discovered in the future. An effective probiotic should reside at desirable target sites sufficiently long at sufficient concentrations to elicit probiotic effects. More research on the assessment of desirable dosages is urgently needed.
Journal of Food Science 05/2006; 69(5):M137 - M140. · 1.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Several probiotics are known to bind aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) to their surfaces and to adhere to intestinal mucus. In this study, preincubation of two probiotic preparations with either AFB(1) or mucus reduced the subsequent surface binding of mucus and AFB(1), respectively, in a strain-dependent manner.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology 11/2004; 70(10):6306-8. · 3.83 Impact Factor
