Evaluating the efficacy of an avian-specific probiotic to reduce the colonization of Campylobacter jejuni in broiler chickens

ABSTRACT Campylobacteriosis is the most frequent zoonotic disease in humans worldwide, and the contaminated poultry meat byCampylobacter jejuni can be considered one of the important sources of enteric infections in humans. The use of probiotics, which can help to improve the natural defense of animals against pathogenic bacteria, is an alternative and effective approach to antibiotic administration for livestock to reduce bacterial contamination. In vitro experiments showed thatEnterococcus faecium, Pediococcus acidilactici, Lactobacillus salivarius, andLactobacillus reuteri isolated from healthy chicken gut inhibited the growth ofC. jejuni. To demonstrate this effect in vivo, 1-d-old broiler chicks received 2 mg/bird per day of a multispecies probiotic product via the drinking water. Controls received no probiotic treatment, and all chicks were infected withC. jejuni orally. Results showed that the cecal colonization byC. jejuni was significantly reduced by probiotic treatment at both 8 and 15 d postchallenge. To confirm this effect, in a second in vivo experiment, 1-d-old broiler chicks received the same dose of the same probiotic via the drinking water and controls received no probiotic, and all chicks were infected withC. jejuni orally. Similarly, probiotic treatment reduced (P = 0.001) cecal colonization byC. jejuni at both 8 and 15 d postchallenge. The results of our in vivo experiments conclude that probiotic administration reduced the colonization ofC. jejuni in broiler chickens.