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PubMed1990

[Studies on respiratory infections in primary care clinic (III). Distribution of bacteria isolated from patients with respiratory infections visiting 21 private clinics in the Tohoku District of Japan].

The bacteriology of the isolates from the throat swab and the sputum respectively of 2,539 patients with respiratory infections visiting 21 private clinics in Tohoku district of Japan during the period from January to April in 1989 was documented. Of the 2,539 patients, 1,694 had an acute upper respiratory infection, 609 had acute bronchitis, 46 had acute pneumonia, 84 had acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory infections and 106 had respiratory infections without diagnosis registered. 1887 (74.3%) strains of potential pathogens were recovered from 1507 (59.4%) of the 2539 cases. The rate of recovery of potential pathogens was very high in patients of the younger age. These patients had elevated body-temperature. There were statistically significant differences in recovery rate when classified by diagnosis, prefecture and the period of investigation. Of the 1,887 strains, 996 (52.8%) were gram-positive and 891 (47.2%) were gram-negative bacteria. The rate of recovery of gram-negative bacteria was high in patients who were less than 10 years old and more than 51 years old, in patients with pneumonia and chronic respiratory infections, and in patients with fever. Of the 1,887 strains, those which exceeded 100 were Staphylococcus aureus (481 strains), Haemophilus influenzae (340 strains), Streptococcus pneumoniae (329 strains), Streptococcus pyogenes (117 strains) and Acinetobacter spp. (100 strains). Species other than those mentioned above had less than 100 strains. In this group there were 39 strains of Branhamella catarrhalis, 32 strains of Escherichia coli, 97 strains of Klebsiella spp., 40 strains of Enterobacter spp., 25 strains of Serratia spp., 12 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 43 strains of Pseudomonas putida. There was a remarkable difference in recovery rate of each species when classified by diagnosis, age class, prefecture and the period of investigation, respectively. The above results indicated that gram-positive bacteria are more frequent than gram-negative bacteria, that enterobacteriaceae and glucose-non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria are only rarely found in primary care clinics, and that the bacteriology in primary care clinic is different from that of medical school-affiliated hospitals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Itching in the external ear--a side effect of ear plugs].

The object of this investigation was to assess the frequency of itching in the external auditory meatus in individuals who use hearing aid ear plugs (OP) and, simultaneously, to assess the cause of the itching. Seventy-six of the patients examined consecutively in the audiological department (ages 34-89 years) were questioned about itching and were submitted to an objective ear, nose and throat examination, audiometry and culturing from the external meatus for bacterial and fungal growth. In 20 patients, patch tests were made for allergic reactions from which the ear plugs were made (heat polymerized methyl methacrylate). None of the 20 patients had become sensitized. Itching in the external auditory meatus was found to be a side effect of employment of ear plugs with an incidence of 39% as opposed to only seven in ears without ear plugs (p less than 0.05). The incidence of itching was not reduced in ears with a ventilation channel in the ear plug. In 38% of the itching ears no objective changes were observed and, in the remaining cases, the changes were frequently limited. Potentially pathological bacterial growth was found to be significantly more in ears with ear plugs (1- greater than 16%, p less than 0.05) and in itching ears (4- greater than 24%, p less than 0.05). In ears with potentially pathogenic bacteria, objective changes were nearly always found. In the vast majority of cases, the potentially pathogenic bacteria were Gram-negative, corresponding to the findings in external otitis in the tropics and mixed infections with fungi were frequently present.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Microbiological study of vulvovaginitis in premenarcheal girls].

BACKGROUND: A prospective microbiological study of the vaginal swab specimens from premenarcheal girls with clinical diagnosis of vulvovaginitis was done from the 1st of September 1991 to the 31st of August 1994. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Vaginal secretions from premenarcheal girls with clinical findings were examined. Most important pathogenic agents were investigated and if there was an inflammatory reaction in the Gram stain and a heavy growth on culture, other potentially pathogenic agents were considered also. RESULTS: In 70 (28.7%) of the 262 patients a potentially pathogenic microorganism was found: eight cases (3.0%) due to Streptococcus pyogenes, four cases (1.5%) due to Candida albicans. Only in one case Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated. Among the uncertain etiologic agents, Haemophilus influenzae was the most frequently isolated (7.6%). In 25 (12.6%) of the 198 patients Enterobius vermicularis ova were visualized. CONCLUSIONS: Streptococcus pyogenes was the most frequently related organism with the vulvovaginitis syndrome among the traditionally established pathogens. The role of Haemophilus influenzae should be considered due to the high prevalence of isolation in this group of patients. We consider that differential diagnosis with Enterobius vermicularis infestation should be done in all cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Cesarean section prophylaxis: comparison of two doses with three doses of mezlocillin.

A prospective randomized double-blind comparison of two doses, with three doses of mezlocillin for nonelective cesarean section prophylaxis was performed. One hundred seven (107) patients were evaluated. Mezlocillin (4 g) was given post-cord clamping and then at 4-h intervals for a total of two doses or three doses. The incidence of febrile morbidity was lower in the three-dose group (2 of 46, 4%) than the two-dose group (14 of 61, 23%) (P less than 0.02). However, the incidence of infectious morbidity was not different between the three-dose group (3 of 46, 7%) and the two-dose group (10 of 61, 16%), and the incidence of endomyometritis was similar in the two groups (6.5% vs 9.8%). Among failures of prophylaxis there were no differences compared to successes in the number of potential commensals or potential pathogens cultured from amniotic fluid. However, the proportion of failures among patients with both commensals and potential pathogens isolated (10/58) was significantly greater than among patients with none or only commensals isolated (1/37) (P less than 0.03). We found mezlocillin to be an effective agent for perioperative cesarean section prophylaxis with two doses as effective as three doses. The presence of clinically important organisms in the amniotic fluid at the time of operation typified patients with postoperative infectious complications despite perioperative prophylaxis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Finding and interpreting genetic variations that are important to ophthalmologists.

PURPOSE: To explore two approaches for making the human genome more accessible and useful to practicing ophthalmologists. METHODS: DNA samples were obtained from patients with inherited eye diseases, and these samples were screened for sequence variations in known disease genes with a combination of single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis and automated DNA sequencing. Data from this screening were then used to evaluate strategies for productively narrowing the sample space as well as for estimating the pathogenic potential of variations that were discovered in individual patients. For the latter purpose, a universal nomenclature for pathogenic potential was proposed based upon the segregation of disease alleles and the evolutionary conservation of specific residues as reflected by a substitution matrix known as blosum 62. RESULTS: Sequence variations were found to be unevenly distributed among disease-associated genes, such that screening strategies could be refined to discover more than 50% of clinically important sequence variations with only 10% of the effort. The use of the blosum 62 matrix was more statistically powerful than our previous method of estimating pathogenic probability. CONCLUSIONS: The size of the human genome requires that clinical questions be very carefully focused if they are to be meaningfully answered in a reasonable amount of time and with a reasonable amount of resources. By examining the behavior of known disease genes, one can design strategies for significantly focusing the sample space and for more effectively interpreting the variations that are found.

DNA↗
PubMed2005

A chromosomally integrated bacteriophage in invasive meningococci.

Cerebrospinal meningitis is a feared disease that can cause the death of a previously healthy individual within hours. Paradoxically, the causative agent, Neisseria meningitidis, is a common inhabitant of the human nasopharynx, and as such, may be considered a normal, commensal organism. Only in a small proportion of colonized people do the bacteria invade the bloodstream, from where they can cross the blood-brain barrier to cause meningitis. Furthermore, most meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria belonging to only a few of the phylogenetic groups among the large number that constitute the population structure of this genetically variable organism. However, the genetic basis for the differences in pathogenic potential remains elusive. By performing whole genome comparisons of a large collection of meningococcal isolates of defined pathogenic potential we brought to light a meningococcal prophage present in disease-causing bacteria. The phage, of the filamentous family, excises from the chromosome and is secreted from the bacteria via the type IV pilin secretin. Therefore, this element, by spreading among the population, may promote the development of new epidemic clones of N. meningitidis that are capable of breaking the normal commensal relationship with humans and causing invasive disease.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Safe biotechnology (5). Recommendations for safe work with animal and human cell cultures concerning potential human pathogens.

The benefits of using animal or human cell cultures have been clearly demonstrated in diagnostic and therapeutic research and in their application for manufacturing. Cell cultures serve as a tools for the production of vaccines, receptors, enzymes, monoclonal antibodies and recombinant DNA-derived proteins. They represent an integral part of drug development for which corresponding facilities, equipment and manufacturing processes are required. Although the cells themselves offer no particular risk to workers in laboratories and production areas or to the environment, the cell cultures may be contaminated with viruses, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi or might contain endogenous viruses. The containment level for animal and human cells is therefore determined by the risk class of these agents. The history of animal and human cell cultures has proved that they can be handled safely. The recommendations in this publication concern the safe handling of cell cultures (tissue explants, primary cell cultures) and permanent cell lines of animal and human origin. A classification system of safety precautions has been elaborated according to the potential for contamination with the pathogenic agents involved.

Animal Population Groups↗
PubMed1991

Pathogenic Escherichia coli found in food.

The bacteria constituting the species Escherichia coli are commonly found in the intestinal flora of man and animals, and were until late 1950s recognized as non-pathogenic normal cohabitants. However, certain strains might induce disease, and E. coli should therefore be regarded as a potential pathogenic organism. The pathogenic strains can cause distinct disease syndrome as different diarrheal diseases, wound infections, meningitis, septicemia, artherosclerosis, hemolytic uremic syndrome and immunological diseases such as reactive and rheumatoid arthritis. Several different groups of diarrhea-inducing strains are known. The enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strains produce one or more of toxins from the heat-labile and the heat-stable enterotoxin families. These strains possess specific adhesion fimbria for intestinal attachment and colonization. Some enteropathogenic E. coli strains (EPEC) produce one or more of the cytotoxins, but adhere also to intestinal cells interfering with the electrolyte transport system. The group of strains possessing invasive properties are designated enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC). Recently, the enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) strains have been identified and shown to produce one or more of the cytotoxins (vero-cytotoxins, shiga-like toxins). Food originating from warm-blooded animals may be contaminated with E. coli, but contamination from human sources are more common for food involved in outbreak of disease. In general, strains causing disease in animals do possess other colonization factors than those found on human pathogenic strains. EIEC strains are, like Shigella, only known to induce disease in man. However, both healthy and sick cattle are suspected to be a major reservoir for EHEC strains, and several outbreaks have been associated with consumption of meat or meat products. Cheeses have been the source of outbreaks of both ETEC and EIEC in Europe and the USA, while water seems to be a major source for the different diarrheic E. coli strains affecting children and tourists in the 3rd world. Strains causing non-enteric disease are less known as being transmitted to humans with food as a vector, but the importance of some of these diseases, should implicate further research on what role food plays in spreading these organisms. The recipient of the potential pathogenic E. coli through food, the humans, are also of different risk of contracting diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗
PubMed2002

Nasopharyngeal carriage of potential bacterial pathogens related to day care attendance, with special reference to the molecular epidemiology of Haemophilus influenzae.

Nasopharyngeal carriage of Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis was studied in 259 children attending day care centers (DCC) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and in 276 control children. The DCC children were sampled a second time after 4 weeks. Carriage rates for DCC children and controls were 58 and 37% for S. pneumoniae, 37 and 11% for H. influenzae, and 80 and 48% for M. catarrhalis, respectively. No increased antibiotic resistance rates were found in strains isolated from DCC children. All H. influenzae isolates were typed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Evidence for frequent transmission of H. influenzae strains within DCC was found. In the control group only two isolates (4%) displayed identical RAPD types versus 38% of strains from DCC children. Colonization with H. influenzae appeared to be short-lived in these children; more than half of the children harboring H. influenzae in the first sample were negative in the second sample, whereas most children still positive in the second sample had a different genotype than in the first sample. Of the newly acquired strains in the second sample, 40% were identical to a strain that had been found in a child in the same DCC in the first sample. DCC are to be considered epidemiological niches with a high potential for the spread of pathogenic microorganisms.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗
PubMed1984

Eikenella corrodens. An emerging pathogen in head and neck infections.

Eikenella corrodens is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobe that exists as part of the normal oral flora. Its role as a pathogen in human infection has been disputed, but recently its pathogenic potential has been increasingly recognized. A review of the literature reveals the emergence of this organism as a pathogen in human infection. Specific microbiologic characteristics of this organism make it difficult to isolate and evaluate for antibiotic sensitivities. Infections produced by this bacteria are characteristically indolent in nature and are usually associated with oral contamination. Appropriate antibiotic therapy utilizes ampicillin or penicillin. Tetracycline is the drug of choice in the penicillin-allergic patient. Clindamycin resistance is a universal feature. A greater awareness of the pathogenic potential of E corrodens is essential for appropriate recognition and treatment.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1999

Penetration of antibiotics into the pancreas in rats: an effect of acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Penetration of antibiotics into the pancreas is considered to be an important criterion in determining the most appropriate antibiotic treatment during severe acute pancreatitis. Our study investigated pancreatic penetration of five antibiotics in rats with and without acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) (non-pancreatitis rats (NR), pancreatitis rats (AP)). METHODS: ANP was induced by intraductal bile acid injection, and 3 h later the antibiotic was administered. In both NR and AP the antibiotic concentrations were evaluated in blood and pancreatic tissue 90 min after antibiotic administration. RESULTS: The tissue/serum (T/S) ratios for NR were 16% with amikacin, 24% with amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, 27% with piperacillin, 59% with ofloxacin, and 108% with cefoperazone. The ratios for AP were 7%, 23%, 26%, 52%, and 70%, respectively. T/S ratios were similar for NR and AP except for amikacin, for which the T/S ratio was lower in AP than in NR (P = 0.02). Pancreatic tissue concentrations of antibiotics with high penetration rates (cefoperazone and ofloxacin) were sufficient to inhibit most of the pathogens expected during acute pancreatitis. The concentrations of the other antibiotics were less than the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for common potential pathogens in pancreatic infection. CONCLUSIONS: Cefoperazone and ofloxacin showed the best pancreatic penetration of the five antibiotics tested. The high concentrations of these antibiotics in the pancreatic tissue would have enabled efficient antibacterial activity against most of the potential pathogens causing pancreatic infection. An early stage of acute necrotizing pancreatitis did not have a major effect on the pancreatic concentrations of the antibiotics.

Amikacin↗
PubMed2005

Role of anti-DNA antibodies in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.

Despite a good association between anti-DNA autoantibodies and lupus nephritis, it is difficult to determine the pathogenic potential of an anti-DNA autoantibody response. It is proposed that anti-DNA antibodies can exert their pathogenic effects through deposition as immune complexes in the kidney or through the recognition of cross-reactive antigens in the kidneys. Several studies in literature demonstrate that cross-reactivity of anti-DNA antibodies with kidney antigens is critical for their pathogenic potential. This raises the question whether DNA is responsible for the activation and selection of B cells generating cross-reactive anti-DNA antibodies. Recent studies suggest that antigens other than DNA can initiate an antibody response that is cross-reactive with dsDNA. Moreover, we and other have demonstrated that lupus nephritis can occur in the absence of anti-DNA antibodies. Thus, reactivity to dsDNA should be considered as one of the characteristic of polyreactive autoantibodies and not a primary requisite for the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Fungal flora on board the Mir-Space Station, identification by morphological features and ribosomal DNA sequences.

This report is on the morphological and molecular biological identification, using 18S- and ITS1-rDNA sequences, of the "space fungi" isolated on board the Russian Mir-Space Station as the major constituents of the fungal flora. The six fungal strains were isolated from air by using an air sampler or from condensation. Strains were identified as Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus versicolor, or Penicillium sp. by both methods. The species of space fungi were common saprophytic fungi in our living environment, potential pathogens, and allergens. This study concluded that the environment on board the space station Mir allows the growth of potentially pathogenic fungi as true in residential areas on the earth. Therefore, to prevent infection or other health disorders caused by these fungi, easy and reliable methods should be established to survey the fungal flora in a space station.

Aspergillus↗
PubMed1986

In vivo study of an antimicrobial surgical drape system.

We performed a double-blind clinical study to determine the efficacy of nonwoven laparotomy drapes in which 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, an antimicrobial agent, was chemically bonded to the absorbent reinforcement surrounding the fenestration. The reinforcement portion of the surgical drape that contained the fenestration was segmented into four identical-appearing sections, two on each side of the fenestration. One segment on each side was antimicrobial. The locations of the treated segments were randomly varied. At the end of each operation, test strips were removed. Bacteria were harvested from each segment by mechanical agitation. Bacterial CFU were counted. There were 110 surgical cases in the study, including clean, clean contaminated, and contaminated procedures. Data analysis divided the cases into two distinct groups. Group 1 was composed of 59 cases in which less than 30 total CFU was recovered from the four test samples. The average duration of surgery for this group was 1.8 h. Group 2 was composed of 51 cases in which bacterial recovery was in excess of 30 CFU per procedure (range, 30 to 25,000 bacterial CFU). The average duration of surgery was 3.3 h. Bacterial reduction in the treated strips was 84%. The most common organisms identified on the laparotomy drapes were Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. hominis, and Micrococcus luteus. This study demonstrated that the reinforcement of a laparotomy drape is a reservoir for potential pathogens. It demonstrated that an organosilicon quaternary ammonium antimicrobial agent covalently bonded to the reinforcement reduced the number of potential pathogens surrounding the surgical incision by 84%, independent of the size of the bacterial challenge.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMed1990

Circumvention of defective CD4 T helper cell function in HIV-infected individuals by stimulation with HLA alloantigens.

PBL from approximately 50% of asymptomatic individuals infected with HIV have been previously demonstrated to exhibit defective in vitro Th function that is selective for influenza A virus (FLU), but not for HLA alloantigens (ALLO). In this report, we have further studied HIV+ individuals with this selective Th defect, and demonstrate that defective in vitro CTL responses to FLU can be restored by costimulation with FLU + ALLO. In contrast, HIV+ patients who have lost Th responses to ALLO were unable to correct CTL responses to FLU by this costimulation procedure. These findings indicate that intact Th responses to ALLO can be used in vitro to provide Th signals necessary to activate the T effector cell response to a potential pathogenic virus. Our results raise the possibility that a program of in vivo coimmunization with ALLO plus antigens of potential pathogens (including HIV) can be useful in HIV+ patients exhibiting selective defects in Th function. Furthermore, this approach could be incorporated in vaccine trials aimed at enhancing immunity to HIV in patients who have been infected previously with this virus.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗
PubMed2006

In vitro pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba is associated with the expression of the mannose-binding protein.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the expression of Acanthamoeba mannose-binding protein (MBP) is associated with the pathogenicity of the parasite in vitro. METHODS: Both active trophozoites and dormant cysts of a pathogenic strain of A. castellanii were analyzed for their ability to bind to corneal epithelium, express MBP, and produce a cytopathic effect (CPE) on host cells. In addition, host cell binding, CPE-inducing ability, and MBP expression pattern of trophozoites of four different isolates of Acanthamoeba with various degrees of in vitro pathogenicity were analyzed. Binding assays were performed with radiolabeled parasites; CPE assays were performed with rabbit corneal epithelial cells as host cells; and the expression of MBP was detected by affinity chromatography of parasite extracts on mannose affinity columns and by immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses. RESULTS: Trophozoites of A. castellanii bound avidly to corneal epithelial cells in a mannose-inhibitable manner, whereas cysts exhibited little binding. The lack of binding of the cysts to host cells was associated with the downregulation of MBP, along with the concomitant loss of CPE. Analysis of trophozoites of five different species of Acanthamoeba exhibiting various degrees of pathogenic potential revealed that the ability of parasites to bind to host cells and produce CPE is directly correlated with the expression of the MBP. Acanthamoeba strains that bound avidly to host cells and produced potent CPE, robustly expressed MBP. In contrast, parasite strains that produced only weak CPE, expressed markedly reduced levels of MBP. CONCLUSIONS: The data demonstrating that the pathogenic potential of Acanthamoeba directly correlates with the expression level of the MBP in conjunction with our published studies showing that Acanthamoeba MBP is a major virulence protein suggest that the amoeba lectin has the potential to serve as a marker of pathogenicity.

Acanthamoeba↗
PubMed2002

An analysis of human pathogens found in horse/mule manure along the John Muir Trail in Kings Canyon and Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of microorganisms that are potentially pathogenic for humans in horse/mule manure along the John Muir Trail (JMT). METHODS: Random samples of horse/mule manure were collected along sections of the JMT in Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia national parks (NP), as well as in portions of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and selected JMT/PCT access trails. Convenience samples of wild animal scat found within I mile of trails were also collected. The fresh specimens were individually preserved both in 0.9% saline and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-containing tubes and stored at 4 degrees C until time of analysis. Bacteriological analysis was performed using standard microbiology laboratory procedures. PVA samples were stained with trichrome and were then examined by a parasitologist. RESULTS: Collection: A total of 186 trail miles were sampled, including 113 on the JMT (Yosemite 37, Kings 53, and Sequoia 23). The PCT samplings included 24 miles, and NP and wilderness area access trails added an additional 49 miles. A total of 102 samples were collected, which included 81 samples from pack animals and 21 identified as having come from wild animals. Pack Animal Bacteria: All plated specimens grew large numbers of commensal gut flora. Potential pathogenic bacteria were found in only 12 samples and included Hafnia alvei (4), Serratia odorifera (1), Citrobacter freundii (1), Escherichia vulneris (1), Clostridium clostridioforme (1), Yersinia enterocolitica (1), Sherwinella putraformus (1), and Enterobacter spp (4). No Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella, or Aeromonas were found. Microscopic examination for protozoal organisms revealed occasional commensal ciliates and I Giardia. Wild Animal Pathogens: One specimen grew Y enterocolitica, and another grew Enterobacter amnigenus. CONCLUSIONS: We found a low prevalence of human pathogens in pack animal manure on the JMT.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Principles of ex ovo competitive exclusion and in ovo administration of Lactobacillus reuteri.

The data that have been presented indicate that the in ovo use of competitive exclusion (CE) agents is feasible for both chickens and turkeys. However, there are many pitfalls that await the use of in ovo application of CE agents, including the use of nonspecies-specific intestinal microbes and the use of harmful proteolytic, gas-producing and toxin-producing intestinal microbes. Of the potential CE agents that have posthatch application, only Lactobacillus reuteri has been shown to be safe and effective in terms of not affecting hatchability and in having a prolonged effect in the hatched chick or poult. Lactobacillus reuteri administration in ovo increases its rate of intestinal colonization and decreases the colonization of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in both chicks and poults. Additionally, mortality due to in-hatcher exposure to E. coli or Salmonella is reduced with in ovo L. reuteri. Use of antibiotics in ovo may preclude the use of co-administered CE agents, but Gentamicin and L. reuteri are a compatible mixture when administered in ovo in separate compartments. Nevertheless, the intestinal morphology can be affected by both the CE agent and by antibiotics. Lactobacillus reuteri both in ovo and ex ovo will increase villus height and crypt depth, and Gentamicin in ovo causes a shortening and blunting of the villus. Both Gentamicin and L. reuteri in ovo suppress potentially pathogenic enteric microbes, but with diminished antibiotic effects shortening and blunting of the intestinal villi does not correct itself. Goblet cell numbers increase significantly on the ileum villus of chicks treated with Gentamicin in ovo, and this is presumably due to the increase in potentially pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal tract. Diminishing antibiotic effects posthatch would then negatively affect the absorption of nutrients and reduce growth at least in a transitory manner. Thus, L reuteri administration in ovo singly or in combination with Gentamicin followed by L reuteri via drinking water or feed appears to have potential to control many enteric pathogens in poultry. Additional work in the use of in ovo CE cultures is mandated because there is a world-wide movement to reduce antibiotic use in poultry due to increased microbial resistance to antibiotics. Use of naturally occurring intestinal bacterial cultures, either in mixed culture or as single well-defined cultures, has potential for immediate use in the poultry industry.

Animals↗