African Journal of
Microbiology Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Microbiol. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0808
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJMR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 5236

Full Length Research Paper

Efficacy of two probiotics in the control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in experimentally infected lambs

Kingsley Chineto Anyika
  • Kingsley Chineto Anyika
  • Livestock Investigation Division, National Veterinary Research Institute Vom, Nigeria.
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Solomon Olu Okaiyeto
  • Solomon Olu Okaiyeto
  • Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria.
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Shehu Na’allah Saidu
  • Shehu Na’allah Saidu
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria.
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Gabriel Ogbaji Ijale
  • Gabriel Ogbaji Ijale
  • Unity Veterinary Clinic, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
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  •  Received: 01 August 2017
  •  Accepted: 18 October 2017
  •  Published: 14 March 2018

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the efficacy of probiotics mixture in the control of Shiga-toxin Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 in experimentally infected lambs. Fifteen Yankassa breed of lambs aged between 3-4 weeks old were used. The lambs were divided into three groups of five lambs each (n=5).  Group A: Neither probiotics nor STEC O157:H7 were administered (control), Group B: lambs were administered viable STEC O157:H7 cells at 6 x 108CFU/ml  together with daily administration of probiotics  mixture at 4.5 x108 CFU/ml, Group C: lambs were administered only viable STEC O157:H7 cells at 6x108 CFU/ml without probiotics. Faecal samples from all the experimental lambs were screened for the presence of STEC O157:H7 before the commencement of this study using Tryptone soy broth (TSB) as an enrichment media and Cefixine-tellurite sorbitol MacConkey agar (CT-SMAC) as a selective media. Following oral inoculation of the lambs with STEC cells, faecal samples were collected once weekly for six weeks, for STEC O157:H7 isolation and enumeration. STEC O157:H7 was confirmed by its reaction with O157 and H7 anti-sera (Wellcomexr). STEC O157:H7 was not shed by lambs in group A (control). However, Group B lambs administered a mixture of probiotics shed significantly lower (P<0.05) counts of STEC cells in the six weeks post-infection than Group C lambs that received only STEC cells without probiotics. In conclusion, the use of probiotics mixture significantly (P<0.05) reduced the faecal shedding of STEC O157:H7. It was therefore recommended that probiotics should be administered to lambs to help control these pathogens.

Key words: Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli O157:H7, probiotics mixture, cefixime-tellurite Sorbitol MacConkey Agar, tryptone soy broth, anti-sera.