QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Benyacoub, J. Articles by von der Weid, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Benyacoub, J. Articles by von der Weid, T.

Supplementation of Food with Enterococcus faecium (SF68) Stimulates Immune Functions in Young Dogs

Nestec Limited, Centre de Recherche, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland and ^* Nestlé Purina Petcare Research, St. Joseph, MO 64503

²To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: thierry.von-der-weid{at}rdls.nestle.com.

The gut microflora play a crucial role in several physiologic functions of the host, including maturation of the gut-associated lymphoid tissues during the first months of life. Oral administration of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) modulates the immune system of humans and some laboratory animals. This effect has never been examined in dogs; therefore, our aim was to study the capacity of a probiotic LAB to stimulate immune functions in young dogs. Puppies were allotted to two groups receiving either a control diet or a diet supplemented with 5 x 10⁸ colony forming units (cfu)/d of probiotic Enterococcus faecium (SF68) from weaning to 1 y of age. Fecal and blood samples were collected from the dogs at different time points for the measurement of fecal immunoglobulin (Ig)A, circulating IgG and IgA, and the proportions of lymphoid cell subsets. Fecal IgA and canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine–specific circulating IgG and IgA were higher in the group receiving the probiotic than in controls. There were no differences in the percentages of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells between the groups, but the proportion of mature B cells [CD21⁺/major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II⁺] was greater in those fed the probiotic. These data show for the first time that a dietary probiotic LAB enhance specific immune functions in young dogs, thus offering new opportunities for the utilization of probiotics in canine nutrition.

KEY WORDS: • dogs • Enterococci • probiotic • immunity • vaccine

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Schierack, N. Walk, K. Reiter, K. D. Weyrauch, and L. H. Wieler Composition of intestinal Enterobacteriaceae populations of healthy domestic pigs Microbiology, November 1, 2007; 153(11): 3830 - 3837. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. G. V. Emmanuel, A. Jafari, K. A. Beauchemin, J. A. Z. Leedle, and B. N. Ametaj Feeding live cultures of Enterococcus faecium and Saccharomyces cerevisiae induces an inflammatory response in feedlot steers J Anim Sci, January 1, 2007; 85(1): 233 - 239. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J. K. Manninen, M. L. Rinkinen, S. S. Beasley, and P. E. J. Saris Alteration of the canine small-intestinal lactic Acid bacterium microbiota by feeding of potential probiotics. Appl. Envir. Microbiol., October 1, 2006; 72(10): 6539 - 6543. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Taras, W. Vahjen, M. Macha, and O. Simon Performance, diarrhea incidence, and occurrence of Escherichia coli virulence genes during long-term administration of a probiotic Enterococcus faecium strain to sows and piglets J Anim Sci, March 1, 2006; 84(3): 608 - 617. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Menard, D. Laharie, C. Asensio, T. Vidal-Martinez, C. Candalh, A. Rullier, F. Zerbib, F. Megraud, T. Matysiak-Budnik, and M. Heyman Bifidobacterium breve and Streptococcus thermophilus Secretion Products Enhance T Helper 1 Immune Response and Intestinal Barrier in Mice Experimental Biology and Medicine, November 1, 2005; 230(10): 749 - 756. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Benyacoub, P. F. Perez, F. Rochat, K. Y. Saudan, G. Reuteler, N. Antille, M. Humen, G. L. De Antoni, C. Cavadini, S. Blum, et al. Enterococcus faecium SF68 Enhances the Immune Response to Giardia intestinalis in Mice J. Nutr., May 1, 2005; 135(5): 1171 - 1176. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Humen, G. L. De Antoni, J. Benyacoub, M. E. Costas, M. I. Cardozo, L. Kozubsky, K.-Y. Saudan, A. Boenzli-Bruand, S. Blum, E. J. Schiffrin, et al. Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 Antagonizes Giardia intestinalis In Vivo Infect. Immun., February 1, 2005; 73(2): 1265 - 1269. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]