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Aims: There is interest in using probiotics such as Lactobacillus species to control canine intestinal infections. The bacterial species should be of canine intestinal origin exhibiting host specificity. Bacterial strains were isolated from dog faecal samples and characterized to select specific probiotics as dietary supplements in feed, promoting health status., Methods and Results: Bacterial strains have been screened for their probiotic properties including survival to gastric and pancreatic juices and bile salts, resistance to antibiotics and antipathogenicity. Five of 14 isolated Lactobacillus strains were tolerant to gastric stress. They were also resistant to clindamycin and with a significant antimicrobial capacity towards the pathogenic strains tested, variable according to the strain. They were identified by morphological and molecular characterization comparing the 16S rRNA gene sequence with the blast database. Three strains were identified as Lactobacillus reuteri and two as Lactobacillus johnsonii. Sugar fermentation profiles and adhesion to HT29 epithelial cells have been in vitro verified on L. reuteri AI, chosen as probiotic candidate. Resistance to freeze-drying, production and subsequent in vivo administration evaluating strain permanence, were also performed. No loss of vitality has been recorded due to the freeze-drying process. The average value of recovery percentage of L. reuteri AI at the end of the administration period and after 1 week of follow-up was respectively 26·7 and 17·4% of the total Lactobacillus sp., Conclusions: Among several selected probiotic strains, L. reuteri AI proved to be the best probiotic candidate to use as a supplement for dogs., Significance and Impact of the Study: Control of intestinal pathogenic micro-organisms in dogs is a growing concern and the selection of autochthonous probiotic bacterial strains to overcome some of the gut problems associated with the modern domestication of animals is a valuable tool., (© 2019 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether vaginal administration of probiotic Lactobacillus results in their colonization and persistence in the vagina and whether it promotes normalization and maintenance of pH and Nugent score. A single-arm, open-label controlled towards the baseline (pre-post) study including 35 apparently healthy women was conducted. Each woman was examined three times during the study. Women were instructed to receive daily for 7 days, the probiotic suppositories SYNBIO(®) gin (Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501(®) and Lactobacillus paracasei IMC 502(®)). Vaginal swabs were collected during visit 1, 2, and 3 to determine the total lactobacilli count, the presence of the two administered bacteria, the measure of the pH, and the estimation of Nugent score. Evaluation of treatment tolerability was based on analysis of the type and occurrence of adverse events. The probiotic vaginal suppository was well tolerated and no side effects were reported. Intermediate Nugent score was registered in 40 % of women at visit 1 and these intermediate scores reverted to normal at day 7 (end of treatment) in 20 % of subjects. Administration of SYNBIO(®) gin contributed to a significant increase in the lactobacilli level at visit 2. Molecular typing revealed the presence of the two strains originating from SYNBIO(®) gin in 100 % of women at visit 2 and 34 % at visit 3. No significant changes were registered for pH between visits. The SYNBIO(®) gin product is safe for daily use in healthy women and it could be useful to restore and maintain a normal vaginal microbiota.

Aims: To characterize in vitro the ability of human Lactobacillus strains to inhibit the adhesion, to displace and to compete with clinically isolated Candida strains., Methods and Results: Three types of assays were performed to determine the inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus plantarum 319, Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501, Lactobacillus paracasei IMC 502 and a specific probiotic combination (SYNBIO) on adhesion of Candida pathogens to HeLa cells: blockage by exclusion (lactobacilli and HeLa followed by pathogens), competition (lactobacilli, HeLa and pathogens together) and displacement (pathogens and HeLa followed by the addition of lactobacilli). Bacterial adhesion to HeLa was quantified by microscopy after May-Grünwald/Giemsa stain. The inhibition results highlight a significant (P < 0·05) competition of the considered probiotics against all the Candida strains. The results suggest that the probiotic strains used in this study could prevent colonization of the urogenital tract by relevant pathogens such as Candida strains through barrier and interference mechanisms (mainly displacement and competition), but the degree of inhibition of adhesion was bacterial strain-dependent., Conclusions: The results support the potential of these Lactobacillus probiotic strains as anti-infective agents in the vagina and encourage further studies about their capacity to prevent and manage urogenital tract infections in females., Significance and Impact of the Study: To optimize the defensive properties of the vaginal microbiota, improving the health of many women by probiotic intervention., (© 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Aims: Probiotic lactobacilli have a great potential to produce antimicrobial compounds that inhibit and control the microbial pathogen growth. The antimicrobial and antifungal activities of two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501(®) and Lactobacillus paracasei IMC 502(®) , and their 1 : 1 combination, named SYNBIO(®) , were studied using four different methods., Methods and Results: Using two modified streak methods and a well diffusion method, the inhibitory activity of the probiotics and their metabolites towards six Gram-positive, nine Gram-negative pathogenic bacterial strains and eight Candida strains was tested. Antagonistic effect of probiotic Lactobacillus strains was also investigated by coculturing assay highlighting a significant inhibition of most of the pathogens tested in this study. The combination SYNBIO(®) showed a microbicidal activity against most of the strains tested in the study., Conclusions: Compared with the control, most of the pathogenic bacteria and yeast were inhibited by all probiotic strains tested to various degrees., Significance and Impact of the Study: Screening Lactobacillus strains according to their activity in various environmental conditions could precede the clinical efficacy studies for adjunct treatment with probiotics in cure of different gastrointestinal and vaginal tract infections., (© 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Aims: To test different Lactobacillus strains for their antipathogenic activity towards Candida strains and their adhesion properties for the preparation of vaginal ovules and douches to be used in vaginal candidiasis prevention., Methods and Results: Five strains of lactobacilli were tested for their antimicrobial potential against different clinically isolated Candida strains. They were also screened for their ability to produce hydrogen peroxide and to coaggregate with pathogens. Adhesion properties of the five different Lactobacillus strains to HeLa cells and the presence of arcA gene were also assessed. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that all the five Lactobacillus strains tested possessed inhibitory action against the Candida strains using the radial streak method, but the effect is strain dependent. The same situation arises with regard to the ability of coaggregation that is present in all the strains into different degrees. Only Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501(®) and Lactobacillus paracasei IMC 502(®) were able to produce H2O2 and none of the strains possess arcA gene. The most adherent strains to HeLa cells were Lact. rhamnosus IMC 501(®), Lact. paracasei IMC 502(®) and also their combination SYNBIO(®). This latter was selected for the preparation of ovules and douches using different matrix. Witepsol(®) ovules have proved the best formulation in terms of probiotic viability., Conclusions: Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501(®), Lact. paracasei IMC 502(®) and SYNBIO(®) were able to produce H2O2, to coaggregate and to exert antimicrobial activity against pathogenic Candida strains and to strongly adhere to HeLa cells. All these properties together with those technological make these strains good candidates for the realization of formulations suitable for vaginal health., Significance and Impact of the Study: To develop new vaginal formulations taking into account the impact of probiotic strains on pathogens as well as the technological properties of the strains to validate their effectiveness in human health., (© 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

The popularity of functional foods continues to increase as consumers desire flavorful foods that will fulfil their health needs. Among these foods, probiotics may exert positive effects on the composition of gut microbiota and overall health. However, in order to be beneficial, the bacterial cultures have to remain live and active at the time of consumption. The aim of this study was to develop new probiotic food products, such as seasoned cheeses, salami, chocolate and ice-cream with a final probiotic concentration of approximately 10⁹CFU/daily dose of Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501® and Lactobacillus paracasei IMC 502® mixed 1:1 (SYNBIO®). The survival and viability of probiotics were determined during the foods shelf-life. The values of viable probiotic bacteria of all dairy and non-dairy foods were between 10⁷ and 10⁹CFU/g of food at the end of the shelf-life and for some of them the values were maintained even after the expiry date. Based on the results of the current study, all the dairy ("Caciotta" cheese, "Pecorino" cheese, "Büscion" Swiss cheese and "Fiordilatte" ice-cream) and non-dairy ("Ciauscolo" salami, Larded salami, Swiss small salami, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, organic jam and chocolate mousse) food products studied would be excellent vehicles to deliver the probiotic health effects because of the high viability of probiotics during the shelf-life of foods and in some cases even after their expiry date., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)