The prevalence of infections with the zoonotic enteritis pathogen Campylobacter coli is increasing. Probiotic formulations constitute promising antibiotic-independent approaches to reduce intestinal pathogen loads and modulate pathogen-induced immune responses in the infected human host, resulting in acute campylobacteriosis and post-infectious sequelae. Here, we address potential antipathogenic and immuno-modulatory effects of the commercial product Aviguard® during experimental campylobacteriosis. Secondary abiotic IL-10-/- mice were infected with a C. coli patient isolate on days 0 and 1, followed by oral Aviguard® treatment on days 2, 3 and 4. Until day 6 post-infection, Aviguard® treatment could lower the pathogen burdens within the proximal but not the distal intestinal tract. In contrast, the probiotic bacteria had sufficiently established in the intestines with lower fecal loads of obligate anaerobic species in C. coli-infected as compared to uninfected mice following Aviguard® treatment. Aviguard® application did not result in alleviated clinical signs, histopathological or apoptotic changes in the colon of infected IL-10-/- mice, whereas, however, Aviguard® treatment could dampen pathogen-induced innate and adaptive immune responses in the colon, accompanied by less distinct intestinal proinflammatory cytokine secretion. In conclusion, Aviguard® constitutes a promising probiotic compound to alleviate enteropathogen-induced proinflammatory immune responses during human campylobacteriosis.

Human infections with the food-borne enteropathogens Campylobacter are progressively rising. Recent evidence revealed that pre-existing intestinal inflammation facilitates enteropathogenic infection subsequently exacerbating the underlying disease. Given that only little is known about C. coli–host interactions and particularly during intestinal inflammation, the aim of the present study was to survey gastrointestinal colonization properties, gut microbiota changes and pro-inflammatory sequelae upon peroral C. coli-infection of IL-10-/- mice with chronic colitis. C. coli colonized the gastrointestinal tract of mice with varying efficiencies until day 28 post-infection and induced macroscopic and microscopic inflammatory changes as indicated by shorter colonic lengths, more distinct histopathological changes in the colonic mucosa and higher numbers of apoptotic colonic epithelial cells when compared to mock-infected controls. Furthermore, not only colonic innate and adaptive immune cell responses, but also enhanced systemic TNF-α secretion could be observed following C. coli as opposed to mock challenge. Notably, C. coli induced intestinal inflammatory sequelae were accompanied with gut microbiota shifts towards higher commensal enterobacterial loads in the infected gut lumen. Moreover, the pathogen translocated from the intestinal tract to extra-intestinal tissue sites in some cases, but never to systemic compartments. Hence, C. coli accelerates inflammatory immune responses in IL-10-/- mice with chronic colitis.