Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens

Abstract

BackgroundClostridium perfringens is the main etiological agent of necrotic enteritis. Lactobacilli show beneficial effects on intestinal health in infectious disease, but the protective functions of lactobacilli in C. perfringens-infected chickens are scarcely described. This study examined the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) over a 28-day period. Using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, a total of 308 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were included to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) during a 28-day trial.ResultsDuring infection (d 14–21), C. perfringens challenge decreased the average daily gain (P < 0.05), and increased feed conversion ratio and the mortality rate (P < 0.05). However, dietary supplementation with L. acidophilus increased the body weight of C. perfringens-infected broilers on d 21 (P < 0.05), and tended to decrease the mortality (P = 0.061). C. perfringens challenge decreased the villus height (P < 0.05), the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P < 0.05) and OCLN (occludin) mRNA expression (P < 0.05), and increased the pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in the spleen and jejunum, the intestinal populations of C. perfringens and Escherichia (P < 0.05), and the serum content of endotoxin (P < 0.05), regardless of L. acidophilus supplementation. In contrast, dietary L. acidophilus reducedthe intestinal lesion score of challenged broilers (P < 0.05), the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ileal populations of Escherichia and serum endotoxin content (P < 0.05), but increased the intestinal Lactobacillus populations (P < 0.05), irrespective of C. perfringens challenge.ConclusionDietary addition of L. acidophilus could improve the intestinal health and reduce the mortality of broilers suffering from necrotic enteritis.

Bacillus subtilis B21 and Bacillus licheniformis B26 improve intestinal health and performance of broiler chickens with Clostridium perfringens‐induced necrotic enteritis

“…It was shown that broiler challenged with C. perfringens resulted in decrease of claudin‐1 and occludin gene expression and however disrupted the TJs between the epithelial cells Du et al (). Similarly, Li et al () discovered that C. perfringens challenged chickens decreased occludin mRNA expression in the jejunum. In this study, the mRNA relative expression in BL‐fed group showed higher expression of claudin‐1 in the duodenum (d7 and d21) and jejunum (d21) and ZO‐1 on the ileum (d21).…”

“…However, in another related study, B. subtilis showed positive effect on histomorphology and gut integrity of villi against C. perfringens ‐induced NE in broiler birds (Abudabos, Alyemni, & Almarshad, ; Jayaraman et al, ). Additionally, in a study with Lactobacillus acidophilus supplementation in broiler diet reduced the mortality rates and increased jejunal crypt depth, which support intestinal renewal and infection recovery Li, Wang, Dan, and Gao (). Thus, the frequency for higher intestinal villus in duodenum, jejunum and ileum and crypt depth in the challenged group could be attributed to the dose of the C. perfringens , challenge method, and length of time for the probiotics and AGP administrations.…”

Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum on intestinal integrity and immune responses of egg-laying chickens infected with Clostridium perfringens under the free-range or the specific pathogen free environment

“…After chickens were infected with CP or on the subclinical infection of NE, the small intestine was damaged [12,23]. The intestinal injury may cause CP to reach the bile duct and portal vein blood flow [24].…”

Effect of Flavonoids from Eupatorium odoratum L. on Immunoglobulins and Cecal Microflora in Broilers

“…in humans. Clostridium perfringens is the main etiological agent of necrotic enteritis in broilers (Li et al, 2018). The Clostridia decreased in broilers given feed supplemented with TFEO at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg compared with the control group at 21 days, and significantly decreased at 42 days, which shows that TFEO can inhibit the Clostridia in broiler cecum, and thereby prevent diseases such as necrotic enteritis.…”