EFFECT OF ORAL ADMINISTRATIONOF PROBIOTIC AGENTS ONTrichinella spiralis-INFECTED MICE

Abstract

This study aims at determining whether or not the oral administration of Lactobacillus casei exerts adverse effects on Trichinella spiralis (strain BBSC 01)-infected BALB/c mice. Ten mice previously divided into Control Group “C” and Treated Group “T” were used. Group C was fed with a regular diet during 7 days before T. spiralis infection. Group T was fed on a daily basis with a regular diet plus a 5 mL of suspension of L. casei during seven days before T. spiralis infection. On day 8, both Groups were orally inoculated with infecting T. spiralis larvae. Five days after infection, mice were sacrificed in order to determine the number of parasites in the intestine and in the intestinal mucosa (females). The average number of recovered adult T. spiralis parasites from the intestinal content was 147 and 189 in Group C and in Group T, respectively. Significant differences for p<0.05 were observed between the two groups analyzed. The average number of recovered females in Group C was 81 while in Group T it was 12. Highly significant differences for p<0.05 were observed. Results indicate that the oral administration of L. casei to mice produces adverse effects on the penetration of the parasite into the intestinal mucosa.