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Abstract

Title

Strain Specific Inhibition of Clostridium Difficile by Commercial Probiotics in Vitro
Type
Poster Presentation
Theme
Probiotics and Prebiotics: Excellence in Science and Clinical Translation
Topic
Metabolic By-products of Probiotic Strains

Authors

Main Author
Mansa Fredua-Agyeman1 2
Presenting Author
Mansa Fredua-Agyeman1 2
Co-Author
Simon Gaisford2

Authors' Institution

Department / Institution / Country
Pharmaceutics and Microbiology / School of Pharmacy, University of Ghana / Ghana (Gaana)1
Pharmaceutics / UCL School of Pharmacy / United Kingdom2
Content
Background and Rationale
Evidence of the effectiveness of probiotics in managing Clostridium difficile infection is limited which could be reasoned to be the attributes of the probiotics used for the study and lack of in vitro studies to streamline potential strains.
Objectives: Indicates the purpose of the study
The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of live cells and metabolic products of commercial probiotics strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5®, Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12®) on the growth of C. difficile in vitro.
Methodology: Describe pertinent experimental procedures
The strains were incubated as pure cultures and then as co-cultures with C. difficile in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth supplemented with 0.1% (w/v) L-cysteine hydrochloride and 0.1% (w/v) sodium taurocholate and monitored in an isothermal microcalorimeter. Unmodified, concentrated and pH modified metabolic products produced by the probiotic strains were also co-cultured with C. difficile in broth and monitored with the microcalorimeter.
Results: Summarize the results of the research
Characteristic signatures of the pure strains were obtained from the microcalorimeter. C. difficile was inhibited by the live cells of the probiotics. Using the unmodified and pH-modified metabolic products produced by the probiotic strains, inhibition was noted to be pH-dependent. Further investigation to determine whether inhibition was solely pH-dependent by use of concentrated neutralized metabolic waste revealed the possibility of non-acidic metabolites contributing to inhibition. However, total inhibition in the microcalorimeter occurred when metabolic products produced from L. acidophilus was concentrated by 20 fold and that of B. lactis by 5 fold inferring that rate of inhibition differed between the two strains. The results also showed that C. difficile growth was maximum when the pH of the medium was between 6.45 and 6.9.
Conclusions: State the main conclusions

In conclusion, the results show that some commercial probiotic strains can inhibit C. difficile; however, inhibition and degree of inhibition could be strain specific. 
Keywords: Clostridium difficile; inhibition; probiotics; microcalorimetry; metabolic products
Requires Audio or Video system for Presentation?: No