Use of acid-utilizing butyrate-producing intestinal bacteria to prevent dyspeptic diarrhea in piglets.

仔猪经常出现非致病性腹泻，其中大多数具有消化不良性质。消化不良性腹泻的特点是乳酸在大肠中积聚。利用丁酸盐产生物的乳酸，如Megasphaera elsdenii (ME)，可以将乳酸转化为丁酸盐，结肠细胞依赖丁酸盐维持其功能。在本研究中，我们将ME作为预防仔猪消化不良腹泻的益生菌。我们分离了几个ME来选择和开发实时PCR定量ME。4日龄代谢能水平为10^3,13日龄代谢能水平为10^5。在14日龄时，添加固体食物使其含量暂时下降，16日龄时又上升到10^6，并趋于稳定。然而，25日龄断奶会暂时降低代谢能水平。消化性腹泻通常是由于饲料变化和断奶时代谢能水平下降引起的。在仔猪3日龄、20日龄和28日龄时，以肠溶性或大肠溶性胶囊口服ME，连续3 d。在给药后不久（7 d），粪ME水平高于对照仔猪，但在这几天后没有发现差异。代谢能水平与乳酸杆菌水平呈显著相关。粪便评分改善程度不显著。临床状况如毛发评分均有改善。

Piglets often suffer from non-pathogenic diarrhea most of which have dyspeptic nature. Dyspeptic diarrhea is characterized by the accumulation of lactate in the large intestine. Lactate utilizing butyrate producer, such as Megasphaera elsdenii (ME), can convert lactate into butyrate on which the colonocytes depend to keep their functions. In this study, we used ME as a probiotics to prevent the dyspeptic diarrhea in piglets. We have isolated a couple of ME to select and developed Real-time PCR quantification of ME. The level of ME was 10^3 at 4 days age, and then increased to 10^5 at 13 days old. The level was temporally declined by the supplementation of solid food at 14 days old, then re-increased to 10^6 at 16 days old and stabilized. However, weaning at 25 days old temporally reduced the level of ME. Dyspeptic diarrhea is often caused by the feed change and weaning where the level of ME was decreased. ME was orally administrated using either intestinal soluble or large intestinal soluble capsules to piglets at 3 days, 20 days, and 28 days old for 3 consecutive days. The level of fecal ME was higher shortly after (7 days) dose comparing to the control piglets, but no difference was seen after these days. The level of ME was significantly correlated with that of Lactobacilli. Fecal score was improved with insignificant manner. Clinical condition such as hair score was improved.