ANTAGONISTIC EFFECTS OF INTESTINAL LACTOBACILLUS ISOLATES ON PATHOGENS OF CHICKEN

Twelve Lactobacillus strains isolated from chicken intestine, which de monstrated a strong and moderate capacity to adhere to the ileal epith elial cells in vitro, were used to investigate their inhibitory abilit y against five strains of salmonella, i.e. Salmonella enteritidis 935/ 79, Salm, pullorum, Salm, typhimurium, Salm. blockley and Salm. enteri tidis 91/448, and three serotypes of Escherichia coli, viz. E. coli O1 :K1, O2:K1 and O78:K80. The results showed that all the 12 Lactobacill us isolates were able to inhibit the growth of the five strains of sal monella, and the three strains of E. coli in varying degrees. Generall y, they were more effective in inhibiting the growth of salmonella tha n E. coli. Inhibition of the pathogenic bacteria was probably due to t he production of organic acids by the Lactobacillus isolates.