Characterization of Bacillus species used for oral bacteriotherapy and bacterioprophylaxis of gastrointestinal disorders

Bacillus subtilis spores are being used for oral bacteriotherapy and bacter ioprophylaxis of gastrointestinal disorders in both humans and animals. Sin ce B. subtilis is an aerobic saprophyte, how spores may benefit the gut mic robiota is an intriguing question, since other probiotics such as Lactobaci llus spp. which colonize the gut are anerobes, As a first step in understan ding the potential effects of ingesting spores, we have characterized five commercial products. An extensive biochemical, physiological, and phylogene tic analysis has revealed that four of these products are mislabeled. Moreo ver, four of these products showed high levels of antibiotic resistance.