Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied Microbiology logoLink to Applied Microbiology
. 1975 Oct;30(4):541–545. doi: 10.1128/am.30.4.541-545.1975

Detection of Lactobacillus acidophilus in Feces of Humans, Pigs, and Chickens1

S E Gilliland 1, M L Speck 1, C G Morgan 1
PMCID: PMC187227  PMID: 811162

Abstract

Lactobacilli in fecal material from humans, pigs, and chickens were enumerated on lactobacillus selective agar (LBS). In all samples, higher numbers of lactobacilli were detected when plates were incubated in a system flushed with CO2 rather than in air. Much higher numbers of bacteria from human feces were detected when the LBS agar plates were incubated anaerobically in a hydrogen-carbon dioxide atmosphere (GasPak) than when incubated in CO2. The bacteria from human feces isolated on LBS agar incubated anaerobically were predominately bifidobacteria. Cultures from all three sources isolated on LBS agar incubated under CO2 were lactobacilli, including Lactobacillus acidophilus. Differences were observed in biochemical characteristics of some of the L. acidophilus isolated from all three sources. Guanine plus cytosine base ratios of deoxyribonucleic acid isolated from L. acidophilus cultures from humans were lower, in most cases, than those from pigs and chickens.

Full text

PDF
541

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Chopra S. L., Blackwood A. C., Dale D. G. Intestinal Microflora Associated with Enteritis of Early-Weaned Pigs. Can J Comp Med Vet Sci. 1963 Dec;27(12):290–294. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Conn H. O., Floch M. H. Effects of lactulose and Lactobacillus acidophilus on the fecal flora. Am J Clin Nutr. 1970 Dec;23(12):1588–1594. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/23.12.1588. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DAVIS G. H. The classification of Lactobacilli from the human mouth. J Gen Microbiol. 1955 Dec;13(3):481–493. doi: 10.1099/00221287-13-3-481. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. GORDON D., MACRAE J., WHEATER D. M. A Lactobacillus preparation for use with antibiotics. Lancet. 1957 May 4;272(6975):899–901. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(57)91222-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HARRISON A. P., Jr, HANSEN P. A. Lactobacilli from turkeys. J Bacteriol. 1950 Nov;60(5):543–555. doi: 10.1128/jb.60.5.543-555.1950. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kojima M., Suda S., Hotta S., Hamada K. Induction of pleomorphism in Lactobacillus bifidus. J Bacteriol. 1968 Feb;95(2):710–711. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.2.710-711.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. MACBETH W. A., KASS E. H., MCDERMOTT W. V., Jr TREATMENT OF HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY BY ALTERATION OF INTESTINAL FLORA WITH LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS. Lancet. 1965 Feb 20;1(7382):399–403. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(65)90002-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. MARMUR J., DOTY P. Determination of the base composition of deoxyribonucleic acid from its thermal denaturation temperature. J Mol Biol. 1962 Jul;5:109–118. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(62)80066-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Mitsuoka T. Vergleichende Untersuchungen über die Laktobazillen aus den Faeces von Menschen, Schweinen und Hühnern. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1969 May;210(1):32–51. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Morishita Y., Mitsuoka T., Kaneuchi C., Yamamoto S., Ogata M. Specific establishment of lactobacilli in the digestive tract of germ-free chickens. Jpn J Microbiol. 1971 Nov;15(6):531–538. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1971.tb00615.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. ROGOSA M., WISEMAN R. F., MITCHELL J. A., DISRAELY M. N., BEAMAN A. J. Species differentiation of oral lactobacilli from man including description of Lactobacillus salivarius nov spec and lactobacillus Cellobiosus nov spec. J Bacteriol. 1953 Jun;65(6):681–699. doi: 10.1128/jb.65.6.681-699.1953. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Read A. E., McCarthy C. F., Heaton K. W., Laidlaw J. Lactobacillus acidophilus (enpac) in treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. Br Med J. 1966 May 21;1(5498):1267–1269. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5498.1267. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Tortuero F. Influence of the implantation of Lactobacillus acidophilus in chicks on the growth, feed conversion, malabsorption of fats syndrome and intestinal flora. Poult Sci. 1973 Jan;52(1):197–203. doi: 10.3382/ps.0520197. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES