Effects of Clostridium Difficile, Lactobacillus Casei, Bacillus Subtilis and Lactobacillus sp. as Mono- and Dicontaminants on the Cecum of Germfree Mice

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of various enterally seeded microorganisms on the cecal enlargement and on other parameters in germfree mice. Experimental animals were HaM/ ICR (Ch.R.CD-1) mice fed sterilized 5010C diet, aged 11–16 months with approx. the same sex distribution. The microbial status of various groups was: (1) Germfree (gf), (2) Conventional (conv). Ex-germfree monocontaminated with (3) C1. difficile or (4) L. casei. Ex-germfree dicontaminated with (5) C1. difficile and L. casei or with (6) B. subtilis and Lactobacillus sp. The mice were sacrificed 1 and 3 weeks after insemination. In the cecal contents the following were recorded (in parenthesis the characteristics of gf rodents are given in comparison to conv controls): (a) weight (elevated); (b) dry per cent (reduced); (c) pH (elevated); (d) Eh (more positive); (e) kallikrein content (elevated) and (f) “alpha pigment” (an epinephrine inhibitory chromatographic fraction which displays bioactivity in gf and not in conv cecal contents). Observations (a)-(d) were made with commonly used methods; (e) was assayed on rat uterus in vitro; (f) was tested by its effect on the spontaneous motility of intestinal villi of dogs in vivo.