Molecular monitoring of human intestinal Bifidobacterium strain diversity.

Predominant Bifidobacterium strains belonging to the intestinal flora of four human volunteers were isolated on selective medium before and after eight days of treatment with oral amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Augmentin). These antimicrobial agents are known to be strongly active against the genus Bifidobacterium. A fifth volunteer did not receive the antibiotics and was considered as a control.

Effects of Bifidobacterium sp fermented milk ingested with or without inulin on colonic bifidobacteria and enzymatic activities in healthy humans.

Objective: To assess in healthy humans the effects of prolonged ingestion of Bifidobacterium sp fermented milk (BFM) with or without inulin on fecal bifidobacteria and some bacterial enzymatic activities.

Design: Twelve volunteers randomly divided into two groups were studied for three consecutive periods. During the ingestion period, they received BFM in association with ether 18g/d inulin or placebo in three oral doses for 12 days.

Effects of fructo-oligosaccharides ingestion on fecal bifidobacteria and selected metabolic indexes of colon carcinogenesis in healthy humans.

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are a mixture of oligosaccharides consisting of glucose linked to fructose units. They are not digested in the human small intestine but fermented in the colon, where they could specifically promote the growth of some species of the indigenous microflora, especially bifidobacteria. We assessed in healthy humans the effects of FOS ingestion in fecal bifidobacteria and selected metabolic indexes potentially involved in colonic carcinogenesis.

Identification of Bifidobacterium strains by rRNA gene restriction patterns.

Total DNA from 21 collection or industrial Bifidobacterium strains was cleaved with various restriction endonucleases. Following electrophoresis, the fragments were subjected to Southern blot hybridization with a heterologous [alpha-32P]dCTP-labeled rDNA (genes coding for rRNA) 23S gene probe. The ribosomal patterns allowed all tested strains to be differentiated and previous classifications to be confirmed.

In vivo effect of yogurt on excretion of enteropathogen Escherichia coli RDEC-1 during acute diarrhea in the just-weaned rabbit.

Yogurt has been shown to inhibit, by various mechanisms, pathogenic bacterial growth in vitro, including that of the rabbit Escherichia coli strain RDEC-1. To determine whether this in vitro inhibition by yogurt has an in vivo counterpart, 60 newly weaned New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to receive a diet supplemented with either milk or yogurt. Four days later, rabbits were infected intragastrically with 10(8) E.