title: Effects of short-chain fatty acids on in vitro bacterial growth of Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli.
abstract: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are produced in the large bowel of nonruminant mammals by bacterial anaerobic fermentation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of SCFA on the in vitro growth of Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli. B. fragilis and E. coli isolated from fresh human clinical samples and a reference strain for each species were incubated in a meat infusion broth with increasing amounts of SCFA and grown under anaerobic conditions at a temperature of 37 degrees C. Bacterial growth was estimated by spectrophotometry. Rate of growth was calculated from the logarithmic growth phase. SCFA, in concentrations normally found in the human colon, had a significant (p<0.01) inhibitory effect of the in vitro growth rate for E. coli, while they were without effect on the in vitro growth rate of B. fragilis. It may be concluded that under in vitro conditions SCFA had growth-inhibitory effects on E. coli, while they had no effect on B. fragilis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hessov
mesh_terms: D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile