title: Lactobacilli attenuate bacteremia and endotoxemia associated with severe intra-abdominal infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic administration of antibiotics or selective decontamination is frequently used in the prophylaxis and treatment of infections originating from the gastrointestinal flora. In this study, we wanted to compare the protective effect of enteral administration of lactobacilli to gentamicin against severe intra-abdominal infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Rats were pretreated with saline, Lactobacillus R2LC, and gentamicin. Bacterial growth and endotoxin levels in the blood, reticuloendothelial system (RES)-function, and intestinal transit were determined up to 24 hours after CLP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CLP-provoked bacteremia was significantly reduced by 48% and 55% in lactobacilli- and gentamicin-treated rats, respectively. Notably, CLP-induced endotoxemia was abolished at 12 hours, and reduced by 47% at 24 hours, in rats pretreated with lactobacilli. Gentamicin reduced endotoxin levels provoked by CLP by 86% at 12 hours, but had no effect at 24 hours. Lactobacilli had no effect on the clearance of Escherichia coli (E coli) from the blood, whereas intestinal transit was increased in lactobacilli-treated animals, suggesting that the beneficial effect of Lactobacillus R2LC is not related to an increase of phagocytic capacity but may rather be partly attributable to an enhanced intestinal motility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Enteral administration of Lactobacillus R2LC attenuates bacteremia and endotoxemia associated with intra-abdominal infection in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thorlacius
authors.forename: Sören
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nobaek
authors.forename: Xian Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Molin
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bengmark
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jeppsson
mesh_terms: D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins