The effect of ingestion of milk supplemented with salivaricin A-producing Streptococcus salivarius on the bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity of streptococcal populations on the tongue.
The colonization efficacies of salivaricin A (SalA)-producing Streptococcus salivarius strains 20P3 and 5 were compared when given in milk to 219 children, using either 2-day or 9-day dosing regimens. Colonization levels overall were superior for strain 5, and the 9-day dosing schedule resulted in higher levels of both initial colonization and strain persistence. The indigenous streptococcal tongue populations of 20 (10.9%) of the 189 children in the 2-day trial showed markedly increased SalA-like inhibitory activity following use of the S. salivarius-supplemented milk. All 20 of these children were found to have had relatively small (<5% of total S. salivarius) indigenous tongue populations of SalA-producing S. salivarius, and the relative proportions and/or inhibitory activity of these SalA producers on the childrens' tongues increased following ingestion of the S. salivarius-supplemented milk. Because SalA is known to be strongly inhibitory to Streptococcus pyogenes, an important implication of this study is that the consumption of SalA-producing probiotic S. salivarius could potentially help to effect a sustained increase in SalA-mediated protection against S. pyogenes infection.
Dierksen
Karen P
KP
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Moore
Chris J
CJ
Inglis
Megan
M
Wescombe
Philip A
PA
Tagg
John R
JR
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C082674:salivaricin A