title: Influence of Enterococcus faecium SF68 probiotic on giardiasis in dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Giardiasis is a common, potentially zoonotic disease, and dogs often harbor and shed cysts without showing clinical signs. Treatment with the probiotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 has been shown to stimulate mucosal and systemic immunity in a variety of animal models and in young dogs, and to reduce giardial cyst and antigen shedding in rodents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Adult dogs with chronic naturally acquired giardiasis will have decreased giardial fecal cyst and antigen shedding and increased innate and adaptive immunity after 6 weeks probiotic treatment with E. faecium SF68.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty adult dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a 6-week dietary equilibration period, dogs were randomized to receive E. faecium SF68 or placebo for 6 weeks, and then crossed over to the alternate treatment. We measured cyst shedding, fecal giardial antigen, fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentration, and circulating leukocyte phagocytic activity at multiple timepoints to determine the effect of E. faecium SF68 on giardiasis and immune responses in these dogs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were observed between placebo or E. faecium SF68 treatment for giardial cyst shedding, fecal antigen shedding, fecal IgA concentration, or leukocyte phagocytic activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term treatment with E. faecium SF68 of dogs with chronic naturally acquired subclinical giardiasis fails to affect giardial cyst shedding or antigen content and does not alter innate or adaptive immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA. kws5@cornell.edu
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rishniw
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellosa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liotta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baumgart
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czarnecki-Maulden
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benyacoub
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bowman
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D016984:Enterococcus faecium; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics