title: The increase of Lactobacillus species in the gut flora of newborn broiler chicks and ducks is associated with weight gain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A bacterial role in the obesity pandemic has been suspected based on the ingestion of probiotics that can modify the gut flora. The objective of our study was to determine if increased Lactobacillus sp. in the gut flora of newborn broiler chicks and ducks could result in weight gain increase.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female broiler chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) and ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domestica) were separated into one control and two experimental groups, and inoculated once or twice with 4x10(10)Lactobacillus spp. per animal in PBS, or with PBS alone. Fecal samples were collected before and at 24 hours, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 30 days after the inoculation. DNA was extracted from the stools, and qPCR assays were performed on a MX3000 system for the detection and quantification of Lactobacillus sp., Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, using a quantification plasmid. Animals were measured and sacrificed 60 days after the beginning of the experiment, and livers were collected and measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chicks inoculated once and twice with Lactobacillus weighed 10.2% (p = 0.0162) and 13.5% (p = 0.0064) more than the control group animals, respectively. Similarly, ducks inoculated once and twice weighed 7.7% (p = 0.05) and 14% (p = 0.035) more than those in the control group, respectively. Liver mass was also significantly higher in inoculated animals compared to the control group. Inoculation with Lactobacillus sp. increased the DNA copies of Lactobacillus spp. and Firmicutes in the stools. Bacteroidetes remained stable, and only the second Lactobacillus sp. inoculation significantly decreased its population in chicks. The ratio of DNA copies of Firmicutes to those of Bacteroidetes increased to as much as 6,4 in chicks and 8,3 in ducks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in the intestinal microbiota may precede weight increase, as we found that an increase of Lactobacillus sp. in newborn ducks and chicks preceded the development of weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Angelakis
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000254:growth & development; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D004372:Ducks / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology*; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000254:growth & development*; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000382:microbiology; D009929:Organ Size; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*
references.citation: Nature. 2008 Aug 7;454(7205):690-1
references.pmid: 18685678
references.citation: Microbiol Immunol. 2004;48(12):917-29
references.pmid: 15611608
references.citation: Nature. 2006 Dec 21;444(7122):1022-3
references.pmid: 17183309
references.citation: Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2009 Apr;20(2):135-41
references.pmid: 19243931
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2008 Feb 1;46 Suppl 2:S67-72; discussion S144-51
references.pmid: 18181726
references.citation: J Food Prot. 2000 Jul;63(7):867-70
references.pmid: 10914651
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Aug 2;102(31):11070-5
references.pmid: 16033867
references.citation: PLoS One. 2009 Sep 23;4(9):e7125
references.pmid: 19774074
references.citation: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2008 Aug;27(8):631-4
references.pmid: 18322715
references.citation: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2009 Sep;7(9):616
references.pmid: 21548178
references.citation: PLoS One. 2010 Feb 05;5(2):e9085
references.pmid: 20140211
references.citation: Avian Dis. 1999 Jul-Sep;43(3):484-90
references.pmid: 10494417
references.citation: Diabetes. 2008 Jun;57(6):1470-81
references.pmid: 18305141
references.citation: Poult Sci. 1997 Feb;76(2):381-5
references.pmid: 9057222
references.citation: Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2006 Jun;45(1):91-5
references.pmid: 16563585
references.citation: Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar;87(3):534-8
references.pmid: 18326589
references.citation: Br Poult Sci. 2007 Aug;48(4):507-14
references.pmid: 17701504
references.citation: Poult Sci. 2007 Feb;86(2):309-17
references.pmid: 17234844
references.citation: Poult Sci. 2000 Jun;79(6):886-91
references.pmid: 10875772
references.citation: Br Poult Sci. 2007 Dec;48(6):732-5
references.pmid: 18085457
references.citation: J Med Virol. 2006 Aug;78(8):1131-40
references.pmid: 16789021
references.citation: Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 2001 Oct;80(2):193-9
references.pmid: 11759052
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2008 Jul 1;47(1):33-43
references.pmid: 18513147
references.citation: J Food Prot. 2008 Sep;71(9):1797-805
references.pmid: 18810863
references.citation: Poult Sci. 1998 Sep;77(9):1259-65
references.pmid: 9733111
references.citation: FASEB J. 2008 Jul;22(7):2416-26
references.pmid: 18326786
references.citation: Br Poult Sci. 2000 Dec;41(5):593-7
references.pmid: 11201439
references.citation: J Gen Appl Microbiol. 2003 Feb;49(1):29-36
references.pmid: 12682864
references.citation: PLoS One. 2010 Feb 10;5(2):e9074
references.pmid: 20161775