Open AccessThe effect of ingestion of milk supplemented with salivaricin A‐producing Streptococcus salivarius on the bacteriocin‐like inhibitory activity of streptococcal populations on the tongue
Author(s) -
Dierksen Karen P.,
Moore Chris J.,
Inglis Megan,
Wescombe Philip A.,
Tagg John R.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00228.x
Subject(s) - streptococcus salivarius , biology , ingestion , streptococcus pyogenes , colonization , microbiology and biotechnology , streptococcaceae , streptococcus , bacteria , antibiotics , endocrinology , genetics , staphylococcus aureus
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.