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Structural and ultrastructural studies of the urinary tract of mice inoculated with Lactobacillus fermentum
Author(s) -
Silva de Ruiz C.,
Del R. Rey M.,
NaderMacías M.E.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1046/j.1464-410x.2003.04225.x
Subject(s) - lactobacillus fermentum , probiotic , microbiology and biotechnology , urinary system , urethra , ultrastructure , biology , inoculation , lactobacillus , bacteria , immunology , anatomy , lactic acid , genetics , lactobacillus plantarum
OBJECTIVE To assess, using structural and ultrastructural studies of the urinary tract, the effects of the intraurethral inoculation of lactobacilli (probiotic treatment) as lactobacilli are the predominant micro‐organisms of the urogenital tract of humans, monkeys and mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Previous work showed the protective effect of Lactobacillus fermentum CRL 1058 intraurethrally inoculated against the challenge of uropathogenic Escherichia coli . There was also an effect of oestrogens and antibiotics in the kinetics of colonization of both micro‐organisms in mice. In the present study L. fermentum was inoculated with agarose beads (10 7 colony‐forming units) and the number of micro‐organisms determined by plating in selective media, giving a high degree of colonization in all the organs studied. The urinary tract organs were processed by histological and electron microscopy techniques standardized in our laboratory. RESULTS The intraurethral inoculation of lactobacilli produced no adverse effects or significant changes in any of the organs assessed (kidney, ureter, bladder or urethra), when evaluated by histological and ultrastructural techniques. CONCLUSION The use of lactobacilli as a probiotic treatment is probably safe.