Effect of Lactobacillus fermentum on Hemathological and Histopathological Factors in Rats Infected by Shigella dysenteriae

Shigellosis is an intestinal infection caused by Shigella bacteria. Recently, it has been reported that probiotics inhibit pathogens by producing inhibitory compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Lactobacillus fermentum against infections caused by Shigella dysenteriae in term of in vivo.   This study was conducted on 32 male rats divided into 4 groups. The first group (A) was the control group, the second group (B) included rats infected with Shigella dysenteriae (1.5 108cfu/ml), the third group (C) entailed rats treated with Lactobacillus fermentum, and the fourth group (D) were those rats contaminated with Shigella dysenteriae and treated with Lactobacillus fermentum. After the treatment period, animals were anesthetized and their blood and tissue samples were assessed to measure blood factors, histopathological investigations, and antimicrobial activity of Lactobacillus fermentum. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical test through ANOVA-DUNKAN. P 0.05 was considered statistically significant. There was no significant change with regard to the number of red blood cells and blood index in the experimental groups in comparison with the control group (A). Moreover, there was a significant increase in the size of platelets (P 0.01), monocytes (P 0.05), and basophils (P 0.01) in group B, compared to group A. The intestinal weight to body weight ratio in groups B (P 0.001) and D (P 0.01) was significantly lower than group A. The obtained results of histopathological investigations indicated that there was destruction in intestinal epithelium in group B, while intestinal tissues in group D almost seemed normal. The number of Shigella dysenteriae colonies in the intestines of the treatment group decreased significantly (P 0.001), compared to the infected groups.
Discussion & Counclusions: Lactobacillus fermentum could cope with Shigella dysenteriae bacteria without causing any change in hematological parameters. Moreover, Lactobacillus fermentum can prevent such diseases to some extent.