causing postweaning diarrhea (PWD) and ED.
The strains used in this study (ED36 and ED38) produce verocytotoxin
2e (VT2e) variant causing vascular lesions in the
intestine, subcutis and brain, leading to edema and neurological
symptoms [5,24]. Antibacterial activity was not affected
by treatment with catalase. Similar results were found for two
L. acidophilus strains isolated from GIT of pigs, which were
shown to be resistant to pH 3.0 and bile salts and inhibitory
against enteric indicators [21]. Under our conditions, the neutralization
of the supernatant culture fluids did not always cause
a decrease in activity. Inhibitory activity due to compounds
other than lactic acid may be suspected. It has been widely
shown that strains of L. reuteri exhibit properties of an effective
probiotic organism: adhesive properties [35], survival conditions
likely to be encountered throughout the GIT of pig [34]
and secretion of bacteriocin-like products [43]. L. plantarum
is known to produce antimicrobial substances, e.g., plantaricin,
that are active against certain pathogens [7]. In our experimental
conditions, no cell growth inhibition was observed for B. hyodysenteriacae.
The antimicrobial activity was also shown by
using lactobacillus cells treated with simulated gastric and intestinal
fluids, indicating that these strains could also be active
in the GIT of pigs.