April 3, 2008

 

EU researchers study prebiotics to battle livestock disease infections

 

 

Studies are currently conducted to understand the use of galacto-oligosaccharides, a prebiotic, in order to block pathogens from infiltrating the food chain while also gaining knowledge on the benefits of prebiotics.

 

Galacto-oligosaccharides are prebiotics that occur naturally in breast milk. It not only helps to build up the heath of infants, but have also assisted in the growth of beneficial bacteria in human guts, mitigating symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome as well as stomach upsets and diarrhoea.

 

Researchers are now working to step up the uses of prebiotics in the food chain, as they look to replace the role of antibiotics in blocking pathogens, which will stop animals from falling ill.

 

Laura Searle from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in the UK has reported positive results on the use of galacto-oligosaccharide mixture intended for human use. She used the mixture on mice, whose guts were found to have fewer salmonella bacteria after treatment.

 

Searle, whose work is focused on reducing the invasive abilities of salmonella typhimurium and mitigating the symptoms, said that she would be submitting her work to a scientific journal.

 

Searle is now studying the prebiotic's mechanism, which could stimulate gut flora into resisting pathogens. Searle said she hopes her studies could help to establish a mechanism in animals, which would then help in research on benefits for humans.

 

Salmonella typhimurium is a great concern, as it can be spread to people through direct contact with animals or through the food chain, according to Searle.

 

The EU has banned the use of antibiotics for animals since 2006, as excessive consumption of it can lead to pathogens developing resistance to it, which would eventually bring the animal health status quo back to square one.

 

This also means that there is a serious need for alternatives to antibiotics in order to help animals resist diseases.

 

If the research is successful, it could bring in economic benefits for livestock farmers, who incurs losses every now and then due to animal diseases.