With the rapid developments in aquaculture fish and shrimp farming industries are constantly under threat due to the outbreak of infectious diseases.

1. November | December 2011
Feature title: Application of Enterococcus faecium as probiotic strain in aquatic species
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2. F: Enterococcus faecium F: Enterococcus faecium
Table 1: E. faecium in tilapia´s intestine and faeces at day one and day 10 after stopping to feed probiotics including this probiotic strain
Experimental group E. faecium in tilapia´s intestine (x 108 cell/g intestine)
Day 1 Day 10
: Intestine with faecal materials : Faecal material : Intestine w/o faeces
Control group 0 0 0
Probiotic group 1.37 ± 0.85 1.52 ± 0.98 1.33 ± 0.28
Application of Enterococcus faecium otics producing lactic acid (such as E. fae- Wang et al. (2008) demonstrated that E. faecium was even detected in the
as probiotic strain in aquatic species cium) can provide a performance benefit
are improving intestinal microbial balance
the addition of E. faecium (1 x 107 CFU/mL)
in aquaria water could significantly increase
fish gut and faeces 10 days after product
administration. In addition, it was observed
(Fuller, 1989), stimulating the immune final weight and daily weight gain (DWG) of that dietary application of E. faecium (strain
system and decreasing pH as well as the tilapia. Since certain immunological param- IMB 52) alone or in combination can
release of bacteriocins (Rolfe, 2000). eters (myeloperoxidase and respiratory improve growth performance, enhance the
by Elisabeth Mayer MSc, Biomin, Austria immune response (by increasing granu-
Bacteriocins are small peptides which burst activity) of tilapia were improved as
are characterized by their ability to inhibit well, the increased growth performance lar hemocytes level) (Supamattaya et al.,
pathogenic bacteria; whereas, some have a might be attributed to less bacterial chal- 2005) and increase survival rate in shrimp
W
lenge, confirming the benefit for contaminated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus
ith the rapid tance since the digestive system of fish Enterococci are Gram-positive, faculta- the non-specific innate immunity (Krummenauer et al., 2009).
developments in and shrimp is an important entrance tive anaerobic bacteria which are widely of this kind of fish. Means ± SD. Using Fluorescent in situ
aquaculture fish point for infections. Hence, selection distributed in nature and considered as Panigrahi et al. (2007) hybridization (FISH), 5 - 15 microscopic
and shrimp farming criteria of probiotics for aquaculture bacteria of low pathogenicity (Klare et examined immune modula- fields were counted.
industries are constantly under should be based on their antagonism al., 2003). tion including cytokine gene From these studies it was concluded
threat due to the outbreak of infec- towards pathogens (through competi- Probiotic enterococci infections have expressions of rainbow trout that Enterococcus faecium (strain IMB
tious diseases. tive exclusion), their growth, attachment not been reported in the veterinary (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and 52) is a safe and promising probiotic
to intestinal mucus and production of medicine, so the risk appears to be demonstrated that these candidate for aquatic species which can
Members of the genus Vibrio and beneficial compounds (Vine et al., 2004). limited (Rinkinen et al., 2003). Eaton parameters were improved by be applied in different combinations.
Aeromonas have been described as being Since fish and shrimp are cultured and Gasson (2001) found that E. faecium probiotic feeding of freeze-
among the most common pathogenic under different conditions the optimum strains were also generally free of viru- dried Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Conclusion
species in shrimp and fish causing seri- temperature range should also be consid- lence determinants. Concerning possible Enterococcus faecium or Maintaining the balance of critical
ous losses in larval and growout phases ered for selection of the right probiotic acquired antibiotic resistances, testing the Bacillus subtilis (109 CFU/g) parameters and effective disease control
throughout the strain. Another important antibiotic profile of enterococci used as narrow spectrum of activity while others after 45 days. Particularly the fish fed the remain fundamental requirements for suc-
world. Use of factor is that probiotics probiotics is of relevance. inhibit a wide variety of bacteria. E. faecium strain showed better perform- cessful aquaculture. In order to withstand
antibiotics to always lack pathogenicity. However, these antibiotic resistances The use of the bacteriocin-producing E. ance which could possibly be linked to the high stocking densities in shrimp and
control these After all, probiotics are species- or genus-specific properties faecium with probiotic properties alone or in the suitable ambient temperature condi- fish production probiotics are a promising
agents has led to should contribute to efficient (Klare et al., 2003). Once the probiotic combination with other beneficial intestinal tions of this strain. feed additive to stimulate animal growth
problems of drug production in a sustainable enterococci are accurately identified, they bacteria was investigated in different studies. Temperature is a major environmental and advance disease resistance.
resistance and way, promoting healthy and can be tested for specific resistances. In vitro studies using the agar spot factor controlling microbial growth and Enterococcus faecium as probiotic
resulted in trade robust animals (Brittain et Several important ways in which probi- method (Rosskopf, 2010) have shown the ideal conditions differ among micro- strain in aquatic species is increasingly
restrictions in al., 2002). that Enterococcus faecium (strain IMB 52) organisms. E. faecium was found to be recognized as safe and can be applied
export markets. has inhibition properties against a wide more psychrotolerant than the other two in different combinations. E. faecium can
Picture 1: Microscopic
As an alterna- picture (1000-fold Potential spectrum of aquatic pathogens including bacteria, growing well at temperatures grow at a wide range of temperatures
tive strategy to magnification) of probiotic Yersinia ruckeri, Vibrio harveyi, Streptococcus ranging from 12 to 30 °C. Rosskopf and thus has an advantage over other
these antimicro- Enterococcus faecium candidates agalactiae and Aeromonas veronii. (2010) showed that the optimum tem- bacteria considering that fish and shrimp
bial compounds, Lactic acid Similar observation was made by Swain perature range for E. faecium (strain IMB are reared at different temperatures and
the prophylactic bacteria (LAB) et al. (2009) who proved the inhibi- 52) reaches as far as to 37 °C. conditions.
use of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) has are potential probiotic candi- tory activity of E. faecium isolated from Using the fluorescence in situ hybridi- The current paper illustrated with
emerged to improve health and zootechni- dates in aquaculture and are brackishwater fish against V. harveyi and V. zation (FISH) technique, Supamattaya et in vitro studies and performance trials
cal performances such as survival, produc- also known to be present in parahaemolyticus. This demonstrates the al. (2005, 2006) have demonstrated in a the potential benefits of E. faecium as
tion, feed conversion the intestine of healthy fish. potential applications of E. faecium from series of in vivo studies that E. faecium probiotic feed additive for fish and shrimp,
and growth rates Enterococcus faecium is one fish intestine for controlling pathogenic (strain IMB 52) is also able to populate either by stimulating the development of
of cultured aquatic of the most commonly used vibriosis in shrimp culture. It has also been the intestine of white shrimp (Litopenaeus a healthy gut microflora or by inhibit-
species. lactic acid producing bacteria Picture 2: Microscopic pictures (1000-fold reported that survival rates of European vannamei) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis ing pathogenic bacteria like Vibrio spp.,
Probiotic bacteria in animal nutrition and has magnification) of Vibrio harveyi, Yersinia eels (Anguilla Anguilla L.) fed with E. niloticus) (see Picture 3 and Table 1) and Yersinia spp. and Aeromonas spp.
are a sustainable approach to modulate become a focus of attention ruckeri, Streptococcus agalactiae and faecium were significantly higher than in induce a positive impact on bacterial
the gut microflora towards a favorable for use in commercially farmed Aeromons veronii the control groups after challenged with ecology of the gut by inhibiting Vibrio spp. References
composition, which is of utmost impor- aquatic species. Edwardsiella tarda (Chang and Liu, 2002). through competitive exclusion. Available on request
14 | InternatIonal AquAFeed | november-December 2011 november-December 2011 | InternatIonal AquAFeed | 15

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