Efficacy of Saccharomyces boulardii for treatment of horses with acute enterocolitis.
Abstract: To evaluate the viability of Saccharomyces boulardii after PO administration in clinically normal horses and its efficacy as a treatment for horses with acute enterocolitis. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 5 clinically normal horses and 14 horses with acute enterocolitis. Methods: Feces were collected from 5 clinically normal horses and submitted for microbial culture for 2 days prior to administration of a lyophilized form of S. boulardii (25 or 50 g, PO, q 12 h) for 10 days. Feces were collected for microbial culture 5 and 10 days after treament initiation and 10 days after treatment was discontinued. Fourteen horses with acute enterocolitis were randomly allocated to receive a placebo or S. boulardii (25 g), PO, every 12 hours for 14 days. Results: S. boulardii was not detected in feces of clinically normal horses. After administration, yeast survived within the gastroinestinal tract but did not permanently colonize it. In horses with acute enterocolitis, the severity and duration of gastrointestinal tract disease during hospitalization were significantly decreased in horses receiving S. boulardii, compared with horses receiving the placebo. Conclusions: Administration of S. boulardii may help decrease the severity and duration of clinical signs in horses with acute enterocolitis.
Publication Date: 2005-09-30 PubMed ID: 16190596DOI: 10.2460/javma.2005.227.954Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates the use of Saccharomyces boulardii, a type of yeast, in the treatment of acute enterocolitis (gastrointestinal disease) in horses, showing positive effects in reducing disease severity and duration.
Objective of the research
- The aim of this study was to investigate the viability and efficacy of Saccharomyces boulardii, a yeast, when orally administered to horses. The primary focus was on its use as a potential treatment method for horses suffering from acute enterocolitis, a severe inflammation of the intestines.
Methodology
- This prospective study involved 5 clinically normal horses and 14 horses with acute enterocolitis.
- Fecal samples were collected from the normal horses 2 days prior to the treatment with a lyophilized (freeze-dried) form of S. boulardii, and then again at 5 and 10 days into the treatment, and finally, 10 days after the treatment was discontinued. This helped in understanding how the yeast colonies evolved in the horses’ digestive systems over time.
- The 14 horses suffering from acute enterocolitis were randomly selected to receive either a placebo or S. boulardii treatment. The treatment regimen lasted for 14 days.
Results
- S. boulardii was not detected in the feces of clinically normal horses prior to beginning the treatment.
- Despite not colonizing the intestinal tract permanently, the yeast survived within the gastrointestinal tracts of the horses after administration, suggesting it may interact with the surrounding microbiota or influence the gut environment without persisting long term.
- The study observed significant improvements in the horses with acute enterocolitis that received the S. boulardii treatment in comparison to those who received the placebo. These horses exhibited a decrease in both the severity and duration of their gastrointestinal tract disease during their hospitalization.
Conclusions
- The research concluded that the administration of S. boulardii could help alleviate clinical symptoms, decreasing the severity and duration of acute enterocolitis in horses. However, more research may be necessary to fully understand the workings of this treatment, its long-term effects, and potential side effects considering that S. boulardii did not permanently colonize the intestinal tract.
Cite This Article
APA
Desrochers AM, Dolente BA, Roy MF, Boston R, Carlisle S.
(2005).
Efficacy of Saccharomyces boulardii for treatment of horses with acute enterocolitis.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 227(6), 954-959.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2005.227.954 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center campus, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square PA 19348, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Acute Disease
- Animals
- Enterocolitis / microbiology
- Enterocolitis / therapy
- Enterocolitis / veterinary
- Feces / microbiology
- Female
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Male
- Probiotics / therapeutic use
- Prospective Studies
- Saccharomyces / physiology
- Severity of Illness Index
- Time Factors
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Hain-Saunders NMR, Knight DR, Bruce M, Riley TV. Clostridioides difficile infection and One Health: an equine perspective.. Environ Microbiol 2022 Mar;24(3):985-997.
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- Walshe N, Mulcahy G, Hodgkinson J, Peachey L. No Worm Is an Island; The Influence of Commensal Gut Microbiota on Cyathostomin Infections.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Dec 5;10(12).
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