Description:
<jats:p><i>Background: </i>Infection is the commonest cause of death in acute pancreatitis. Early reduction of commensal flora (particularly <i>Lactobacillus </i>species) and, at the same time, overgrowth of <i>Enterobacteriaceae, </i>especially <i>Escherichia coli</i>, have recently been described during acute pancreatitis. <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> has been shown to be effective in reducing the egress of endotoxin and microbial translocation in several experimental models such as chemically induced hepatitis and ulcerative colitis. <i>Aim:</i> The aim of the study was to determine whether <i>L. plantarum </i>299v (<i>Lp </i>299v) is capable of effectively reducing microbial translocation in experimental pancreatitis. <i>Methods:</i> Acute pancreatitis was induced by isolation and ligation of the biliopancreatic duct in Lewis rats weighing 250–350 g. The animals were divided into 3 groups: group A, sham operation; group B, induction of pancreatitis and no further treatment, and group C, induction of pancreatitis + daily administration by gavage of a 5-ml/day suspension of <i>Lp</i> 299v at 0.5–1.0 × 10<sup>9</sup> bacteria/ml for 8 days, 4 days before and 4 days after induction of pancreatitis. All animals were sacrificed after 96 h. Histological studies and microbiological analyses were performed. <i>Results:</i> At sacrifice, 40/55 animals showed signs of severe pancreatitis. Since acute pancreatitis was the specific disease investigated, only these animals were subjected to further study. In group B, we found pathogenic micro-organisms in the mesenteric lymph nodes in 14/20 animals and in the pancreatic tissue in 10/20. The bacterial flora consisted predominantly of <i>E. coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas </i>and<i> Proteus</i> species. In contrast, when the animals were kept under an ’umbrella’ of <i>Lp </i>299v, growth of <i>E. faecalis or E. coli</i> were detected only in 4/20 mesenteric lymph node cultures and in 3/20 pancreatic tissue cultures. <i>Conclusions:</i><i>Lp</i> 299v is effective in reducing microbial translocation in experimental pancreatitis. Treatment with probiotic bacteria seems to be a promising alternative to antibiotic therapy.</jats:p>