To evaluate the effect of probiotics on the immune response of broiler chickens challenged with Salmonella Minnesota (SM), 60 chickens were divided into three groups: CN - Birds that were not inoculated with SM (negative control), CP - birds inoculated with SM (positive control) and Probiotic- birds supplemented with probiotic consisting of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarium, L. rhamnosus, L. bulgaricus, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus thermophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum in diet and inoculated with SM. At 14 days the birds were challenged with SM, and at 7 and 35 days were quantified goblet cells, CD4 + and CD8 + intestinal mucosa of the ileum and cecum. Birds supplemented with probiotics, at 7 days of age showed a significant increase (P≤0.05) of goblet cells in the ileum and CD4 + and CD8 + cells in the cecum. At 35 days there were significant (P≤0.05) of CD8 + cells in birds inoculated on CN and Probiotic. The use of probiotics provided a significant reduction (P≤0.05) of Salmonella sp. counts.
Probiotics; Enterococcus; immunity; lymphocytes; Lactobacillus; Salmonella Minnesota
