TRANSFER OF THE FECAL MICROBIAL-FLORA FROM HOLOXENIC PIGLETS AND ADULT PIGS TO AXENIC PIGLETS AND AXENIC ADULT MICE - EFFECT OF THE ANIMAL HOST AND OF THE DIET ON THE FECAL MICROBIAL PATTERN OF THESE ANIMALS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. B129  (4) , 597-612
Abstract
The axenic mouse inoculated with pig fecal microflora may be valuable for studying the gastro-intestinal flora of holoxenic pigs. The microbial pattern of the feces of the different animals was described by means of quantitative differential techniques of analysis. The gnotoxenic mouse associated with the flora of the piglet is a better model than the gnotoxenic mouse associated with the flora of the adult pig. The gnotoxenic mouse represents an adequate means for preserving all the pig strains, especially if the inoculation is made in anaerobiosis, but the bacterial equilibrium is markedly affected by the host. In the case where the same holoxenic piglet flora is inoculated simultaneously into a gnotoxenic mouse and a gnotoxenic piglet placed in the same isolator in absolutely identical dietary and environmental conditions, the results observed in the mouse can be extrapolated to the piglet. If the association between the piglet flora and the host mouse is prolonged, the microbial pattern changes, but these modifications seem to be reversible when the flora is transferred into another axenic piglet or mouse. The nature of the different feeds absorbed by the gnotoxenic animals does not deeply change the bacterial equilibriums, except when the milk contains an antiseptic substance.