What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to evaluate the effects of bacteriophage and probiotic combination on gut health and Salmonella infection in chicks.

January 25, 2026Open Access

Combination of bacteriophage–probiotics alleviates intestinal barrier dysfunction by regulating gut microbiome in a chick model of multidrug-resistant Salmonella infection

Key Points

The study aims to evaluate the effects of bacteriophage and probiotic combination on gut health and Salmonella infection in chicks.
Used a chick model infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.
Administered a two-phage cocktail alongside Limosilactobacillus reuteri probiotic.
Measured Salmonella colonization levels, body weight changes, and intestinal health markers after treatment.
Significantly reduced Salmonella colonization compared to phage-only treatment.
Improved body weight change and reduced splenomegaly and hepatomegaly after combined treatment.
Increased villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and elevated expression of tight-junction genes in the colon.

Abstract

Abstract Background The rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella in poultry demands alternative control strategies beyond conventional antibiotics. In this study, we evaluated a combination of lytic Salmonella -infecting bacteriophages (SLAMₚhiST45 and SLAMₚhiST56) and a probiotic bacterium Limosilactobacillus reuteri (SLAMLAR11) in a chick model challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection. Results Co-administration with two-phage cocktail and a probiotic showed markedly reduced Salmonella colonization in the gut and systemic organs of chicks, comparable to the effect of phage-only treatment. In contrast with phage-only treatment, the combined therapy significantly improved the rate of body-weight change from the day of infection to necropsy (P < 0. 0001) and alleviated infection-associated splenomegaly (P = 0. 028) and hepatomegaly (P = 0. 011). In the ileum, the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (VH/CD) increased significantly (P = 0. 044). In the colon, expression of tight-junction genes OCLN (P = 0. 014), TJP1 (P < 0. 0001), and MUC2 (P = 0. 011) was elevated, whereas the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL6 was reduced (P = 0. 018). These improvements were accompanied, in the cecum, by trends toward decreases in Escherichia–Shigella (P = 0. 09) and Clostridium (P = 0. 16) and a trend toward an increase in Blautia (P = 0. 11) ; additionally, in the ileum, Lactobacillus (P = 0. 037) and Blautia (P = 0. 016) increased significantly, yielding a more balanced microbiota than with phage-only treatment. Consistently, levels of functional metabolites, including acetic acid (LDA = 3. 32) and lactic acid (LDA = 5. 29), were increased. Conclusion Taken together, these findings demonstrate that phage–probiotic co-administration not only enhances the clearance of multidrug-resistant Salmonella more effectively than phage treatment alone but also promotes intestinal health, highlighting its potential as an antibiotic-alternatives strategy to improve intestinal health and ensure food safety in poultry production systems. Graphical Abstract

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Cite This Study

Choi et al. (Fri,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6975b2eafeba4585c2d6e563 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01324-4

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