Impact of probiotic on severity of cryptosporidiosis in mice. experiment 3

The impact of probiotics consumption on the severity of cryptosporidiosis was explored in a mouse model. The native intestinal microbiome of immunosuppressed adult CD-1 mice was initially depleted with an orally administered antibiotic cocktail. A widely available probiotic product intended for human consumption was added to the drinking water consumed by two groups of mice. Two equivalent groups served as untreated controls. Oocyst output measured by flow cytometry was used as a marker of the severity of the infection. In average, mice treated with probiotic excreted more oocysts over a 23-day experimental period. 16S amplicon sequencing was used to characterize the fecal microbiome and identify bacterial taxa associated with high oocyst output.