In vitro inhibition of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli 0157:H7 by an anaerobic gram-positive Coccus isolated from the cecal contents of adult chickens

An aerobic gram-positive coccus was isolated from the cecal contents of adult chickens. Cultures of the bacteria inhibited the growth of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli 0157:H7 on media containing either 0.25 or 2.5% lactose (w/v) but not on media containing no added lactose. When the anaerobic coccus was grown in media containing lactose, it produced significantly (P 0.05) higher concentrations of lactic and acetic acid than when grown in media without the added lactose. The inhibition of the enteropathogens was related to low pH of the growth medium produced by the production of lactic acid from lactose by the anaerobic coccus