The Use of <i>Enterococci</i> as Probiotics in Poultry

Abstract

<em>Enterococci</em> are members of the lactic acid bacteria family and are responsible for many food spoilage and fermentations. Some strains of this microorganism are used as probiotics in humans and animals to improve host immunity. However, some <em>Enterococci</em> are important pathogens which cause severe infections. Some strains of <em>Enterococci</em> are resistant to common antibiotics. The <em>Enterococcus faecium</em> and <em>Enterococcus faecalis</em> strains are more common probiotics. Such probiotics are used as an alternative to growth promoting antibiotics, which their use has been restricted. In domestic animals, enterococcal probiotics are mostly used to cure or prevent pathogen infections and immune response and growth performance improvement. This review covers the reports on the application of <em>Enterococcus</em> genus as a functional probiotic in poultry. The results suggest that <em>Enterococcus faecium</em> is a safe probiotic and improve the immune system and performance of broiler chickens.