The Use of Enterococci as Probiotics in Poultry

Enterococci 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 Enterococci are important pathogens which cause severe infections. Some strains of Enterococci are resistant to common antibiotics. The Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis 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 Enterococcus genus as a functional probiotic in poultry. The results suggest that Enterococcus faecium is a safe probiotic and improve the immune system and performance of broiler chickens.