Insight into the Possible Use of the Predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus as a Probiotic
Giulia Bonfiglio, Bruna Neroni, Giulia Radocchia, Massimiliano Marazzato, Fabrizio Pantanella, Serena Schippa
Abstract
The gut microbiota is a complex microbial ecosystem that coexists with the human organism in the intestinal tract. The members of this ecosystem live together in a balance between them and the host, contributing to its healthy state. Stress, aging, and antibiotic therapies are the principal factors affecting the gut microbiota composition, breaking the mutualistic relationship among microbes and resulting in the overgrowth of potential pathogens. This condition, called dysbiosis, has been linked to several chronic pathologies. In this review, we propose the use of the predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus as a possible probiotic to prevent or counteract dysbiotic outcomes and look at the findings of previous research.