Bacillus subtilis MB40, a proprietary probiotic strain marketed by BIO-CAT, Inc, was associated with improved immune response to infection with Listeria in an animal model, in a study published in Microorganisms.
 
Listeria is a foodborne bacteria which can cause life-threatening infections, especially in pregnant women, people over 65, and people who are immunocompromised. While the bacteria is sensitive to antibiotics like penicillin or ampicillin, the company sought to understand whether the presence ofListeria could be reduced solely through probiotic supplementation.
 
“The continued science on Bacillus strains, not just in humans but also in animals, further supports that spores should be high on the list when considering new probiotic applications. It was encouraging to see that the inclusion of Bacillus subtilis MB40 spores in the diet helped improve innate immunity,” said Jessica Spears, PhD, director of research and development for probiotics at BIO-CAT.
 
Compared to the basal diet, animals which were fed the probiotic saw significant changes in neutrophils, monocytes, and Listeria bacterial counts in the liver and spleen (-67% and -49%, respectively). “These data suggest that MB40 supplementation is a safe and well-tolerated approach to enhance immunity during systemic Listeria infection.
 
In addition to this animal study, Bacillus subtilis MB40 was linked to improved immune responses in humans, in a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health published in Lancet Microbe this year. The authors concluded  that supplementation with the strain led to 95% reduced rates of Staphylococcus aureus colonization in volunteers.