Effect of hypochlorous acid solution on the eradication and prevention ofPseudomonas aeruginosa infection serum biochemical variables andcecum microbiota in rats

摘要

In this study, hypochlorous acid solution, a weak acid, provided as drinking water to rats, was evaluated for its ability to eradicate and prevent Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, while monitoring its simultaneous effect on serum biochemical variables and microbiota in the rat cecum. The results suggest that the solution could not eliminate the bacteria in the experimentally infected rats; however, the administration of a 10-parts-per-million (ppm) hypochlorous acid solution as drinking water was effective in inhibiting horizontal spread of P. aeruginosa infection among cage mates. Additionally, exposure to hypochlorous solution did not have any effect on serum biochemical variables of the rat including levels of total cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin, total bilirubin, lipase, amylase, urea nitrogen, total protein, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), chlorine (Cl), except for potassium (K) levels. The most frequently isolated bacteria in the rat cecum included species belonging to Bacteroidales, Lactobacillus, Clostridiales, Erysipelotrichaceae, Akkermansia, Coriobacteriales, and Firmicutes. The ratio of the terminal restriction fragment lengthpolymorphism (T-RFLP) peaks did not differ across rats administered with 5 and 10 ppm weakacid solution as compared to the control group for any of the bacteria, except forErysipelotrichaceae and Firmicutes, where the ratio ofT-RFLP peaks was higher in the 5 ppm group for Erysipelotrichaceae and inthe 10 ppm group for Firmicutes than that in the control group(P<0.01). The results suggest that the weak acid hypochloroussolution could not eradicate P. aeruginosa completely from rats. Thesolution was effective in preventing infection without affecting serum biochemicalvariables; however, some of bacterial microbiota may have changed due to administration ofthe solution.