Agglutination of Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, and Salmonella enterica through competitive exclusion using potassium chloride with gum arabic

Bacterial infections causing necrotic enteritis and diarrhea pose a considerable economic loss to the animal industry. Using mannose oligosaccharides as competitive exclusion agents is an alternative method to antibiotic growth promoters; however, these materials are rapidly metabolized by gut microbiota, posing a challenge in sustaining their efficacy. The aim of this study was to identify an agglutination material that is effective against pathogens. Polysaccharides and salts were assessed using agglutination assays, microscopy, and zeta potential analysis. Gum arabic (GA) demonstrated strong agglutination against Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. Potassium chloride altered the cell form of Clostridium perfringens from rod-like to coccoid. When combined with GA, KCl effectively agglutinated all three bacterial species tested. Zeta potential analysis showed that agglutination resulted from bacteria, GA, and KCl interactions. Among various salts mixed with GA, KCl was found to strongly agglutinate C. perfringens upon its change into the coccoid form. Moreover, this combination has been shown to agglutinate mixtures of pathogens, such as C. perfringens and S. enterica. Thus, a combination of GA and KCl offers a potential solution to combat the pathogens associated with necrotic enteritis and diarrhea in animals.