in this study we evaluated the effects of the probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici MA18/5M on shrimp, Litopenaeus stylirostris (also called Penaeus stylirostris), first on antioxidant defences and secondly on the oxidative stress status in the shrimps' haemolymph and digestive gland. We conducted two experiments with the same protocol in which shrimps were fed two diets for three weeks: a control diet and a probiotic diet containing 1 g of live P. acidilactici MA18/5M kg(-1). In the first experiment, the shrimps were found to be healthy over the trial period; no mortalities and non-detectable signs of infection were recorded. These resulted in high final survival rates (above 90% in both treatments). On the other hand, during the second trial, carried out at a period of increased risk for an outbreak of the summer syndrome, higher mortalities were recorded, associated with high V. nigripulchritudo prevalence and loads in the shrimp haemolymph. In healthy shrimps (trial 1), no detectable response of the antioxidant defence system and of oxidative stress bio-indicators were observed. However, feeding the probiotic significantly increased the total antioxidant status (TAS) and glutathione peroxidase activity, while all other parameters remained significantly unchanged. In the shrimps exposed to V nigripulchritudo (trial 2), the antioxidant response was characterized by higher antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and higher oxidative stress level in the digestive gland (higher oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio, higher malonclialdehyde and carbonyl protein contents) compared to levels found in trial 1. However, shrimps fed the probiotic diet exhibited (i) significantly higher final survival rates (67 +/- 3%) compared to the control (47 +/- 4%) and (ii) a lower prevalence of V nigripulchritudo throughout the trial. Moreover, the antioxidant response and the oxidative stress level recorded in the digestive gland with shrimps submitted to the probiotic diet were lower. In the light of these results, we confirm that P acidilactici enrichment in shrimps' diet seems an effective way of reducing the susceptibility of shrimps to bacterial pathogens. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.