Abstract
Simple SummaryThe most common genera in the piglet microbiome were Lactobacillus, Escherichia-Shigella, Enterococcus, Bacteroides, and Fusobacterium. Bacteria of the Lactobacillus genus dominated in healthy piglets. An increased number of Escherichia-Shigella and Enterococcus was detected in diarrheal pigs. This indicates an important role of these bacteria in the pathogenesis of diarrhea. A decreased number of Bacteroides was detected in diarrheal pigs. According to the assessment of the microbiome composition in different sections of the intestine, bacteria of the Lactobacillus genus were the most common in the ileum, while Fusobacterium and Bacteroides were more common in the rectum. Our results show that the gut microbiome may make a significant contribution to the pathogenesis of diarrhea.Determining the taxonomic composition of microbial consortia of the piglet intestine is of great importance for pig production. However, knowledge on the variety of the intestinal microbiome in newborn piglets is limited. Piglet diarrhea is a serious gastrointestinal disease with a high morbidity and mortality that causes great economic damage to the pig industry. In this study, we investigated the microbiome of various sections of the piglet intestine and compared the microbiome composition of healthy and diarrheal piglets using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that bacteria of the Lactobacillus genus were the most common in the ileum, while Fusobacterium and Bacteroides dominated in the rectum. Comparing the microbiome composition of healthy and diarrheal piglets revealed a reduced number of Lactobacillus bacteria as a hallmark of diarrhea, as did an increased content of representatives of the Escherichia-Shigella genus and a reduced number of Bacteroides, which indicates the contribution of these bacteria to the development of diarrhea in piglets. The relative abundance of Enterococcus bacteria was higher in the diarrhea group. Although some bacteria of this genus are commensals, a small number of species may be associated with the development of diarrhea in piglets. Therefore, our results indicate that the gut microbiome may be an important factor in the development of diarrhea in piglets.
Highlights
The formation of the gut microbiome at an early age is of particular importance for piglets’ health
We found an increased number of Enterococcus bacteria in the ileum (Figure 7), colon (Figure 9), and rectum (Figure 10) of piglets with diarrhea compared to healthy animals
Bacteria of the Lactobacillus genus dominated in healthy piglets, which once again proves their probiotic effect
Summary
The formation of the gut microbiome at an early age is of particular importance for piglets’ health. Microbiome composition is a perspective predictive tool for health and disease assessment; it stays poorly described in terms of predisposition to diarrhea. We aim to assess whether the composition of the gut microbiome is associated with differences in the susceptibility of pigs to diarrhea. The gut microbiome has a complex organization, characterized by multiple options for inter-bacterial interaction, which greatly contributes to the health and immunity of mammals [1]. It is characterized by a large population diversity of microorganisms, the composition and abundance of which are influenced by both external and internal factors, such as environmental factors and the genetics of the host organism [2]. The development of high-throughput sequencing technologies has significantly advanced the study of the microbiomes of production animals [3,4]
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