Effects of long-distance transportation on blood constituents and composition of the nasal microbiota in healthy donkeys

Fuwei Zhao,Haibing Liu,Haijing Li,Min Li,Chuanliang Ji,Humberto B Magalhaes,Weiping Gao,Zhiping Zhang,Peixiang Feng,Guimiao Jiang,Jianji Li,Guiqin Liu

doi:10.1186/s12917-020-02563-5

Abstract

BackgroundThis study aims to determine the effects of transportation on the nasal microbiota of healthy donkeys using 16S rRNA sequencing.ResultsDeep nasal swabs and blood were sampled from 14 donkeys before and after 21 hours’ long-distance transportation. The values of the plasma hormone (cortisol (Cor), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)), biochemical indicators (total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), creatinine (CREA), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), blood urea (UREA), plasma glucose (GLU)) and blood routine indices (white blood cell (WBC), lymphocyte (LYM), neutrophil (NEU), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB)) were measured. 16S rRNA sequencing was used to assess the nasal microbiota, including alpha diversity, beta diversity, and phylogenetic structures. Results showed that levels of Cor, ACTH, and heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) were significantly increased (p < 0.05) after long-distance transportation. Several biochemical indicators (AST, CK) and blood routine indices (Neu, RBC, and HGB) increased markedly (p < 0.05), but the LYM decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Nine families and eight genera had a mean relative abundance over 1%. The predominant phyla in nasal microbiota after and before transportation were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Transportation stress induced significant changes in terms of nasal microbiota structure compared with those before transportation based on principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) coupled with analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) (p < 0.05). Among these changes, a notably gain in Proteobacteria and loss in Firmicutes at the phylum level was observed.ConclusionsThese results suggest transportation can cause stress to donkeys and change the richness and diversity of nasal microbiota. Further studies are required to understand the potential effect of these microbiota changes on the development of donkey respiratory diseases.

Highlights

This study aims to determine the effects of transportation on the nasal microbiota of healthy donkeys using 16S rRNA sequencing
Recent research studies suggest that the nasal microbiota, which comprises a diverse and complex microbial population, is crucial for host health and linked to increased risk of infection, contributing to the development of respiratory diseases [3]
Distinct histopathologic features of chronic rhinosinusitis are associated with the relative abundance of nasal microbiota phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes [4]

Summary

Introduction

This study aims to determine the effects of transportation on the nasal microbiota of healthy donkeys using 16S rRNA sequencing. Bacterial microbiota is complex and plays a key role in human and animal health. The majority of studies have focused on the microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract through the analysis of intestinal contents or feces. Recent research studies suggest that the nasal microbiota, which comprises a diverse and complex microbial population, is crucial for host health and linked to increased risk of infection, contributing to the development of respiratory diseases [3]. Other species are being investigated, most nasal microbiota studies have been conducted in humans. The populations of the nasal microbiota have not been assessed in donkeys

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