Insights into Pasteurellaceae carriage dynamics in the nasal passages of healthy beef calves

A C Thomas,A Finn,M R F Lee,A Mead,M C Eisler,B Morales-Aza,B Vipond,M Bailey,R Reynolds

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-48007-5

A C Thomas, A Finn + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48007-5

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Abstract

We investigated three bovine respiratory pathobionts in healthy cattle using qPCR optimised and validated to quantify Histophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida over a wide dynamic range. A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the carriage and density of these bacteria in the nasal passages of healthy beef calves (N = 60) housed over winter in an experimental farm setting. The three pathobiont species exhibited remarkably different carriage rates and density profiles. At housing, high carriage rates were observed for P. multocida (95%), and H. somni (75%), while fewer calves were positive for M. haemolytica (13%). Carriage rates for all three bacterial species declined over the 75-day study, but not all individuals became colonised despite sharing of environment and airspace. Colonisation patterns ranged from continuous to intermittent and were different among pathobiont species. Interval-censored exponential survival models estimated the median duration of H. somni and P. multocida carriage at 14.8 (CI95%: 10.6–20.9) and 55.5 (CI95%: 43.3–71.3) days respectively, and found higher density P. multocida carriage was associated with slower clearance (p = 0.036). This work offers insights into the dynamics of pathobiont carriage and provides a potential platform for further data collection and modelling studies.

Highlights

We investigated three bovine respiratory pathobionts in healthy cattle using quantitative PCR (qPCR) optimised and validated to quantify Histophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida over a wide dynamic range
Pure cultures were maintained throughout growth curve studies for each bacterial species (H. somni, M. haemolytica and P. multocida), as confirmed by well-isolated colonies and pure Gram stain of overnight plate cultures
Growth rates of H. somni, M. haemolytica and P. multocida determined by optical density measurements can be seen in Supplementary Fig. S1

Summary

Introduction

We investigated three bovine respiratory pathobionts in healthy cattle using qPCR optimised and validated to quantify Histophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida over a wide dynamic range. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae are frequently carried in the nasal passages as commensals but are significant pathogens on occasion[2]. Bacteria with this dual commensal-pathogen behaviour have been dubbed pathobionts, key drivers between commensal and pathogenic states remain to be identified. Healthy cattle carry pathobionts in their nasal passages, most commonly members of the Pasteurellaceae family: Histophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida[3,4]. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to A.C.T.

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