Abstract
Disease caused by Chlamydia pecorum is characterised by ocular and urogenital infections that can lead to blindness and infertility in koalas. However, koalas that are infected with C. pecorum do not always progress to disease. In other host systems, the influence of the microbiota has been implicated in either accelerating or preventing infections progressing to disease. This study investigates the contribution of koala urogenital and ocular microbiota to Chlamydia infection and disease in a free ranging koala population. Using univariate and multivariate analysis, it was found that reproductive status in females and sexual maturation in males, were defining features in the koala urogenital microbiota. Changes in the urogenital microbiota of koalas is correlated with infection by the common pathogen, C. pecorum. The correlation of microbiota composition and C. pecorum infection is suggestive of members of the microbiota being involved in the acceleration or prevention of infections progressing to disease. The analysis also suggests that multiple microbes are likely to be associated with this process of disease progression, rather than a single organism. While other Chlamydia-like organisms were also detected, they are unlikely to contribute to chlamydial disease as they are rare members of the urogenital and ocular microbiota communities.
Highlights
Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are a unique arboreal marsupial whose distribution spans most of eastern Australia
We found a specific microbiota profile associated with high C. pecorum infection, which was characterised by increased levels of Boyliae praeputiale, Propionibacteriaceae OTU0, Coriobacteriaceae OTU13, Peptoniphilus OTU66, and/or the Lactobacillales, Aerococcus OTU1, OTU2 and Aerococcaceae OTU31
Our preliminary results indicate that the koala urogenital tract (UGT) microbiota is dominated by Aerococcus-like organisms that are from the order Lactobacillales with Lactobacillus-like Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) being part of their rare microbiota
Summary
Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are a unique arboreal marsupial whose distribution spans most of eastern Australia. One study has investigated the marsupial urogenital tract microbiota in tammar wallabies[13] These studies are limited to modest sample sizes with a focus on a basic understanding of the host/site microbiota. There is a growing body of evidence with other Chlamydia species and their host that the role of co-occurring microorganisms may be vital in Chlamydia’s ability to establish an infection[4, 8] In this current study we, (a) characterised for the first time, the ocular and urogenital microbiotas of male and female koalas, and (b) undertake a preliminary examination of the relationships between the microbiota profiles in Chlamydia-negative, Chlamydia-infected and Chlamydia-diseased koalas
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