Gastrointestinal microbial population of turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) affected by hemorrhagic enteritis virus

Abstract

Hemorrhagic enteritis (HE) is an acute viral disease that affects avian species, particularly turkeys, compromising their commercial production and having a negative effect on animal welfare. Turkey adenovirus 3 (TAdV-3), is the main causal agent of the disease. In this study, we considered 3 groups of turkeys to achieve 2 purposes: 1) A preliminary investigation on the microbiota content in the 4 parts of healthy turkey's intestine (group A), namely duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and ceca was done; 2) an investigation on the relationship between natural infections with TAdV-3 and the intestinal microbiota in the jejunum, where HE mostly develops, comparing group A with animals with molecular positivity for the virus and with clinical signs of HE (group B) and animals with molecular positivity for the virus but without clinical signs (group C). Massive sequencing of the hypervariable V1-V2 regions of 16S rRNA gene and QIIME 1.9.1 software analysis was performed, and operation taxonomic units (OTUs) were classified into 4 abundant phyla: Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. The microbial population of small intestine was distributed almost homogeneously in the healthy turkeys, and Firmicutes was the prevalent phylum (79.85% in duodenum, 89.57% in jejunum and 99.28% in ileum). As compared with small intestine, ceca microbial community was much more heterogeneous: Firmicutes (48.03%), Bacteroidetes (33.60%) and Proteobacteria (12.32%). In the natural infections of HEV, the main bacterial families were Bacteroidaceae (Bacteroidetes) and Peptostreptococcaceae (Firmicutes), uniquely detected in group B and C. Also Clostridiaceae (Firmicutes) was detected, uniquely in group B.

Bacillus subtilis Strain DSM 29784 Modulates the Cecal Microbiome, Concentration of Short-Chain Fatty Acids, and Apparent Retention of Dietary Components in Shaver White Chickens during Grower, Developer, and Laying Phases

“…In agreement with results from previous studies in broilers (45), turkeys (46), geese (47), and laying hens (48), the present study revealed that the core phyla within the cecal microbiota, regardless of treatments and phases (grower, developer, and laying phase), were primarily Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Despite the lack of difference in the relative abundance of bacterial communities at the phylum level between treatments, distinct differences were evident at lower taxonomic levels, mainly at the genus level, despite their low relative abundance.…”

Microbial Community and Short-Chain Fatty Acid Mapping in the Intestinal Tract of Quail

“…As for the spatial distribution, distinct microorganisms prefer different gastrointestinal sections [ 29 , 31 , 33 ]. For example, Bacteroidetes was found to be considerably more abundant in the cecum than in the other intestinal sections of quail, with similar trends observed in previous reports on Japanese quail [ 6 ], turkeys [ 34 ], chickens [ 29 ] and geese [ 31 ]. At the genus level, Lactobacillus was dominant in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colorectum, while being remarkably reduced in the cecum, where Faecalibacterium , Bacteroides , Alistipes , Parabacteroides , and Anaerostipes were notably increased, consistent with the genera distribution found in Japanese quail [ 6 ] and our previous findings on broiler chickens [ 29 ] and geese [ 31 ].…”

Gut microbiota composition and metabolomic profiles of wild and captive Chinese monals (Lophophorus lhuysii)

“…The characterization of gut bacteria in several studies reveals a dominance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, which appears to be a common feature of birds. The dominance of these phyla has been described in the ceca of turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) [23], the cloacal samples of Chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica) [24], the feces of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) [25], as well as in the crop of hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) [26]. However, previous studies also reported that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes are the dominant phyla in the feces of macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus), little blue penguins (Eudyptula minor) [27], Procellariiform seabirds [28], Lady Amherst's pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae), Reeves's pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii), and Cabot's tragopan (Tragopan caboti) [29], which is more consistent with our observations of the microbiota composition in the Chinese monal.…”