Microbial shifts in the swine distal gut in response to the treatment with antimicrobial growth promoter, tylosin

Abstract

Antimicrobials have been used extensively as growth promoters (AGPs) in agricultural animal production. However, the specific mechanism of action for AGPs has not yet been determined. The work presented here was to determine and characterize the microbiome of pigs receiving one AGP, tylosin, compared with untreated pigs. We hypothesized that AGPs exerted their growth promoting effect by altering gut microbial population composition. We determined the fecal microbiome of pigs receiving tylosin compared with untreated pigs using pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene libraries. The data showed microbial population shifts representing both microbial succession and changes in response to the use of tylosin. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of sequences showed that tylosin caused microbial population shifts in both abundant and less abundant species. Our results established a baseline upon which mechanisms of AGPs in regulation of health and growth of animals can be investigated. Furthermore, the data will aid in the identification of alternative strategies to improve animal health and consequently production.

Bacteria, phages and pigs: the effects of in-feed antibiotics on the microbiome at different gut locations

“…Studies of changes in microbial communities with in-feed antibiotics have detected shifts in bacterial membership and functions in swine feces (Allen et al, 2011;Kim et al, 2012;Looft et al, 2012), but have not addressed localized communities in the gut. Feces often serve as a proxy for the gut microbiota because they can be harvested readily and frequently, but fecal bacteria are a composite of potentially discrete upstream populations (Suchodolski et al, 2005).…”

Necessary Usage of Antibiotics in Animals

“…Recent reports showed that sulfonamides and chloramphenicol could easily reach ground water, while fluoroquinolones could not leach. The reports added that in most areas of intensive livestock breeding, the source of contamination mainly attributed to irrigation with sewage [12,16]. The uptake and accumulation of antibiotics into edible plants is commonly initiated when expose to contaminated soil with considerable concentrations of the drugs over time as confirmed by several studies [59][60][61][62][63].…”

“…The uptake and accumulation of antibiotics into edible plants is commonly initiated when expose to contaminated soil with considerable concentrations of the drugs over time as confirmed by several studies [59][60][61][62][63]. However significant amounts of antibiotics and/or their degraded metabolites are introduced to agro-system via irrigation, fertilization with antibiotic-polluted manures, bio-solids, sludge, sediments and contaminated water [16,64]. Accumulation and transport of antibiotics to edible plants poses high risk to crops, soil and water ecosystems [63,65,66], consequently, increasing risk to both human health and environment [3].…”

“…This assumption is applied in USA, when 83% of feedlot cattle received antibiotics through feed or water [15]. The most commonly used oral antibiotics are tylosin, tetracyclines and florfenicols, which could act as prophylactic treatment against liver abscesses, diarrhea, foot rot and respiratory diseases, as well as acting as growth promoters at sub-therapeutic levels [16]. The relation between antibiotic use and resistance in beef cattle appeared wide conflicting results between calves treated with penicillin, streptomycin and tetracyclines and the resistant Escherichia coli isolated from their feces [17].…”

“…The concentration of the transformed residues are affected by many factors including the chemical and physical properties of the antibiotic molecule, sorption behavior and persistence, exchange capacity of the soil matrix besides the various climate conditions [16]. Recent reports showed that sulfonamides and chloramphenicol could easily reach ground water, while fluoroquinolones could not leach.…”