Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Altered Colonic Microbiota Communities in Suckling Piglets

Abstract

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a major gastrointestinal disease afflicting suckling pigs that causes huge industrial economic losses. In this study, we investigated microbiota from the colonic mucosa and content in healthy and PED piglets. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to identify inter-group differences. Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the top four affected phyla. The proportion of Proteobacteria was higher in infected than in healthy piglets, and the opposite was observed for Bacteroidetes (more than four-fold higher in the healthy group). In the infected group, Fusobacterium accounted for 36.56% and 21.61% in the colonic mucosa and contents, respectively, while in the healthy group, they comprised 22.53% and 12.67%, respectively. The percentage of Lactobacillus in healthy colons (15.63%) was considerably higher than that in the disease group (<10%). In both the colonic mucosa and contents, functional enrichment differed significantly between healthy and diseased groups. Overall, infection with the PED virus increased the proportion of harmful bacteria and decreased the proportion of beneficial bacteria in the colons of piglets. Targeting intestinal microbiota could be a promising method for PED prevention, thus opening new avenues for future research.

Impact of N-Acetylcysteine on the Gut Microbiota in the Piglets Infected With Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus

“…However, several significant differences of diversity indices were observed in the jejunum, colon, and cecum, particularly the obvious clusters of beta diversity between the healthy and the PEDV-infected piglets, indicating the community of the gut microbiota was markedly altered by PEDV infection. Similar findings were obtained by Huang et al ( 16 ) and ( 17 ). Interestingly, increased alpha diversity indices (Shannon and Simpson) were observed in the PEDV-infected piglets, implying PEDV infection led to the dysbiosis of porcine microbiome.…”

“…Interestingly, increased alpha diversity indices (Shannon and Simpson) were observed in the PEDV-infected piglets, implying PEDV infection led to the dysbiosis of porcine microbiome. This result is similar to the finding of Huang et al ( 16 ) that alpha diversity increased with time during PEDV infection, but is contrary to results of Song et al ( 12 ) and ( 17 ). Nevertheless, Chao index in the ileum was found as the only difference between the control and NAC groups, no other variation was found between the control and NAC groups and between the PEDV and the PEDV+NAC groups, suggesting a slight effect of NAC on the bacterial community.…”

“…A few studies have revealed changes in the functional potential of microbiome in relation to PEDV infection, which was found to attenuate metabolism and defense mechanisms and enhance transcription and membrane transport ( 15 – 17 ). Similar results were obtained in the present study, reflecting that attenuating metabolism, barrier, and immune is the major functional shift of microbiome during PEDV infection.…”

“…Currently, research on PEDV mainly focused on molecular characterization, evolution, pathology, the host immune response and vaccinations, only limited knowledge has been expanded to the relationship between PEDV infection and porcine microbiota (12). Recent research has reported that PEDV infection induced dysbiosis of fecal and colonic microbiota in piglets and sows, leading to an increase in pathogenic bacteria and a decrease in commensal bacteria (13)(14)(15)(16)(17). However, only few studies focused on the microbiota alterations associated with the (expecting) anti-PEDV substances or compounds.…”

Medium-chain fatty acids and monoglycerides as feed additives for pig production: towards gut health improvement and feed pathogen mitigation

“…Huang et al observed similar effects on the dynamic change of gut microbiota in suckling piglets, with more pronounced changes occurring at later time points during the period of 1-to 3-week of age [58]. Tan et al also noted similar trends in microbial changes in the cecal mucosa and contents of suckling piglets [59]. In addition, Langel et al determined that the stage of gestation at which PEDv infection occurs in pregnant sows affects maternal immunity and lactogenic immune protection of neonatal suckling piglets [60].…”