Specific increase of Fusobacterium in the faecal microbiota of neonatal calves infected with Cryptosporidium parvum

Abstract

The faecal microbiota plays a critical role in host health, with alterations in the human faecal microbial composition associated with various conditions, particularly diarrhoeal diseases. However, little is known about microbial changes during cryptosporidiosis, one of the most important diarrhoeal diseases caused by protozoa in cattle. In this study, alterations in the faecal microbiota of neonatal calves as a result of Cryptosporidium parvum infection were investigated on a C. parvum -positive farm. Comparisons were made among groups of C. parvum- infected, rotavirus-infected, and the pathogen-negative calves. A specific increase in the abundance of Fusobacterium was observed in the faecal microbiota of C. parvum -infected animals. Diarrhoea severity increased in accordance with the abundance of C. parvum and Fusobacterium . Moreover, the specific increase of Fusobacterium appeared to be a universal feature of C. parvum infection, since neonatal calves from geographically separated areas showed the same result. These observations indicated that the growth of Fusobacterium may be an important aggravating factor of cryptosporidiosis.

Megasphaerain the stool microbiota is negatively associated with diarrheal cryptosporidiosis

“…Although individual members of the microbiome were associated with diarrhea ( Figure 4B), no single ASV completely explained the clinical type of infection ( Figure 4D). This observation is consistent with animal models of infection that have highlighted a complex relationship between the microbiota, host, and parasite [68][69][70].…”

A probiotic treatment increases the immune response induced by the nasal delivery of spore-adsorbed TTFC

“…Bacteria of the Fusobacterium are obligate anaerobe, Gram-negative rods commonly found as components of the normal flora of the human oropharynx. Some species of the Fusobacterium genus are considered as pathogenic, have been associated with colon cancer or found to increase in response to other infections [43]. The Ruminococcaceae UCG-014 genus members are obligate anaerobes belonging to the Ruminococcaceae family, which contains also other genera commonly found in the animal gut [44].…”

Shifts in the Fecal Microbial Community of Cystoisospora suis Infected Piglets in Response to Toltrazuril

“…Fusobacterium spp. are a gram-negative bacilli, and increased relative abundance has been reported in piglets with diarrhea (Hermann-Bank et al, 2015;Yang et al, 2017) and calves with cryptosporidiosis (Ichikawa-Seki et al, 2019). The altered composition of glycoconjugates in villous enterocytes, enhanced mucus secretion by goblet cells and damage to microvilli during acute C. suis infection (Kudweis et al, 1989;Kudweis et al, 1990;Choi et al, 2003) may promote intestinal colonization by Fusobacterium and foster the development of severe diarrhea.…”