Dissection of the cecal microbial community in chickens after Eimeria tenella infection

• Published in: Parasites & vectors Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 56
• Main Authors: Chen, Hong-Liang, Zhao, Xin-Yu, Zhao, Guang-Xun, Huang, Hai-Bin, Li, Hao-Rui, Shi, Chun-Wei, Yang, Wen-Tao, Jiang, Yan-Long, Wang, Jian-Zhong, Ye, Li-Ping, Zhao, Quan, Wang, Chun-Feng, Yang, Gui-Lian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 11.02.2020; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: 16S rRNA; Abundance; Alternative therapeutics; Bacteria; Biotherapy; Cecal microbiota; Cecum; Chemotherapy; Chicken coccidiosis; Chickens; Coccidiosis; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Diseases; dissection; DNA; Drug resistance; drug therapy; Economic impact; Economics; Eimeria tenella; Enterococcus; financial economics; Gastrointestinal diseases; Gene sequencing; Genes; Histopathology; Homeostasis; Host-bacteria relationships; Identification and classification; Infection; Infections; intestinal microorganisms; Intestine; Lactobacillus; Medical research; microbial communities; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Microorganisms; Opportunist infection; Pathogenic bacteria; Pathogenic microorganisms; Physiological aspects; Populations; Poultry; Poultry industry; Principal components analysis; Protozoa; Protozoal infections; ribosomal RNA; RNA; rRNA 16S; Ruminococcaceae; secondary infection; sequence analysis; Streptococcus; Streptococcus infections; Surgery; Taxonomy; Therapeutics; Time; virulent strains; China; United States > US; Eimeria tenella; 16S rRNA; Alternative therapeutics; Cecal microbiota; Chicken coccidiosis
• ISSN: 1756-3305; 1756-3305
• DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3897-6

Eimeria spp. are responsible for chicken coccidiosis which is the most important enteric protozoan disease resulting in tremendous economic losses in the poultry industry. Understanding the interaction between the avian cecal microbiota and coccidia is of interest in the development of alternative treatments that do not rely on chemotherapeutics and do not lead to drug resistance. We utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing to detect the dynamics of the cecal microbial community in AA broilers challenged with Eimeria tenella. Histopathological analysis of the cecum was also conducted. We found that microbial shifts occur during the infection. Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcaceae UCG-013, Romboutsia and Shuttleworthia decreased in abundance. However, the opportunistic pathogens Enterococcus and Streptococcus increased in abundance over time in response to the infection. Eimeria tenella disrupts the integrity of the cecal microbiota and could promote the establishment and growth of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Defining bacterial populations affected by coccidial infection might help identify bacterial markers for intestinal disease as well as populations or species that could be beneficial in maintaining and restoring gut homeostasis during and after infection with E. tenella.