Changes in the equine fecal microbiota associated with the use of systemic antimicrobial drugs.
Abstract: The intestinal tract is a rich and complex environment and its microbiota has been shown to have an important role in health and disease in the host. Several factors can cause disruption of the normal intestinal microbiota, including antimicrobial therapy, which is an important cause of diarrhea in horses. This study aimed to characterize changes in the fecal bacterial populations of healthy horses associated with the administration of frequently used antimicrobial drugs. Results: Twenty-four adult mares were assigned to receive procaine penicillin intramuscularly (IM), ceftiofur sodium IM, trimethoprim sulfadiazine (TMS) orally or to a control group. Treatment was given for 5 consecutive days and fecal samples were collected before drug administration (Day 1), at the end of treatment (Days 5), and on Days 14 and 30 of the trial. High throughput sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed using an Illumina MiSeq sequencer. Significant changes of population structure and community membership were observed after the use of all drugs. TMS caused the most marked changes on fecal microbiota even at higher taxonomic levels including a significant decrease of richness and diversity. Those changes were mainly due to a drastic decrease of Verrucomicrobia, specifically the "5 genus incertae sedis". Changes in structure and membership caused by antimicrobial administration were specific for each drug and may be predictable. Twenty-five days after the end of treatment, bacterial profiles were more similar to pre-treatment patterns indicating a recovery from changes caused by antimicrobial administration, but differences were still evident, especially regarding community membership. Conclusions: The use of systemic antimicrobials leads to changes in the intestinal microbiota, with different and specific responses to different antimicrobials. All antimicrobials tested here had some impact on the microbiota, but TMS significantly reduced bacterial species richness and diversity and had the greatest apparent impact on population structure, specifically targeting members of the Verrucomicrobia phylum.
Publication Date: 2015-02-03 PubMed ID: 25644524PubMed Central: PMC4323147DOI: 10.1186/s12917-015-0335-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research study explores how systemic antimicrobial drugs affect the bacterial populations in the intestines of healthy horses, noting that such drugs can significantly disrupt the intestinal microbiota, potentially leading to health problems like diarrhea.
Research Design
- In this study, the research team assigned 24 adult mares to receive one of three frequently used antimicrobial drugs – procaine penicillin, ceftiofur sodium, or trimethoprim sulfadiazine (TMS) – or to serve as part of a control group.
- The horses received the assigned treatment for five consecutive days. Fecal samples were collected at various stages: before the drug administration, at the conclusion of the treatment, and then on the 14th and 30th day of the trial for analysis.
- The analysis was performed using high throughput sequencing of a specific region (V4) of the 16S rRNA gene, using an Illumina MiSeq sequencer.
Key Findings
- Significant changes were observed in the structure and membership of the bacterial populations in the horses’ feces following the use of all the drugs.
- The most drastic changes were observed following the use of TMS, which caused a significant decrease in both the richness and diversity of the fecal microbiota.
- In particular, TMS led to a drastic decrease of a type of bacteria known as Verrucomicrobia.
- Interestingly, the changes induced by the antimicrobial drugs appeared to be specific to each drug, suggesting that the impacts on microbiota might be predictable based on the specific antimicrobial used.
Recovery and Persisting Differences
- Towards the end of the trial, bacterial profiles seemed to recover and appeared to be more similar to pre-treatment patterns. However, differences were still evident, particularly in community membership.
Conclusions and Implications
- The systemic use of antimicrobials can lead to significant changes in intestinal microbiota, with specific responses observed for different antimicrobials.
- Although all tested antimicrobials had an impact on the microbiota, TMS showed the greatest effect by significantly reducing bacterial richness and diversity and notably affecting the Verrucomicrobia phylum.
- This study gives veterinarians and those in equine care an important understanding of how these antimicrobials affect intestinal health. This could help with better planning of treatments and potential mitigation of side effects.
Cite This Article
APA
(2015).
Changes in the equine fecal microbiota associated with the use of systemic antimicrobial drugs.
BMC Vet Res, 11, 19.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-015-0335-7 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Administration, Oral
- Animals
- Anti-Infective Agents / administration & dosage
- Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
- Cephalosporins / administration & dosage
- Cephalosporins / pharmacology
- DNA, Bacterial / genetics
- Drug Combinations
- Feces / microbiology
- Female
- Horses / microbiology
- Injections, Intramuscular / veterinary
- Microbiota / drug effects
- Microbiota / genetics
- Penicillin G Procaine / administration & dosage
- Penicillin G Procaine / pharmacology
- Sulfadoxine / administration & dosage
- Sulfadoxine / pharmacology
- Trimethoprim / administration & dosage
- Trimethoprim / pharmacology
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