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Anaerobe2020; 66; 102279; doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2020.102279

Clostridioides difficile carriage in animals and the associated changes in the host fecal microbiota.

Abstract: The relationship between the gut microbiota and Clostridioides difficile, and its role in the severity of C. difficile infection in humans is an area of active research. Intestinal carriage of toxigenic and non-toxigenic C. difficile strains, with and without clinical signs, is reported in animals, however few studies have looked at the risk factors associated with C. difficile carriage and the role of the host gut microbiota. Here, we isolated and characterized C. difficile strains from different animal species (predominantly canines (dogs), felines (cats), and equines (horses)) that were brought in for tertiary care at North Carolina State University Veterinary Hospital. C. difficile strains were characterized by toxin gene profiling, fluorescent PCR ribotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was done on animal feces to investigate the relationship between the presence of C. difficile and the gut microbiota in different hosts. Here, we show that C. difficile was recovered from 20.9% of samples (42/201), which included 33 canines, 2 felines, and 7 equines. Over 69% (29/42) of the isolates were toxigenic and belonged to 14 different ribotypes including ones known to cause CDI in humans. The presence of C. difficile results in a shift in the fecal microbial community structure in both canines and equines. Commensal Clostridium hiranonis was negatively associated with C. difficile in canines. Further experimentation showed a clear antagonistic relationship between the two strains in vitro, suggesting that commensal Clostridia might play a role in colonization resistance against C. difficile in different hosts.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2020-10-03 PubMed ID: 33022384DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2020.102279Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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The research examines the relatively unexplored area of the relationship between gut microbiota and Clostridioides difficile, a bacterium, in animals (predominantly dogs, cats, and horses). It also explores the changes in gut microbiota resulting from the presence of C. difficile and the role certain bacteria may play in resisting C. difficile colonization.

Research Context

  • The researchers explore a largely untouched area of research – the relationship and influence between the gut microbiota and C. difficile in commonly domestic animal species. C. difficile known to exist in both toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains and can be present with or without symptoms in animals.

Research Process

  • The researchers from North Carolina State University Veterinary Hospital isolated C. difficile strains from different animals brought in for care, mainly dogs, cats, and horses.
  • They then characterized the isolated C. difficile strains through toxin gene profiling, fluorescent PCR ribotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
  • The researchers also carried out 16S rRNA gene sequencing on the animals’ feces to study and establish the relationship between the presence of C. difficile and the gut microbiota in the different host animals.

Research Findings

  • C. difficile was found in 20.9% of the total samples, with instances found in all three animal groups (33 dogs, 2 cats, and 7 horses).
  • It’s worth noting that 29 out of 42 isolates were toxigenic belonging to 14 different ribotypes which are known to cause CDI in humans. This indicates that animals could potentially be reservoirs for CDI.
  • The research showed that the presence of C. difficile resulted in a significant shift in the fecal microbial structure in both dogs and horses.
  • A substantial finding is the negative association found between the presence of C. difficile and the commensal bacterium, Clostridium hiranonis, in dogs. Further lab tests showed an antagonistic relationship, indicating that commensal Clostridia might have a role in resisting C. difficile colonization in hosts.

Research Implications

  • These findings add depth to our understanding of host-microbe interactions and potentially help create therapeutic strategies against C. difficile infections.
  • New knowledge on the potential role of commensal Clostridia in resisting C. difficile colonization could be significant in advancing current and future treatments or prevention of C. difficile infections in both animals and humans.

Cite This Article

APA
Thanissery R, McLaren MR, Rivera A, Reed AD, Betrapally NS, Burdette T, Winston JA, Jacob M, Callahan BJ, Theriot CM. (2020). Clostridioides difficile carriage in animals and the associated changes in the host fecal microbiota. Anaerobe, 66, 102279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2020.102279

Publication

Anaerobe
ISSN: 1095-8274
NlmUniqueID: 9505216
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 66
Pages: 102279
PII: S1075-9964(20)30135-9

Researcher Affiliations

Thanissery, R
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
McLaren, M R
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Rivera, A
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Reed, A D
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Betrapally, N S
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Burdette, T
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Winston, J A
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Jacob, M
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Callahan, B J
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Theriot, C M
  • Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA. Electronic address: cmtherio@ncsu.edu.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Bacterial Toxins / metabolism
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Cats
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Clostridioides difficile / classification
  • Clostridioides difficile / drug effects
  • Clostridioides difficile / physiology
  • Clostridium Infections / epidemiology
  • Clostridium Infections / microbiology
  • Clostridium Infections / veterinary
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Dogs
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome
  • Horses
  • Hospitals, Animal
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Male
  • Microbial Interactions
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • North Carolina
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prevalence
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Ribotyping
  • Risk Factors
  • Tertiary Healthcare
  • Vero Cells

Grant Funding

  • R35 GM119438 / NIGMS NIH HHS

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declaration of competing interest CMT is a scientific advisor to Locus Biosciences, a company engaged in the development of antimicrobial technologies. CMT is a consultant for Vedanta Biosciences.

Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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    doi: 10.1111/jvim.70138pubmed: 40404601google scholar: lookup
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