Diet modulates strongyle infection and microbiota in the large intestine of horses.

The research shows that altering the diet of horses can influence the level of strongyle infections, as a high-starch diet increased strongyle eggs production while introducing sainfoin into the diet decreased the number of these eggs. Furthermore, diet changes influence gut microbiota, suggesting an alternate approach to mitigating helminth infection is possible.

Study Objective

• The main focus of this study was to understand the impact of diet on strongyle infection in horses and to discern if their resistance or tolerance to the infection could be influenced through immune-related, microbiota-related, or direct anthelmintic effects.

Methodology

• The research was conducted on horses that were naturally infected with strongyles.
• The horses were fed either a high-fiber or high-starch diet, supplemented with either polyphenol-rich pellets (made from dehydrated sainfoin) or control pellets (made from sunflower and hay).

Key Findings

• The study found that horses on a high-starch diet excreted more strongyle eggs than others.
• However, introducing sainfoin into the high-starch diet resulted in a decrease in egg excretion.
• The introduction of sainfoin also resulted in lessened larval motility irrespective of the diet type.
• Other findings demonstrate that the high-starch diet led to lower fecal bacterial diversity, fecal microbiota structural differences, lower fecal pH, lower blood acetate levels, and lower hematocrit compared to the high-fiber diet.
• The research found no difference in circulating levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines, lipopolysaccharides, procalcitonin, and white blood cells proportions between the different diets.

Conclusion

• Overall, the research suggests that changes in diet can mitigate the effects of helminth infection by changing the intestinal ecosystem in addition to direct effects.
• This study emphasizes the potential role of dietary manipulations as an alternative strategy to combat helminth infection.