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The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne2021; 62(10); 1123-1130; doi: 10.1111/evj.13389

Evaluation of changes in microbiota after fecal microbiota transplantation in 6 diarrheic horses.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiota of horses with acute and chronic diarrhea before and after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Six client-owned horses with acute and chronic diarrhea received FMT from 2 healthy donor horses. Microbiota analysis using next-generation sequencing was performed on fecal samples collected before and 2 and 7 d after FMT. Signs of diarrhea improved in 4 horses, whereas the remaining 2 horses did not survive. There was a significant difference in the number of bacterial species between donors and recipients (P < 0.05). The Order Lactobacillales and the genera Lactobacillus, Intestinimonas, and Streptococcus were increased in the microbiota of diarrheic horses, and Saccharofermentans genus increased in healthy donors. The results suggest that FMT from the healthy donors was not effective over a 7-day period as it did not change the fecal microbiota of the diarrheic horses. Further research to improve the efficacy of FMT in horses is needed. Évaluation des modifications du microbiote après une transplantation de microbiote fécal chez six chevaux avec la diarrhée. Le but de cette étude était de caractériser le microbiote fécal des chevaux souffrant de diarrhée aiguë et chronique avant et après la transplantation de microbiote fécal (FMT). Six chevaux souffrant de diarrhée aiguë et chronique et appartenant à des clients ont reçu des FMT provenant de deux chevaux donneurs en bonne santé. Une analyse du microbiote a été réalisée sur des échantillons fécaux prélevés avant et 2 et 7 jours après la FMT. Les signes de la diarrhée se sont améliorés chez 4 des 6 chevaux, tandis que les deux autres n’ont pas survécu. Il y avait une différence significative dans la richesse bactérienne entre les donneurs et les récipients (P < 0,05). L’ordre Lactobacillales, et les genres Lactobacillus, Intestinimonas et Streptococcus ont été associés au microbiote des chevaux diarrhéiques et le genre Saccharofermentanes à celui des donneurs sains. Les résultats suggèrent que la FMT n’a pas réussi à changer le microbiote fécal des chevaux diarrhéiques sur une période de 7 jours. Des recherches supplémentaires pour améliorer l’efficacité de la FMT chez les chevaux sont nécessaires.(Traduit par les auteurs).
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Publication Date: 2021-10-05 PubMed ID: 34602643PubMed Central: PMC8439339DOI: 10.1111/evj.13389Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper investigated the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on horses with acute and chronic diarrhea, and found that while some short-term improvements were noted in the diarrhea symptoms, significant changes in the horses’ fecal microbiome were not observed over a week-long period.

Methods of the Study

  • The study involved six client-owned horses, all suffering from acute and chronic diarrhea, who were subjected to fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).
  • FMT is a procedure wherein fecal bacteria from a healthy donor are transplanted into a patient’s gut, with the intention to restore a healthy balance to the patient’s gut microbiome.
  • These samples for FMT were taken from two healthy horses that served as donors.
  • The FMT was then carried out on the six diarrheic horses, and fecal samples were collected prior to the transplantation, and then again at 2, and 7 days post-transplantation.

Results of the Study

  • The researchers found that signs of diarrhea improved in four out of the six horses after the FMT. However, two of the horses did not survive.
  • There was a significant difference in the number of bacterial species between donors and recipients, particularly with the order Lactobacillales, and certain genera which were found in increased numbers in the diarrheic horses, while a specific genus was increased in the healthy donors.
  • The results of bacterial sequencing showed that FMT did not significantly alter the fecal microbiota of the diarrheic horses over a 7-day period.

Implications of the Findings

  • This study suggests that while FMT may offer short-term symptomatic relief for horses suffering from acute or chronic diarrhea, it did not provide noticeable long-term changes to the horses’ gut microbiota over the course of a week.
  • The research also identified specific bacterial orders and genera that may play a role in equine diarrhea, which could be potentially useful in future studies and interventions.
  • However, additional research is necessary to further understand the impact of FMT on horses, to refine the process, and possibly identify better target bacteria that can improve the efficacy of FMT in equine patients.

Cite This Article

APA
Costa M, Di Pietro R, Bessegatto JA, Pereira PFV, Stievani FC, Gomes RG, Lisbôa JAN, Weese JS. (2021). Evaluation of changes in microbiota after fecal microbiota transplantation in 6 diarrheic horses. Can Vet J, 62(10), 1123-1130. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13389

Publication

The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
ISSN: 0008-5286
NlmUniqueID: 0004653
Country: Canada
Language: English
Volume: 62
Issue: 10
Pages: 1123-1130

Researcher Affiliations

Costa, Marcio
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Q (Costa, Di Pietro); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Bessegatto, Pereira, Stievani, Gomes, Lisbôa); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Filadelfia, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Stievani); Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario (Weese).
Di Pietro, Rebecca
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Q (Costa, Di Pietro); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Bessegatto, Pereira, Stievani, Gomes, Lisbôa); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Filadelfia, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Stievani); Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario (Weese).
Bessegatto, José Antonio
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Q (Costa, Di Pietro); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Bessegatto, Pereira, Stievani, Gomes, Lisbôa); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Filadelfia, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Stievani); Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario (Weese).
Pereira, Priscilla Fajardo Valente
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Q (Costa, Di Pietro); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Bessegatto, Pereira, Stievani, Gomes, Lisbôa); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Filadelfia, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Stievani); Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario (Weese).
Stievani, Fernanda C
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Q (Costa, Di Pietro); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Bessegatto, Pereira, Stievani, Gomes, Lisbôa); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Filadelfia, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Stievani); Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario (Weese).
Gomes, Roberta Gaberlini
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Q (Costa, Di Pietro); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Bessegatto, Pereira, Stievani, Gomes, Lisbôa); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Filadelfia, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Stievani); Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario (Weese).
Lisbôa, Júlio A N
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Q (Costa, Di Pietro); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Bessegatto, Pereira, Stievani, Gomes, Lisbôa); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Filadelfia, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Stievani); Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario (Weese).
Weese, J Scott
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Q (Costa, Di Pietro); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Bessegatto, Pereira, Stievani, Gomes, Lisbôa); Department of Clinical Studies, Universidade Filadelfia, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil (Stievani); Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario (Weese).

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Bacteria
  • Diarrhea / therapy
  • Diarrhea / veterinary
  • Fecal Microbiota Transplantation / veterinary
  • Feces
  • Horses
  • Microbiota
  • Treatment Outcome

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Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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