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BMC research notes2025; 18(1); 34; doi: 10.1186/s13104-025-07110-9

Fecal microbiota changes associated with pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrheas in foals.

Abstract: Diarrhea is a common disease that could threaten the welfare of newborn foals. While there are several forms of foal diarrhea, the etiologies can be considered known pathogenic or non-pathogenic in nature. Moreover, there are likely differences in the composition of microbial populations in the gastrointestinal tracts of foals depending upon the etiology of diarrhea. Our study aims to examine the microbial population in the feces of foals with both pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrheas to discern differences in their microbial compositions. Results: Foal diarrhea samples tested positive or negative for common equine neonatal diarrhea pathogens by diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which allowed for samples to be segregated as pathogenic or non-pathogenic. Pathogenic samples tested positive for combinations of Clostridium perfringens and/or Clostridioides difficile toxins. As a result, significantly higher alpha diversity was seen in the non-pathogenic samples than in pathogenic ones. Sequencing of the V4 domains of bacterial 16 S rRNA genes demonstrated that non-pathogenic samples had more alpha diversity. Furthermore, eight microbial families and eleven genera showed significant differences in their abundances between pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrhea samples.
© 2025. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2025-01-23 PubMed ID: 39849534PubMed Central: PMC11760091DOI: 10.1186/s13104-025-07110-9Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

This research investigates the changes in fecal microbiota among foals, or young horses, suffering from pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrheas. Key findings indicate significant differences in microbial populations in the gastrointestinal tracts of foals depending on the type of diarrhea, with non-pathogenic samples displaying higher diversity.

Research Objectives and Methods

  • The study’s objective was to differentiate between foals’ fecal microbiota changes in pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrhea.
  • Comparative samples of foal diarrhea were tested for neonatal diarrhea pathogens via a diagnostic process known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  • The samples that tested positive for equine neonatal diarrhea pathogens, specifically for toxins from bacteria like Clostridium perfringens and/or Clostridioides difficile, were classified as pathogenic.
  • The study also used gene sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA to get more detailed information about the microbial diversity in each category of diarrhea.

Findings and Results

  • The research found significantly higher alpha diversity, a measurement of microbial diversity within individual samples, in the non-pathogenic samples than in the pathogenic ones.
  • It was found that faecal samples from foals with non-pathogenic diarrhea had a greater variety of bacterial species, which indicates a healthier gut microbiota.
  • Interestingly, the team identified eight families and eleven genera of microbes that demonstrated significant differences in abundance between diarrhea types. This finding could facilitate future development of targeted treatments or preventative measures for each kind of diarrhea.

Conclusion and Further Research

  • This study showcased marked alterations in the fecal microbiota of foals suffering from either pathogenic or non-pathogenic diarrhea, exposing important details about the potential role of microbiota in these health conditions.
  • These results could form the basis for future research into specified treatments aimed at rebalancing foals’ gut microbiota during occurrences of diarrhea, enhancing overall equine health and welfare.

Cite This Article

APA
Shi Y, Maga EA, Mienaltowski MJ. (2025). Fecal microbiota changes associated with pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrheas in foals. BMC Res Notes, 18(1), 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07110-9

Publication

BMC research notes
ISSN: 1756-0500
NlmUniqueID: 101462768
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Pages: 34
PII: 34

Researcher Affiliations

Shi, Yijun
  • Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, 2251 Meyer Hall, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Maga, Elizabeth A
  • Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, 2251 Meyer Hall, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Mienaltowski, Michael J
  • Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, 2251 Meyer Hall, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA. mjmienaltowski@ucdavis.edu.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / microbiology
  • Diarrhea / microbiology
  • Diarrhea / veterinary
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Horse Diseases / microbiology
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Clostridium perfringens / isolation & purification
  • Clostridium perfringens / genetics
  • Clostridium perfringens / pathogenicity
  • Clostridioides difficile / genetics
  • Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification
  • Clostridioides difficile / pathogenicity
  • Microbiota / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / genetics

Grant Funding

  • 17-I / UC Davis Center for Equine Health

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Ethical animal research: Fecal samples were collected from university-owned horses and from non-university horses with permission of owners and, both with IACUC approval (#18998). Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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