Nasal bacterial microbiota during an outbreak of equine herpesvirus 1 at a farm in southern Ontario.
- Journal Article
Summary
The research is a study of the nasal bacterial microbiota in healthy horses as compared to horses infected with equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), revealing significant differences in the bacterial community structure and membership within the nasal microbiota of the two groups.
Objective of the Study
The study aimed to examine the nasal bacterial microbiota in healthy horses and those infected with equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1). During an EHV-1 outbreak on a farm in southern Ontario, the researchers compared:
- The nasal bacterial microbiota of 10 EHV-1-infected horses
- 11 control horses not infected with EHV-1
This comparison was done with the use of the Illumina MiSeq platform, specifically targeting the V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The purpose was to understand the differences in the bacterial diversity, richness, and evenness between the two groups of horses.
Major Findings
The study discovered notable differences in the nasal bacterial microbiota between healthy and EHV-1-infected horses. Key findings include:
- Distinction in bacterial community membership and structure: The two groups of horses displayed significant differences with respect to bacterial structure and variety in their nasal microbiota.
- Lower bacterial richness, evenness, and diversity in EHV-1-infected horses: Statistics showed that infected horses exhibited reduced bacterial richness (0.002), evenness (0.008), and diversity (0.026) in comparison to healthy horses.
- Differences in bacterial abundance: Healthy horses showed a higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes bacteria but lower Proteobacteria than horses infected with EHV-1.
Implications of the Findings
The study provides a foundation for generating theories and further research into the role of bacterial-viral interactions in the health and diseases of adult horses. By uncovering the differences in nasal bacterial microbiota between healthy and EHV-1-infected horses, the research offers new insights that could be valuable in control and prevention strategies for EHV-1 and possibly other diseases. Understanding the role of nasal microbiota could have significant implications for veterinary medicine and animal husbandry.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Studies (Gomez, Arroyo) and Department of Pathobiology (Lillie, Weese), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.
- Department of Clinical Studies (Gomez, Arroyo) and Department of Pathobiology (Lillie, Weese), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.
- Department of Clinical Studies (Gomez, Arroyo) and Department of Pathobiology (Lillie, Weese), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.
- Department of Clinical Studies (Gomez, Arroyo) and Department of Pathobiology (Lillie, Weese), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Bacteria / classification
- Bacteria / isolation & purification
- DNA, Bacterial / genetics
- Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
- Farms
- Herpesviridae Infections / epidemiology
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Herpesviridae Infections / virology
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Nose / microbiology
- Ontario / epidemiology
- RNA, Bacterial / genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
- Virus Shedding
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Citations
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