Effects of dietary supplementation of bacteriophages against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 on clinical symptoms of post‐weaning pigs challenged with the ETEC pathogen

Abstract

The present study was performed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of bacteriophages (phages) against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 as a therapy against the ETEC infection in post-weaning pigs. Two groups of post-weaning pigs aged 35 days, eight animals per group, were challenged with 3.0 × 10 colony forming units of ETEC K88, a third group given the vehicle. The unchallenged group and one challenged group were fed a basal nursery diet for 14 days while the remaining challenged group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 1.0 × 10 plaque forming units of the phage per kg. Average daily gain (ADG), goblet cell density and villous height:crypt depth (VH:CD) ratio in the intestine were less in the challenged group than in the unchallenged group within the animals fed the basal diet (p < 0.05); the reverse was true for rectal temperature, faecal consistency score (FCS), E. coli adhesion score (EAS) in the intestine, serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations and digesta pH in the stomach, caecum and colon. The ETEC infection symptom within the challenged animals was alleviated by the dietary phage supplementation (p < 0.05) in ADG, FCS, EAS in the jejunum, serum TNF-α concentration, digesta pH in the colon, goblet cell density in the ileum and colon and VH:CD ratio in the ileum. Moreover, the infection symptom tended to be alleviated (p < 0.10) by the phage supplementation in rectal temperature, EAS in the ileum and caecum, and VH:CD ratio in the duodenum and jejunum. However, EAS in the colon, digesta pH in the stomach and caecum, and goblet cell density in the jejunum did not change due to the dietary phage. Overall, results indicate that the phage therapy is effective for alleviation of acute ETEC K88 infection in post-weaning pigs.

Icariin and its phosphorylated derivatives alleviate intestinal epithelial barrier disruption caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli through modulate p38 MAPK in vivo and in vitro

“…39 TNF-α has a significant destructive effect on the expression and distribution of TJs proteins. Previous study has shown that ETEC induces high expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α.…”

“…Previous study has shown that ETEC induces high expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. 39 TNF-α has a significant destructive effect on the expression and distribution of TJs proteins. IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 not only regulate the reorganization of cytoskeletal proteins, but also directly lead to the rearrangement of TJs proteins and thus reduce the barrier function.…”

Bombyx mori gloverin A2 alleviates enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli-induced inflammation and intestinal mucosa disruption

“…It is a well-known fact that ETEC infection not only induces severe diarrhea in animals, but also impairs a variety of tissues or organs [33]. The spleen is the largest lymphoid organ in the human body and plays a critical role in immune system functions [34].…”

Chestnut extract but not sodium salicylate decreases the severity of diarrhea and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F4 shedding in artificially infected piglets

“…Following the study, piglets were fattened. From days 0-14, every morning at 08:00 h, individual fecal scores were visually evaluated by the same observer for all farrowing series based on the consistency of the feces using the following scores adapted from Lee et al [18]: 1 = dry, molded, or pelleted feces; 2 = creamy, sloppy, or cow-dung appearance; 3 = liquid diarrhea; and 4 = watery diarrhea. The daily percentage of piglets with diarrhea per group was calculated as the number of piglet with a fecal score of 3 or above over the total number of piglets in the group.…”