Effects of Eimeria tenella infection on the barrier damage and microbiota diversity of chicken cecum

Abstract

The symbiosis of host and intestinal microbiota constitutes a microecosystem and plays an important role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and regulating the host's immune system. Eimeria tenella , an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite, can cause coccidiosis, a serious intestinal disease. In this study, the effects of E. tenella infection on development parameters (villus height, crypt depth, mucosa thickness, muscularis thickness, and serosa thickness) and microbiota in chicken cecum were investigated. Fourteen-day-old male Hy-Line Variety Brown layer chickens were inoculated with sporulated oocysts of E. tenella . Cecal tissues were collected 7 d after inoculation. Relative density of goblet cells and glycoproteins were determined by Alcian blue periodic acid–Schiff staining and periodic acid–Schiff staining, respectively. Intestinal development parameters were also evaluated. Cecal contents were extracted, and the composition of cecal microflora was examined by Illumine sequencing in the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Results indicated that E. tenella infection destroyed the structure of cecal tissue and reduced the relative density of goblet cells and glycoproteins. Sequencing analysis indicated that E. tenella infection altered the diversity and composition of cecal microbiota. The populations of Proteobacteria , Enterococcus , Incertae , and Escherichia–Shigella decreased, and those of Bacteroidales and Rikenella significantly increased in the infected group compared with those in the control group. Hence, the pathological damage caused by E. tenella infection is associated with cecal microbiota dysbiosis, and this finding may be used to develop an alternative measure for alleviating the effect of coccidiosis on the poultry industry.

Medium-chain α-monoglycerides improves productive performance and egg quality in aged hens associated with gut microbiota modulation

“…In the present study, the beneficial effects of MG supplementation on productive performance were concomitant with the modulation of gut microbiota composition. Consistent with previous studies ( Stanley et al., 2014 ; Zhou et al., 2020 ), the gut microbiota between the MG300 and CON group were dominated by five phyla: Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Medium-chain α-monoglyceride supplementation significantly decreased the phylum Proteobacteria (approximately 5.86%), which was a minor constituent within a balanced gut-associated microbial community and was generally recognized as a microbial signature of dysbiosis in gut microbiota ( Litvak et al., 2017 ).…”

Typhlitis induced by Histomonas meleagridis affects relative but not the absolute Escherichia coli counts and invasion in the gut in turkeys

“…The pathology induced by H. meleagridis was associated with the pronounced shift in microbial structure, microbial richness and diversity. Similar effects were noticed in chickens that were either co-infected with H. meleagridis and avian pathogenic E. coli [ 4 ] or with E. tenella [ 36 , 37 ]. In controversy, in a different study with E. tenella infection in broiler chickens, no changes were reported in alpha diversity even in caecal samples with the highest lesion scores [ 10 ].…”

Glycerol Monolaurate Enhances Reproductive Performance, Egg Quality and Albumen Amino Acids Composition in Aged Hens with Gut Microbiota Alternation

“…However, the increase of Fusobacteria by GML supplementation did not have obvious adverse effect on laying performance and feed efficiency in the current study. In addition, dietary GML supplementation in hens decreased some genera of Firmicutes, which was linked to the efficiency of nutrients absorption, and consequently to energy harvest from the diet [39]. Many members of Firmicutes could encode carbohydrate-active enzymes and increase carbohydrates hydrolysis and utilization [40], suggesting that the carbohydrate metabolism might be influenced by dietary GML supplementation.…”