Sow Contact Is a Major Driver in the Development of the Nasal Microbiota of Piglets

Obregon-Gutierrez, Pau; Aragón, Virginia; Correa‐Fiz, Florencia

doi:10.3390/pathogens10060697

Cited by 20 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…We found a strong litter effect, i.e., piglets born by the same sow sharing a similar microbiota. This is in agreement with previous studies on the oral [13,32] and gut [33,34] microbiota of piglets.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

“…Sow factors such as genetics, behaviour, milk and colostrum content, and vertical microbiota transfer from sow to litter may also cause litter effects, as shown by the impact of sow parity and pre-partum vaccination of sows. This is consistent with a previous study showing that the nasal microbiota of piglets is strongly influenced by sow contact [ 32 ]. Parity has been reported to influence nasal and faecal microbiota composition of piglets [ 15 , 33 ], and is positively associated with piglet performance and negatively with piglet mortality [ 37 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

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Environmental and maternal factors shaping tonsillar microbiota development in piglets

et al. 2022

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Background The palatine tonsils are part of the mucosal immune system and stimulate immune responses through M cell uptake sampling of antigens and bacteria in the tonsillar crypts. Little is known about the development of the tonsillar microbiota and the factors determining the establishment and proliferation of disease-associated bacteria such as Streptococcus suis. In this study, we assessed tonsillar microbiota development in piglets during the first 5 weeks of life and identified the relative importance of maternal and environmental farm parameters influencing the tonsillar microbiota at different ages. Additionally, we studied the effect sow vaccination with a bacterin against S. suis on microbiota development and S. suis colonisation in their offspring. Results Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 region revealed that a diverse tonsillar microbiota is established shortly after birth, which then gradually changes during the first 5 weeks of life without a large impact of weaning on composition or diversity. We found a strong litter effect, with siblings sharing a more similar microbiota compared to non-sibling piglets. Co-housing in rooms, within which litters were housed in separate pens, also had a large impact on microbiota composition. Sow parity and prepartum S. suis bacterin vaccination of sows had weaker but significant associations with microbiota composition, impacting on the abundance of Streptococcus species before and after weaning. Sex and birthweight had limited impact on the tonsillar microbiota, and none of the measured factors had consistent associations with microbiota diversity. Conclusions The piglet tonsillar microbiota is established shortly after birth. While microbiota development is associated with both environmental and maternal parameters, weaning has limited impact on microbiota composition. Intramuscular vaccination of sows pre-partum had a significant effect on the tonsillar microbiota composition of their piglets. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms shaping the tonsillar microbiota.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Environmental and maternal factors shaping tonsillar microbiota development in piglets

et al. 2022

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“…We found a strong litter effect, i.e., piglets born by the same sow sharing a similar microbiota. This is consistent with previous studies on the oral [72,155] and gut [156,157] microbiota of piglets.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

The piglet tonsillar microbiome and Streptococcus suis disease

Fredriksen

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Broadly pathogenic clades Broadly commensal clades General introduction | 17Chapter 1 targeting known pathogens. We can now gain information on both known and novel disease-associated microbes and assess how the occurrence and abundance of these correlate with disease symptoms, the environment, and the abundance of other species. Detection of health-associated bacteria is of great interest because they may have probiotic potential. Polymicrobial disease and co-infection can also be assessed, and disease-causing but non-invasive species can be discovered. A large effort has gone towards discovering the role of the microbiome in human diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease [94,95] and colorectal cancer [96,97] . Studies have also utilized metagenomics for infectious disease in joint fluid [98] , blood [99] , and respiratory samples [24] . Research on the respiratory microbiome is, however, lagging behind gut microbiome research despite the relevance to infectious disease [91] . Metagenomic studies on infectious disease in livestock are also lacking. Challenges and open questionsAlthough a large effort has been dedicated to understanding the ecology and evolution of S. suis, there are significant knowledge gaps. There is a lack of research on how commensal and pathogenic S. suis lineages colonize piglets and interact with biotic and abiotic factors to cause disease. The transcriptomic and phenotypic differences between commensal and pathogenic strains are not well described, and the exact (combination of ) mechanisms involved in S. suis virulence and transmission remain unknown. This hinders disease surveillance and the design of effective preventative measures and treatments. Recent amplicon-sequencing studies have shown high S. suis prevalence and abundance in the oral cavity of piglets, and conclusions from culture-based work need to be considered with caution because these likely found many false negatives of S. suis presence. It is not known whether S. suis colonizes the oral cavity of piglets at high abundances in all farms in different countries, or what proportion of the observed S. suis load consists of pathogenic and commensal strains.Knowledge is also lacking on the polymicrobial nature of S. suis disease. It is known that S. suis infection often co-occurs with infection by other bacteria and viruses, such as PRRSV, but little quantitative data exists on taxa co-occurring with S. suis disease. Associations between the commensal microbiota and S. suis are also of great interest. Activity of specific bacterial species may prevent S. suis invasive disease by interactions with the host immune system or by providing colonization resistance against pathogenic S. suis strains. Identifying taxa positively or negatively associated with S. suis disease may aid in development of prevention strategies, vaccines, and probiotics. These measures may contribute to reducing the global S. suis disease burden and antibiotic use in pig farming.

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“…During lactation, the sow transfers microorganisms to piglets, which is essential to the establishment of permanent intestinal and respiratory microbiomes that will assist in the maturation of the piglets’ immune system [ 82 , 83 ]. Piglets deprived of maternal contact and reared artificially present reduced pulmonary development, respiratory immune response and microbiome of the lungs [ 82 , 84 ].…”

Section: Sources Of Stress In Pig Farm Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking Animal Welfare and Antibiotic Use in Pig Farming—A Review

Albernaz-Gonçalves

Antillón

Hötzel

2022

Animals

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Preventative measures, such as biosecurity and vaccinations, are essential but not sufficient to ensure high standards of health in pig production systems. Restrictive, barren housing and many widely used management practices that cause pain and stress predispose high-performance pigs reared in intensive systems to disease. In this context, antibiotics are used as part of the infrastructure that sustains health and high levels of production in pig farms. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global emergency affecting human and animal health, and the use of antibiotics (AMU) in intensive livestock farming is considered an important risk factor for the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria from animals to humans. Tackling the issue of AMR demands profound changes in AMU, e.g., reducing their use for prophylaxis and ending it for growth promotion. In support of such recommendations, we revise the link between animal welfare and AMU and argue that it is crucial to sustainably reduce AMU while ensuring that pigs can live happy lives. In support of such recommendations, we aimed to revise the link between animal welfare and AMU in pigs by analysing stress factors related to housing and management and their impact on pig welfare. In particular, we reviewed critical management practices that increase stress and, therefore, pigs’ susceptibility to disease and reduce the quality of life of pigs. We also reviewed some alternatives that can be adopted in pig farms to improve animal welfare and that go beyond the reduction in stress. By minimising environmental and management stressors, pigs can become more immunocompetent and prepared to overcome pathogenic challenges. This outcome can contribute to reducing AMU and the risk of AMR while simultaneously improving the quality of life of pigs and, ultimately, maintaining the pig industry’s social license.

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Sow Contact Is a Major Driver in the Development of the Nasal Microbiota of Piglets

Cited by 20 publications

References 55 publications

Environmental and maternal factors shaping tonsillar microbiota development in piglets

Environmental and maternal factors shaping tonsillar microbiota development in piglets

The piglet tonsillar microbiome and Streptococcus suis disease

Linking Animal Welfare and Antibiotic Use in Pig Farming—A Review

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