The Effect of Experimental Fusarium Mycotoxicosis on Microbiota Diversity in Porcine Ascending Colon Contents

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of exposure of pigs to the Fusarium mycotoxins zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON), administered together and separately, on the colon microbiota. An experiment was conducted for 42 days on gilts, randomly assigned to four groups and administered either ZEN, DON, ZEN+DON, or a placebo. The number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, yeasts, molds, anaerobic Clostridium perfringens, fecal streptococci, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were determined in the contents of the ascending colon. The influence of mycotoxins on the functional diversity of the colonic microbiota was assessed using EcoPlate tests (Biolog). Analysis revealed the predominance of LAB in all groups of pigs. Zearalenone, administered separately and together with DON, was found to have an adverse effect on mesophilic aerobic bacteria, but only after long exposure to this mycotoxin. During the six weeks of the experiment, the concentration of C. perfringens, E. coli, and other bacteria in the family Enterobacteriaceae was most considerably reduced in the experimental groups exposed to zearalenone, both separately and together with DON. Mycotoxins also affected the functional biodiversity of microorganisms. Both Shannon’s diversity index and the number of catabolized substrates in Biolog plate (the R index) were much higher in the group subjected to mixed mycotoxicosis.

The genotoxicity of caecal water from gilts following experimentally induced Fusarium mycotoxicosis

“…ZEN administered separately and together with DON, was found to have an adverse effect on mesophilic aerobic bacteria, but only after long exposure to this mycotoxin. During the six weeks of the experiment, the amount of Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli was most considerably reduced in the experimental groups exposed to zearalenone, both separately and together with DON (Piotrowska et al 2014).…”

Effect of deoxynivalenol on the levels of toll-like receptors 2 and 9 and their mRNA expression in enterocytes in the porcine large intestine: a preliminary study

“…Our findings suggest that DON is able to modify the expression of TLR2 and TLR9 mRNA in vivo. The analyzed mycotoxin decomposes intestinal microflora (Piotrowska et al 2014), decreases TEER and increases intestinal permeability (Pinton and Oswald 2014), which could indicate that it induces and/or exacerbates immune disorders characteristic of IBD. Our results are relevant for future research which should focus on mycotoxin influence on the family of TLR proteins and the profile of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the gastrointestinal tract.…”

Effect of fosfomycin,Cynara scolymusextract, deoxynivalenol and their combinations on intestinal health of weaned piglets

“…LAB populations were not affected by none of the treatments in any of the intestine portions studied. Natural resistance of LAB strains to antibiotics and bile salts, increased by CSE consumption, has been largely demonstrated (17,60–62), The influence of mycotoxins on intestinal microbiota of pigs have been poorly investigated. Available data on the interaction of mycotoxins with bacteria are mainly related to the ability of the intestinal microbiota to detoxify mycotoxins (63–67,24).…”

“…Among weaning stress factors, the presence of anti-nutritional compounds in feed, such as mycotoxins, negatively influences the productive performance of animals. Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, being pigs the most susceptible species to its toxic effects (16,17). Formerly DON was also called vomitoxin, referring to its emetic effect (18,19).…”