Evolution of Pig Fecal Microbiota Composition and Diversity in Response to Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Infection and Colistin Treatment in Weaned Piglets

The intestinal microbiota plays several important roles in pig health and growth. The aim of the current study was to characterize the changes in the fecal microbiota diversity and composition of weaned piglets following an oral challenge with an ETEC: F4 strain and/or a treatment with colistin sulfate (CS). Twenty-eight piglets were used in this experiment and were divided into four groups: challenged untreated, challenged treated, unchallenged treated, and unchallenged untreated. Rectal swab samples were collected at five sampling times throughout the study. Total genomic DNA was used to assess the fecal microbiota diversity and composition using the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The relative abundance, the composition, and the community structure of piglet fecal microbiota was highly affected by the ETEC: F4 challenge throughout the experiment, while the oral treatment with CS, a narrow spectrum antibiotic, resulted in a significant decrease of E. coli/Shigella populations during the treatment period only. This study was the first to identify some gut microbiota subgroups (e.g., Streptococcus, Lachnospiraceae) that are associated with healthy piglets as compared to ETEC: F4 challenged animals. These key findings might contribute to the development of alternative strategies to reduce the use of antimicrobials in the control of post-weaning diarrhea in pigs.

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Impact of Phellinus gilvus mycelia on growth, immunity and fecal microbiota in weaned piglets

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.9067 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. e9067

Author(s):

Yuqing Sun ◽

Shi Zhong ◽

Bo Deng ◽

Qinsheng Jin ◽

Jie Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Treatment Group ◽

Basal Diet ◽

16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Weaned Piglets ◽

Treatment Groups ◽

E Coli ◽

Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

Microbiota Structure

Background Antibiotics are the most commonly used growth-promoting additives in pig feed especially for weaned piglets. But in recent years their use has been restricted because of bacterial resistance. Phellinus, a genus of medicinal fungi, is widely used in Asia to treat gastroenteric dysfunction, hemrrhage, and tumors. Phellinus is reported to improve body weight on mice with colitis. Therefore, we hypothesize that it could benefit the health and growth of piglets, and could be used as an alternative to antibiotic. Here, the effect of Phellinus gilvus mycelia (SH) and antibiotic growth promoter (ATB) were investigated on weaned piglets. Methods A total of 72 crossbred piglets were randomly assigned to three dietary treatment groups (n = 4 pens per treatment group with six piglets per pen). The control group was fed basal diet; the SH treatment group was fed basal diet containing 5 g/kg SH; the ATB treatment group was feed basal diet containing 75 mg/kg aureomycin and 20 mg/kg kitasamycin. The experiment period was 28 days. Average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed intake to gain ratio were calculated. The concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in serum were assessed. Viable plate counts of Escherichia coli in feces were measured. Fecal microbiota was analyzed via the 16S rRNA gene sequencing method. Results The ADG (1–28 day) of piglets was significantly higher in SH and ATB treatment groups (P < 0.05) compared to the control, and the ADG did not show significant difference between SH and ATB treatment groups (P > 0.05). Both SH and ATB treatments increased the MPO, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels in serum compared to the control (P < 0.05), but the levels in SH group were all significantly higher than in the ATB group (P < 0.05). Fecal microbiological analysis showed that viable E. coli counts were dramatically decreased by SH and ATB. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis showed that ATB shifted the microbiota structure drastically, and significantly increased the relative abundance of Prevotella, Megasphaera, and Faecalibacterium genera. But SH slightly influenced the microbiota structure, and only increased the relative abundance of Alloprevotella genus. Conclusion Our work demonstrated that though SH slightly influenced the microbiota structure, it markedly reduced the fecal E. coli population, and improved growth and innate immunity in piglets. Our finding suggested that SH could be an alternative to ATB in piglet feed.

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A Comparative Study of the Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli Population and Gut Microbiota of Healthy Vegans versus Omnivores

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms8081165 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. 1165

Author(s):

Rebecca Veca ◽

Christian O’Dea ◽

Jarred Burke ◽

Eva Hatje ◽

Anna Kuballa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Random Amplified Polymorphic Dna ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Vegan Diet ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

E Coli ◽

Abundance And Diversity ◽

The Individual ◽

Diversity Profiles

Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) strains carry virulence genes (VGs) which are rarely found in strains other than E. coli. These strains are abundantly found in gut mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, it is not clear whether their prevalence in the gut is affected by the diet of the individual. Therefore, in this study, we compared the population structure of E. coli and the prevalence of AIEC as well as the composition of gut microbiota in fecal samples of healthy participants (n = 61) on either a vegan (n = 34) or omnivore (n = 27) diet to determine whether diet is associated with the presence of AIEC. From each participant, 28 colonies of E. coli were typed using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD)–PCR. A representative of each common type within an individual was tested for the presence of six AIEC-associated VGs. Whole genomic DNA of the gut microbiota was also analyzed for its diversity profiles, utilizing the V5-V6 region of the16S rRNA gene sequence. There were no significant differences in the abundance and diversity of E. coli between the two diet groups. The occurrence of AIEC-associated VGs was also similar among the two groups. However, the diversity of fecal microbiota in vegans was generally higher than omnivores, with Prevotella and Bacteroides dominant in both groups. Whilst 88 microbial taxa were present in both diet groups, 28 taxa were unique to vegans, compared to seven unique taxa in the omnivores. Our results indicate that a vegan diet may not affect the number and diversity of E. coli populations and AIEC prevalence compared to omnivores. The dominance of Prevotella and Bacteroides among omnivores might be accounted for the effect of diet in these groups.

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Epidemiology of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection in Minnesota, 2016–2017

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268820001934 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 148 ◽

Author(s):

S. Buuck ◽

K. Smith ◽

R. C. Fowler ◽

E. Cebelinski ◽

V. Lappi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Stool Culture ◽

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli ◽

Culture Methods ◽

E Coli ◽

Case Comparison ◽

Culture Independent ◽

The Usa ◽

Escherichia Coli Infection ◽

Traveller’S Diarrhoea

Abstract Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a well-established cause of traveller's diarrhoea and occasional domestic foodborne illness outbreaks in the USA. Although ETEC are not detected by conventional stool culture methods used in clinical laboratories, syndromic culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) capable of detecting ETEC have become increasingly prevalent in the last decade. This study describes the epidemiology of ETEC infections reported to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) during 2016–2017. ETEC-positive stool specimens were submitted to MDH to confirm the presence of ETEC DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cases were interviewed to ascertain illness and exposures. Contemporaneous Salmonella cases were used as a comparison group in a case-case comparison analysis of risk factors. Of 222 ETEC-positive specimens received by MDH, 108 (49%) were concordant by PCR. ETEC was the sixth most frequently reported bacterial enteric pathogen among a subset of CIDT-positive specimens. Sixty-nine (64%) laboratory-confirmed cases had an additional pathogen codetected with ETEC, including enteroaggregative E. coli (n = 40) and enteropathogenic E. coli (n = 39). Although travel is a risk factor for ETEC infection, only 43% of cases travelled internationally, providing evidence for ETEC as an underestimated source of domestically acquired enteric illness in the USA.

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137 Effects of micro-encapsulated formula of organic acids and essential oils on performance and gut integrity of weaned piglets challenged with ETEC K88

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz122.142 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 77-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yetong Xu ◽

Ludovic Lahaye ◽

Zhengxiao He ◽

Jinxiao Zhang ◽

Chengbo Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Acids ◽

Essential Oils ◽

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli ◽

Weaned Piglets ◽

Large White ◽

E Coli ◽

Intestinal Integrity ◽

Zonula Occludens ◽

Level Of Significance ◽

Range Test

Abstract Control of post-weaning scours is a major concern in pig production. This study intended to evaluate the effects of a selected formula of micro-encapsulated organic acids and essential oils [P(OA+EO)] on performance and intestinal integrity of weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC-K88). A three-wk cage study was conducted using 30 crossbred (Duroc×Landrace×Large-White) 28 days old weaned barrows with initial body weight of 7.41 kg individually housed in metabolic cages with six replications randomly assigned to one of the following five treatments: PC) non-challenged control; NC) ETEC-K88-challenged control; FA): NC + 50 mg/kg kitasamycin + 100 ppm olaquindox + 5 kg/t Free acids; P1): NC + 50 mg/kg kitasamycin + 100 ppm olaquindox + 1 kg/t P(OA+EO) (Jefo, Canada); and P2): NC + 50 mg/kg kitasamycin + 100 ppm olaquindox + 2 kg/t P(OA+EO). Pigs of groups NC, FA, P1 and P2 received an oral dose of 10 mL of ETEC-K88 culture (1×109 CFU/mL) at d 7. Data were subjected to statistical analyses (GLM procedure, SAS). Differences among treatments were separated using Student-Newman-Keul’s range test with a level of significance at P ≤ 0.05. Supplementation of FA and P(OA+EO) tended (P = 0.06) to improve ADG over NC in the two weeks after challenge (424, 486 and 529 g for FA, P1 and P2 respectively vs 390 g for NC). P1 significantly (P < 0.05) improved G:F over NC and FA. One week after challenge, P1 had significantly (P < 0.05) higher ileal occludin protein expression compared to NC, FA and P2. Ileal Zonula occludens-1 expression was decreased (P < 0.05) in NC, while there was no difference between PC and P1 (Table 1). In conclusion, the formula of [P(OA+EO)] could improve growth performance and intestinal integrity of weaned piglets facing E. coli challenge.

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Temporal dynamics of the fecal microbiota in veal calves in a 6-month field trial

10.21203/rs.3.rs-22572/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Méril Massot ◽

Marisa Haenni ◽

Thu Thuy Nguyen ◽

Jean-Yves Madec ◽

France Mentré ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Treatment ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Milk Powder ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Mixed Effect ◽

E Coli ◽

Intensive Farming ◽

Α Diversity ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Little is known about gut maturation of calves in veal farms, in which animals are confined under intensive-farming conditions and the administration of collective antibiotic treatment in feed is common. We conducted a field study on 45 calves starting seven days after their arrival in three veal farms. We collected monthly fecal samples over six months and performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR of Escherichia coli to follow the dynamics of their fecal microbiota, including that of their commensal E. coli populations. We used mixed-effect models to characterize the dynamics of α-diversity indices and numbers of E. coli. We searched for an effect of collective antibiotic treatments on the estimated parameters of these models. On two farms, we searched for associations between recommended daily doses of milk powder and bacterial abundance. Results Time had a significant effect on microbiota composition. There was high heterogeneity between calves upon their arrival at the farms, followed by an increase in similarity, starting at the end of the first month. From the second month, 16 genera were detected at each sampling in all calves until the end of fattening, and represented a large fraction of their microbiota. Shannon index showed a two-phase increase, the pivotal shift occurring at the end of the first month. Calves receiving antibiotics had a less diverse microbiota and a smaller number of E. coli during the treatment and in the 15 days following it than unexposed calves, although these effects were limited in intensity. There were moderate to strong positive associations between the dose of milk powder and the relative abundances of four genera and the number of E. coli.Conclusions This observational study shows early homogenization of the developing microbiota of calves reared under intensive-farming conditions and positive associations between the dose of milk powder and four genera of their microbiota. It suggests that administration of collective antibiotic treatment results in a limited reduction of diversity and size of the E. coli population and highlights the need for additional work to fully understand the impact of antibiotic treatment in the context of the veal industry.

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Ingestion of organic acids and cinnamaldehyde improves tissue homeostasis of piglets exposed to enterotoxic Escherichia coli (ETEC)

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa012 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Milton J Jiménez ◽

Roger Berrios ◽

Sabine Stelzhammer ◽

Miriam Hohmann ◽

Waldiceu Verri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Organic Acids ◽

Radical Scavenging ◽

Basal Diet ◽

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli ◽

Intestinal Cell ◽

Standard Diet ◽

Weaned Piglets ◽

E Coli ◽

The Impact

Abstract Organic acids (OA) and phytogenic compounds have been used in pig feeding as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. However, few studies have evaluated the systemic effect of the combination of these additives. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an organic acid-based feed additive (OAFA), containing a blend of OA and cinnamaldehyde, on the tissue integrity of bacterially challenged piglets. Thirty weaned piglets 21 d old were used in a 19-d trial. Pigs received a standard diet during the first 7 d and afterward were allotted to five treatments. Dietary treatments were: Control (basal diet), Escherichia coli (basal diet and challenge with E. coli), colistin (basal diet + 200 mg colistin/kg feed + challenge with E. coli), OAFA1 (basal diet + 1 kg OAFA/ton feed + challenge with E. coli), and OAFA2 (basal diet + 2 kg OAFA/ton feed + challenge with E. coli). Seven days after the beginning of the treatment, the animals were challenged with an enterotoxic strain of E. coli (K88) for pigs. Five days after the challenge, all animals were euthanized for tissue sampling for histological and oxidative stress (intestine and liver) analysis. The reduced glutathione (GSH), ferric-reducing ability potential (FRAP), and free-radical scavenging ability (ABTS) assays were used to evaluate the intestinal antioxidant defense. Lipid peroxidation and superoxide anion production were evaluated through the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction assay, respectively. Animals fed the OAFA (1 and 2) diets had a decrease (P < 0.05) on histological changes in the intestine, liver, mesenteric lymph nodes, and spleen. Greater villus height (VH) and a higher ratio of VH to crypt depth (CD) were observed in animals of the OAFA2 group compared with the control and E. coli groups. The colistin and OAFA groups decreased (P < 0.05) the number of inflammatory cells in intestinal lamina propria. OAFA2 group increased (P < 0.05) intestinal cell proliferation. Colistin and OAFA2 supplementation induced a decrease (P < 0.05) in the levels of TBARS in both the intestine and liver compared with the E. coli group. In addition, an increase (P < 0.05) in GSH and FRAP ileal levels was observed in the OAFA2 group compared with E. coli group. These results show that the supplementation with OAFA in the diet of weaned piglets, especially at a dose of 2 kg/ton (OAFA2) protected tissues against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) damage.

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Fate of CMY-2-Encoding Plasmids Introduced into the Human Fecal Microbiota by Exogenous Escherichia coli

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.02528-18 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 63 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Mehreen Anjum ◽

Jonas Stenløkke Madsen ◽

Joseph Nesme ◽

Bimal Jana ◽

Maria Wiese ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Fluorescent Protein ◽

Hot Spot ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Plasmid Transfer ◽

Poultry Meat ◽

Animal Origin ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Content Type ◽

E Coli

ABSTRACT The gut is a hot spot for transfer of antibiotic resistance genes from ingested exogenous bacteria to the indigenous microbiota. The objective of this study was to determine the fate of two nearly identical blaCMY-2-harboring plasmids introduced into the human fecal microbiota by two Escherichia coli strains isolated from a human and from poultry meat. The chromosome and the CMY-2-encoding plasmid of both strains were labeled with distinct fluorescent markers (mCherry and green fluorescent protein [GFP]), allowing fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-based tracking of the strain and the resident bacteria that have acquired its plasmid. Each strain was introduced into an established in vitro gut model (CoMiniGut) inoculated with individual feces from ten healthy volunteers. Fecal samples collected 2, 6, and 24 h after strain inoculation were analyzed by FACS and plate counts. Although the human strain survived better than the poultry meat strain, both strains transferred their plasmids to the fecal microbiota at concentrations as low as 102 CFU/ml. Strain survival and plasmid transfer varied significantly depending on inoculum concentration and individual fecal microbiota. Identification of transconjugants by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) revealed that the plasmids were predominantly acquired by Enterobacteriaceae species, such as E. coli and Hafnia alvei. Our experimental data demonstrate that exogenous E. coli of human or animal origin can readily transfer CMY-2-encoding IncI1 plasmids to the human fecal microbiota. Small amounts of the exogenous strain are sufficient to ensure plasmid transfer if the strain is able to survive the gastric environment.

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Experimental infection of weaned piglets with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli O149:F4

Acta Veterinaria Brno ◽

10.2754/avb201180040337 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 80 (4) ◽

pp. 337-341 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Pavel Alexa ◽

Jaroslav Hamřík ◽

Lucie Konstantinová ◽

Zuzana Šrámková-Zajacová

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Clinical Course ◽

The Other ◽

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli ◽

Weaned Piglets ◽

Severe Diarrhoea ◽

Inflammatory Lesions ◽

Challenge Strain ◽

E Coli ◽

Causative Factors

EnterotoxigenicEscherichia coliis an important enteric pathogen causing post-weaning diarrhoea in piglets. Enterotoxins ofE. coliinduce the release of fluid into the intestines without apparent inflammation. Some serotypes ofE. coli, especially O149:F4 can often be identified in association with haemorrhagic gastroenteritis. In this study we infected the weaned piglets (n = 53) by oral administration of enterotoxigenicE. coliO149:F4 strains isolated from piglets suffering from haemorrhagic gastroenteritis. The clinical course of infection and shedding of the challengeE. colistrain in the faeces of infected piglets was monitored for 14 days. The challenge strain soon outnumbered the otherE. colitypes in the intestines of most piglets. Diarrhoea developed in the majority of piglets and its severity varied. Severe diarrhoea was observed in 10% of the piglets but only one piglet died due to dehydration. No inflammatory lesions were detected in the intestines of the dead piglet and the other euthanized piglets. We assume that development of haemorrhagic gastroenteritis depends on the involvement of other factors that need to be identified.E. coliO149:F4 are only one of the causative factors of haemorrhagic gastroenteritis in piglets after weaning.

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Virulence profiles of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from piglets with post-weaning diarrhea and classification according to fecal consistency

Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0100-736x2016000400001 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 253-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

José Paulo H. Sato ◽

Karine L. Takeuti ◽

Mariana R. Andrade ◽

Priscilla K.V. Koerich ◽

Vinícius Tagliari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Statistical Analysis ◽

Virulence Factors ◽

Molecular Techniques ◽

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Weaned Piglets ◽

Bacterial Isolation ◽

E Coli

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and association of virulence factors of Escherichia (E.) coli isolated from weaned piglets with diarrhea and to correlate it with fecal consistency. A total of 152 rectal swabs were collected from 25-40 day-old piglets with diarrhea, in farms of Southern Brazil. Phenotypical and molecular techniques were used for bacterial isolation, characterization and classification of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) pathotypes. Statistical analysis was carried out to determine the frequency of virulence factors and virotypes, of fimbriae F4, F5, F6, F18, F41 and toxins LT, STa, STb and STx2e. Out of 456 E. coli isolates, 287 (62.9%) samples showed significant growth of E. coli. Among them, 194 (67.6%) samples showed at least one virulence factor, indicating that ETEC is an important etiological agent of diarrhea in weaned piglets. Higher frequencies were found of fimbria F4 and F18 and enterotoxins LT, STa and STb. Significant association was found to F4, LT, STa and STb; between F18 and STa and STx2e; between F5 and LT, STa and STb. The most frequent virotypes were F18-STa, F4-LT-STa-STb, F4-STa, F4-LT-STb and F18-STa-STx2e. Beta-hemolysis was observed in 47.4% of samples and there was significant association between hemolytic samples and virulence factors F4, F18, STa and STx2e. Regarding fecal consistency, there was significant association of liquid feces and F4 fimbria, STa toxin and virotypes F4-STa and F4-F5-LT-STa-STb. Since there was significant association of ETEC and liquid feces in nursery piglets, it is important to prioritize the sampling of liquid feces for the diagnosis etiologic cause of diarrhea.

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141 Supplementation of Bacillus subtilis modified fecal microbiota of weaning pigs experimentally infected with pathogenic E. coli

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz122.147 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 81-81

Author(s):

Cynthia Jinno ◽

Kwangwook Kim ◽

Minho Song ◽

Peng Ji ◽

Elizabeth Maga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Subtilis ◽

Compositional Data ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Post Inoculation ◽

Double Dose ◽

E Coli ◽

Shannon Diversity ◽

D 12

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to investigate the influence of Bacillus subtilis supplements on fecal microbiota of pigs experimentally infected with F-18 E. coli. Forty-eight pigs (6.73 ± 0.77 kg BW) were individually housed in disease containment rooms and randomly allotted to one of four treatments with 12 replicate pigs per treatment. Four treatments included negative control (NC), positive control (PC), single dose probiotics, and double dose probiotics. Pigs in the NC and PC groups were fed with basal diet but without or with E. coli challenge, respectively. Pigs in the probiotics groups were fed the diets either supplemented with 1.28 × 109 CFU or 2.56 × 109 CFU Bacillus subtilis/kg feed and challenged with E. coli. The experiment lasted 18 d with 7 d before and 11 d after the first E. coli inoculation (d 0). Fecal samples were collected on d 5 and d 12 post inoculation (PI) and fecal microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing at the V4 hypervariable region and compositional data was analyzed using QIIME2 (2016.6). Pigs in the NC group had less (P < 0.05) Shannon diversity index than pigs in the other groups on d 5 PI, but no difference was observed in Shannon diversity among all treatment groups on d 12 PI. Bray Curtis PCoA analysis displayed that pigs in both probiotics group were separately clustered from the NC and PC groups on d 5 PI. Supplementation of single or double dose probiotics reduced (P < 0.05) the abundance of fecal Firmicutes compared with NC and PC. Within this phylum, the abundance of Lachnospiraceae was increased (P < 0.05), but the abundance of Lactobacillaceae and Streptococcaceae was decreased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of Bacillus subtilis could modify gut microbiota of weaned pigs challenged with F18 E. coli.

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