Pottenger Sian, Watts Amyleigh, Wedley Amy, Jopson Sue, Darby Alistair C, Wigley Paul
Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Centre for Genomic Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Anim Microbiome. 2023 Feb 14;5(1):11. doi: 10.1186/s42523-023-00232-0.
Exposure to microbes early in life has long-lasting effects on microbial community structure and function of the microbiome. However, in commercial poultry settings chicks are reared as a single-age cohort with no exposure to adult birds which can have profound effects on microbiota development and subsequent pathogen challenge. Microbiota manipulation is a proven and promising strategy to help reduce pathogen load and transmission within broiler flocks. However, administration of microbiota transplant products in a hatchery setting may prove challenging. Effective administration strategies are dependent on key factors, such as; the age of chicks receiving interventions and mode of delivery. This study aimed to assess these two aspects to provide supporting evidence towards microbiome manipulation strategies for use in commercial hatcheries.
Manipulation of the microbiota between 4 and 72 h of hatch markedly reduced faecal shedding and colonisation with the foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST4/74). Administration of transplant material via spray or gel drop delivery systems had minimal effect on the protection conferred with fewer birds in transplant groups shown to shed ST4/74 in the faeces compared to PBS-gavaged control birds. Analysis of the microbiome following transplantation demonstrated that all transplant groups had higher diversity and species richness than non-transplant groups during the first week of life and the early stages of infection with ST47/4.The relative abundance of the bacterium Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was significantly higher in CMT groups compared to PBS controls. The presence of F. prausnitzii was also shown to increase in PBS-challenged birds compared to unchallenged birds potentially indicating a role of this bacterium in limiting Salmonella infections.
This study demonstrated that administration of microbiome transplants, using methods that would align with hatchery practices, effectively reduced colonisation and shedding of Salmonella in chickens. Age of chicks at microbiome administration had limited effect on the diversity and composition of the microbiome and conferred protection against Salmonella infections. Traditional hatchery delivery systems, such as spray or gel-drop, are sufficient to transfer donor material, alter the microbiome and confer protection against Salmonella. This study helps highlight the opportunity for use of microbiome modification methods within the hatchery.
生命早期接触微生物对微生物群落结构和微生物组功能具有长期影响。然而，在商业家禽养殖环境中，雏鸡作为单一龄期群体饲养，没有接触成年鸟类，这可能对微生物群发育和随后的病原体挑战产生深远影响。微生物群调控是一种已被证实且有前景的策略，有助于减少肉鸡群内的病原体负荷和传播。然而，在孵化场环境中施用微生物群移植产品可能具有挑战性。有效的施用策略取决于关键因素，例如接受干预的雏鸡年龄和递送方式。本研究旨在评估这两个方面，为商业孵化场使用的微生物组调控策略提供支持性证据。
在孵化后4至72小时之间对微生物群进行调控，显著减少了食源性病原体肠炎沙门氏菌鼠伤寒血清型（ST4/74）的粪便排泄和定植。通过喷雾或凝胶滴递送系统施用移植材料对所提供的保护作用影响最小，与经磷酸盐缓冲盐水灌胃的对照鸡相比，移植组中粪便中排出ST4/74的鸡只较少。移植后对微生物组的分析表明，在生命的第一周和感染ST47/4的早期阶段，所有移植组的多样性和物种丰富度均高于非移植组。与磷酸盐缓冲盐水对照组相比，CMT组中普拉梭菌的相对丰度显著更高。与未受挑战的鸡相比，在经磷酸盐缓冲盐水挑战的鸡中也显示普拉梭菌的存在增加，这可能表明该细菌在限制沙门氏菌感染中发挥作用。
本研究表明，使用与孵化场操作相符的方法施用微生物组移植，可有效减少鸡体内沙门氏菌的定植和排泄。施用微生物组时雏鸡的年龄对微生物组的多样性和组成影响有限，并赋予了对沙门氏菌感染的保护作用。传统的孵化场递送系统，如喷雾或凝胶滴，足以转移供体材料、改变微生物组并提供对沙门氏菌的保护。本研究有助于凸显在孵化场内使用微生物组修饰方法的机会。
