Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis
Abstract Background Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease that commonly affects calves under 6 weeks old. The causative agent, Cryptosporidium parvum, has been associated with the abundance of specific taxa in the faecal microbiome during active infection. However, the long-term impact of these m...
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2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-024-00352-1 |
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| author | M. F. Hares B. E. Griffiths L. Barningham E. E. Vamos R. Gregory J. S. Duncan G. Oikonomou C. J. Stewart J. L. Coombes |
| author_facet | M. F. Hares B. E. Griffiths L. Barningham E. E. Vamos R. Gregory J. S. Duncan G. Oikonomou C. J. Stewart J. L. Coombes |
| author_sort | M. F. Hares |
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| description | Abstract Background Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease that commonly affects calves under 6 weeks old. The causative agent, Cryptosporidium parvum, has been associated with the abundance of specific taxa in the faecal microbiome during active infection. However, the long-term impact of these microbiome shifts, and potential effects on calf growth and health have not yet been explored in depth. Methods Three hundred and forty-six (346) calves from three dairy farms had one faecal swab collected during the first week of life (W1). Thereafter, sampled calves were monitored for diarrhoeal disease and those that suffered a diarrhoea event were tested for C. parvum by lateral flow testing (LFT). Calves that experienced diarrhoea and tested positive for C. parvum by LFT were assigned to the Cryptosporidium-positive (Cp+) group (n = 32). Matched healthy (H) controls with no history of diarrhoea were selected from the remaining cohort (n = 33). The selected subset of calves (n = 65) was observed until weaning, collecting a faecal swab, at approximately Week 5 (W5) and Week 10 (W10) after birth, resulting in a total of 191 samples (W1; n = 65, W5; n = 64, W10; n = 62). 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed on all extracted samples. Results Analysis of the longitudinal microbiome showed significant changes in the microbial diversity and composition across all three time-points. Whilst Firmicutes were elevated in the Cp+ group at W5 compared to the H group, no other significant differences were detected between H and Cp+ groups. Whilst the core microbiota showed some taxa were exclusive to each group, the role of these taxa in health and disease has yet to be determined. Antibiotics were also found to have an impact on the relative abundance of some taxa. Though healthy calves received a significantly higher body condition score than Cp+ calves at W5, the difference did not reach significance at W10, suggesting that Cp+ calves may catch up to their healthy counterparts once the infection has resolved. Conclusions The findings of this study illustrated the changes in the microbial diversity and composition during the preweaning period in dairy calves. The results also indicated that the faecal microbiome is not predictive of cryptosporidiosis and implied that cryptosporidiosis doesn’t cause long-term gut dysbiosis. This study furthered our understanding of the parasite-microbiome relationship and its impact on the bovine host. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c7e2c3c38ca8418db0cb9bbf3d5a3d982025-01-12T12:41:18ZengBMCAnimal Microbiome2524-46712025-01-017111810.1186/s42523-024-00352-1Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosisM. F. Hares0B. E. Griffiths1L. Barningham2E. E. Vamos3R. Gregory4J. S. Duncan5G. Oikonomou6C. J. Stewart7J. L. Coombes8Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolLivestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolCentre for Genomic Research, University of LiverpoolInfection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolInfection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolInfection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolLivestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle UniversitySchool of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon UniversityAbstract Background Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease that commonly affects calves under 6 weeks old. The causative agent, Cryptosporidium parvum, has been associated with the abundance of specific taxa in the faecal microbiome during active infection. However, the long-term impact of these microbiome shifts, and potential effects on calf growth and health have not yet been explored in depth. Methods Three hundred and forty-six (346) calves from three dairy farms had one faecal swab collected during the first week of life (W1). Thereafter, sampled calves were monitored for diarrhoeal disease and those that suffered a diarrhoea event were tested for C. parvum by lateral flow testing (LFT). Calves that experienced diarrhoea and tested positive for C. parvum by LFT were assigned to the Cryptosporidium-positive (Cp+) group (n = 32). Matched healthy (H) controls with no history of diarrhoea were selected from the remaining cohort (n = 33). The selected subset of calves (n = 65) was observed until weaning, collecting a faecal swab, at approximately Week 5 (W5) and Week 10 (W10) after birth, resulting in a total of 191 samples (W1; n = 65, W5; n = 64, W10; n = 62). 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed on all extracted samples. Results Analysis of the longitudinal microbiome showed significant changes in the microbial diversity and composition across all three time-points. Whilst Firmicutes were elevated in the Cp+ group at W5 compared to the H group, no other significant differences were detected between H and Cp+ groups. Whilst the core microbiota showed some taxa were exclusive to each group, the role of these taxa in health and disease has yet to be determined. Antibiotics were also found to have an impact on the relative abundance of some taxa. Though healthy calves received a significantly higher body condition score than Cp+ calves at W5, the difference did not reach significance at W10, suggesting that Cp+ calves may catch up to their healthy counterparts once the infection has resolved. Conclusions The findings of this study illustrated the changes in the microbial diversity and composition during the preweaning period in dairy calves. The results also indicated that the faecal microbiome is not predictive of cryptosporidiosis and implied that cryptosporidiosis doesn’t cause long-term gut dysbiosis. This study furthered our understanding of the parasite-microbiome relationship and its impact on the bovine host.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-024-00352-1Cryptosporidium parvumBovine cryptosporidiosisCalf diarrhoea/diarrheaLongitudinalFaecal/fecal microbiome16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing |
| spellingShingle | M. F. Hares B. E. Griffiths L. Barningham E. E. Vamos R. Gregory J. S. Duncan G. Oikonomou C. J. Stewart J. L. Coombes Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis Animal Microbiome Cryptosporidium parvum Bovine cryptosporidiosis Calf diarrhoea/diarrhea Longitudinal Faecal/fecal microbiome 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing |
| title | Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis |
| title_full | Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis |
| title_fullStr | Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis |
| title_short | Progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis |
| title_sort | progression of the faecal microbiome in preweaning dairy calves that develop cryptosporidiosis |
| topic | Cryptosporidium parvum Bovine cryptosporidiosis Calf diarrhoea/diarrhea Longitudinal Faecal/fecal microbiome 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-024-00352-1 |
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