Equine Internal Medicine Resident, PhD Student University of Liège LIEGE, Belgium
Abstract:
Background: Publications assessing changes in fecal microbiota during hospitalization of horses with colic are in their early stages.
Objectives: To investigate the dynamics of fecal microbiota during hospitalization of horses with different types of colic, and its association with outcome (mortality). Animals: horses hospitalized for more than 5 days for different types of colic: inflammatory (INFL), simple (SIMPLE) and strangulated obstructions (STR).
Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out, with fecal samples collected on days 1 (admission), 3 and 5 of hospitalization. Bacterial taxonomy profiling was obtained by DNA sequencing (at the genus level). Data were statistically compared between groups (2-way ANOVA) and LEfSE analysis to identify bacteria significantly different between groups (p < 0.05).
Results: 23 horses (9 INFL, 9 SIMPLE, 5 STR) were included. INFL group (all presenting diarrhea) had greater richness (p=0.0075) and diversity (Shannon, p=0.0001) than other colic types on day 5, but no differences were found during hospitalization within each colic group. Compositional analysis of bacterial membership was significantly different in the INFL group in regard to SIMPLE and STR (p < 0.001). Treponema was more abundant in the INFL group and unclassified Acidaminococcaceae in the SIMPLE group. Furthermore, beta diversity membership was statistically different in survivors (p=0.001). Increased relative abundances of Bacilliculturomica and Saccharofermentans were associated with survival.
Conclusions: The fecal microbiota of horses with colic seems more influenced by the nature of the digestive disease than by time of hospitalization. Further studies are necessary to predict severity and mortality of horses with colic.
