Assessment of clinical and microbiota responses to fecal microbial transplantation in adult horses with diarrhea

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244381
• Publication Date: 2021-01-14T19:26:32Z
• Authors: Caroline A. McKinney; Daniela Bedenice; Ana P. Pacheco; Bruno C. M. Oliveira; Mary-Rose Paradis; Melissa Mazan; Giovanni Widmer
• Keywords: Diarrhea; 2. Zero hunger; Principal Component Analysis; Science; Microbiota; Q; R; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; Colitis; Severity of Illness Index; 3. Good health; 0403 veterinary science; Disease Models, Animal; Feces; Case-Control Studies; Medicine; Animals; Horses; Research Article

Background and aims Fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) is empirically implemented in horses with colitis to facilitate resolution of diarrhea. The purpose this study was assess FMT as a clinical treatment modulator fecal microbiota hospitalized colitis. Methods A total 22 moderate severe diarrhea, consistent diagnosis colitis, were enrolled at two referral hospitals (L1: n = 12; L2: 10). performed all 12 patients on 3 consecutive days L1, while L2 consisted standard care without FMT. Manure collected once daily for 4 from the rectum horses, prior each manure sample used samples 10 clinically healthy control housed L2, 30 located 5 barns regional proximity L1 also obtained characterize equine microbiome. All analyzed using 16S amplicon sequencing. Results conclusions As expected, both locations showed greater α-diversity lower β-diversity compared microbiome clustered by location, showing higher prevalence Kiritimatiellaeota. Improved consistency (lower diarrhea score) associated r -0.385, P 0.006; -0.479, 0.002). transplant recipients demonstrated overall reduction score (median: 4±3 grades), untreated 1.5±3 grades, 0.021), incidence day-over-day improvement (22/36 (61%) vs. 10/28 (36%) instances, 0.011). When comparing diseased conclusion that controls, FMT-treated mean UniFrac distance (0.53±0.27) than (0.62±0.26, P<0.001), indicating normalization patients.