Composition of intestinal Enterobacteriaceae populations of healthy domestic pigs.
In this study, the Enterobacteriaceae microbiota, including their diversity as well as the distribution of haemolytic and virulence gene-harbouring Escherichia coli of 56-day-old healthy piglets, was characterized. Both the composition and the diversity of Enterobacteriaceae populations varied considerably between individual pigs and intestinal sections. E. coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii and Klebsiella pneumoniae dominated the Enterobacteriaceae microbiota. However, mucosa-associated Enterobacteriaceae were scarce or in some cases undetectable. The majority of E. coli clones from the jejunum were also found in the colon, with up to 10 different E. coli clones in one intestinal section. Other Enterobacteriaceae species were represented by only one clone localized to one intestinal section. While several piglets did not harbour virulence gene-positive or haemolytic E. coli, such strains dominated intestinal sections of other animals. This study reveals that the diversity of intestinal Enterobacteriaceae is clearly individual. In general, Enterobacteriaceae do not appear to be a consistent fraction of the microbiota of the jejunum. High numbers of adherent bacteria do not appear to be essential for successful intestinal colonization, and E. coli clones do not necessarily colonize distinct intestinal sections based on the particular phylogenetic affiliation. Furthermore, dominance of haemolytic or virulence gene-positive E. coli does not correlate with disease. Finally, probiotic Enterococcus faecium feed supplementation does not affect the Enterobacteriaceae microbiota.
Schierack
Peter
P
Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen, Freie Universität Berlin, Philippstr. 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
Walk
Nicole
N
Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen, Freie Universität Berlin, Philippstr. 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
Reiter
Katja
K
Institut für Veterinär-Anatomie, Freie Universität Berlin, Koserstr. 20, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
Weyrauch
Karl D
KD
Institut für Veterinär-Anatomie, Freie Universität Berlin, Koserstr. 20, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
Wieler
Lothar H
LH
Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen, Freie Universität Berlin, Philippstr. 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003106:Colon / Q000382:microbiology; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000254:growth & development; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000235:genetics; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000382:microbiology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins