The role of Helicobacter suis, Fusobacterium gastrosuis, and the pars oesophageal microbiota in gastric ulceration in slaughter pigs receiving meal or pelleted feed

This study investigated the role of causative infectious agents in ulceration of the non-glandular part of the porcine stomach (pars oesophagea). In total, 150 stomachs from slaughter pigs were included, 75 from pigs that received a meal feed, 75 from pigs that received an equivalent pelleted feed with a smaller particle size. Thepars oesophagea was macroscopically examined after slaughter. (q)PCR assays forH. suis,F. gastrosuis andH. pylori-like organisms were performed, as well as16S rRNA sequencing forpars oesophagea microbiome analyses. All 150 pig stomachs showed lesions.F. gastrosuis was detected in 115 cases (77%) andH. suis in 117 cases (78%), with 92 cases (61%) of co-infection;H. pylori-like organisms were detected in one case. Higher infectious loads ofH. suis increased the odds of severe gastric lesions (OR  = 1.14,p = 0.038), while the presence ofH. suis infection in the pyloric gland zone increased the probability of pars oesophageal erosions [16.4% (95%  CI 0.6–32.2%)]. The causal effect ofH. suis was mediated by decreased pars oesophageal microbiome diversity [ −1.9% (95% CI − 5.0–1.2%)], increased abundances ofVeillonella andCampylobacter spp., and decreased abundances ofLactobacillus,Escherichia-Shigella, andEnterobacteriaceae spp. Higher infectious loads ofF. gastrosuis in thepars oesophagea decreased the odds of severe gastric lesions (OR  = 0.8,p = 0.0014). Feed pelleting had no significant impact on the prevalence of severe gas...
Source: Veterinary Research - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research