Gut microbiota features associated with Clostridioides difficile colonization in puppies

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Microbiology
• Microbiome Research
• Canine Health

Background:

• Clostridioides difficile causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea in humans, linked to gut microbiome alterations.
• The gut microbiota features associated with C. difficile colonization in dogs are not well understood.
• Puppies have an elevated prevalence of C. difficile, making them a key population for study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define gut microbiota features associated with C. difficile colonization in puppies.
• To investigate the influence of puppy age and litter on these features and C. difficile risk.
• To explore potential mechanisms for colonization resistance in the canine gut microbiome.

Main Methods:

• Fecal samples were collected from 101 puppies (74 unweaned, 27 weaned) across 13 litters.
• Bacterial community diversity and differential abundance of taxa were analyzed.
• Linear mixed effects models were used to assess the effects of colonization status, age, and litter.

Main Results:

• C. difficile colonization was significantly associated with younger puppy age.
• Colonized puppies exhibited decreased bacterial community diversity and altered taxa compared to non-colonized puppies.
• While litter explained significant variability in microbial diversity, within-litter heterogeneity in colonization and diversity was observed.

Conclusions:

• Younger age and reduced gut microbial diversity are key features associated with C. difficile colonization in puppies.
• The gut microbiome plays a role in colonization resistance against C. difficile in puppies.
• Findings have implications for understanding C. difficile transmission and developing mitigation strategies, including potential zoonotic transfer to humans.