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The Effect of Necrotic Enteritis Challenge on Production Performance, Cecal Microbiome, and Cecal Tonsil
Gabriel Akerele1, Walid G Al Hakeem1, Jeferson Lourenco2
1Department of Poultry Science, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 26, 2022
Summary
Necrotic enteritis (NE) in broiler chickens significantly reduces weight gain and increases mortality. This infection disrupts the gut microbiome, decreasing beneficial bacteria and increasing gut permeability, impacting overall bird health.
Area of Science:
- Poultry Science
- Animal Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a significant enteric disease in broiler chickens.
- It causes substantial economic losses due to reduced performance and increased mortality.
- Understanding NE's impact on gut health and host response is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of experimental NE infection on broiler production performance.
- To analyze the alterations in the gut microbiome composition during NE.
- To examine the changes in the cecal tonsil transcriptome in response to NE.
Main Methods:
- Broiler chickens were experimentally infected with Eimeria maxima and Clostridium perfringens to induce NE.
- Production parameters (weight gain, mortality) were monitored.
- Gut permeability, bacterial load, oocyst shedding, and gut microbiome composition were assessed.
- Cecal tonsil gene expression was analyzed using transcriptomics.
Main Results:
- NE challenge significantly increased NE lesion scores, mortality, and Eimeria oocyst shedding.
- Average weight gain was decreased, while gut permeability and ileal C. perfringens load were increased.
- The gut microbiome shifted, with decreased Lactobacillaceae and increased Campylobacteriaceae, Comamonadaceae, and Ruminococcaceae.
- NE upregulated immune response genes and downregulated lipid metabolism genes in the cecal tonsils.
Conclusions:
- Experimental NE infection negatively impacts broiler production performance.
- NE significantly alters the gut microbiome, reducing beneficial bacteria and increasing opportunistic pathogens.
- The study highlights increased gut permeability and specific transcriptomic changes associated with NE infection.
