{"title":"The role of gut microbiota in the health and disease of pigs","authors":"J. Fouhse, R. Zijlstra, B. Willing","doi":"10.2527/AF.2016-0031","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The pig intestine is home to a dynamic microbial population that forms a complex ecosystem and has a symbiotic relationship with the host. The population of gut microbes, or microbiota, plays key roles in maintaining nutritional, physiological, and immunological functions of the pig (Lee and Mazmanian, 2010; Brestoff and Artis, 2013). However, this microbial population also includes disease-causing organisms such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Clostridia. These pathogenic organisms can cause substantial morbidity and mortality; thus, prophylactic use of antibiotics has been common in livestock industries. Disturbances in the gut microbial ecosystem during the rearing of pigs can dramatically increase risk of disease. To meet production goals in the swine industry, piglets are weaned early, before a stable microbial population is established and the immune system is mature. Stress at weaning further disrupts the gut microbial ecosystem (Konstantinov et al., 2006), increasing susceptibility to bacterial post-weaning diarrhea (Lallès et al., 2004). The use of prophylactic antibiotics tends to balance these disturbances, decreasing incidence of gastrointestinal disease, particularly at weaning. Widespread use of prophylactic and growth-promoting antibiotics has increased selective pressure for anti-microbial resistant bacteria and is now a major public health concern (Dibner and Richards, 2005). Using current knowledge of the host–microbial relationship, strategies including the use of prebiotics, highly fermentable carbohydrate cereal grains, probiotics, and (or) microbial transplants may promote animal health and reduce the need for antibiotic use. However, future research must quantitatively and qualitatively define the composition and function of a ‘healthy’ pig gut microbiota to successfully implement such strategies.","PeriodicalId":48645,"journal":{"name":"Animal Frontiers","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2016-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2527/AF.2016-0031","citationCount":"158","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Animal Frontiers","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2527/AF.2016-0031","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 158
Abstract
The pig intestine is home to a dynamic microbial population that forms a complex ecosystem and has a symbiotic relationship with the host. The population of gut microbes, or microbiota, plays key roles in maintaining nutritional, physiological, and immunological functions of the pig (Lee and Mazmanian, 2010; Brestoff and Artis, 2013). However, this microbial population also includes disease-causing organisms such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Clostridia. These pathogenic organisms can cause substantial morbidity and mortality; thus, prophylactic use of antibiotics has been common in livestock industries. Disturbances in the gut microbial ecosystem during the rearing of pigs can dramatically increase risk of disease. To meet production goals in the swine industry, piglets are weaned early, before a stable microbial population is established and the immune system is mature. Stress at weaning further disrupts the gut microbial ecosystem (Konstantinov et al., 2006), increasing susceptibility to bacterial post-weaning diarrhea (Lallès et al., 2004). The use of prophylactic antibiotics tends to balance these disturbances, decreasing incidence of gastrointestinal disease, particularly at weaning. Widespread use of prophylactic and growth-promoting antibiotics has increased selective pressure for anti-microbial resistant bacteria and is now a major public health concern (Dibner and Richards, 2005). Using current knowledge of the host–microbial relationship, strategies including the use of prebiotics, highly fermentable carbohydrate cereal grains, probiotics, and (or) microbial transplants may promote animal health and reduce the need for antibiotic use. However, future research must quantitatively and qualitatively define the composition and function of a ‘healthy’ pig gut microbiota to successfully implement such strategies.
期刊介绍:
Animal Frontiers is the official journal of the following globally active professional animal science societies:
ASAS, the American Society of Animal Science
CSAS, the Canadian Society of Animal Science
EAAP, the European Federation of Animal Science
AMSA, the American Meat Science Association
These organizations are dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of science-based knowledge concerning animal agriculture. Animal Frontiers provides a novel forum for innovative and timely perspectives that have relevance to understanding the complex dynamics at work through animal agriculture. Animal Frontiers publishes discussion and position papers that present several international perspectives on the status of high-impact, global issues in animal agriculture. Every issue will explore a theme of broad and current interest within animal science and animal agriculture.