Changes in the Microbiome of Cryptosporidium-Infected Mice Correlate to Differences in Susceptibility and Infection Levels

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Raheela Charania, Emory University; Brandy E. Wade, Emory University; Nina N. McNair, Emory University; Jan Mead, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-06-10
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2020 by the authors.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8060879
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Microorganisms
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 6
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by grants from the Melissa and Bill Gates Foundation and the Foundation for Atlanta Veterans and Research.
• Keywords: vancomycin; cloxacillin; antibiotics; Cryptosporidium; short-chain fatty acid; microbiome
• Research Categories: Biology, Cell; Biology, Virology; Health Sciences, Immunology

Abstract

Cryptosporidium spp. are opportunistic protozoan parasites that infect epithelial cells of the small intestine, causing diarrheal illness in humans. Differences in severity may be due to the immunological status of the host, malnutrition or prior exposure but may also be due to differences in the host gut flora. We examined changes in bacterial flora following antibiotic treatment to determine how cryptosporidial infections and gut integrity were affected by alterations in the microbiome. DNA was extracted from fecal and intestinal samples during peak infection. V4 region amplicons were generated and sequenced using 16sRNA on an Illumina MiSeq. Species evenness and richness were estimated using the Shannon diversity index. There was a significant decrease in anaerobes and overgrowth of Enterobacteriaceae in mice treated with cloxacillin. We also examined levels of short-chain fatty acids in fecal samples. There was a significant decrease in acetate, propionate, and butyrate in these same mice. Concurrent with the shift in bacterial infection was a significant increase in severity of cryptosporidial infection and increase in gut permeability. Treatment with other antibiotics significantly altered the microbiome but did not change the infection, suggesting that specific alterations in the host microbiome allow for more favorable growth of the parasite.