Study of fecal microbiota transplantation as an adjunct to post-surgical treatment of horses undergoing large colon enterotomy

• Grant number: 20/13243-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2021
• End date: January 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Carla Bargi Belli
• Grantee: Carla Bargi Belli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Large colon obstruction is a common condition in horses. When clinical therapy is not successful, there is a need for surgical intervention through enterotomy and washing of the intestinal loops, in order to remove the content that obstructs the lumen. The manipulation of the colon results in changes in the enteric microbiota and in the intestinal epithelium, or that favors the passage of bacteria and their blood products to the circulatory circulation. In the postoperative period, there is the possibility of developing sepsis, which can culminate in the patient's death. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is performed routinely in equine medicine, however, empirically, with the intention of restoring intestinal eubiosis through the transfer of microorganisms present in the feces of a healthy individual to a sick recipient; a balanced interaction between the components of the microbiota is essential for maintaining the health of the host. To develop the importance of balance interactions between commensal bacteria for the full performance of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, one of the main objectives of this project is to determine whether the FMT is capable of restoring a local equine microbiota with large intestine enterotomy and, therefore, restore the balance between microorganisms residing in the digestive system and the protection provided by the host's immune system. The present study will be carried out with 20 adult horses, including large colon enterotomy for the treatment of obstruction, with 10 animals being performed at the FMT, while 10 horses will not be used for therapy. In addition to the evaluation of medical and laboratory tests in the postoperative period, at pre-established moments, DNA extraction, PCR of the 16 S ribosomal RNA gene and sequencing will also be carried out, in order to identify the bacterial files that are related return to intestinal eubiosis. (AU)