Effect of changes in the intestinal microbiota of layer-type chickens in resistance to enteric infections and immune function

• Grant number: 13/07571-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: February 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: José Fernando Machado Menten
• Grantee: Rafaela Pereira
• Supervisor: Matthew D. Koci
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: North Carolina State University (NC State), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/12998-0 - Maintaining the balance of intestinal microbiota of broilers with probiotics after antibiotic, BP.DR

Abstract

Commensal bacteria living in the intestine are related to the immune response of the bird. This research will evaluate how changes in intestinal microbiota in layer type chickens after prebiotic supplementation and inoculum challenge with Salmonella generate resistance to colonization by Salmonella. The experiment will be 6 to 14 weeks, with pullets in growing phase, housed in experimental boxes. From 6 to 10 weeks of creation will be assessed a control diet and a control diet with added prebiotic. After 10 weeks of age, the birds are challenged with an inoculum of Salmonella via feed. The treatments are: T1-control diet (CD); T2- CD + prebiotic,T3-CD + inoculum of Salmonella and T4- CD + prebiotic + inoculum of Salmonella. The intestinal contents will be used for obtain the 16S rDNA representative to the domain Bacteria, and then be done sequencing. MRNA levels of several cytokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines are determined in samples of liver, spleen, intestine and blood by PCR in real time in the period before and after challenge with the inoculum of Salmonella, as well as differences in the production of Salmonella antibodies are analyzed by the ELISA test. (AU)