Effet of alimentation on helminths, intestinal microbiota and large intestine immunity in horses

Started in may 2021

Funding: CIFRE partnership

Supervisor: Gabriele Sorci ; cosupervisor: Pauline Grimm

Abstract

Helminth infections in horses are mainly characterised by the presence of strongyles in the large intestine. Two groups are identified : the large strongyles and the cyathostomins (or small strongyles). High infection burden can lead to health problems such as colic, diarrhoea, and in the most serious cases, death. Today the use of chemical dewormers is the most commonly used method to control strongyle infections. However, the low diversity of molecules and their automatic use has led to the development of resistance by equine intestinal strongyles. In addition, recent studies show that their administration leads to significant disruption of the gut microbiota of horses (Walshe et al., 2019). The latter has a key role in maintaining good digestive health in this animal. All these observations show that it is essential to find alternatives to reduce the levels of parasitic infection by maintaining the intestinal homeostasis of the horse. Indeed, the latter depends on a “symbiotic” state between the intestinal microbiota, intestinal parasitism and the host’s immunity. An imbalance in one of these components might lead to an imbalance in this system, which is dangerous for the animal’s health (Walshe et al., 2020). It is widely recognised that the horse’s diet (especially the ratio of forage to grain in the ration) significantly modulates the entire microbial ecosystem of the large intestine (Julliand and Grimm, 2017). Gut microbiota and intestinal parasites share the same environment and interact with each other (Cortes et al., 2018). Using particular food sources could therefore represent an interesting avenue in the fight against intestinal parasites. Some studies suggest a potential anti-parasitic activity of a forage legume rich in polyphenols: sainfoin (Heckendorn et al., 2006; Desrues et al., 2016; Colas et al., 2017). The inclusion of this feed in the ration of horses could be a solution to preserve the digestive health. However, only one study testing the anthelmintic effect of sainfoin has been conducted in this species (Colas et al., 2017). This study reported promising results in vitro but also suggested that further in vivo studies are needed to confirm anthelmintic effect of Sainfoin in horse and to understand the underlying mechanisms. The hypothesis that the horse’s diet can act on the balance of the tryptic (intestinal microbiota, intestinal parasitism and host immunity) is very interesting and has been rarely explored in veterinary species. Understanding these different interactions could be essential to evaluate how sainfoin exerts its antiparasitic effect on equine strongyles. Therefore, the aim of this thesis will be to study the effect of diet on helminths, gut microbiota and immunity in the large intestine of the horse and to understand the interactions between these different components.

Keywords

helminths, diet, horse, intestinal microbiota, immunity

Thesis advisory panel

Véronique Julliand (AgroSup Dijon, UMR PAM)
Emmanuelle Gilot Fromont (VetAgrosup Lyon)

extrait:

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Effet of alimentation on helminths, intestinal microbiota and large intestine immunity in horses

Started in may 2021

Funding: CIFRE partnership

Supervisor: Gabriele Sorci ; cosupervisor: Pauline Grimm

 

Abstract

Helminth infections in horses are mainly characterised by the presence of strongyles in the large intestine. Two groups are identified : the large strongyles and the cyathostomins (or small strongyles). High infection burden can lead to health problems such as colic, diarrhoea, and in the most serious cases, death. Today the use of chemical dewormers is the most commonly used method to control strongyle infections. However, the low diversity of molecules and their automatic use has led to the development of resistance by equine intestinal strongyles. In addition, recent studies show that their administration leads to significant disruption of the gut microbiota of horses (Walshe et al., 2019). The latter has a key role in maintaining good digestive health in this animal. All these observations show that it is essential to find alternatives to reduce the levels of parasitic infection by maintaining the intestinal homeostasis of the horse. Indeed, the latter depends on a "symbiotic" state between the intestinal microbiota, intestinal parasitism and the host's immunity. An imbalance in one of these components might lead to an imbalance in this system, which is dangerous for the animal's health (Walshe et al., 2020). It is widely recognised that the horse's diet (especially the ratio of forage to grain in the ration) significantly modulates the entire microbial ecosystem of the large intestine (Julliand and Grimm, 2017). Gut microbiota and intestinal parasites share the same environment and interact with each other (Cortes et al., 2018). Using particular food sources could therefore represent an interesting avenue in the fight against intestinal parasites. Some studies suggest a potential anti-parasitic activity of a forage legume rich in polyphenols: sainfoin (Heckendorn et al., 2006; Desrues et al., 2016; Colas et al., 2017). The inclusion of this feed in the ration of horses could be a solution to preserve the digestive health. However, only one study testing the anthelmintic effect of sainfoin has been conducted in this species (Colas et al., 2017). This study reported promising results in vitro but also suggested that further in vivo studies are needed to confirm anthelmintic effect of Sainfoin in horse and to understand the underlying mechanisms. The hypothesis that the horse's diet can act on the balance of the tryptic (intestinal microbiota, intestinal parasitism and host immunity) is very interesting and has been rarely explored in veterinary species. Understanding these different interactions could be essential to evaluate how sainfoin exerts its antiparasitic effect on equine strongyles. Therefore, the aim of this thesis will be to study the effect of diet on helminths, gut microbiota and immunity in the large intestine of the horse and to understand the interactions between these different components.

 

Keywords

helminths, diet, horse, intestinal microbiota, immunity

 

Thesis advisory panel

Véronique Julliand (AgroSup Dijon, UMR PAM)
Emmanuelle Gilot Fromont (VetAgrosup Lyon)

titre:

Étude de l’effet de l’alimentation sur les helminthes, le microbiote intestinal et l’immunité du gros intestin du cheval

date_de_debut_these:

mai 2021

nom:

Laroche

date_de_debut_these_numerique:

202105