Evaluation of changes in microbiota after fecal microbiota transplantation in 6 diarrheic horses.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiota of horses with acute and chronic diarrhea before and after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Six client-owned horses with acute and chronic diarrhea received FMT from 2 healthy donor horses. Microbiota analysis using next-generation sequencing was performed on fecal samples collected before and 2 and 7 d after FMT. Signs of diarrhea improved in 4 horses, whereas the remaining 2 horses did not survive. There was a significant difference in the number of bacterial species between donors and recipients (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The Order Lactobacillales and the genera <i>Lactobacillus, Intestinimonas</i>, and <i>Streptococcus</i> were increased in the microbiota of diarrheic horses, and <i>Saccharofermentans</i> genus increased in healthy donors. The results suggest that FMT from the healthy donors was not effective over a 7-day period as it did not change the fecal microbiota of the diarrheic horses. Further research to improve the efficacy of FMT in horses is needed.