Anti-interleukin-10 effects on chicken jejunal bacterial communities during coccidiosis or necrotic enteritis in models using Salmonella Typhimurium

Eimeria spp. induce host production of interleukin(IL)-10 during coccidiosis to evade host immunity and antibodies against IL-10 could protect bird health during challenge. Anti-IL-10 has been previously evaluated during mild coccidiosis challenge but not during more severe challenge or in the context of secondary challenges like necrotic enteritis due to Clostridium perfringens. Models of necrotic enteritis employ various predisposing factors to improve challenge repeatability and this study used a necrotic enteritis model relying on inoculation with Salmonella Typhimurium at hatch. Chicks were fed diets with or without anti-IL-10 and left unchallenged, with E. maxima only, or E. maxima + C. perfringens. Jejunal contents were collected from 6 chicke/ treatment at timepoints corresponding to d14 before E. maxima challenge (baseline), 7 d post-inoculation (pi) with E. maxima or 3 dpi with C. perfringens (peak), or 11 dpi with E. maxima or 7 dpi with C. perfringens (post-peak).