Anti-interleukin-10 effects on chicken jejunal bacterial communities during coccidiosis or necrotic enteritis

During coccidiosis, parasitic Eimeria spp. induce host production of interleukin (IL)-10 to evade host immunity. Dietary anti-IL-10 antibodies could counteract this signaling to allow the host immune system to respond to infection and preserve broiler chicken health. This has been observed in models using mild coccidiosis challenge but not during more severe challenges or during secondary infection with Clostridium perfringens (necrotic enteritis). This study fed broiler chickens diets with or without anti-IL-10 for a 25d challenge study where one subset of birds remained unchallenged, another was challenged with E. maxima only, and another received E. maxima + C. perfringens. Samples from the distal jejunum were collected prior to initial E. maxima challenge on d 14 (baseline) from 6 chicks/ treatment. Additional samples were collected from 6 chicks/ treatment at timepoints corresponding to 7 d post-inoculation (pi) with E. maxima or 3 dpi with secondary C. perfringens (study d 21) and 11 dpi E. maxima/ 7 dpi C. perfringens (study d 25).