Characterization of the intestinal microbiota during Echinococcus granulosus infection in C57BL/6 Mice

AbstractRecent years have witnessed increased interest in the role of gut microbiota and its metabolites in overall health. However, the changes in gut microbiota profiles in Echinococcus granulosus-infected (E. granulosus) mice are not clear, especially in non-oral infections. Our study explored the alternation in gut microbiota in C57BL/6 mice intraperitoneally infected with protoscoleces (PSCs) to mice.Methods: Here, 16S rRNA sequencing and serum short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) determination were employed to analyze the changes in gut microbiota profiles and microbial metabolites in mice post E. granulosus infection with or without mebendazole (MBZ) treatment.Results: In the study, there were 855 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) shared by Control, Infected, and Treated mice, with 1380 unique OTUs observed in the Control group, 1425 unique OTUs observed in the Infected group, and 1419 unique OTUs observed in the Treated group. In all samples, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the most significantly changed phyla, while g-Lactobacillus, g-Prevotella, and g-Coprococcus were the most domain-altered bacteria at the genus level. Moreover, E. granulosus infection significantly decreased the acetic acid concentration of cecum content.Conclusions: intraperitoneally infected with E. granulosus significantly changed the gut microbiota profiles and microbial metabolites, highlighting the importance of gut microbiota and its metabolites as possible strategies for treating non-oral transmitted parasitic diseases.