Dog-Owner microbiota in Thailand

<b>Title:</b> <b>Pack behavior or personal bonds? Exploring dog-owner microbiota and bacterial </b><b>pathogens in Southeast Asia</b><b>Abstract</b>: Domestic dogs may influence human microbiota and act as reservoirs or sentinels for zoonoticbacteria, yet little is known about these dynamics in Southeast Asia. Using full-length 16S rRNAgene sequencing, we analyzed microbiota from dog-owner pairs in rural Thailand to assessmicrobial diversity, shared taxa, and zoonotic potential. Dogs exhibited higher microbial andpathogen diversity than humans, particularly during the rainy season. While dog-owner pairs sharedmore bacteria than unrelated individuals, overall overlap remained limited —likely driven by theirfree-roaming lifestyles and broader environmental exposures. However, co-occurrence of zoonoticpathogens such as <i>Shigella</i> spp. and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> suggests dogs could serve as usefulindicators for specific public health risks. Our findings highlight the value of integrating dogs intozoonotic surveillance programs, particularly in regions with free-ranging dog populations and closehuman-animal contact.