Intestinal parasites of plateau pika

Intestinal parasites such as Eimeria are common intestinal parasites of plateau pika. Gut microbiome is an essential driver of host response to gastrointestinal parasites. However, effect of intestinal protozoal parasites on temporal variation of gut microbiome as well as behavioral and physiological activities remains unknown. Our study conducted treatments with experimental feeding with Eimeria oocysts or anti-coccidia for plateau pika under laboratory conditions to focus on the parasite-associated alterations in gut bacterial communities, host behavioral activity and physiology as well as host-bacteria relationships.