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

Eimeria spp. induce interleukin (IL)-10 production by the host to evade immune responses and cause coccidiosis. Dietary antibodies against IL-10 (anti-IL-10) can counteract this signaling to promote broiler chicken health and have been show to preserve broiler body weight gain during mild coccidiosis challenge in preliminary research. It is not known how anti-IL-10 affects broiler chicken microbiota composition and function during severe coccidiosis challenge or during secondary infection with Clostridium perfringens. This study used RNA sequencing techniques to decipher bacterial community gene expression in the distal jejunum mucosa in broilers fed diets with or without anti-IL-10 during severe coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis challenge.