Co-infection of Chicken Layers With Histomonas meleagridis and Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli Is Associated With Dysbiosis, Cecal Colonization and Translocation of the Bacteria From the Gut Lumen

Histomonosis in chickens often appear together with colibacillosis in chickens in the field. The outstanding interplay between Histomonas meleagridis and bacteria has been largely elucidated with in vitro studies but the parasite-bacteria interaction in the host is still not fully elucidated. The actual study is aimed to investigate consequences of the co-infection of birds with H. meleagridis and avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) on the pathology, host microbiota and bacterial translocation from the gut in an experimental set up.