Intestinal Damages by F18⁺ <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Its Amelioration with an Antibacterial Bacitracin Fed to Nursery Pigs

Abstract

This study investigated intestinal oxidative damage caused by F18+ Escherichia coli and its amelioration with antibacterial bacitracin fed to nursery pigs. Thirty-six weaned pigs (6.31 ± 0.08 kg BW) were allotted in a randomized complete block design. Treatments were: NC, not challenged/not treated; PC, challenged (F18+ E. coli at 5.2 × 109 CFU)/not treated; AGP challenged (F18+ E. coli at 5.2 × 109 CFU)/treated with bacitracin (30 g/t). Overall, PC reduced (p p p + E. coli in feces, and protein carbonyl in jejunal mucosa. AGP reduced (p + E. coli in jejunal mucosa. PC reduced (p Prevotella stercorea populations in jejunal mucosa, whereas AGP increased (p Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens and reduced (p Mitsuokella jalaludinii populations in feces. Collectively, F18+ E. coli challenge increased fecal score and disrupted the microbiota composition, harming intestinal health by increasing oxidative stress, and damaging the intestinal epithelium, ultimately impairing growth performance. Dietary bacitracin reduced reduced F18+ E. coli populations and the oxidative damages they cause, thereby improving intestinal health and the growth performance of nursery pigs.

Keywords

• F18⁺ <i>E. coli</i>
• growth performance
• intestinal health
• oxidative damages
• pigs