SFB 852 Nutrition and intestinal microbiota ? host interaction in the pig (Collaborative research centre of the DFG)Individual Project A2: Influence of nutritional factors on the prevalence of viruses, including viruses with zoonotic potential, in faeces of clinically healthy pigs
Description:
The gastrointestinal tract of clinically healthy animals comprises a community of 1013 to 1014 microorganisms playing a significant role in fermentation processes and in the defense against pathogens. Due to the lack of appropriate methods for other microbes, previous analyses of the flora have been mainly focused on bacteria. However, viruses may play a significant role, e.g. by interaction with the gastrointestinal immune system. Bacteriophages may function as regulators of the bacterial colonization of the gut. In addition, some of the viruses present in clinically healthy animals have a zoonotic potential capable of causing human disease. Studies on the influence of nutritional factors on subclinical viral infections are almost completely missing. Our hypothesis is that nutritional factors, such as zinc or the probiotic bacterium Enterococcus (E.) faecium NCIMB 10415, can change the composition of the viral gut flora and modulate the prevalence of viruses in faeces of pigs. In the proposed project, two specific questions should be addressed: (i) determination of the composition of the viral gut flora of pigs before and after supplementation with the nutritional factors and (ii) determination of the prevalence and excretion of zoonotic viruses in faeces of pigs before and after supplementation with the nutritional factors. Novel ?high-throughput sequencing? techniques will be applied to preparations of purified virus particles from the pig intestine tract. For detection of zoonotic viruses, the excretion of hepatitis E virus, encephalomyocarditis virus, astro-, noro-, rota- and sapoviruses will be monitored using highly sensitive and quantitative real-time RT-PCR methods.
Executive Institute:
BfR - Department 4: Biological Safety (BfR - BIOS) Details of BfR - Department 4: Biological Safety
Parent institution:
Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Details of (BfR) (Berlin)
Contract period:
01. 01. 2010 - 31. 12. 2013
Participating Institutions:
- Charité - University Medicine Berlin Details of Charité - University Medicine Berlin
- Institute of Food Technology and Food Chemistry Details of Institute of Food Technology and Food Chemistry
- Institute for Veterinary Biochemestry Details of Institute for Veterinary Biochemestry
- Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen (IMT) Details of IMT
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) Details of DIfE
- Institute of Veterinary Physiology Details of Institute of Veterinary Physiology
- Institute of Virology Details of Institute of Virology
- Department of Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics Details of Department of Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics
- Institute of Food Hygiene Details of Institute of Food Hygiene
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy Details of Institute of Veterinary Anatomy
- Institute of Immunology and Molecular Biology (IMB) Details of IMB
- Institute of Biology Details of Institute of Biology
- Institute of Molecular Biology and BioInformatics Details of Institute of Molecular Biology and BioInformatics
Collaborative Project:
DFG Collaborative Research Center 852: nutrition, intestinal microbiota and host interactions in pigs Details of DFG Collaborative Research Center 852: nutrition, intestinal microbiota and host interactions in pigs
Funding Programme:
- DFG - Collaborative Research Centre Details of DFG - Collaborative Research Centre
Subject:
- Animal health
- Animal nutrition
Purpose of research:
Applied research
Funding Institutions:
- German Research Council (DFG) (DFG) Details of (DFG)
Project Management Agency:
- German Research Council (DFG) (DFG) Details of DFG