Impacts of ectoparasite flea infestation on gut microbiota of the Meriones unguiculatus in a rodent-flea system.

Abstract

Fleas, along with one of their host species, Meriones unguiculatus, possess the capability to act as vectors in the transmission of plague. Parasitism by fleas may markedly influence the physiology and immune system of their hosts. Gut microbiota plays an important role in the growth and development of rodents. However, few studies have explored the impacts of ectoparasitic flea on the gut microbiome of rodents. This study investigated the immunological responses and changes in the gut microbial diversity and composition in both wild and laboratory rodents infested with fleas and laboratory rodents infested with Ctenocephalides felis. We measured immune reactions post-infestation by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and explored the effects of ectoparasitic infestation on the diversity and composition of the rodent gut microbiota in microbiome studies by 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques. After flea infestation, results from 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques indicated a significant increase in alpha diversity, affecting the composition of the gut microbiota. At the genus level, the abundance of the harmful bacterium Desulfovibrio increased. Beta diversity analyses showed significant differences between the gut microbiota of the experimental and control groups. ELISA results revealed significantly elevated levels of IgG in parasitized mice, while the differences in IgA levels were not significant. Flea infections affect the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota in the M. unguiculatu, and it has been found that the biomarker Desulfovibrio increases following flea infection in these rodents. Our results indicate that the gut microbiota can regulate the stability of the rodent-flea system. These findings may provide a foundation for exploring preventive measures against plague and aid in developing more effective treatments for the infection.