Infection and antibiotic-associated changes in the fecal microbiota of
C. rodentium
ϕ

stx2
dact

-infected C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Mühlen Sabrina , Heroven Ann Kathrin , Elxnat Bettina , Kahl Silke , Pieper Dietmar H. , Dersch Petra 
Published: March 2024

Enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
causes watery to bloody diarrhea, which may progress to hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome. While early studies suggested that antibiotic treatment may worsen the pathology of an enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
(EHEC) infection, recent work has shown that certain non-Shiga toxin-inducing antibiotics avert disease progression. Unfortunately, both intestinal bacterial infections and antibiotic treatment are associated with dysbiosis. This can alleviate colonization resistance, facilitate secondary infections, and potentially lead to more severe illness. To address the consequences in the context of an EHEC infection, we used the established mouse infection model organism
Citrobacter rodentium
ϕ

stx2
dact

and monitored changes in fecal microbiota composition during infection and antibiotic treatment.
C. rodentium
ϕ

stx2
dact

infection resulted in minor changes compared to antibiotic treatment. The infection caused clear alterations in the microbial community, leading mainly to a reduction of Muribaculaceae and a transient increase in Enterobacteriaceae distinct from
Citrobacter
. Antibiotic treatments of the infection resulted in marked and distinct variations in microbiota composition, diversity, and dispersion. Enrofloxacin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, which did not prevent Shiga toxin-mediated organ damage, had the least disruptive effects on the intestinal microbiota, while kanamycin and tetracycline, which rapidly cleared the infection without causing organ damage, caused a severe reduction in diversity. Kanamycin treatment resulted in the depletion of all but Bacteroidetes genera, whereas tetracycline effects on Clostridia were less severe. Together, these data highlight the need to address the impact of individual antibiotics in the clinical care of life-threatening infections and consider microbiota-regenerating therapies.

IMPORTANCE

Understanding the impact of antibiotic treatment on EHEC infections is crucial for appropriate clinical care. While discouraged by early studies, recent findings suggest certain antibiotics can impede disease progression. Here, we investigated the impact of individual antibiotics on the fecal microbiota in the context of an established EHEC mouse model using
C. rodentium
ϕ

stx2
dact

. The infection caused significant variations in the microbiota, leading to a transient increase in Enterobacteriaceae distinct from
Citrobacter
. However, these effects were minor compared to those observed for antibiotic treatments. Indeed, antibiotics that most efficiently cleared the infection also had the most detrimental effect on the fecal microbiota, causing a substantial reduction in microbial diversity. Conversely, antibiotics showing adverse effects or incomplete bacterial clearance had a reduced impact on microbiota composition and diversity. Taken together, our findings emphasize the delicate balance required to weigh the harmful effects of infection and antibiosis in treatment.