The feline skin microbiota: The bacteria inhabiting the skin of healthy and allergic cats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The skin is inhabited by a multitude of microorganisms. An imbalance of these microorganisms is associated with disease, however, the causal relationship between skin microbiota and disease remains unknown. To describe the cutaneous bacterial microbiota of cats and determine whether bacterial dysbiosis occurs on the skin of allergic cats, the skin surfaces on various regions of 11 healthy cats and 10 allergic cats were sampled.

Methodology/principal findings

Genomic DNA was extracted from skin swabs and sequenced using primers that target the V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA. The bacterial sequences from healthy cats revealed that there are differences in species diversity and richness between body sites and different epithelial surfaces. Bacterial communities

SUBMITTER: Older CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5456077 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature