Astrovirus infections induce age-dependent dysbiosis in gut microbiomes of bats.

摘要: Astroviruses (AstV) are a major cause of diarrhoea in children. Interestingly, some wildlife species, including bats, remain phenotypically asymptomatic after infection. Disease symptoms, however, may only be less visible bats and enteric viruses indeed perturb their gut microbial communities. Gut microbiomes represent an important driver immune defence mechanisms but potential effects virus-host microbiome interactions largely unexplored. Using as natural model system, we show that AstV-infections affect the microbiome, with strength effect depending on host age. The α- β-diversity predicted functional orthologs decreased young surprisingly increased adult AstV + bats. abundance bacterial taxa characteristic for healthy was strongly reduced AstV+ possibly attributable to immature system. Regardless age, pathogen-containing genera exhibited negative several commensal AstV-infection, leading pathobiont-like shifts all infected bats. Thus, apparently disturb homeostasis, increasing previously suppressed health risks by promoting co-infections. If similar processes present humans, virus infections might have longer-term impacts extending beyond directly observed symptoms.