Relationship between the bacterial ocular surface microbiota and outcomes for cats with feline herpesvirus type 1 ocular surface disease

Objective: Feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1) causes ocular surface disease in domestic cats. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between bacterial ocular surface microbiota and outcomes for cats with FHV-1 ocular surface disease.

Animals studied: Twenty-two shelter-housed cats with confirmed FHV-1 ocular surface disease.

Procedures: Animals were grouped according to FHV-1 shedding and ocular clinical scores following intervention: worsened outcome (WorOut, n = 11) or improved outcome (ImpOut, n = 11). Scoring and conjunctival sampling were completed on Days 1 and 8 of twice daily antiviral treatment. Bacterial DNA was extracted and submitted for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed for selected bacterial species. Overall DNA concentration between groups was assessed.

Results: Bacterial microbiota relative abundance composition was significantly different between ImpOut and WorOut groups (weighted UniFrac p = .006). Alpha diversity was significantly higher in the ImpOut group compared with the WorOut group (Shannon p = .042, Simpson's p = .022, Pielou's p = .037). Differences in the relative abundance of various phyla and species were detected between groups. Total DNA concentration was higher in the WorOut group compared with the ImpOut group (p = .04). Feline GAPDH (p = .001) and Bilophila wadsworthia (p = .024) copy number was significantly higher in the ImpOut group compared with the WorOut group.

Conclusions: The results highlight the important relationship between the bacterial ocular surface microbiota and FHV-1 infection outcomes in cats treated with antiviral medications. Low bacterial species diversity, higher overall DNA (presumed predominantly bacterial) load, and certain bacterial phyla/species were associated with poor outcomes for cats with FHV-1 ocular disease.