MOESM9 of Gut colonization by a novel Clostridium species is associated with the onset of epizootic rabbit enteropathy

Additional file 9. The majority of the changes detected after the initiation of ERE are not due to a decrease in food intake. Relative abundance of the genus Anaerovorax or the genus Clostridium in samples collected from 6 weeks old healthy rabbits that were forced to consume an amount of food similar to that of ERE rabbits during 48 h (food restricted) as compared to healthy age-match controls receiving food ad libitum. A caecotroph sample was collected from each rabbit and its microbiota composition was analyzed. From all changes detected in ERE rabbits, only an increase in the genus Anaerovorax was found to occur after food restriction, similarly to what was observed in ERE rabbits after the disease onset (Wilcoxon two-sided test, FDR < 0.1). Food restriction did not cause the expansion of Clostridium spp. detected in ERE rabbits. ***p < 0.001. N = 6–7 per group