Research Focus: From the gut microbiota of Labrador puppies to regulating controversial health claims

Researchers from the Roslin Institute and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies conducted a longitudinal cohort study on the gut microbiota of Labrador retriever puppies.

In conudcting the study, researchers recruited 76 Labrador puppies. Faecal samples were collected at three to four, seven, and 12 months of age and analysed.

Associations were identified between puppies' gut microbiota and age, sex, coat colour, household smoking status, contact with other dogs and horses, recent oral/injected antibiotic use, and recent vomiting and diarrhoea.

This longitudinal study characterises the development of gut microbiota in Labrador Retriever puppies and identifies associations with demographic, environmental, and health-related factors.

Citation: Woolley CSC, Muwonge A, de C Bronsvoort BM, Schoenebeck JJ, Handel IG, Chamberlain K, Rose E, Clements DN. Anim Microbiome. 2025 Oct 17;7(1):108. doi: 10.1186/s42523-025-00464-2. PMID: 41108012; PMCID: PMC12534972.

Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is a chronic manifestation of schistosomiasis, caused by infection with the trematode Schistosoma haematobium. FGS is characterized by lesions in the genital tract, leading to symptoms such as pain, infertility, and an increased risk of HIV transmission. 

Although FGS affects an estimated 56 million women in sub-Saharan Africa, it remains underdiagnosed and underreported due to limited awareness and diagnostic capabilities. 

More comprehensive integration and mainstreaming of FGS prevention, control and treatment are needed across sectors for intersectoral collaboration and programme financing. 

Researchers from Institute of Immunology and Infection Research and Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa (TIBA) conducted a review that examines the various intervention tools currently available and required to achieve FGS integration in health systems.

Citation: Mutapi F, Hietanen H, Mduluza T. Parasitology. 2025 Sep 25:1-9. doi: 10.1017/S0031182025100838. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40994231.

Researchers from the Moredun Research Institute, Scotland's Rural College, the Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies have shown that a solid dose vaccine is effective at protecting pigs against a virus and therefore is a practical alternative to conventional vaccine delivery.

Citation: Schiavone A, Edwards JC, Vigneswaran E, De Brito RCF, Hothi H, Frossard JP, Beechener ES, Calvert JG, Burkard CT, Balasch M, Seaton AV, Stevens M, Howard MK, Graham SP, Opriessnig T. Vaccine. 2025 Oct 3;64:127757. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127757. Epub 2025 Sep 19. PMID: 40974733.

Researchers from the Roslin Institute and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies have been looking into the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL10. Cytokines are proteins that act as messengers in the body and play a crucial role in the immune system. This specific protein regulates processes in the intestines of mice and humans, but also birds.

Researchers wanted to determine the function of IL10 in the immune systems of birds. They did this by generating modifications to abolish or reduce IL10 expression in chickens.

They found that without IL10, chickens had changes in gut bacteria but, unlike mice and humans, did not develop spontaneous colitis. These results suggest that while IL10 helps manage inflammation, its absence can enhance pathogen clearance but can also lead to tissue damage.

Citation: Meunier D, Corona-Torres R, Boulton K, Wu Z, Ballantyne M, Glendinning L, Ahmad AA, Borowska D, Taylor L, Vervelde L, Del Pozo J, Vasilogianni M, Jaramillo-Ortiz J, Sanchez-Arsuaga G, Psifidi A, Tomley F, Watson KA, McGrew MJ, Stevens MP, Blake DP, Hume DA. Elife. 2025 Oct 16;14:RP106252. doi: 10.7554/eLife.106252. PMID: 41100345; PMCID: PMC12530801.

Parasites are a fundamental component of wild animal populations but the factors determining variation in infection burden are often poorly understood in wild systems. Environmental conditions can determine exposure to infection and the resources required to respond, but exhibit strong temporal variation. As environmental conditions are predicted to become more variable, it is crucial to understand how these conditions shape burden to predict the downstream effects on host populations.

Researchers from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution utilise data from a long-term population study of European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) on the Isle of May. They show that adult parasite burden is influenced by seasonal and annual differences in current and early life conditions, but different patterns were observed in adult males and females.

Their findings reveal complex temporal effects on parasitism in species breeding in fluctuating environments.

Citation: Ravenswater HM, Burthe SJ, Reed TE, Newell MA, Daunt F, Carravieri A, Dunn RE, Granroth-Wilding HHV, Gunn C, Hicks O, Cunningham EJA. Ecol Evol. 2025 Oct 1;15(10):e72132. doi: 10.1002/ece3.72132. PMID: 41041390; PMCID: PMC12486190.

Researchers from the School of History, Classics and Archaeology examine how early animal farming re-shaped the ecology of humans, animals, and pathogens. Using a One Health approach, it develops a framework to investigate the origins and evolution of infectious diseases in emergent farming contexts. 

Combining evaluation of ancient and contemporary contexts enables a more inclusive approach, allowing a broader range of ecological and evolutionary insights to be considered. Together, this provides a sharper focus for the archaeological investigation of deep time contexts and offers useful parallels to pressing issues in wildlife farming today.

Citation: Bendrey R, Elkholly D, and Fournié G 2025, Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, eoaf029. https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoaf029

Antenatal corticosteroids are administered to women with imminent preterm birth before 34 weeks’ gestation to induce lung development in preterm children and reduce pulmonary morbidity. However, many children are born after this timepoint, some even at term. The mid-to long-term effects of antenatal corticosteroids, which may be immunosuppressive and therefore might increase the risk of infectious diseases throughout childhood to young adulthood, have not yet been investigated. 

Researchers from the Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Centre for Reproductive Health and Centre for Inflammation Research conducted a population-based multicentre cohort study of 1,548,538 mother-child pairs.

They found that exposure to antenatal corticosteroid treatment was significantly associated with an increased risk of respiratory and non-respiratory infections in preterm and term born children up to the age of 21 years.

Citation: Decrue F, Frier EM, Lin C, Lahti-Pulkkinen M, Miller JE, Burgner D, Bogaert D, Duhig KE, Jacobsson B, Zoega H, Vogel JP, Been JV, Reynolds RM, Stock SJ; Consortium for the Study of Pregnancy Treatments (Co-OPT) Investigators. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Oct 1;8(10):e2536809. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.36809. PMID: 41082231; PMCID: PMC12519305.

Researchers from the Usher Institute highlight that misleading health claims are common and concerning globally. They emphasize that while laws could help address these issues, challenges arise, such as respecting freedoms and cultural diversity without worsening inequalities.

Lawmakers must balance tolerance with necessary action, but there’s limited research on this topic. 

Researchers suggest a need for new studies and collaborations to understand how regulations work, their effectiveness, and their interactions with social and political forces like protests. This understanding could lead to more creative and inclusive legal solutions.

Citation: Cloatre E, Pickersgill M, A Atuire C, Enright M, Friesen P, Kingori P, Ndoye T, Urquiza-Haas N. Wellcome Open Res. 2025 Aug 6;10:414. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.24597.1. PMID: 40978455; PMCID: PMC12449687.