Factors Involved in Host Resilience to Enteric Infections in Pigs: Current Knowledge in Genetic, Immune, and Microbiota Determinants of Infection Resistance

TL;DR

This review explores how pig genetics, immunity, and gut microbiota contribute to resistance against intestinal infections.

Contribution

The paper synthesizes current knowledge on host resilience mechanisms against enteric diseases in pigs.

Findings

Genomic variants and immune responses are key determinants of resistance to pathogens like PEDV and E. coli.

The gut microbiota contributes to colonization resistance and influences pathogen fitness in the intestinal niche.

Multi-omics approaches could enhance resilience against enteric infections in pigs.

Abstract

Enteric infections remain a major health and economic challenge in swine production, with outcomes determined not only by pathogen virulence but also by the complex interplay between host genetics, immune competence, and the intestinal microbiota. This review synthesises current knowledge on host–pathogen genomic interactions in pigs, with a focus on resilience mechanisms against enteric diseases in swine. For this purpose, 103 articles were used as information sources, retrieved through structured keyword searches in PubMed. The review first addresses host genetic factors, highlighting genomic variants and quantitative trait loci associated with resistance or resilience to viral and bacterial pathogens such as porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) or Escherichia coli. Next, the key factors of the immune system to confer protection are also reviewed, emphasising the role of innate and adaptive responses in controlling each pathogen and disclosing the contribution of regulatory networks that balance pathogen clearance. Finally, the last section of the review is devoted to exploring current knowledge in the involvement of the microbiota in resilience against enteric pathogens, mostly, but not exclusively, enteric bacteria. In this sense, competitive exclusion is a concept which has gained attention in recent years. The review pinpoints and discusses the state of the art about how the microbial community provides colonisation resistance, shapes immune development, and influences pathogen fitness within the intestinal niche. As final perspectives, the review explores future drivers in the genetic immune and microbiota resistance. By bridging host genomic data with functional insights into immunity and microbial ecology, this review underscores the potential of multi-omics approaches to enhance resilience against enteric infections in pigs and advance sustainable swine health management.

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