Nero Siciliano pig’s intestinal mycobiota: phenotypic and molecular characterization.

In this study we report a preliminary characterization of the intestinal mycobiota of Nero Siciliano pig, an autochthonous pig breed reared in the internal areas of Sicily island (Italy). A total of 21 pigs, from a swine farm in Messina, were collected using rectal swabs. For yeasts isolation, each swab was streaked on three Sabouraud’s agar plates containing antibiotics and cultures were incubated at 30°C for 72 hours. Forty-eight yeast strains were recovered from fecal specimens and initially, presumptively, identified using conventional morphological and physiological tests. Identification at the species level was then confirmed by PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the ITS1-5,8S-ITS2 region of the ribosomal DNA according to previous studies. Results showed that eight different fungal genera colonized the gut of our pigs and Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Geotrichum candidum (10/48; 21% each) were the most isolated yeasts followed by Diutina catenulata (8/48; ~17%), Clavispora lusitaniae (7/48; ~15%), Trichosporon asahii (5/48; ~10%), Pichia kudriavzevii (2/48; ~4%), Rhodotorula mucillaginosa (2/48; ~4%), and other species (4/48; ~8%). In particular, W. anomalus, G. candidum, D. cutenulata, R. mucillaginosa and T. asahii were already, previously, described as component of the mycobiota of other pig’s breeds, instead C. lusitaniae and P. kudriavzevii appear to be exclusive of Nero Siciliano pig’s mycobiota. However, other studies are needed to elucidate the complex structure of Nero Siciliano pig intestinal mycobiota and its effect on the well-being of this animal.