USDA researchers tracked microbial and metabolic changes following pig roundworm infection and fenbendazole treatment.
Infection altered microbes and metabolites
A paper published on 11 September 2026 examined pigs infected with Ascaris suum, a roundworm, and subsequently treated with fenbendazole. The researchers combined microbiome and metabolite measurements. Infection changed gut microbial composition and was associated with changes in 182 metabolites measured in serum and faeces, including histamine and p-cresol sulfate.
Differences remained after worm clearance
Thirteen days after the worms had been cleared, treated pigs still had a different gut microbial composition from uninfected pigs sampled at the same time. Eleven microbial pathways were enriched in the treated group, including histidine metabolism and peptidoglycan biosynthesis. The authors noted that the study did not include an uninfected group given fenbendazole alone.