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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is currently spreading worldwide. The pandemic has already had significant adverse effects on human civilization, the environment, and the ecosystem at national and global levels. Moreover, the various sectors of the food production chain, particularly agriculture and livestock, have also been significantly affected in terms of production sustainability and economic losses. The global pandemic has already resulted in a sharp drop in meat, milk, and egg production. Restrictions of movement at national and international levels, implemented as a part of control strategies by public health sectors, have negatively impacted business related to the supply of raw materials for livestock farmers and farm outputs, veterinary services, farmworkers, and animal welfare. This review highlights the significant impacts of COVID-19 on the sustainability of livestock performance, welfare on a global scale, and strategies for mitigating these adverse effects.

This review was focused on global data analysis and risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 from different countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Central Eastern Europe, Egypt, India, Iran, Pakistan, and South Asia, Africa, Turkey and UAE. Male showed higher confirmed and death cases compared to females in most of the countries. In addition, the case fatality ratio (CFR) for males was higher than for females. This gender variation in COVID-19 cases may be due to males cultural activities, but similar variations in the number of COVID-19 affected males and females globally. Variations in the immune system can illustrate this divergent risk comparatively higher in males than females. The female immune system may have an edge to detect pathogens slightly earlier. In addition, women show comparatively higher innate and adaptive immune responses than men, which might be explained by the high density of immune-related genes in the X chromosome. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 viruses use angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter the host cell, and men contain higher ACE2 than females. Therefore, males may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 than females. In addition, smoking habit also makes men susceptible to COVID-19. Considering the age-wise distribution, children and older adults were less infected than other age groups and the death rate. On the contrary, more death in the older group may be associated with less immune system function. In addition, most of these group have comorbidities like diabetes, high pressure, low lungs and kidney function, and other chronic diseases. Due to the substantial economic losses and the numerous infected people and deaths, research examining the features of the COVID-19 epidemic is essential to gain insight into mitigating its impact in the future and preparedness for any future epidemics.

COVID-19 caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan (Hubei province, China) during late 2019. It has spread across the globe affecting nearly 21 million people with a toll of 0.75 million deaths and restricting the movement of most of the world population during the past 6 months. COVID-19 became the leading health, economic, and humanitarian challenge of the twenty-first century. In addition to the considerable COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in humans, several cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections in animal hosts (dog, cat, tiger, lion, and mink) have been reported. Thus, the concern of pet owners is increasing. Moreover, the dynamics of the disease requires further explanation, mainly concerning the transmission of the virus from humans to animals and vice versa. Therefore, this study aimed to gather information about the reported cases of COVID-19 transmission in animals through a literary review of works published in scientific journals and perform genomic and phylogenetic analyses of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from animal hosts. Although many instances of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 have been reported, caution and further studies are necessary to avoid the occurrence of maltreatment in animals, and to achieve a better understanding of the dynamics of the disease in the environment, humans, and animals. Future research in the animal-human interface can help formulate and implement preventive measures to combat the further transmission of COVID-19.

The primary natural reservoir of the H5N1 avian influenza virus is poultry and wild birds, particularly waterfowl. Nevertheless, the H5N1 virus subtype can potentially infect humans and other mammals, causing severe illness or even death. The virus is commonly transmitted through direct contact with infected birds or exposure to a contaminated environment. Sporadic cases of avian influenza subtype H5 have been reported in various new hosts, such as minks, otters, foxes, and sea lions, with the potential to cause human infection and trigger a global pandemic. Moreover, various hosts have the potential to act as mixing vessels for influenza viruses because they carry both avian and human-type receptors, not just pigs. Recently, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 was reported in farmed animals such as dairy cattle, suggesting a new potential mixing vessel for influenza; thus, cattle are also widely infected with the genus influenza type D viruses. This underscores the imperative to adopt the One Health approach, fostering collaboration and integration across animal, planetary, and human health disciplines. Indeed, integrating biosecurity and One Health principles impacts the productivity of commercial poultry operations positively and could help mitigate avian influenza outbreaks. This review also provides an in-depth analysis of the contemporary and molecular epidemiology of H5N1 influenza viruses. Moreover, our examination delves into the potential risk of broadening H5N1 host tropism and its significant relevance within the One Health framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolomics is a bottom-up approach to studying metabolism in living cells, tissues, organoids, or even whole organisms. In conjunction with genomics and proteomics, it is a crucial tool for better understanding complex biological systems. In comparison to genomics or proteomics, metabolomics more directly reflects the phenotype since it encompasses events that occur downstream of gene expression. In the field of poultry or avian diseases, this method is now well established, although it could have more innovative applications in the future. For example, 13Cguided metabolomics and flux analysis could be used to identify biochemical pathways associated with heat or immune stress. It could also help to explore the effects of alternatives to antimicrobials on the intestinal health of poultry and their action on avian pathogens, including the mechanisms of resistance and persistence. In this review, we discuss some basic principles of metabolomics and its current and potential applications in poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Heat stress is a critical problem in poultry farming. In the current study, we evaluated the potential use of Spirulina platensis (SP) and Allium sativum (garlic powder, GP) to alleviate the adverse effects of heat stress in commercial broilers. Our findings suggest that supplementing the diet of heat-stressed broiler chickens with SP and/or GP can assist in mitigating the harmful impacts of heat stress on chickens' performance. This includes improvements in productive traits, biochemical parameters, gut microbiota, and immunity. Furthermore, the simultaneous supplementation of SP and GP showed a synergistic effect, leading to even greater benefits. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the dietary addition of Spirulina platensis (SP) and/or garlic powder (GP) on heat-stressed broiler chickens. For this purpose, 600 Ross-308 broiler chicks were allocated at 22 days of age into five groups (G1–G5), each comprising six groups of 20 birds each. Chickens kept in G1 (negative control) were fed a basal diet and raised at 26 ± 1 °C. Chickens kept in G2 to G5 were exposed to periodic heat stress (35 ± 1 °C for 9 h/day) from 22 to 35 days old. Chickens in G2 (positive control) were provided a basal diet, while G3, G4, and G5 were fed a basal diet enriched with SP (1 g/kg diet), GP (200 mg/kg diet), or SP/GP (1 g SP/kg + 200 mg GP/kg diet), respectively. The assessment parameters included the chickens' performance, malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity, blood biochemistry, intestinal morphology, and modulation of lactobacilli and total coliforms in the intestinal microbiota. Our findings demonstrated that supplementing heat-stressed chickens with SP and/or GP significantly mitigated the negative effects on the European production efficiency index (EPEF), survival rate, cholesterol profile, and oxidative stress markers. Chickens supplemented with GP and/or SP exhibited significantly better EPEF and survivability rates. Heat stress had a significant impact on both the gut structure and gut microbiota. However, SP and/or GP supplementation improved the gut morphology, significantly increased the intestinal lactobacilli, and reduced the coliform contents. It was also found that the simultaneous feeding of SP and GP led to even higher recovery levels with improved lipid metabolites, immunity, and oxidative status. Overall, supplementing chickens with SP and/or GP can alleviate the negative effects of heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary contaminants in poultry are Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Their pathogenicity together with the widespread of these bacteria, contributes to many economic losses and poses a threat to public health. With the increasing prevalence of bacterial pathogens being resistant to most conventional antibiotics, scientists have rekindled interest in using bacteriophages as antimicrobial agents. Bacteriophage treatments have also been investigated as an alternative to antibiotics in the poultry industry. Bacteriophages' high specificity may allow them only to target a specific bacterial pathogen in the infected animal. However, a tailor-made sophisticated cocktail of different bacteriophages could broaden their antibacterial activity in typical situations with multiple clinical strains infections. Bacteriophages may not only be used in terms of reducing bacterial contamination in animals but also, under industrial conditions, they can be used as safe disinfectants to reduce contamination on food-contact surfaces or poultry carcasses. Nevertheless, bacteriophage therapies have not been developed sufficiently for widespread use. Problems with resistance, safety, specificity, and long-term stability must be addressed in particular. This review highlights the benefits, challenges, and current limitations of bacteriophage applications in the poultry industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Chronic stress and inflammation, known also as "secret killers" in animals, can lead to lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and nitration, DNA damage, and finally apoptosis. This is due to an imbalance between free radical generation and endogenous antioxidant defense, which in turn possess detrimental impacts on the health and performance of animals. In this review, we discuss the mechanistic pathways of oxidative stress and inflammation associated with the main secret killers in poultry, namely heat stress, dysbiosis, leaky gut syndrome, and mycotoxins. Additionally, we shed light on the potential use, challenges, and future prospects of phytogenic bioactive substances in mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation in poultry. Chronic stress is recognized as a secret killer in poultry. It is associated with systemic inflammation due to cytokine release, dysbiosis, and the so-called leaky gut syndrome, which mainly results from oxidative stress reactions that damage the barrier function of the cells lining the gut wall. Poultry, especially the genetically selected broiler breeds, frequently suffer from these chronic stress symptoms when exposed to multiple stressors in their growing environments. Since oxidative stress reactions and inflammatory damages are multi-stage and long-term processes, overshooting immune reactions and their down-stream effects also negatively affect the animal's microbiota, and finally impair its performance and commercial value. Means to counteract oxidative stress in poultry and other animals are, therefore, highly welcome. Many phytogenic substances, including flavonoids and phenolic compounds, are known to exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this review, firstly, the main stressors in poultry, such as heat stress, mycotoxins, dysbiosis and diets that contain oxidized lipids that trigger oxidative stress and inflammation, are discussed, along with the key transcription factors involved in the related signal transduction pathways. Secondly, the most promising phytogenic substances and their current applications to ameliorate oxidative stress and inflammation in poultry are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SA) ranks fifth in Asia in terms of area. It features broad biodiversity, including interesting flora, and was the historical origin of Islam. It is endowed with a large variety of plants, including many herbs, shrubs, and trees. Many of these plants have a long history of use in traditional medicine. The aim of this review is to evaluate the present knowledge on the plants growing in SA regarding their pharmacological and biological activities and the identification of their bioactive compounds to determine which plants could be of interest for further studies. A systematic summary of the plants' history, distribution, various pharmacological activities, bioactive compounds, and clinical trials are presented in this paper to facilitate future exploration of their therapeutic potential. The literature was obtained from several scientific search engines, including Sci-Finder, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, MDPI, Wiley publications, and Springer Link. Plant names and their synonyms were validated by 'The Plant List' on 1 October 2021. SA is home to approximately 2247 plant species, including native and introduced plants that belong to 142 families and 837 genera. It shares the flora of three continents, with many unique features due to its extreme climate and geographical and geological conditions. As plants remain the leading supplier of new therapeutic agents to treat various ailments, Saudi Arabian plants may play a significant role in the fight against cancer, inflammation, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To date, 102 active compounds have been identified in plants from different sites in SA. Plants from the western and southwestern regions have been evaluated for various biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, anti-glycation, and cytotoxic activities. The aerial parts of the plants, especially the leaves, have yielded most of the bioactive compounds. Most bioactivity tests involve in vitro assessments for the inhibition of the growth of tumour cell lines, and several compounds with in vitro antitumour activity have been reported. More in-depth studies to evaluate the mode of action of the compounds are necessary to pave the way for clinical trials. Ecological and taxonomical studies are needed to evaluate the flora of SA, and a plan for the conservation of wild plants should be implemented, including the management of the protection of endemic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin burns are one of the most difficult medical problems. Recently, studies have been directed towards development of natural products in order to identify effective and safe remedies. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of a natural composite (formulated from honey and essential oils) compared with MEBO® (0.25% β-sitosterol) and DERMAZIN® creams (1% silver-sulfadiazine) in the treatment of thermally induced skin burns. For this purpose, four burn-wounds were created on the back of male New Zealand rabbits (n = 10) using a thermal stamp under the effect of general anesthesia. Each wound represents one of the following groups: non-treated, natural composite-cream, MEBO®-cream, and silver-sulfadiazine treated groups, respectively. Treatments were applied once a day topically until one of these wounds appeared to be healed grossly. The non-treated group received no treatment. Grossly, skin burns have been healed after 28 days of the treatment in all groups except of the non-treated group. The healing efficacy of the natural composite, MEBO® and silver-sulfadiazine creams was quite similar macroscopically. However, microscopically, the epidermal layer of the composite-cream treated group was more mature than those of both MEBO® and silver-sulfadiazine creams treated groups. In conclusion, the tested composite may be a promising effective and inexpensive treatment of skin burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Egyptian honeybee (Apis mellifera lamarckii) is one of the honeybee subspecies known for centuries since the ancient Egypt civilization. The subspecies of the Egyptian honeybee is distinguished by certain traits of appearance and behavior that were well-adapted to the environment and unique in a way that it is resistant to bee diseases, such as the Varroa disease. The subspecies is different than those found in Europe and is native to southern Egypt. Therefore, a special care should be paid to the vulnerable A. m. lamarckii subspecies and greater knowledge about the risk factors as well as conservation techniques will protect these bees. Additionally, more qualitative and quantitative measures will be taken to obtain deep insights into the A. m. lamarckii products' chemical profile and biological characters. Egypt has an ongoing long history with beekeeping, which started with the ancient Egyptians making various reliefs and inscriptions of beekeeping on their tombs and temples. The Egyptian honeybee (Apis mellifera lamarckii) is an authentic Egyptian honeybee subspecies utilized in apiculture. A. m. lamarckii is a distinct honeybee subspecies that has a particular body color, size, and high levels of hygienic behavior. Additionally, it has distinctive characteristics; including the presence of the half-queens, an excessive number of swarm cells, high adaptability to climatic conditions, good resistance to specific bee diseases, including the Varro disorder, and continuous breeding during the whole year despite low productivity, using very little propolis, and tending to abscond readily. This review discusses the history of beekeeping in Egypt and its current situation in addition to its morphology, genetic analysis, and distinctive characters, and the defensive behaviors of native A. m. lamarckii subspecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza and coronaviruses, zoonotic respiratory RNA viruses, cause global pandemics with major public health issues. These viruses exist as quasispecies due to the rapid evolution driven by their error-prone viral RNA polymerases and/or genomic organizations. They also show similar waves of infections/cases during the pandemic. However, there are some dissimilarities like severe disease in coronaviruses is due to cytokine-induced hyperactivity of the immune system, while secondary bacterial infection is a significant cause of death in influenza. Furthermore, unlike coronavirus, the segmented nature of influenza virus genome makes it easier for new strains to emerge through genetic reassortment, making its prevention and control more difficult. In this mini-review, we summarize the historical events of influenza and coronavirus pandemics or epidemics and the roles played by RNA viral genomes and pathogenesis in modulating viral evolution and generation of pandemic strains. Collectively, influenza and coronavirus diagnostics, vaccination, and other measures are critical for mitigating and controlling future pandemics. These pandemics might be regarded as a wake-up call to prepare us for future disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bee pollen is a natural cocktail of floral nectar, flower pollen, enzymes, and salivary secretions produced by honeybees. Bee pollen is one of the bee products most enriched in proteins, polysaccharides, polyphenols, lipids, minerals, and vitamins. It has a significant health and medicinal impact and provides protection against many diseases, including diabetes, cancer, infectious, and cardiovascular. Bee pollen is commonly promoted as a cost-effective functional food. In particular, bee pollen has been applied in clinical trials for allergies and prostate illnesses, with a few investigations on cancer and skin problems. However, it is involved in several patents and health recipes to combat chronic health problems. This review aimed to highlight the clinical trials and patents involving bee pollen for different cases and to present the role of bee pollen as a supplementary food and a potential product in cosmetic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the Ficus sycomorus extract on Eimeria intestinalis in experimentally infected rabbits. For this purpose, forty male 30-day-old rabbits (Blanc de Bouscat) were divided into four groups (n = 10 in each group). Rabbits kept in the first group served as negative control (non-treated-non-infected). Rabbits kept in the second, third, and fourth groups were challenged at 10 weeks old with 3 × 104E. intestinalis sporulated oocysts. The third and fourth groups were treated orally with diclazuril 10% (0.05 mg/kg body weight) and F. sycomorus (100 mg/Kg) for three consecutive days, respectively. The efficacy was assessed based on the growth performance parameters, clinical symptoms, oocyst shedding, histopathological findings, and hematological parameters for 16 days post challenge. The study revealed that rabbits treated with F. sycomorus methanolic extract and diclazuril showed mild clinical symptoms with a significant decrease in oocyst shedding compared with the positive control. Moreover, the diclazuril-treated group showed the highest leukocytic count and the lowest monocytes percentage compared with other groups. Furthermore, the lowest lymphocytes percentage was recorded in the control positive group. Histopathologically, moderate coccidia infestation in the intestinal mucosa and moderate hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes were observed in the diclazuril treated group compared with the negative control. However, mild coccidia infestation in the intestinal mucosa and slight coagulative necrosis of hepatocytes was found in the F. sycomorus treated group. In conclusion, F. sycomorus methanolic extract had promising effects on the live performance, oocyst count, and blood variables, while it possesses adverse consequences on the hepatic tissues. Further studies are required to optimize the dose and extraction method to mitigate its side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poxviruses as a group have variable levels of host ranges and virulence. For example, smallpox, which is caused by the variola virus, only infects humans with fatal outcomes, whereas related viruses, such as cowpox viruses can infect multiple hosts, but only cause mild disease in humans. Recently, the monkeypox virus (MPXV) re-emerged and infected over 780 human cases in over 20 countries worldwide at the time of writing this review. It has been shown before not only monkeys play a role in the transmission of MPXV to humans, but also rodents (Cricetomys gambianus, and Graphiurus murinus) and squirrels (Heliosciurus spp, Funisciurus spp). In addition, anthropogenic actions, such as deforestation, climatic changes, animal-human interfacing, globalization, and the cessation of smallpox vaccination, could contribute to the re-emergence of MPXV. Herein, we review the current nomenclature, epidemiology, genetic diversity of poxviruses, particularly MPXV, and the control regiments, including available antivirals and vaccines. We further highlight the genetic relatedness of the emergent MPXV viruses to know viral lineage using phylogenetic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of a multistrain potential probiotic (Protexin®), acids, and a bacterin from multidrug-resistant E. coli O26, O78, S. Enteritidis (1,9,12 g.m1,7), and S. Typhimurium (1,4,5,12.i.1,2) on the immune response, haematological parameters, cytokines, and growth parameters of broiler chickens challenged with bacterin live serotypes were investigated. Two experiments were designed using 300 one-day-old chicks (Arbor Acres) randomly assigned to 15 groups. The first experiment comprised 9 groups, including positive and negative control groups and other groups received Protexin®, acids, and the bacterin (0.2 ml/SC), either alone or in combination, on the 1st day. The second experiment contained 6 groups, including positive and negative control groups and other groups received a combination of Protexin®, acids, and the bacterin (0.5 ml/SC) on the 8th day. All the groups except the negative control groups were challenged on the 8th and 16th days in both experiments, respectively, with mixed live bacterin serotypes. The groups that received Protexin®, acids, and the bacterin either alone or in combination revealed significant improvements in the immune response to the bacterin (p ≤ 0.05). The groups in the 1st experiment and most the 2nd experiment groups showed a reduced mortality rate and decreased levels IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-12 cytokines (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, these groups demonstrated increases in haematological parameters and reduced rates of infection-caused anaemia. These groups showed significant increases in growth performance parameters, such as body weight, weight gain, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p ≤ 0.05). There was a beneficial effect on 1-day-old chickens produced by combining Protexin®, acids, and the bacterin (0.2 ml/SC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronaviruses are ubiquitous and infect a wide spectrum of animals and humans. The newly emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a worldwide pandemic. To address the role that animals may play in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the full genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from animals were compared with SARS-CoV-2 human isolates from the same clade and geographic region. Phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from the cat, dog, mink, mouse, and tiger revealed a close relationship with SARS-CoV-2 human isolates from the same clade and geographic region with sequence identities of 99.94-99.99%. The deduced amino acid sequence of spike (S) protein revealed the presence of a furin cleavage site (682RRARγ685), which did not differ among all SARS-CoV-2 isolates from animals and humans. SARS-CoV-2 isolates from minks exhibited two amino acid substitutions (G261D, A262S) in the N-terminal domain of S protein and four (L452M, Y453F, F486L, N501T) in the receptor-binding motif (RBM). In the mouse, the S protein had two amino acid substitutions, one in the RBM (Q498H) and the other (N969S) in the heptad repeat 1. SARS-CoV-2 isolated from minks furtherly exhibited three unique amino acid substitutions in the nucleocapsid (N)protein. In the cat, two unique amino acid substitutions were discovered in the N (T247I) and matrix (T175M) proteins. Additionally, SARS-CoV-2 isolated from minks possessed sixteen, four, and two unique amino acid substitutions in the open reading frame 1ab (ORF1ab), ORF3a, and ORF6, respectively. Dog and cat SARS-CoV-2 isolates showed one and seven unique amino acid substitutions in ORF1ab, respectively. Further studies may be necessary to determine the pathogenic significance of these amino acid substitutions to understand the molecular epidemiology and evolution of SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a well-known pathogen with a serious impact on human and veterinary public health. To determine antibiotic resistance of MRSA in poultry, 4248 nasal swabs were collected from 840 poultry farms in 18 different Wilayas (provinces) of Algeria. Swabs were collected between 2011 and 2018 from breeding hens, laying hens, broilers, and turkeys. Identification was carried out by the classical culture methods, and the disc diffusion test was used to determine the antibiotic resistance patterns. S. aureus was isolated from 477 (56.8%) farms, and flock prevalence was 52.8%, 48.8%, 48.4%, and 75.6% in breeding hens, laying hens, broilers, and turkeys, respectively. MRSA was isolated from 252 (30%) farms and flock prevalence was 22%, 33.5%, 27.4%, and 36%, respectively. As expected, all MRSA isolates were resistant to cefoxitin, penicillin G, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and oxacillin. High levels of resistance were found for tetracycline (82.5%), erythromycin (70.6%), clindamycin (68.6%), and ciprofloxacin (50%). Almost all isolates were susceptible to vancomycin (100%) and mupirocin and rifampicin (99.2%), followed by chloramphenicol (82.3%), and gentamicin (76%). This moderate proportion of MRSA in poultry poses a considerable risk to public health. The results of this study highlight the need for control programs that encompass primary animal production and the food chain to mitigate contamination and spread of MRSA in the poultry industry of Algeria, and consequently to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella, is a serious pathogen causing disastrous losses in the poultry production and dangerous human infections. This study was aimed to identify Salmonella serotypes and to detect the prominent virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance of the obtained serotypes from samples collected from dead chicken embryos, dead duck embryos and commercial broilers. The pathogenicity of some serotypes as (Salmonella Pullorum, Salmonella Enteritidis, and Salmonella Typhimurium) was investigated in one-day-old commercial layer chicks. A total of 180 cases were collected, after isolation 18 Salmonella isolates were reported to be as follows 7/100(7%), 5/40(12.5%) and 6/40(15%) in broilers, dead chickens, and dead duck embryos, respectively. The most prevalent serotypes were S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Pullorum, S. Vejle, S. Amsterdam, S. Infantis, S. Petersburg, and S. Atakpame. The distribution patterns of virulence genes iroN, cdtB, spaN, invA, and orgA, expressed as follows; 17/18(94.4%), 15/18(83.3%), 14/18(77.7%), 13/18(72.2%), and 12/18(66.7%) of serotypes, respectively. Added to that, the sipV, IpfC, sopB, prgH, and sitC virulence genes were amplified in 7/18(38.8%), 7/18(38.8%), 7/18(38.8%), 5/18(27.7%) and 3/18(16.6%) of isolates respectively. Most of isolates 16/18 (88.9%) expressed multiple antibiotic resistances (MAR) indices ranged from =0.3 =1. Based on the pathogenicity testing, S. Pullorum was the most pathogenic due to the clear signs and a mortality rate of 35%. Hence, the genotypic characterization and continuous monitoring of antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella from poultry are of public health concern to implement effective control strategies against this notorious pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 50 poultry farms of commercial broilers (N = 39) and commercial layers (N = 11) suffered from respiratory problems and mortality during the period from January 2016 to December 2017 were investigated. Also, samples were collected from quail (N = 4), Bluebird (Sialis, N = 1), and Greenfinch (Chloris chloris, N = 1) for analysis. Respiratory viral pathogens were screened by PCR and positive samples were subjected to virus isolation and genetic identification. Antigenic relatedness of isolated avian influenza (AI) H5 subtype was evaluated using cross-hemagglutination inhibition. Results revealed that the incidence of single virus infections in commercial broilers was 64.1% (25/39), with the highest incidence for ND (33.3%) and H9N2 (20.5%), followed by H5N1 (7.7%) and H5N8 (2.7). Meanwhile, H9N2/ND mixed infection was the most observed case (7.7%). Other mixed infections H5N1/ND, H5N1/H9N2/ND, H5N1/H9N2/ND/IB, H9N2/IB, and H9N2/ILT were also observed (2.6% each). In commercial layers, H5N1 and ILT were the only detected single infections (18.1% each). Mixed H9N2/ND was the most predominant infection in layers (27.3%). Other mixed infections of H9N2/IB, H5N1/H5N8/H9N2, and H9N2/ND/IB were observed in 3 separate farms (9.1% each). The H5N8 virus was detected in one quail farm and 2 out of 3 wild bird's samples. Partial HA gene sequence analysis showed the clustering of the selected AI H5N8 within the 2.3.4.4 clade, while H5N1 clustered with the clade 2.2.1.2. Interestingly, the H5N8 isolated from chickens possessed 6 amino acids substitutions at HA1 compared to those isolated from wild birds with low antigenic relatedness to AI H5N1 clades 2.2.1 or 2.2.1.2. In conclusion, mixed viral infections were observed in both broiler and layer chickens in Egypt. The detected triple H5N1, H9N2, and H5N8 influenza co-infection raises the concern of potential AI epidemic strain emergence. The low genetic and antigenic relatedness between AI H5N1 and H5N8 viruses suggest the need for modification of vaccination strategies of avian influenza in Egypt along with strict biosecurity measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Avian influenza H9N2 viruses have become panzootic in Eurasia causing respiratory manifestations, great economic losses and occasionally being transmitted to humans. To evaluate the replication properties and compare the different virus quantification methods, four Eurasian H9N2 viruses from different geographical origins were propagated in embryonated chicken egg (ECE) and Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cell systems. The ECE-grown and cell culture-grown viruses were monitored for replication kinetics based on tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50), Hemagglutination (HA) test and quantitative real time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). The cellular morphology was analyzed using immunofluorescence (IF) and cellular ELISA was used to screen the sensitivity of the viruses to amantadine. The Eurasian wild type-H9N2 virus produced lower titers compared to the three G1-H9N2 viruses at respective time points. Detectable titers were observed earliest at 16 h post inoculation (hpi), significant morphological changes on cells were first observed at 32 hpi. Few nucleotide and amino acid substitutions were noticed in the HA, NA and NS gene sequences but none of them are related to the known conserved region that can alter pathogenesis or virulence following a single passage in cell culture. All studied H9N2 viruses were sensitive to amantadine. The G1-H9N2 viruses have higher replication capabilities compared to the European wild bird-H9N2 probably due to their specific genetic constitutions which is prerequisite for a successful vaccine candidate. Both the ECE and MDCK cell system allowed efficient replication but the ECE system is considered as the better cultivation system for H9N2 viruses in order to get maximum amounts of virus within a short time period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]