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Social media services such as Twitter are valuable sources of information for surveillance systems. A digital syndromic surveillance system has several advantages including its ability to overcome the problem of time delay in traditional surveillance systems. Despite the progress made with using digital syndromic surveillance systems, the possibility of tracking avian influenza (AI) using online sources has not been fully explored. In this study, a Twitter-based data analysis framework was developed to automatically monitor avian influenza outbreaks in a real-time manner. The framework was implemented to find worrisome posts and alerting news on Twitter, filter irrelevant ones, and detect the onset of outbreaks in several countries. The system collected and analyzed over 209,000 posts discussing avian influenza on Twitter from July 2017 to November 2018. We examined the potential of Twitter data to represent the date, severity and virus type of official reports. Furthermore, we investigated whether filtering irrelevant tweets can positively impact the performance of the system. The proposed approach was empirically evaluated using a real-world outbreak-reporting source. We found that 75% of real-world outbreak notifications of AI were identifiable from Twitter. This shows the capability of the system to serve as a complementary approach to official AI reporting methods. Moreover, we observed that one-third of outbreak notifications were reported on Twitter earlier than official reports. This feature could augment traditional surveillance systems and provide a possibility of early detection of outbreaks. This study could potentially provide a first stepping stone for building digital disease outbreak warning systems to assist epidemiologists and animal health professionals in making relevant decisions.

Influenza viruses cause severe respiratory infections in humans and birds, triggering global health concerns and economic burden. Influenza infection is a dynamic process involving complex biological host responses. The objective of this study was to illustrate global biological processes in ileum and cecal tonsils at early time points after chickens were infected with low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) H9N2 through transcriptome analysis. Total RNA isolated from ileum and cecal tonsils of non-infected and infected layers at 12-, 24- and 72-h post-infection (hpi) was used for mRNA sequencing analyses to characterize differentially expressed genes and overrepresented pathways. Statistical analysis highlighted transcriptomic signatures significantly occurring 24 and 72 hpi, but not earlier at 12 hpi. Interferon (IFN)-inducible and IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression was increased, followed by continued expression of various heat-shock proteins (HSP), including HSP60, HSP70, HSP90 and HSP110. Some upregulated genes involved in innate antiviral responses included DDX60 , MX1 , RSAD2 and CMPK2 . The ISG15 antiviral mechanism pathway was highly enriched in ileum and cecal tonsils at 24 hpi. Overall, most affected pathways were related to interferon production and the heat-shock response. Research on these candidate genes and pathways is warranted to decipher underlying mechanisms of immunity against LPAIV in chickens.

Necrotic enteritis (NE) in poultry is an economically important disease caused by Clostridium perfringens type A bacteria. A global trend on restricting the use of antibiotics as feed supplements in food animal production has caused a spike in the NE incidences in chickens, particularly in broiler populations. Amongst several non-antibiotic strategies for NE control tried so far, probiotics seem to offer promising avenues. The current review focuses on studies that have evaluated probiotic effects on C. perfringens growth and NE development. Several probiotic species, including Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Bacillus, and Bacteroides bacteria as well as some yeast species have been tested in chickens against C. perfringens and NE development. These findings have shown to improve bird performance, reduce C. perfringens colonization and NE-associated pathology. The underlying probiotic mechanisms of NE control suggest that probiotics can help maintain a healthy gut microbial balance by modifying its composition, improve mucosal integrity by upregulating expression of tight-junction proteins, and modulate immune responses by downregulating expression of inflammatory cytokines. Collectively, these studies indicate that probiotics can offer a promising platform for NE control and that more investigations are needed to study whether these experimental probiotics can effectively prevent NE in commercial poultry operational settings.

An accurate understanding of the ecology and complexity of the poultry respiratory microbiota is of utmost importance for elucidating the roles of commensal or pathogenic microorganisms in the respiratory tract, as well as their associations with health or disease outcomes in poultry. This comprehensive review delves into the intricate aspects of the poultry respiratory microbiota, focusing on its colonization patterns, composition, and impact on poultry health. Firstly, an updated overview of the current knowledge concerning the composition of the microbiota in the respiratory tract of poultry is provided, as well as the factors that influence the dynamics of community structure and diversity. Additionally, the significant role that the poultry respiratory microbiota plays in economically relevant respiratory pathobiologies that affect poultry is explored. In addition, the challenges encountered when studying the poultry respiratory microbiota are addressed, including the dynamic nature of microbial communities, site-specific variations, the need for standardized protocols, the appropriate sequencing technologies, and the limitations associated with sampling methodology. Furthermore, emerging evidence that suggests bidirectional communication between the gut and respiratory microbiota in poultry is described, where disturbances in one microbiota can impact the other. Understanding this intricate cross talk holds the potential to provide valuable insights for enhancing poultry health and disease control. It becomes evident that gaining a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted roles of the poultry respiratory microbiota, as presented in this review, is crucial for optimizing poultry health management and improving overall outcomes in poultry production.

Mucosal vaccine delivery systems have paramount importance for the induction of mucosal antibody responses. Two studies were conducted to evaluate immunogenicity of inactivated AIV antigens encapsulated in poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs). In the first study, seven groups of specific pathogen free (SPF) layer-type chickens were immunized subcutaneously at 7-days of age with different vaccine formulations followed by booster vaccinations two weeks later. Immune responses were profiled by measuring antibody (Ab) responses in sera and lachrymal secretions of vaccinated chickens. The results indicated that inactivated AIV and CpG ODN co-encapsulated in PLGA NPs (2x NanoAI+CpG) produced higher amounts of hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies compared to a group vaccinated with non-adjuvanted AIV encapsulated in PLGA NPs (NanoAI). The tested adjuvanted NPs-based vaccine (2x NanoAI+CpG) resulted in higher IgG responses in the sera and lachrymal secretions at weeks 3, 4 and 5 post-vaccination when immunized subcutaneously. The incorporation of CpG ODN led to an increase in Ab-mediated responses and was found useful to be included both in the prime and booster vaccinations. In the second study, the ability of chitosan and mannan coated PLGA NPs that encapsulated AIV and CpG ODN was evaluated for inducing antibody responses when delivered via nasal and ocular routes in one-week-old SPF layer-type chickens. These PLGA NPs-based and surface modified formulations induced robust AIV-specific antibody responses in sera and lachrymal secretions. Chitosan coated PLGA NPs resulted in the production of large quantities of lachrymal IgA and IgG compared to mannan coated NPs, which also induced detectable amounts of IgA in addition to the induction of IgG in lachrymal secretions. In both mucosal and subcutaneous vaccination approaches, although NPs delivery enhanced Ab-mediated immunity, one booster vaccination was required to generate significant amount of Abs. These results highlight the potential of NPs-based AIV antigens for promoting the induction of both systemic and mucosal immune responses against respiratory pathogens.

Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV) is a highly contagious pathogen in chickens, resulting in immunosuppression and T-cell lymphomas. Understanding the role of host cytokines in MDV pathogenesis is crucial for developing effective interventions. This study investigated the in vivo effects of overexpressing avian interleukin-17 (IL-17) in Marek’s disease virus infection model and its impact on T-cell populations. We utilized a recombinant pCDNA3.1 plasmid that expresses IL-17 at days 4 and 10 post-MDV infection in chickens. Our findings demonstrate that IL-17 overexpression significantly enhanced MDV replication. However, treatment with the plasmid expressing IL-17 led to a reduction in MD disease severity. Additionally, IL-17 treatment markedly altered the frequency of CD4+ and CD8α+ αβ T-cells. Specifically, at 21-dpi, there was an increase in CD3+ CD8α+ αβ T cells and a decrease in CD3+ CD4+ αβ T-cells within the spleen of chickens treated with the plasmid expressing IL-17. These modulatory effects suggest a possible mechanism by which IL-17 facilitates immune system cell activation and enhances viral persistence. This study underscores the pivotal role of IL-17 in MDV infection dynamics and offers.

Sustainably feeding the next generation is often described as one of the most pressing \"grand challenges\" facing the 21st century. Generally, scholars propose addressing this problem by increasing agricultural production, investing in technology to boost yields, changing diets, or reducing food waste. In this paper, we explore whether global food production is nutritionally balanced by comparing the diet that nutritionists recommend versus global agricultural production statistics. Results show that the global agricultural system currently overproduces grains, fats, and sugars while production of fruits and vegetables and protein is not sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of the current population. Correcting this imbalance could reduce the amount of arable land used by agriculture by 51 million ha globally but would increase total land used for agriculture by 407 million ha and increase greenhouse gas emissions. For a growing population, our calculations suggest that the only way to eat a nutritionally balanced diet, save land and reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to consume and produce more fruits and vegetables as well as transition to diets higher in plant-based protein. Such a move will help protect habitats and help meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

The present study was undertaken to profile and compare the cecal microbial communities in conventionally (CONV) grown and raised without antibiotics (RWA) broiler chickens. Three hundred chickens were collected from five CONV and five RWA chicken farms on days 10, 24, and 35 of age. Microbial genomic DNA was extracted from cecal contents, and the V4-V5 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequence data indicated significant differences in the cecal microbial diversity and composition between CONV and RWA chickens on days 10, 24, and 35 days of age. On days 10 and 24, CONV chickens had higher richness and diversity of the cecal microbiome relative to RWA chickens. However, on day 35, this pattern reversed such that RWA chickens had higher richness and diversity of the cecal microbiome than the CONV groups. On days 10 and 24, the microbiomes of both CONV and RWA chickens were dominated by members of the phylum Firmicutes. On day 35, while Firmicutes remained dominant in the RWA chickens, the microbiome of CONV chickens exhibited am abundance of Bacteroidetes. The cecal microbiome of CONV chickens was enriched with the genus Faecalibacterium , Pseudoflavonifractor , unclassified Clostridium_IV , Bacteroides , Alistipes , and Butyricimonas , whereas the cecal microbiome of RWA chickens was enriched with genus Anaerofilum , Butyricicoccu , Clostridium_XlVb and unclassified Lachnospiraceae . Overall, the cecal microbiome richness, diversity, and composition were greatly influenced by the management program applied in these farms. These findings provide a foundation for further research on tailoring feed formulation or developing a consortium to modify the gut microbiome composition of RWA chickens.

The impact of antibiotic use for growth promotion in livestock and poultry production on the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria led to the ban of this practice in the European Union in 2006 and a restriction of antimicrobial use (AMU) in animal agriculture in Canada and the United States of America. There is a high risk of infectious diseases such as necrotic enteritis due to Clostridium perfringens , and colibacillosis due to avian pathogenic Escherichia coli in antimicrobial-free broiler chickens. Thus, efficient and cost-effective methods for reducing AMU, maintaining good poultry health and reducing public health risks (food safety) are urgently needed for poultry production. Several alternative agents, including plant-derived polyphenolic compounds, have been investigated for their potential to prevent and control diseases through increasing poultry immunity. Many studies in humans reported that plant flavonoids could modulate the immune system by decreasing production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, T-cell activation, and proliferation. Fruits, especially berries, are excellent sources of flavonoids while being rich in nutrients and other functionally important molecules (vitamins and minerals). Thus, fruit byproducts or wastes could be important resources for value-added applications in poultry production. In the context of the circular economy and waste reduction, this review summarizes observed effects of fruit wastes/extracts on the general health and the immunity of poultry.

Necrotic enteritis is an important enteric disease of poultry that can be controlled with in-feed antibiotics. However, with the concerns over antimicrobial resistance, there is an increased interest in the use of alternatives. Probiotics are one of the alternatives that have gained considerable attention due to their antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated the effects of two different Lactobacillus species alone or as a cocktail on prevention of necrotic enteritis. Day-old male broiler chickens were divided into five groups and on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, birds in groups 2 and 3 received 1×10 8 colony forming units (CFU) of L. johnsonii and L. reuteri , respectively. Group 4 received probiotic cocktails containing both bacteria (10 8 CFU/bird) and the negative and positive control groups did not receive any lactobacilli. Starting on day 23 post-hatch, birds in all groups (except the negative control group) were orally challenged twice per day with 3×10 8 CFU of a pathogenic C. perfringens strain for 3 days. Tissue and cecal samples were collected before and after challenge to assess gene expression, lymphocyte subsets determination, and microbiome analysis. On day 26 of age, lesion scoring was performed. The results demonstrated that the group that received the lactobacilli cocktail had significantly reduced lesion scores compared to the positive control group. In addition, the expression of interleukin (IL)-12 in the jejunum and CXC motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8), IL-13, and IL-17 in the ileum were downregulated in the group that received the lactobacilli cocktail when compared to the positive control. Treating chickens with the lactobacilli cocktail prior to challenge enhanced the percentage of CD3 - CD8 + cells and Bu-1 + IgY + B cells in the ileum and increased the frequency of monocyte/macrophages, CD3 - CD8 + cells, Bu-1 + IgM + , and Bu-1 + IgY + B cells in the jejunum. Treatment with the lactobacilli cocktail reduced the relative expression of Gamma-Protobacteria and Firmicutes compared to the positive control group. In conclusion, the results presented here suggest that treatment with the lactobacilli cocktail containing L. johnsonii and L. reuteri reduced necrotic enteritis lesions in the small intestine of chickens, possibly through the modulation of immune responses.