Poultry Feces Research Articles

Culture-Independent Quantitative PCR Detected Mobilized Colistin Resistance Genes (mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3, mcr-4, and mcr-5) in Chicken Gut Contents in Bangladesh

Inappropriate antimicrobial use in food animal farming propels antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that affects all health domains. Colistin is a ‘Reserve’ antibiotic for human treatment to be conserved for multidrug-resistant pathogens; however, it is being used as an animal growth promoter in many developing countries. The evolution of mobilized colistin resistance (mcr) gene-mediated colistin resistance has been reported to be associated with rampant colistin use. This study investigated the current variants of the mcr gene in chicken gut contents in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was designed to assess the mcr-1 to mcr-5 genes in 80 fresh poultry droppings from commercial poultry farms and 40 poultry droppings from household farms. DNA was extracted from each poultry dropping using commercial kits (Qiagen GmbH, Hilden, Germany). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed using the qTOWER3 thermal cycler (Analytik Jena GmbH, Jena, Germany) to analyze the mcr gene variants in the extracted DNA. This study observed that 47.5% (57/120) of the samples exhibited the presence of at least one mcr gene out of the five variants investigated. The individual detection rates of the mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3, mcr-4, and mcr-5 genes were 42.5% (51/120), 2.5% (3/120), 1.7% (2/120), 5% (6/120), and 9.2% (11/120), respectively. The co-carriage of two or more genes was found in over 10% (10/57) of the samples. The triple occurrence of mcr genes was identified in three samples with the combination of mcr-1+mcr-2+mcr-4, mcr-1+mcr-3+mcr-5, and mcr-1+mcr-4+mcr-5. Overall, a significantly higher number of mcr genes were identified in the commercial farm chicken droppings compared to the household chicken droppings (p = 0.007). The existence of mcr genes in poultry feces in Bangladesh emphasizes the importance of proper poultry waste disposal and good hygiene practices in poultry livestock and its value chain. The potential impact of environmental ARGs should be considered in national and global policy documents. An integrated and combined approach to the One Health concept should be applied in all domains to understand and control the environment’s role in the evolution and transmission of AMR.

Evaluation of Fuel Consumption and Exhaust Emissions in a Single Cylinder Four-Stroke Diesel Engine Using Biodiesel Derived from Chicken Waste with Additives

Biodiesel is a renewable, locally generated fuel made from vegetable oils, trans fats, or recycled restaurant grease for use in diesel automobiles and other diesel-powered equipment. The physical qualities of biodiesel are comparable to those of petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is used in compression-ignition engines in the same way as petroleum diesel. Biofuel can be made from biomass, but according to the Indian National Policy on Biofuels, biofuel extraction from edible oils is not permitted because it would result in a massive increase in consumer goods prices and perhaps lead to product scarcity. Hence, there is a need to search for alternative biofuel so that it does not affect our nation's national policy. Recently there has been a drastic increase in the consumption of chicken grown in farms. There is a huge problem in disposing of their waste. One major difficulty in waste treatment is poultry manure, often known as slaughter waste. This waste is sometimes dumped on wastelands, roadsides, and the banks of rivers, lakes, and ponds. This creates more sanitary problems for society. According to polls, poultry feces begin to decompose in around three hours. The odor of butcher's waste causes a lot of pollution in the air, as well as an increase in the density of bacteria in the atmosphere. Measures have been taken by the government for the safe disposal of these wastes. One of the major ways of disposal is to recycle this chicken slaughter waste in a useful manner so that it can serve society in a positive way. This could be done by converting this waste into fuel through various processes such as rendering, hydrolysis, extraction, acid esterification, alkaline transesterification, and finally by the extraction process. This produced fuel could be blended with existing diesel in varying concentrations and used in diesel engine-powered vehicles. In this work, the fuel is extracted from the chicken waste and blended with pure diesel and an Al2O3 additive in various proportions. These combinations are then tested on a single-cylinder diesel engine for fuel consumption and emission analysis. The results exhibited an overall better performance when compared to pure diesel.

Determination of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Cell-Free Supernatant (CFSKC27L) and Exopolysaccharide (EPSKC27L) obtained from Ligilactobacillus salivarius KC27L

Twenty-six lactic acid bacteria were obtained from poultry feces sampled located in the Ankara area (Türkiye) and belong to the Lactobacillus genus according to the results obtained by biochemical methods. This study screened these isolates for exopolysaccharides (EPS) production. EPS production was detected in these isolates, varying from 8 mg L-1 to 353 mg L-1. The highest EPS-producing isolate (KC27L) was selected for further studies. The isolate was identified as Ligilactobacillus salivarius by 16S rRNA analysis. Furthermore, the anti-biofilm and antioxidant abilities of the cell-free supernatant (CFSKC27L) and different concentrations (0.5 mg L-1 and 1 mg L-1) of EPS belonging to the KC27L strain (EPSKC27L) that exhibited high EPS production were determined. CFSKC27 and different concentrations (0.5 mg L-1 and 1 mg mL-1) of EPSKC27L determined the anti-biofilm impact on Escherichia coli ATCC 11229, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and Staphylococcus aureus EB-1. The highest anti-biofilm effect in 1 mg mL-1 EPSKC27L was detected at E. coli ATCC 11229 with 87 % inhibition. Three different methods (1.1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) removal impact, Fe2+ ion chelating and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity) designated antioxidant activity. The highest 1.1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) removal impact, Fe2+ ion chelating, and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity were found in 1 mg mL-1 EPSKC27L (79.6%, 24.9%, and 61.6%, respectively). Both anti-biofilm and antioxidant activities of 1 mg mL-1 EPSKC27L were higher than postbiotic. Finally, its molecular characterization was done following the partial purification of the EPSKC27L. The EPSKC27L has two fractions with molecular weights of 1.6x103 and 6.4 x104 Da. Monosaccharide components of EPSKC27L were found to be glucose (53.1%), fructose (18.5%), arabinose (14.6%) and mannose (13.8%). CFSKC27L and EPSKC27L obtained from L. salivarius can be antioxidants and anti-biofilm agents.

Biosafety assessment of laying hens fed different treatments of black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) under doxycycline stress

The black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens) is a resource insect that can utilize livestock and poultry feces. However, BSFs may also increase the risk of transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (AGRs) that are widespread in livestock and poultry farm environments. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the biosecurity risks of different BSF treatments in the laying chicken food chain using the “chicken manure-BSF-laying hens” model. Our results indicated that different BSF treatments significantly affected antibiotic residue, ARGs, MGEs, bacterial antibiotic resistance, and bacterial microbial community composition in the food chain of laying hens fed BSFs. These risks can be effectively reduced through starvation treatment and high-temperature grinding treatment. Comprehensive risk assessment analysis revealed that starvation combined with high-temperature milling (Group H) had the greatest effect.

IDENTIFICATION OF PARASITES FROM POULTRY FAECES BY WET MOUNT METHOD AND CONCENTRATION TECHNIQUES

Background: Poultry faeces may contain many harmful parasites, which may pose significant health risks to the consumer. These parasites may then be transmitted to man by contaminated soil, drinking water supply or by mechanical vectors like flies and rodents. This is a neglected area of public health and deserves more scientific attention. We explored Scientific literature and also assessed our findings. Methods: One hundred (100) poultry faeces samples were assessed for viewing parasites by wet mount method. A concentration technique was performed in saturated saline solution, followed by slide preparation and microscopic identification. Results: In our experiment, coccidian oocysts, Entamoeba oocysts and rarely some Giardia oocysts, larvae of Strongyloides spp. and trematode eggs were found. Conclusion: Keeping in view the public health importance of parasites in poultry faeces, open poultry shops should be cleaned and properly sanitized to mitigate health risks to humans and also the environment.

Development of Rapid Detection Kit for Necrotic Enteritis Disease in Poultry using Protein A Agglutination

Necrotic enteritis causes significant losses in the global poultry industry, necessitating accurate diagnosis for effective intervention. This study aimed to develop a diagnostic tool for detecting necrotic enteritis in poultry based on the presence of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) Alpha-toxin in poultry feces. The reagent of the detection kit was developed by conjugation of IgG against C. perfringens toxin and Staphylococcus cells containing protein A. The IgG antibody was derived from an 8-month-old thin-tailed male sheep immunized with purified 2 ml of C. perfringens Alpha-toxin. Sensitivity assays were carried out to determine the detection limit, while Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella enteritidis (S. enteritidis) were used to identify specificity. A purified Alpha-toxin with a protein concentration of 2.8 mg/ml and a specific molecular weight of 43 kDa was successfully obtained. A strong reaction of the hyperimmune antibody (IgG) was also detected in the thin-tailed male sheep serum. The developed rapid detection kit in this study indicated C. perfringens Alpha-toxin with a lower concentration (12 ng/ml). Agglutination reactions could differentiate positive control from negative without significant cross-reactivity towards other bacteria (S. enteritidis and E. coli). Keywords: Agglutination, Clostridium perfringens, Detection, Necrotic Enteritis, Toxin

Antibiotics Susceptibility Profile of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Species Using Selected 3rd Generation Cephalosporins Antibiotics Against Humans and Poultry Faeces in South West, Nigeria

Introduction: Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) isolates are among the most common bacterial pathogens associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) where animals are known to be the major reservoir of NTS despite improvements in hygiene and sanitation. Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of non-typhoidal salmonella species from humans and poultry faeces in Ido-Ekiti using selected 3rd generation cephalosporin antibiotics. Study Location and Duration: The study was carried out at Federal Teaching Hospital Ido Ekiti for 3months between July 2023 and September 2023. Methodology: A total of 300 faecal samples were collected (100 from humans and 200 from poultry) by random sampling and analyzed by enriching on Selenite F broth and cultured on XLD agar using standard method. Faecal samples were identified using morphology, microscopic and biochemical characteristics. Antibiotic susceptibility test determined using disc diffusion method. Results: The prevalence of NTS in human and poultry sources were 9% and 11.5% respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility test revealed high resistance rates to 3rd generation Cephalosporins antibiotics among the poultry isolates, especially to Cefuroxime, Cefotaxime and ceftriaxone at 86.9%, 65.2% and 82.6% respectively while Ceftazidime at 88.9% only had an high resistance from human samples as compared to the poultry samples. Conclusion: The study confirmed that poultries in Ido Ekiti are likely major sources of resistant NTS, and this poses a potential hazard to the public, especially those living close to the poultry and those rearing them.

Screening and Identification of Chromium Resistant Bacteria from Poultry Excreta

The occurrence of heavy metal-resistant bacteria in the environment acts as an indicator of heavy metal pollution. The impact of heavy metal contamination in co-selection and proliferation of antimicrobial[1]resistant bacteria is well-documented in existing literature. The present study aims to determine the occurrence of chromium-resistant bacteria (CRB) in poultry feces and to characterize their antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation ability. 28 CRBs were isolated by inoculating samples on chromium-amended media. 6 of 28 isolates were resistant to a maximum of 1000 ppm chromium. Isolated CRBs also showed varying degrees of resistance to other heavy metals, including Cd, Ni, and Hg. Biofilm formation was observed in 67.8% isolates, of which 60.7% and 7.1% were weak and moderate biofilm former, respectively. All the isolates exhibited sensitivity to Gentamicin, Chloramphenicol, Imipenem, and Amikacin. Only one isolate was multi-drug resistant. In addition, all the isolates possessed chromate reductase gene that confirmed their chromium-reducing activity. Two isolates were identified as Bacillus altituidinis and Brevibcillus parabrevis on the basis of 16s rRNA analysis. Further estimation of chromium-reduction capacity and whole genome analysis will reveal their bioremediation potential.
 Bangladesh J Microbiol, Volume 40, Number 1, June 2023, pp 1-6

Escherichia coli research on Raman measurement mechanism and diagnostic model

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of the most important pathogenic bacteria causing poultry diseases, characterized by a wide distribution range, rapid spread, and high mortality rate. Early diagnosis of E. coli in poultry feces provides the possibility for targeted treatment and rapid recovery of diseased poultry, and more importantly, prevents the rapid spread of pathogens among densely bred poultry. In order to implement rapid, low-cost, and high-frequency detection of E. coli, this study explored the feasibility of Raman spectroscopy. Firstly, theoretical configurations and density functional calculations of N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine in the cell wall of E. coli were performed. Then, Raman measurement models for E. coli were established based on two feature extraction methods (Successive Projections Algorithm, Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling) and four modeling methods (Random Forest Algorithm, Convolutional Neural Networks, Back Propagation Neural Networks, Radial Basis Function). Finally, a method based on the extraction of Raman spectral features using density functional theory was determined to optimize the existing models, and it was demonstrated that this feature variable extraction method improved the accuracy of all four measurement models to some extent. Ultimately, the optimal model, the improved SPA-RF, was obtained through comparative analysis, with an accuracy, precision, recall, specificity, FNR, FDR, and AUC of 98.38%, 98.61%, 99.83%, 88.08%, 0.81%, 11.82%, and 1, respectively. This study reports an early method for the early treatment of E. coli diseases and provides a molecular structure database for studying N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine, as well as a basis for vibrational spectroscopy detection of E. coli diseases, promoting the application of Raman spectroscopy technology in the diagnosis of livestock diseases.

Agronomic characteristics and chemical composition of hydroponic maize fodder as influenced by animal waste solutions

The growing of plants hydroponically is a soilless form of growing in modern day agriculture. It helps to make feed available for animals throughout the season since it is not affected by what is faced by field grown crops. The use of animal waste, that is, their faeces, in the growth of forage was compared with commercial hydroponics solutions as a way of looking for a reduction in the cost incurred in the purchase of commercial hydroponics solutions. The study evaluated the use of organic nutrient solutions (ONS) alongside a standard/commercial nutrient solution in growing crops hydroponically on the growth, dry matter yield, water use efficiency, and chemical composition of hydroponic maize fodder. The ONS used were formulated from the dried faeces of cattle, poultry, rabbits, and swine. The prepared organic nutrient solutions with the control were used in growing the maize seeds for 10 days, and growth, yield, and chemical composition were determined. Results show the highest (196 g) dry matter yield for maize hydroponic fodder irrigated with poultry ONS. Similarly, maize irrigated with poultry ONS was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in CP content, while it was not significantly different from maize irrigated with cattle, swine, and commercial solutions. A lower water use efficiency value (0.19 kg DM/m3) was recorded for maize irrigated with cattle ONS. According to the study, irrigating maize with different organic nutrient solutions produced maize fodder with a higher yield and a similar chemical composition as the commercial nutrient solution.

Molecular Epidemiology of Fluoroquinolones Resistance Genes among Non-typhoidal Salmonella Species from Humans and Poultry Faeces in Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti State

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) strains are among the most common bacterial pathogens associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) where animals are known to be the major reservoir of NTS despite improvements in hygiene and sanitation. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and basis of fluoroquinolone resistance genes in non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) recovered from human and poultry fecal samples in Ido Ekiti. The study used a total of 300 fecal samples,100 from humans and 200 from poultry sources. Faecal samples were cultured using Selenite F broth and XLD agar. Isolates were identified using morphology, biochemical tests, and molecular characterization. Antibiotic susceptibility were determined using disc diffusion test. Plasmid extraction and curing were done using alkaline lysis and Ethidium Bromide. Phylogenetic relatedness was determined using the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean. The results revealed that 10.7% of NTS were identified, with 9% from human and 11.5% from poultry sources. High resistance to ofloxacin (77.8%) was observed in both human and poultry samples. S. enteritidis from human sources had a concomitant presence of two qnr genes (qnrA and qnrS) at 20%, while only qnrS (60%) was detected from poultry sources. Statistically significant risk factors for NTS infection among human included the consumption of poultry products and the use of untreated poultry droppings. The study identified Qnr resistance gene in ESBL producing S. enteritidis from both human and poultry sources in Ido Ekiti and are plasmid borne, establishing the role of plasmids in the acquisition, and spread of antibiotic resistance of fluoroquinolones.

Effects of microbial deodorizer on pig feces fermentation and the underlying deodorizing mechanism

Microbial deodorization is a novel strategy for reducing odor in livestock and poultry feces. Herein, 12 strains of ammonia (NH3) and 15 hydrogen sulfide (H2S) removing bacteria were obtained with a removal efficiency of 65.20–79.80% and 34.90–79.70%, respectively. A novel bacteria deodorant named MIX (Bacillus zhangzhouensis, Bacillus altitudinis, and Acinetobacter pittii at a ratio of 1:1:2) were obtained. MIX can shorten the temperature rising stage by 2 days and prolong the thermophilic stage by 4 days. The ability of MIX to remove NH3, H2S, and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and the underlying removal mechanism were analyzed during pig feces fermentation. MIX can significantly reduce the concentrations of NH3 and H2S by 41.82% and 66.35% and increase the concentrations of NO3−–N and SO42− by 7.80% and 8.83% (P < 0.05), respectively, on the 25th day. Moreover, the concentrations of acetic, propionate, iso-valerate, and valerate were significantly reduced. The dominant bacteria communities at the phylum level were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes. B. zhangzhouensis and B. altitudinis could convert NH4+–N to NO3−–N, and A. pittii could transfer H2S to SO42−. This study revealed that bacteria deodorant can reduce the concentrations of NH3, H2S, and VFAs in pig feces and increase those of NH4+, NO3−, and SO42− and has excellent potential in deodorizing livestock and poultry feces composting.

Dietary strategies can increase cloacal endotoxin levels and modulate the resident microbiota in broiler chickens

Endotoxins released from poultry feces have been associated with impaired human health. Because endotoxins are released from gram-negative intestinal bacteria, it was hypothesized that dietary strategies may influence endotoxin excretion via modulation of gut microbiota. We therefore tested dietary strategies that could potentially reduce cloacal endotoxin levels in broiler chickens. One-day-old male Ross 308 (N = 1,344) broilers were housed in 48 pens (N = 8 pens/treatment, 28 chickens per pen) and fed 1 of 6 diets for 35 days (d) in a 3-phase feeding program: a basic diet (CON) that served as the reference diet, or basic diet supplemented with butyrate (BUT), inulin (INU), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) or Original XPC™LS (XPC), or a high-fiber-low-protein (HF-LP) diet. A significant (P < 0.05) increase in cloacal endotoxin concentration at d 35 was observed in BUT as compared to CON. Analysis of cloacal microbiota showed a trend (P < 0.07) for a higher gram-negative/gram-positive ratio and for a higher relative abundance of gram-negative bacteria at d 35 (P ≤ 0.08) in BUT and HF-LP as compared to CON. A significant (P < 0.05) increase in average daily gain (ADG) and improved feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05) were observed in MCFA during the grower phase (d 14-28), and a significant (P < 0.05) increase in average daily feed intake (ADFI) was observed in MCFA during d 0 to 28. Broilers fed HF-LP had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher FCR and lower ADG throughout the rearing period. No treatment effects were found on footpad dermatitis, but BUT had worst hock burn scores at d 35 (P < 0.01) and MCFA had worst cleanliness scores at d 21 but not at d 35 (treatment*age P < 0.05), while INU had better cleanliness as compared to CON at d 35 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, especially BUT and HF-LP were able to modulate resident microbiota and BUT also increased cloacal endotoxin levels, which was opposite to our hypothesis. The present study indicates that cloacal endotoxin release can be affected by the diet but further study is needed to find dietary treatments that can reduce cloacal endotoxin release.

Antimicrobial Effects of Medicinal Plant Species on Salmonella typhimurium Strains Isolated from Poultry Feces Samples

Background: It has been proven that plant extracts show great promise in fighting pathogenic microorganisms. This study aimed to evaluate the resistance of 20 strains of Salmonella typhimurium extracted from poultry feces against conventional antibiotics and the antibacterial activity of 10 medicinal plant extracts, including Hibiscus sabdariffa L., Capparis spinosa L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Eryngium planum L., Rumex acetosa L., Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand, Psidium guajava L., Malva sylvestris L., Urtica dioica L., and Alcea setosa Alef., against the extracted strains. Methods: The susceptibility of S. typhimurium strains against tested antibiotics was determined using disk diffusion, and the antibacterial activity of medicinal plant extracts was evaluated using well diffusion and broth microdilution assays. Results: The extracted S. typhimurium strains showed high resistance to cephalosporin (100%) and gentamicin (40%); however, all plant extracts examined in this study were influential in inhibiting the growth of the tested strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of tested plant extracts ranged from 6.25 to 25 mg/mL and 12.5 to 50 mg/mL, respectively. The most effective plant extracts in inhibiting bacterial growth in the agar well diffusion method were P. guajava, H. sabdariffa, and A. setosa; nevertheless, the most potent bactericidal activity was recorded for M. sylvestris and A. setosa in the broth microdilution method. The examined strains showed 80% and 85% sensitivity to the MBC of alcoholic extracts of M. sylvestris and A. setosa (50 mg/mL), respectively, which is worthy of further exploration by scientists. Conclusions: The results of this study represent the high potency of M. sylvestris and A. setosa extracts as appropriate medicinal and/or food supplements to replace ineffective antibiotics in bird breeding.

Virulence genes and antibiotic resistance assessment of the blaCTX-M-15 gene in ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae from poultry food chain and human clinical cases in Brazil

Brazil is one of the world’s largest exporters of chicken-derived products. Consumer concerns regarding food contamination by multidrug-resistant bacteria capable of causing diseases have increased steadily over the years as they pose a significant public health risk. This study aimed to characterize strains of beta-lactam-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from the poultry production chain and human clinical samples (chicken cloaca, chicken meat, human feces). A total of 36 isolates were examined, including 28 Escherichia coli and 8 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates carrying the blaCTX-M-15 gene. These isolates were obtained from chicken cloaca and meat from poultry farms and slaughterhouses, respectively, as well as from human fecal samples from a clinical laboratory. All the establishments were located in São Paulo, Brazil. The isolates were characterized for their virulence genes by polymerase chain reaction, antimicrobial resistance by the disc diffusion method, serotyping by an agglutination test, and pathogenicity by an in vivo day-old chicken mortality test. The isolates exhibited a high frequency of Escherichia coli associated virulence genes such as iutA, iss, hlyF, ompT and iroN. In addition, mrkD was detected in the isolates. All isolates exhibited resistance to at least three different antimicrobial classes, and 21.4% (n = 6) of the Escherichia coli strains exhibited high pathogenicity in the day-old chicken assay in vivo. These results indicate a potential increase in the blaCTX-M-15 gene associated with virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Both of these Enterobacteriaceae can be found in poultry feces and possibly contaminate poultry products, thus posing a risk of infection to other animals and humans, raising an alert about the sanitary aspects of food production in Brazil.

Chicken mixed infection in Kotayk region of the Republic of Armenia

The purpose of the research is study of chicken parasitic associations in small farms of Kotayk region, and analysis of the determined factors. Materials and methods. Research was conducted in 2021 to 2022 in small poultry farms of Kotayk Marz. Poultry feces samples were examined at the Laboratory of Parasitology of the Research Center of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Sanitary Expertise, Armenian National Agrarian University. Totally 210 fecal samples were examined. Eimeria spp. oocysts and nematode eggs were detected by means of method after Darling. The results of the research were processed by statistical methods. Results and discussion. Results of the research have shown that poultry eimeriasis had a wide prevalence in Kotayk Region (52.86%). Three species of Eimeria spp. have been detected: E. acervulina, E. tenella, and E. necatrix. E. acervulina was the most prevalence species (34.29%). The highest intensity of the infection has been registered in Nairi and Kotayk Regions of the region. The above-mentioned species of Eimeria spp. have been occurred both in mono- and poly-infection, with various combinations of the species. E. acervulina + E. tenella combination was the most common. Poultry eimeriasis occurred as a mixed-infection with ascaridiasis, heterakiasis, and capillariasis. The highest extensiveness of the poultry infection has been registered in Kotayk and Hrazdan Regions of the region (65.71% in both cases). Geographical location, as well as natural and climatic conditions of the region promote the prevalence of the mixed infection of poultry.

High prevalence of antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation in Salmonella Gallinarum.

Antibiotic resistance is an indicator of the passively acquired and circulating resistance genes. Salmonella Gallinarum significantly affects the poultry food industry. The present study is the first study of the S. Gallinarum biofilm in Iran, which is focused on the characterization of the S. Gallinarum serovars and their acquired antibiotic resistance genes circulating in poultry fields in central and northwestern Iran. Sixty isolates of S. Gallinarum serovar were collected from feces of live poultry. The bacteria were isolated using biochemical tests and confirmed by Multiplex PCR. Biofilm formation ability and the antibacterial resistance were evaluated using both phenotypic and genotypic methods. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. According to Multiplex PCR for ratA, SteB, and rhs genes, all 60 S. Gallinarum serovars were Gallinarum biovars. In our study, the antibiotic resistance rate among isolated strains was as follows: Penicillin (100%), nitrofurantoin (80%), nalidixic acid (45%), cefoxitin (35%), neomycin sulfate (30%), chloramphenicol (20%), and ciprofloxacin (5%). All isolates were susceptible to imipenem, ertapenem, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, and ceftazidime+clavulanic acid. All sixty isolates did not express the resistance genes IMP, VIM, NDM, DHA, blaOXA48, and qnrA. On the other hand, they expressed GES (85%), qnrB (75%), Fox M (70%), SHV (60%), CITM (20%), KPC (15%), FOX (10%), MOXM (5%), and qnrS (5%). All S. Gallinarum isolates formed biofilm and expressed sdiA gene. Considering that the presence of this bacteria is equal to the death penalty to the herd, the distribution of resistance genes could be a critical alarm for pathogen monitoring programs in the region. This study showed a positive correlation between biofilm formation and 50% of tested resistance genes. Also, it was found that the most common circulating S. gallinarum biovars are multidrug-resistant.

Current Status and Spatiotemporal Evolution of Antibiotic Residues in Livestock and Poultry Manure in China

The use of antibiotics in the livestock and poultry industries has raised significant concern about environmental and health problems. In light of this, accurate knowledge of antibiotic residues in livestock and poultry manure is important for pollution management and strategic decision-making at the national level. This study aims to provide a comprehensive report on antibiotic residues in livestock and poultry manure in China using the published data of 3751 livestock and poultry feces in 29 provincial-level units over the past 20 years. In this study, the overall status of antibiotic residues in livestock and poultry feces was analyzed by mathematical statistics. Moreover, the spatio-temporal variation characteristics were analyzed by spatial statistics, and the differences among livestock and poultry species were evaluated by subgroup analysis. The finding indicated that tetracyclines (TCs), quinolones (QLs), sulfonamides (SAs), and macrolides (MLs) were the most abundant residues in livestock and poultry manure. The spatial and temporal variation revealed that the overall trend of antibiotic residues decreased gradually, and the spatial distribution was primarily concentrated in the southeast of Hu Line, exhibiting a “northeast-southwest” distribution. The distribution range also decreased slightly, with the residues of tetracyclines (TCs), quinolones (QLs), sulfonamides (SAs), and pleuromutilins (PMs) showing a significant spatial hot spot. The center of gravity of antibiotic residue shifted to the southwest between 2003 and 2021. In comparison to cow and sheep manure, the tetracyclines (TCs), sulfonamides (SAs), and macrolides (MLs) in pig and chicken manure were higher. The results can serve as a reference for the control and reduction of antibiotic pollution in livestock and poultry manure, as well as the wise utilization of those resources and achieving goals for clean agriculture.

Resourcelized conversion of poultry feces to ordered carbon with electron poor/rich microregions for water purification induced by peroxymonosulfate

For the sustainable reutilization of poultry feces (PF) to reduce environmental pollution, we present a novel approach for converting PF into a highly effective catalyst, consisting of trace copper (Cu) and sulfur (S) linked with ordered graphitized carbon (CS/CPF) for wastewater purification. Raman and EPR results verified that the disorderly organic matters in PF are transformed into orderly graphene structures that complexed with Cu to form large numbers of electron-poor/rich microregions on CS/CPF surface. The electrons from electron-rich organic pollutants can be directly captured by dissolved oxygen (DO) to produce abundant reactive oxygen species due to the enhanced electron polarization via the construction of Cu–S–C bond bridge on CS/CPF surface, which greatly enhance the removal efficiency of pollutants. CS/CPF achieves 100% removal for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in just 10 min after adding trace peroxymonosulfate (PMS), keeping efficient catalytic activity after continuous reactions for 240 h. This strategy offers a practical and sustainable solution for the efficient resource recovery of poultry feces.

NEW METHOD OF SULFADIAZINE RESIDUE BIODEGRADATION IN POULTRY MANURE BY SPORE-BOUNDING LACCASE

Antibiotics have been used in livestock farming worldwide. In poultry farming, sulfonamide antibiotics are mainly used to inhibit microbial infection. Sulfadiazine (SDZ) is one type of sulfonamide that is secreted into the ecosystem through feces and urine owing to its low adsorption and degradation in the animal intestine. In this study, the spore-bound laccase from the Bacillus sp. strains was investigated for its potential for degradation of SDZ. The highest laccase activity was selected to degrade the SDZ residue in the poultry feces. The results demonstrated that the spore-bound laccase of Bacillus sp. PM45 successfully reduced the residue of SDZ in poultry manure by 98.00±0.50 %. This work gained new knowledge and the method is cost-effective and more eco-friendly for antibiotic residue treatment.