Search Results (2,189)

The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major challenge to sustainable poultry production, food safety, and public health. It reduces the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics and highlights the need for alternative approaches to bacterial disease control. Bacteriophage therapy has re-emerged as a promising biological approach because of its high specificity, self-amplifying nature, and ability to target multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Phages may also cause less disruption of beneficial intestinal microbiota than broad-spectrum antibiotics, although this effect depends on the phage, target bacterium, treatment conditions, and host context. This review synthesizes current knowledge on bacteriophage biology, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic applications against major poultry pathogens, including Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), Campylobacter spp., and Clostridium perfringens. It also examines the challenges associated with commercial implementation. Unlike previous reviews that have mainly focused on pathogen control, this review links bacteriophage therapy with antimicrobial stewardship and the One Health framework to provide a broader perspective on its role in sustainable poultry production. Evidence from experimental, field, and food-chain studies shows that phage therapy can reduce bacterial colonization, biofilm formation, pathogen shedding, and food contamination; and may contribute to antimicrobial stewardship. Recent advances in phage cocktails, genomics-guided phage selection, precision diagnostics, and formulation technologies have further increased their therapeutic potential. However, narrow host range, bacterial resistance, formulation stability, large-scale production, and differences in regulatory requirements continue to limit widespread commercial adoption. Overall, bacteriophage therapy is a promising approach for controlling bacterial diseases in poultry. It may contribute to more targeted antimicrobial use and improved food safety when integrated with other disease-control measures. Although direct reductions in antibiotic use require validation under commercial production conditions. Full article

This study aims to explore the shaping mechanism of habitat heterogeneity on its gut microecology and to clarify the structural differences and functional succession patterns of gut microbiota of an earthworm Amynthas aspergillum under artificial breeding versus natural habitats. A total of 175 A. aspergillum specimens and their corresponding soil samples were collected from seven typical habitats in Guangxi: fertile farmland, barren farmland, plantation forest, primary forest, artificial grassland, wasteland slope, and a breeding farm. 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was employed to analyze the gut microbiota structure. PICRUSt2 was used to predict metabolic functions, and the correlation between soil physicochemical factors and community characteristics was analyzed. There were only 25 core shared OTUs found across the seven habitats, indicating a strong habitat specificity of the gut microbiota in A. aspergillum. The fertile farmland group exhibited the highest species richness (Chao1) and diversity (Shannon) among all groups (p < 0.05). Although rich in organic matter, the breeding farm group showed the highest Simpson dominance index. Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota, Chloroflexota, and Bacillota were the dominant shared phyla in all groups. LEfSe analysis revealed that the wasteland slope habitat specifically enriched the stress-tolerant genus Mycobacterium, while the breeding farm was dominated by the anaerobic fermentation-capable genus Clostridium. Functional prediction indicated that the primary forest group had the most complex microbial metabolic network, while the breeding farm group exhibited a “functional simplification” trend focused on basic carbohydrate metabolism, which was significantly correlated with the soil C/N ratio. Soil physicochemical factors, particularly the intensity of anthropogenic disturbance and the composition of organic matter, are the key forces driving the assembly of A. aspergillum gut microbiota through environmental filtering. Artificial monoculture breeding leads to the functional degradation of the gut microecology. Full article

The development of scalable and economically viable biobutanol production remains challenging because conventional acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation depends on strict anaerobic conditions for Clostridium strains. Traditional anaerobiosis control requires continuous nitrogen sparging and chemical reducing agents, increasing operational costs and process complexity. This study proposes a microbial co-culture of Bacillus subtilis and Clostridium beijerinckii BA101 as an oxygen-scavenging strategy to simplify reactor operation and improve scalability. Growth kinetics were first evaluated in monoculture to define compatible operating conditions. Co-culture fermentations were then optimized by varying inoculation ratio, inoculation timing, and inoculum concentration. The best performance was achieved by inoculating C. beijerinckii 4 h after B. subtilis at a 30:70 inoculum ratio, producing 13.14 g L⁻¹ of butanol, 26.6% higher than monoculture. This strategy was subsequently validated in a stirred tank bioreactor under pH-controlled conditions. B. subtilis depleted dissolved oxygen within 53 min without external gas sparging, establishing anaerobic conditions in situ. At pH 5.9, the co-culture reached 18.6 g L⁻¹ butanol, a productivity of 0.194 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹, and 81.6% glucose conversion. These results demonstrate that microbial co-culture is an effective process-intensification strategy, simplifying anaerobic operation while enhancing fermentation performance and industrial scale-up potential. Full article

Enteric pathogens can impair health and growth during the preweaning period, while non-antibiotic feed additives may support gastrointestinal resilience. This pilot study evaluated a liquid blend of glycerol esters of organic and fatty acids and saponins in 20 Holstein calves assigned at birth to control group or additive groups (n = 10 per group). Calves were housed and fed individually. From the fourth milk feeding to weaning at 60 d of age, additive calves received 2.5 mL of the product/L of whole milk immediately before feeding (15 mL/calf per day), whereas control calves received the same milk without the additive. Body weight was recorded on days 1, 30, and 60; starter disappearance and the presence or absence of diarrhea were recorded daily. Fecal samples collected at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age were examined for selected protozoa and bacteria. Overall average daily gain (0.910 vs. 0.841 kg/d; p = 0.194) and cumulative starter disappearance (16.016 vs. 11.087 kg/calf; p = 0.228) were not statistically different between treated and control calves. Diarrhea was detected for 6.6 days per calf in the control group and for 7.6 days per calf in the additive group (p = 0.401). Cryptosporidium spp. scores were higher in treated calves at weeks 1 and 6 (p = 0.039 and p = 0.041, respectively), providing no evidence of inhibition. Giardia spp. detection was lower in treated calves at week 2 (p = 0.041). Campylobacter coli detection was lower at week 2 (p = 0.019) and showed a suggestive reduction at week 6 (p = 0.088). Klebsiella pneumoniae was detected only in controls at weeks 2, 3, and 6, whereas Clostridium perfringens showed no consistent treatment response. These exploratory findings do not establish efficacy, but support larger, appropriately powered studies using longitudinal models and quantitative pathogen measurements. Full article

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is increasingly recognized as a multisystem disorder involving complex host–microbiota interactions, yet prospective pediatric studies with a comprehensive, longitudinal characterization of host–microbiota interactions remain scarce. Methods: In this prospective longitudinal study, 26 adolescents with severe AN were evaluated at hospital admission (T0), after one month (T1), and after three months of inpatient nutritional rehabilitation (T2). Gut microbiota composition was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing and compared with healthy controls (HC) at the baseline; predicted functional profiling was performed using PICRUSt2. Serum and urinary biomarkers of intestinal barrier integrity and microbial metabolism, routine clinical and biochemical parameters, and psychometric scores (CDI-2, MASC-2) were evaluated longitudinally using linear mixed-effects models. Results: At the baseline, adolescents with AN showed reduced bacterial richness compared with healthy controls, with significantly lower Chao1 diversity (p = 0.00013), whereas the Shannon and Simpson indices did not differ significantly (p = 0.54 and p = 0.27, respectively). Microbial community composition differed significantly between groups based on Bray–Curtis (R² = 0.0724, FDR-adjusted p = 0.001) and unweighted UniFrac (R² = 0.0540, FDR-adjusted p = 0.001) distances. LEfSe identified 19 differentially abundant taxa; among the strongest discriminators, Blautia_A_141781, Romboutsia_B, and Clostridium_T were enriched in AN, whereas Akkermansia, Phocaeicola_A_858004, and Bacteroides_H were enriched in the healthy controls. Nutritional rehabilitation was associated with partial microbiota remodeling, alongside significant improvements in BMI and heart rate. Several host-derived biomarkers, including urinary indican, serotonin, nitric oxide, and serum occludin, changed significantly over time, whereas bile acids, short-chain fatty acids, IgA, lipopolysaccharide, and haptoglobin remained stable. Conclusions: Gut microbiota and host-derived biomarkers evolve dynamically during nutritional rehabilitation in adolescents with severe AN, supporting their potential role as complementary tools for monitoring biological recovery. Full article

Tetanus is an infrequent, potentially fatal neurological disease in dogs, caused by tetanospasmin, the neurotoxin of Clostridium tetani, which reaches the central nervous system by retrograde axonal transport and blocks the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitters glycine and γ-aminobutyric acid. Dogs are comparatively resistant to the toxin, and canine reports remain scarce. This report describes generalized tetanus in a four-month-old, 13 kg male Labrador Retriever presented with an axillary wound sustained approximately one month earlier and neurological signs progressing over approximately seven days, from gait disturbance to generalized whole-body rigidity. On examination the dog showed trismus, risus sardonicus, cervical hyperextension, opisthotonos, third-eyelid protrusion, a sawhorse stance, hyperthermia and intermittent respiratory distress. The diagnosis was established clinically, following a structured neurological work-up and exclusion of the principal differentials, as confirmatory assays were unavailable. Total serum calcium was within the reference interval; serum creatine kinase was elevated; and venous blood-gas analysis indicated a mild, compensated metabolic acidosis. Management comprised metronidazole and clindamycin, equine tetanus antitoxin, diazepam, meloxicam and intensive nursing care in a low-stimulation environment. The dog improved from the first day of hospitalization and recovered without residual deficits, with no recurrence over one year of follow-up. The favorable outcome, in a young canine patient for which the literature would predict a guarded prognosis, is consistent with the absence of clinically detectable autonomic and cardiorespiratory dysfunction and with meticulous supportive care. Full article

Animal botulism mainly affects poultry and cattle, with risks of cross-contamination. This study aimed to evaluate Clostridium botulinum contamination in manure and soil following manure spreading on 13 clinically affected farms (10 cattle and three poultry) and 39 clinically unaffected farms (20 cattle and five poultry farms without any previous botulism outbreak, six poultry farms with a history of botulism and eight mixed poultry/cattle farms with an ongoing bovine botulism outbreak). Twelve manure samples, two swabs on a manure pile, 12 soil samples, and two boot swabs from fields were collected before manure spreading. Twelve soil samples and two boot swabs from fields were obtained after manure spreading. C. botulinum types C, D, C/D, and D/C were detected using real-time PCR after an enrichment step. On clinically unaffected poultry and cattle farms with no history of botulism, C. botulinum was detected in 1.4% and 1.8% of samples, respectively. Detection rates reached 8% on poultry farms with a history of botulism and 42.8% on poultry farms with ongoing bovine outbreaks. On clinically affected poultry and cattle farms, 34% and 18.9% of samples were positive, respectively. This study highlights the presence of C. botulinum in manure and soil and emphasizes the importance of biosecurity measures to prevent cross-contamination and disease recurrence. Full article

Targeted down-modulation of monocytes and macrophages is a promising strategy for controlling excessive inflammatory processes. Bacterial protein toxins are attractive pharmacological modulation tools for this purpose because of their potency and specificity. Here, we combined the specific properties of the two protein toxins C3lim from Clostridium limosum and CyaA from Bordetella pertussis in the preferentially monocyte/macrophage-targeting bioconjugate C2IN-C3lim_E174Q-Cys_His-AC. The enzymatically inactive and monocytic cell-targeting transporter C2IN-C3lim_E174Q-Cys was recombinantly produced and chemically coupled to the isolated adenylate cyclase (AC) domain of CyaA, which mediates down-modulation of monocytic cell functions through intracellular cAMP accumulation Within 1 h, the bioconjugate showed preferential cell association with monocytic cells relative to HeLa cells, which served as the non-target cell model, without impairing overall cellular viability. Intracellular enzymatic activity was successfully confirmed by significantly elevated cAMP levels in all target cell types. Moreover, in migration assays with primary human monocytes, the bioconjugate markedly reduced both general motility and targeted chemotaxis, demonstrating that the delivery of the enzyme moiety translates into a measurable functional response. Therefore, we conclude that the novel bioconjugate C2IN-C3lim_E174Q-Cys_His-AC enables preferential targeting of monocytes and macrophages under the experimental conditions investigated here and provides proof-of-concept for a targeted protein delivery platform for functional modulation of monocytic cells. Full article

Soil microorganisms are responsible for natural glyphosate dissipation. However, previous studies have largely focused on bulk soils, and the underlying microscale mechanisms remain poorly resolved. In this study, we investigated the physicochemical properties and glyphosate adsorption on two representative soil microinterfaces of particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) and explored the change in the active glyphosate degraders using DNA stable-isotope-probing (DNA-SIP). Owing to the rough, open structure and accessible functional groups, POM displayed a higher glyphosate adsorption capability (9.41 mg/kg) than MAOM (6.75 mg/kg). Soil microorganisms significantly enhanced the conversion of glyphosate to aminomethylphosphonic acid. The active glyphosate degraders were Streptomyces, Clostridium, and Lysobacter in bulk soils, Streptomyces, Clostridium, Steroidobacter, Herbaspirillum, Lysobacter, and Opitutus on POM, and Streptomyces on MAOM, as revealed by DNA-SIP. POM harbored the highest diversity and abundance of the putative glyphosate degraders, behaving as the principal micro-interface coupling glyphosate retention and biodegradation. Our findings revealed distinct patterns of glyphosate retention and distributions of putative glyphosate degraders at POM and MAOM micro-interfaces, providing an interface-scale perspective on glyphosate fate in soil. Full article

Aiming at bottlenecks restricting straw-return resource utilization in global rice-planting regions, this study investigated soil microbial community structures of typical farmland soils from Guangdong Province in China. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Bacillota were the dominant bacterial phyla, and Clostridium was the predominant genus. Predicted abundant glycoside hydrolase families (GH13, GH5, GH9) based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing provided an inherent microbial basis for lignocellulose degradation. Redundancy analysis and Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) identified available phosphorus and total nitrogen as key environmental drivers, with Bacillus and Sphingomonas as habitat-indicator genera. Ten cellulose-degrading strains were isolated and taxonomically identified; Bacillus velezensis G-6 exhibited the highest carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity, and Bacillus licheniformis G-8 possessed the highest filter paper enzyme (FPase) activity. The majority of strains possessed multiple plant-growth-promoting characteristics, including the ability to synthesize siderophores and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and to solubilize phosphate. A 30-day straw-degradation assay indicated that compound microbial inoculant 2 with urea achieved the highest total straw degradation rate, while compound microbial inoculant 1 with urea showed the greatest cellulose degradation efficiency. This study supplies promising microbial resources and offers theoretical references for efficient rice straw incorporation, as well as the integrated application of microbial inoculants and nitrogen fertilization management within farmland ecosystems. Full article

The gut microbiota plays an important role in immune homeostasis, allergic disease pathogenesis, and drug metabolism, potentially influencing therapeutic efficacy and safety. Conversely, pharmacotherapy may modify gut microbial composition and function, creating bidirectional host–drug–microbiome interactions that remain incompletely understood. This narrative review summarises current evidence on interactions between the microbiome and therapies for allergic diseases, focusing on antihistamines, corticosteroids, leukotriene receptor antagonists, and biologic agents. Evidence is evaluated from two complementary perspectives: an exposure axis, relevant mainly to orally administered drugs, and a response axis, particularly applicable to biologic therapies. Direct microbial biotransformation has been demonstrated most convincingly for glucocorticoids, with the organosteroid reductase ABC (OsrABC) pathway of Clostridium steroidoreducens reducing systemic prednisolone exposure in a gnotobiotic model. For H₁-antihistamines and leukotriene receptor antagonists, evidence remains limited and inconsistent. The microbiota may also indirectly influence treatment outcomes through effects on epithelial barrier integrity, microbial metabolite production, and immune regulation. Although anti-allergic therapies can alter gut, airway, and skin microbial communities, no validated microbiome signature currently predicts treatment efficacy or safety. Future prospective studies integrating microbiome, metabolome, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and clinical data are needed to establish reliable biomarkers and support personalised pharmacotherapy for allergic diseases. Full article

The limited accessibility of fermentable substrates in marine macroalgal biomass constrains efficient biohydrogen production. This study evaluated thermal, disperser and biosurfactant pretreatments individually and in combination to enhance Ulva reticulata biomass solubilization and biohydrogen production. Thermal (50–90 °C), disperser (4000–14,000 rpm) and biosurfactant (0.002–0.09 g/g total solids) pretreatments were investigated. Thermal pretreatment (80 °C, 45 min) achieved 2640 mg/L soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) release at a specific energy requirement of 44,064 kJ/kg total solids (TS), whereas disperser pretreatment (8000 rpm, 30 min) released 2720 mg/L sCOD at 31,347 kJ/kg TS. Integrated thermal–disperser–biosurfactant pretreatment using 0.01 g/g TS biosurfactant achieved the highest sCOD release (3015 mg/L) and solubilization (26%) at 20,898 kJ/kg TS. Dark fermentation using camel dung as inoculum produced a maximum yield of 83 mL H₂/g COD, compared with 50 and 58 mL H₂/g COD for the thermal and thermal–disperser pretreatments, respectively. Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum, with Romboutsia, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Turicibacter, and Paeniclostridium as the major genera. An artificial neural network accurately reproduced cumulative biohydrogen trends under leakage-free validation and ranked pretreatments according to experimental results. Overall, integrated pretreatment enhanced biomass solubilization and biohydrogen production while reducing the energy requirement. Full article

Mulberry leaf is a promising sustainable plant-based feed resource; however, high dietary inclusion of raw mulberry leaf impairs growth in carnivorous fish. Fermentation degrades anti-nutritional components and enhances nutrient availability, yet the dose-dependent effects and underlying mechanisms of fermented mulberry leaf (FML) in Acipenser schrenckii remain unclear. This study assessed graded dietary FML inclusion (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6%) as a partial replacement for fishmeal in Amur sturgeon, measuring growth performance, intestinal morphology, serum biochemistry, target gene expression, gut microbiota, and metabolome. Moderate FML maintained acceptable growth, increased villus height, activated the Keap1–Nrf2 antioxidant pathway, and raised serum IgM and C3 levels without provoking severe intestinal inflammation. Intestinal microecology underwent prominent dose-dependent remodeling: low-dose FML enriched Lysinibacillus and Clostridium_T, while moderate-to-high FML increased the abundance of beneficial Bacillales taxa that modulated amino acid and energy-associated metabolic pathways. Quadratic regression estimated an optimal FML dosage of 3.66–4.62%. The 4% FML group achieved balanced improvements in growth and intestinal health within this optimal range. Collectively, FML represents a promising sustainable feed ingredient for sturgeon aquaculture, providing new references for applying mulberry by-products in carnivorous fish diets. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of dietary glycerol monolaurate (GML) supplementation on feline growth performance and intestinal health. Twenty-four adult British Shorthair cats (3.03 ± 0.07 kg) were initially enrolled. Following a 56-day pre-feeding period, 18 eligible cats were allocated to two dietary groups, of which 12 cats were prespecified for final sample collection and statistical analysis (n = 6): a control group (CON, basal diet) and an experimental group (EXP, basal diet + 2000 mg/kg GML product) for a 28-day trial. Dietary GML significantly increased the average daily feed intake. GML supplementation significantly increased the changes in fecal score and fecal pH, and a significant GML × day interaction was observed for the change in fecal pH. GML improved the apparent digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, crude fat, and crude protein. Furthermore, serum albumin increased within the normal range. Cats in the EXP group showed elevated antioxidant enzyme activities, alongside lower malondialdehyde concentrations. GML also elevated serum immunoglobulin A and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines. Fecal analyses showed reduced acetic acid and total volatile fatty acids, but elevated propionic acid. Microbiome and metabolomic profiling revealed that GML decreased the relative abundance of Streptococcus and metabolites such as Linoleic Acid and 12,13-Epome, while increasing the relative abundances of Collinsella, Peptoclostridium, Clostridium, and (-)-Jasmonic Acid. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for applying GML in pet foods to optimize companion animal extruded diets. Full article

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder caused by CFTR gene mutations. The elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) drug combination has markedly improved CF outcomes; however, its impact on gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis remains poorly investigated. Herein, we examined potential longitudinal effects of ETI treatment on six CF patients’ GM before therapy (T0), and after 6 (T1) and 12 months (T2). Patients’ stools were analyzed using 16S rRNA metataxonomy, and GM profiling was characterized by alpha diversity, performed using the Shannon–Weiner, Simpson, and Chao1 indices; beta diversity, based on Bray–Curtis distance; and taxonomic patterns through multivariate and univariate analyses. A longitudinal exploratory assessment of the GM composition of CF patients at T0, T1, and T2 was performed. At baseline, CF patients displayed a distinct genus-level microbial signature compared with healthy controls, including Veillonella_A, Haemophilus_D_735815, Fusobacterium_C, Ruminococcus_B, and Blautia_A_141780. During ETI treatment, alpha diversity showed no significant transient increase at T1 followed by a decrease at T2. Taxonomic profiles showed marked inter-individual heterogeneity. Exploratory longitudinal analyses, assessed by the Friedman test, identified temporal variation in 11 bacterial genera: CAG-177, Clostridium_AP, Coprococcus_A_121497, Copromonas, and Muricomes_149725, showed a progressive decrease in relative abundance from T0 to T2; Haemophilus_D_734546, Eubacterium_B, Lachnoanaerobaculum, Moraxella_C_651924, and Neisseria_563205 displayed a transient increase at T1, followed by a decrease at T2; and Lactococcus_A_346120 showed a transient decrease at T1 followed by an increase at T2. Progressive depletion and transient changes or recovery of bacterial taxa may only represent a rough idea of the ecological changes in the gut microbiota observed during the course of ETI therapy. Longitudinally studies based on large cohorts of CF patients are mandatory to properly interpret these very preliminary results and to search for actual ETI-induced microbiome effects. Full article