Viral and bacterial pathogens are a significant economic concern to the US broiler industry and the ecological epicenter for poultry pathogens is the mixture of bedding material, chicken excrement and feathers that comprises the litter of a poultry house. This study used high-throughput sequencing to assess the richness and diversity of poultry litter bacterial communities, and to look for connections between these communities and the environmental characteristics of a poultry house including its history of gangrenous dermatitis (GD). Cluster analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed differences in the distribution of bacterial phylotypes between Wet and Dry litter samples and between houses. Wet litter contained greater diversity with 90% of total bacterial abundance occurring within the top 214 OTU clusters. In contrast, only 50 clusters accounted for 90% of Dry litter bacterial abundance. The sixth largest OTU cluster across all samples classified as an Arcobacter sp., an emerging human pathogen, occurring in only the Wet litter samples of a house with a modern evaporative cooling system. Ironically, the primary pathogenic clostridial and staphylococcal species associated with GD were not found in any house; however, there were thirteen 16S rRNA gene phylotypes of mostly gram-positive phyla that were unique to GD-affected houses and primarily occurred in Wet litter samples. Overall, the poultry house environment appeared to substantially impact the composition of litter bacterial communities and may play a key role in the emergence of food-borne pathogens.

Newcastle disease represents the most severe poultry disease responsible for marked economic losses in Ethiopia. To provide a molecular characterization of Newcastle disease viruses circulating in this country, a cross sectional survey was conducted at five selected live poultry market sites in Addis Ababa. In addition, baseline data on the live poultry market system were acquired through a detailed questionnaire submitted to poultry traders. We identified 44/146 positive samples, 29 of which were virulent strains belonging to sub-genotype VIf. The very poor biosecurity practices, which have resulted from responses of the participants, suggest that they might have had a heavy impact in the spread of the disease. This study provides important information on epidemiology and control of NDV in Ethiopia and highlights the importance of implementing surveillances and biosecurity practices in live poultry markets.

Through the use of DNA sequencing, our study shows that there is no significant difference in the antibiotic resistance genes found in stool samples taken from individuals with high exposure to poultry routinely fed antibiotics and those without such exposure. This finding is significant as it suggests limited transmission of antibiotic resistance genes between poultry and humans in these circumstances. However, our research also demonstrates that commercially reared poultry are more likely to possess resistance genes to antibiotics commonly administered on medium-sized farms. Additionally, our study highlights the under-explored potential of wastewater as a source of various antibiotic resistance genes, some of which are clinically relevant.

Avian influenza, listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), has become a disease of great importance for animal and human health. Several aspects of the disease lack scientific information, which has hampered the management of some recent crises. Millions of animals have died, and concern is growing over the loss of human lives and management of the pandemic potential. On the basis of data generated in recent outbreaks and in light of new OIE regulations and maintenance of animal welfare, we review the available control methods for avian influenza infections in poultry, from stamping out to prevention through emergency and prophylactic vaccination.

For an analysis of the prevalence of influenza A viruses (IAVs) circulating in chickens and their farmers in the Ashanti region, Ghana, we examined 2,400 trachea and cloaca swabs (chickens) and 102 oropharyngeal swabs (farmers) by qRT-PCR. Sera from 1,200 (chickens) and 102 (farmers) were analysed for IAV antibodies by ELISA and haemagglutination inhibition (HI). Avian influenza virus (AIV) was detected in 0.2% (n = 5) of chickens but not farmers. Virus detection was more pronounced in the cloacal (n = 4, 0.3%) than in tracheal swabs (n = 1, 0.1%). AIV antibodies were not detected in chickens. Two farmers (2.0%) tested positive to human seasonal IAV H1N1pdm09. Sixteen (15.7%) farmers tested seropositive to IAV of which 68.8% (n = 11) were due to H1N1pdm09-specific antibodies. AIV H5- or H7-specific antibodies were not detected in the farmers. Questionnaire evaluation indicated the rare usage of basic personal protective equipment by farmers when handling poultry. In light of previous outbreaks of zoonotic AIV in poultry in Ghana the open human-animal interface raises concern from a OneHealth perspective and calls for continued targeted surveillance.

The study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of Chlamydia spp. in poultry in Poland and estimate possible transmission to humans.

In the last two decades, two important avian influenza viruses infecting humans emerged in China, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus in the late nineties, and the low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H7N9 virus in 2013. China is home to the largest population of chickens (4.83 billion) and ducks (0.694 billion), representing, respectively 23.1 and 58.6% of the 2013 world stock, with a significant part of poultry sold through live-poultry markets potentially contributing to the spread of avian influenza viruses. Previous models have looked at factors associated with HPAI H5N1 in poultry and LPAI H7N9 in markets. However, these have not been studied and compared with a consistent set of predictor variables. Significant progress was recently made in the collection of poultry census and live-poultry market data, which are key potential factors in the distribution of both diseases. Here we compiled and reprocessed a new set of poultry census data and used these to analyse HPAI H5N1 and LPAI H7N9 distributions with boosted regression trees models. We found a limited impact of the improved poultry layers compared to models based on previous poultry census data, and a positive and previously unreported association between HPAI H5N1 outbreaks and the density of live-poultry markets. In addition, the models fitted for the HPAI H5N1 and LPAI H7N9 viruses predict a high risk of disease presence for the area around Shanghai and Hong Kong. The main difference in prediction between the two viruses concerned the suitability of HPAI H5N1 in north-China around the Yellow sea (outlined with Tianjin, Beijing, and Shenyang city) where LPAI H7N9 has not spread intensely.

The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is a serious problem in the laying hen industry worldwide. Currently, the foremost control method for D. gallinae is the implementation of integrated pest management, the effective application of which necessitates a precise monitoring method.

The poultry feed industry is pretty much active in a lot of countries and it is achieved market acceptance. The final products are supposed to meet certain specifications to fulfill the nutritional need of animals at different life periods. The final product for poultry is shipped in the form of pelleted feed for the convenience of consumption. One of the major challenges of poultry feed production is the principal complement of equipment necessary for the local production. Imported poultry pellets are quite expensive and unaffordable for many poultry feed industries. Hence, the need to be able to produce poultry feed at lower cost yet achieve the objective of quantity and quality expected of pelleted feeds is critical to the viability of the enterprise. The study aims to investigate the effects of some operating parameters (pressure and temperature of the compounded feed) and die hole size on the pelleting efficiency, throughput capacity, and to optimize the conditions. The improvement approach is conducted by observing the main operating parameters of productivity; statistical analysis is conducted to observe the effect of those parameters on the production rate and the quality of the product. Comparison between parameter levels is done through analysis of variance to determine the significance of the tested parameters. The optimization of parameters was applied with Minitab and designed expert software to determine the best operating conditions. The obtained results showed that the downtime decreased by 77% monthly and productivity increased by 32.5% per hour and the pellet durability index increased by 1.23%. The total sales increased by 6,750,600 LE/Month.

Salmonella enteritidis is a common pathogen of all species of mammals and fowls. The recent increase in the number of outbreaks of food poisoning due to S. enteritidis in man was epidemiologically analysed, and it was considered that contaminated eggs or egg products were the major source of this infection. To assist in prevention and eradication of human food poisoning many investigators have studied the pathogenicity of S. enteritidis in poultry. Gross pathological observations after natural and experimental infections with S. enteritidis in poultry revealed that this organism may cause systemic infection in chicks and laying hens accompanied by prolonged faecal shedding. Some variations in the mortality rates, clinical symptoms, faecal shedding and frequency of production of contaminated eggs were observed in the chicks and hens experimentally infected with S. enteritidis isolates. Choice of bacterial strain, phage type, age of bird and inoculum size may affect the outcome of an infection. Moreover, isolation of the organisms from the ovaries, oviducts and egg contents indicates the possibility of transovarian infection of S. enteritidis in chickens. Some virulence factors associated with S. enteritidis are also reviewed in the present paper.

The aim of this study was to characterize virulent Escherichia coli isolated from different poultry species and poultry farm workers using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) genotyping.

SARS coronavirus injected intratracheally into chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, and quail, or into the allantoic sac of their embryonating eggs, failed to cause disease or replicate. This finding suggests that domestic poultry were unlikely to have been the reservoir, or associated with dissemination, of SARS coronavirus in the animal markets of southern China.

Consumption of poultry products is increasing worldwide, leading to an increased demand for safe, fresh, high-quality products. To ensure consumer safety and meet quality standards, poultry products must be routinely checked for fecal matter, food fraud, microbiological contamination, physical defects, and product quality. However, traditional screening methods are insufficient in providing real-time, nondestructive, chemical and spatial information about poultry products. Novel techniques, such as hyperspectral imaging (HSI), are being developed to acquire real-time chemical and spatial information about products without destruction of samples to ensure safety of products and prevent economic losses. This literature review provides a comprehensive overview of HSI applications to poultry products. The studies used for this review were found using the Google Scholar database by searching the following terms and their synonyms: "poultry" and "hyperspectral imaging". A total of 67 studies were found to meet the criteria. After all relevant literature was compiled, studies were grouped into categories based on the specific material or characteristic of interest to be detected, identified, predicted, or quantified by HSI. Studies were found for each of the following categories: food fraud, fecal matter detection, microbiological contamination, physical defects, and product quality. Key findings and technological advancements were briefly summarized and presented for each category. Since the first application to poultry products 20 yr ago, HSI has been shown to be a successful alternative to traditional screening methods.

Long-term exposure and inhalation of odorous compounds from poultry manure can be harmful to farm workers and the surrounding residents as well as animals. The aim of the present study was to determine the cytotoxicity and IC50 values of common odorous compounds such as ammonium, dimethylamine, trimethylamine, butyric acid, phenol, and indole in the chick liver hepatocellular carcinoma cell line LMH (Leghorn Male Hepatoma), in vitro, using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and PrestoBlue cytotoxicity assays. The cells were microscopically examined for any morphological changes post treatment. Dimethylamine exhibited the strongest cytotoxic effect on LMH cells with an IC50 value of 0.06% and 0.04% after an exposure of 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Both ammonium and trimethylamine had comparable cytotoxicity and their IC50 values were 0.08% and 0.04% after 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Of note, indole had the lowest cytotoxicity as the majority of cells were viable even after 72 h exposure. Thus, the IC50 for indole was not calculated. Results achieved from both MTT and PrestoBlue assays were comparable. Moreover, the morphological changes induced by the tested odours in LMH cells resulted in monolayer destruction, cytoplasm vacuolisation, chromatin condensation, and changes in nucleus and cell shape. Our study showed harmful effects of odorous compounds in chick tissues.

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading bacterial cause of human gastrointestinal disease worldwide. While C. jejuni is a commensal organism in chickens, case-studies have demonstrated a link between infection with C. jejuni and the consumption of foods that have been cross-contaminated with raw or undercooked poultry. We hypothesized that vaccination of chickens with C. jejuni surface-exposed colonization proteins (SECPs) would reduce the ability of C. jejuni to colonize chickens, thereby reducing the contamination of poultry products at the retail level and potentially providing a safer food product for consumers. To test our hypothesis, we injected chickens with recombinant C. jejuni peptides from CadF, FlaA, FlpA, CmeC, and a CadF-FlaA-FlpA fusion protein. Seven days following challenge, chickens were necropsied and cecal contents were serially diluted and plated to determine the number of C. jejuni per gram of material. The sera from the chickens were also analyzed to determine the concentration and specificity of antibodies reactive against the C. jejuni SECPs. Vaccination of chickens with the CadF, FlaA, and FlpA peptides resulted in a reduction in the number of C. jejuni in the ceca compared to the non-vaccinated C. jejuni-challenged group. The greatest reduction in C. jejuni colonization was observed in chickens injected with the FlaA, FlpA, or CadF-FlaA-FlpA fusion proteins. Vaccination of chickens with different SECPs resulted in the production of C. jejuni-specific IgY antibodies. In summary, we show that the vaccination of poultry with individual C. jejuni SECPs or a combination of SECPs provides protection of chickens from C. jejuni colonization.

The prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in 30 samples of poultry was determined using culture-dependent (isolation on OCLA and confirmation by conventional polymerase chain reaction -PCR-, OCLA&PCR) and culture-independent (real-time polymerase chain reaction, q-PCR) methods. L. monocytogenes was detected in 15 samples (50.0%) by OCLA&PCR and in 20 (66.7%) by q-PCR. The concentrations (log10 cfu/g) of L. monocytogenes (q-PCR) ranged from 2.40 to 5.22 (total cells) and from <2.15 to 3.93 (viable cells). The two methods, q-PCR using a viability marker (v-PCR) and OCLA&PCR (gold standard), were compared for their capacity to detect viable cells of L. monocytogenes, with the potential to cause human disease. The values for sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of the v-PCR were 100%, 66.7% and 83.3%, respectively. The agreement between the two methods (kappa coefficient) was 0.67. The presence of nine virulence genes (hlyA, actA, inlB, inlA, inlC, inlJ, prfA, plcA and iap) was studied in 45 L. monocytogenes isolates (three from each positive sample) using PCR. All the strains harbored between six and nine virulence genes. Fifteen isolates (33.3% of the total) did not show the potential to form biofilm on a polystyrene surface, as determined by a crystal violet assay. The remaining strains were classified as weak (23 isolates, 51.1% of the total), moderate (one isolate, 2.2%) or strong (six isolates, 13.3%) biofilm producers. The strains were tested for susceptibility to a panel of 15 antibiotics. An average of 5.11 ± 1.30 resistances per isolate was observed. When the values for resistance and for reduced susceptibility were taken jointly, this figure rose to 6.91 ± 1.59. There was a prevalence of resistance or reduced susceptibility of more than 50.0% for oxacillin, cefoxitin, cefotaxime, cefepime ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin and nitrofurantoin. For the remaining antibiotics tested, the corresponding values ranged from 0.0% for chloramphenicol to 48.9% for rifampicin. The high prevalence and level of L. monocytogenes with numerous virulence factors in poultry underline how crucial it is to follow correct hygiene procedures during the processing of this foodstuff in order to reduce the risk of human listeriosis.

The number of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H5N1 subtype (HPAIV H5N1) over the past 5 years has been drastically reduced in China but sporadic infections in poultry and humans are still occurring. In this study, we aimed to investigate seasonal patterns in the association between the movement of live poultry originating from southern China and HPAIV H5N1 infection history in humans and poultry in China.

A study was undertaken of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in 260 samples of poultry meat obtained from retail outlets in northwestern Spain. L. monocytogenes was detected in 20 samples (7.7%). Twenty strains (one strain per positive sample) were characterized. The strains belonged to 10 serotypes: 1/2a (2 strains), 1/2b (2), 1/2c (2), 3a (1), 3b (2), 3c (2), 4a (2), 4b (4), 4c (1), and 4d (2). Cluster analysis (ribotyping; EcoRI) showed a strong genetic relationship between strains isolated from samples coming from different outlets. Ribotyping permitted some isolates of the same serotype to be differentiated, which points to the possible usefulness of this technique in the epidemiological surveillance of L. monocytogenes. All strains formed biofilm on polystyrene, as shown by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The biovolume (between 621.7 ± 36.0 µm3 and 62,984.0 ± 14,888.2 µm3 in the observational field of 14,161 μm2), percentage of surface coverage (from 2.17 ± 0.84% to 94.43 ± 3.97%), roughness (between 0.399 ± 0.052 and 0.830 ± 0.022), and maximum thickness (between 9.00 ± 0.00 µm and 24.00 ± 14.93 µm) of biofilms varied between strains (p < 0.05). These results expand knowledge of the characteristics of L. monocytogenes isolates from poultry.

In the hen oviduct, tubules have been identified that preserve the sperm, maintaining viability for up to 15 weeks. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological status of rooster sperm when preserved in vitro with uterus vaginal junction secretions (UVJS). Males and females of the Rhode Island breed were used. Sperm aliquots were prepared using Lake extender and Lake extender with UVJS (10.00%, 30.00%, 60.00%, and 90.00%). Subsequently, a basic sperm evaluation was performed and sperm physiological status was determined through the presence and distribution of Ca2+ and its acrosomal reaction capability via perivitelline layer (PVL) co-incubation. It was observed that motility was decreased in sperm preserved with UVJS at 6 and 24 hr) compared to 40 min and fresh semen. The sperm decapacitation percentage was increased when preserved with UVJS at 40 min, 6 and 24 hr compared to fresh semen. The acrosomal reaction was increased in sperm co-incubated with PVL, even when preserved with UVJS. It was concluded that UVJS induced physiological changes in sperm by inducing a decapacitation process, which increased sperm viability when preserved in vitro.

Detailed assessment of hydrochar wetting properties, which could provide an essential understanding of underlying mechanisms during its application to soils, is lacking. We characterized hydrochar produced from hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) performed on poultry litter at various temperatures and for different times in terms of hydrophobicity and surface free energy properties. Hydrochar was more hydrophobic than untreated poultry litter, and its hydrophobicity increased with increasing HTC temperature (contact angle > 130°). These changes were correlated with degradation of hemicellulose and cellulose. Hydrochar produced at 250°C contained mostly lignin and displayed high hydrophobicity over both prolonged wetting periods and repeated wetting cycles. Surface free energy was calculated using the Owens-Wendt-Rabel-Kaelble and Wu models, with the latter resulting in lower standard errors. The surface free energy decreased as HTC treatment severity increased from 26 mJ/m2 in the poultry litter to 8 mJ/m2 after treatment at 250°C for 60 min. The dispersive component fraction of the surface free energy increased with increasing treatment severity. This study demonstrated that changes in the physical composition of hydrochar due to increased treatment severity increase its hydrophobicity and decrease its surface free energy. Moreover, due to non-persistent hydrophobicity, hydrochar produced at temperatures lower than 250°C will likely not show adverse effects on soils.