Identification of a New Serovar of Salmonella enterica in Mediterranean Buffalo Calves (Bubalus bubalis)

This case report describes for the first-time cases of severe gastroenteritis in water buffalo calves due to a new serovar of Salmonella enterica. The study was carried out on fecal matrix collected from live water buffalo calves that showed profuse diarrhea, severe dehydration and fever, exhibiting a systemic course. Culture and molecular investigations identified the pathogens isolated from intestinal contents as two Salmonella serovars, Salmonella enterica enterica O:35 and a new serovar of Salmonella enterica. The isolates showed multi-drug resistance. Timely diagnosis associated with a targeted antimicrobial treatment were found to be sufficient for the survival and recovery of the infected animals. Herd vaccines prepared from isolated pathogens were used to prevent further deaths of the calves.

Effects of a symbiotic on coccidian infestation and zootechnical performances in broilers

Coccidiosis remains an obstacle for the poultry sector worldwide, including Algeria. In the field of food biosecurity, symbiotics are used with the aim of improving zootechnical performance of chickens, and combatting the negative effects of this parasitosis. This study compared two broiler farms with 12,000 chickens of the Arbor Acres strain, where chickens on one farm received supplementation with symbiotics. Weight of 144 animals, mortality, food and water consumption were measured, and consumption (CI) and conversion indices were calculated. For parasitology, droppings were collected and the intestinal contents of 10% of animals were collected. Data showed that at 43 days, the supplemented group had a weight of 2750 g as compared to the control that had a weight of 2630 g, with an average consumption of 4834 g vs. 5087g per animal, CI of 1.62–1.35–0.81 vs. 1.65–1.52–0.89, the conversion index of 1.9 vs. 2.07, and mortality rate of 9.29% vs. 10.37%, respectively. Oocyst excretion was zero at the farm receiving supplementation vs. 0, 100, and 550 OPG in the control group on days 15, 21 and 28, respectively, parasite infestation was 41,600 OPG, 32,800 OPG, and 30,500 OPG vs. 800 OPG, 1,100 OPG and 1,200 OPG, respectively. For prevalence, several species of Eimeria were identified in the control. The means found in this study support the use of symbiotics, and efforts to improve the formula of the symbiotics should yield even better results.

Diet of European freshwater pearl mussels Margaritifera margaritifera (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionoida) in small river (Republic of Karelia, Russia)

The freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera (Linnaeus,1758) is endangered in Europe and is now listed in the Red Data Book of many countries and regions. The diet of the species in the Syskyänjoki River (a tributary of Lake Ladoga) has been studied. The contents of the intestine generally correspond to the composition of seston, and include organic detritus, filamentous and unicellular algae, fragments of invertebrates and macrophyte tissues mixed with silt and sand. The total biomass of the intestinal contents of varied from 0.8 to 30.6 mg per organism (absolutely dry weight). Margaritifera margaritifera consumes a wide range of particles, from 0.5 μm3 (bacteria and unicellular algae) to 200 000 μm3 (fragments of invertebrates and macrophyte tissues). About 90–95% (by volume) of the intestinal contents was consisted by fine organic detritus. The food composition did not differ significantly for mollusks of different sexes and size. In the intestinal contents, 63 taxa of algae were identified. The number of algal species in the content of one intestine varied from 3 to 17, with their abundance from 250 to 9560 cells per organism. The most abundant and constant in the contents of the intestines are unicellular algae. Diatoms are the most diverse, they make up 50.8% of the total number of species.

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LACTOSE-FREE DAIRY PRODUCTS IN THIS CONDITION (Review)

The paper is a review of the importance of expanding the lactose-free dairy segment to give consumers the opportunity to consume milk and dairy products if they suffer from lactose intolerance. When there is a lactase deficiency in the body, in the small intestine lactose is not hydrolyzed, the volume increases and the fluidity of the intestinal contents increases, allowing lactose to reach the colon where it is fermented by colonic bacteria. Lactose intolerance is a condition that depending on the form developed will show different symptoms and consumers suffering from this disease may ingest amounts between 12-24 g of lactose consumed during a day, taking into account certain recommendations, compared to allergy to milk proteins, where the consumption of dairy products is prohibited. Due to the rich intake of important macro and micronutrients in human nutrition, dairy products cannot be missing from the daily diet. In this context, methods are proposed, in particular ultrafiltration, for obtain free lactose milk that does not affect its composition and properties. Consumers suffering from lactose intolerance should be properly informed about the lactose content in manufactured lactose-free dairy products. This can be done after using highperformance instrumental methods of analysis that can detect the lowest values of lactose content in dairy products.

Effect of a High-Fat Diet on the Small-Intestinal Environment and Mucosal Integrity in the Gut-Liver Axis

Although high-fat diet (HFD)-related dysbiosis is involved in the development of steatohepatitis, its pathophysiology especially in the small intestine remains unclear. We comprehensively investigated not only the liver pathology but also the microbiome profile, mucosal integrity and luminal environment in the small intestine of mice with HFD-induced obesity. C57BL/6J mice were fed either a normal diet or an HFD, and their small-intestinal contents were subjected to microbial 16S rDNA analysis. Intestinal mucosal permeability was evaluated by FITC-dextran assay. The levels of bile acids in the small-intestinal contents were measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The expression of tight junction molecules, antimicrobial peptides, lipopolysaccharide and macrophage marker F4/80 in the small intestine and/or liver was examined by real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The abundance of Lactobacillus was markedly increased and that of Clostridium was drastically decreased in the small intestine of mice fed the HFD. The level of conjugated taurocholic acid was significantly increased and those of deconjugated cholic acid/secondary bile acids were conversely decreased in the small-intestinal contents. The expression of occludin, antimicrobial Reg IIIβ/γ and IL-22 was significantly decreased in the small intestine of HFD-fed mice, and the intestinal permeability was significantly accelerated. Infiltration of lipopolysaccharide was significantly increased in not only the small-intestinal mucosa but also the liver of HFD-fed mice, and fat drops were apparently accumulated in the liver. Pathophysiological alteration of the luminal environment in the small intestine resulting from a HFD is closely associated with minimal inflammation involving the gut-liver axis through disturbance of small-intestinal mucosal integrity.

Mining Anti-Inflammation Molecules From Nippostrongylus brasiliensis-Derived Products Through the Metabolomics Approach

Hookworm is one type of soil-transmitted helminth, which could exert an anti-inflammatory effect in human or animal host, which provides a beneficial possibility for the discovery of inflammatory-related disease interventions. The identification of hookworm-derived anti-inflammatory molecules is urgently needed for future translational research. The emergence of metabolomics has become a powerful approach to comprehensively characterize metabolic alterations in recent times. Herein, excretory and secretory products (ESPs) were collected from cultured adult worm, while small intestinal contents were obtained from Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (N. brasiliensis, Nb)-infected mice. Through ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) platform, metabolomics analysis was used to explore the identification of anti-inflammatory molecules. Out of 45 differential metabolites that were discovered from ESPs, 10 of them showed potential anti-inflammatory properties, which could be subclassed into amino acids, furanocoumarins, linear diarylheptanoids, gamma butyrolactones, and alpha-keto acids. In terms of intestinal contents that were derived from N. brasiliensis-infected mice, 14 out of 301 differential metabolites were discovered to demonstrate anti-inflammatory effects, with possible subclassification into amino acids, benzylisoquinolines, quaternary ammonium salts, pyrimidines, pregnane steroids, purines, biphenyls, and glycerophosphocholines. Furthermore, nine of the differential metabolites appeared both in ESPs and infected intestinal contents, wherein four were proven to show anti-inflammation properties, namely, L-glutamine, glutamine (Gln), pyruvate, and alanine-Gln (Ala-Gln). In summary, we have provided a method for the identification and analysis of parasite-derived molecules with potential anti-inflammatory properties in the present study. This array of anti-inflammatory metabolites could provide clues for future evaluation and translational study of these anti-inflammatory molecules.

Analysis of Intestinal Microflora and Metabolites From Mice With DSS-Induced IBD Treated With Schistosoma Soluble Egg Antigen

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the changes in intestinal flora and metabolites in the intestinal contents of mice with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to preliminarily clarify the mechanism of action of Schistosoma soluble egg antigen (SEA) on IBD, thus, laying a research foundation for the subsequent treatment of IBD.Methods: A total of 40 Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were divided into four groups: control, SEA 50 μg, dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS), and SEA 50 μg + DSS. The overall state of the animals was observed continuously during modeling. The colonic length was measured after 10 days of modeling. The degree of colonic inflammation was observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. 16srRNA and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry sequencing techniques were used to determine the abundance of bacteria and metabolites in the intestinal contents of mice in the DSS and SEA 50 μg + DSS groups, and the differences were further analyzed.Results: After SEA intervention, the disease activity index score of mice with IBD decreased and the colon shortening was reduced. Microscopically, the lymphocyte aggregation, glandular atrophy, goblet cell disappearance, and colonic inflammation were less in the SEA 50 μg + DSS group than in the DSS group (p < 0.0001). After SEA intervention, the abundance of beneficial bacteria prevotellaceae_UCG-001 was upregulated, while the abundance of the harmful bacteria Helicobacter, Lachnoclostridium, and Enterococcus was downregulated in the intestinal tract of mice with IBD. The intestinal metabolite analysis showed that SEA intervention decreased the intestinal contents of glycerophospholipids (lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, phatidylcholine, and phatidylethanolamine) and carboxylic acids (L-alloisoleucine and L-glutamate), whereas increased bile acids and their derivatives (3B,7A,12a-trihydroxy-5A-cholanoic acid and 3A,4B, 12a-trihydroxy-5b-cholanoic acid). Combined microbiota–metabolite analysis revealed a correlation between these differential microbiota and differential metabolites. At the same time, the changes in the contents of metabolites and differential metabolites in the two groups also correlated with the abundance of the gut microbiome.Conclusions: The study showed that SEA reduced DSS-induced inflammation in IBD and improved the symptoms of IBD in mice through the combined regulation of intestinal flora and intestinal metabolism. It suggested a potential possibility for the use of SEA in treating and regulating intestinal flora and metabolism in patients with IBD.

Outbreak of avian botulism in a backyard poultry farming / Surto de botulismo aviário em criação de aves domésticas

The purpose of this study is to report an outbreak of avian botulism in backyard poultry farming. In 2019, a botulism outbreak in a flock of laying hens was investigated in Brazil. In the flock of 30 hens, clinical signs of botulism occurred after they ate decaying vegetables. A type C botulism outbreak was confirmed using the mouse lethality assay for detection of botulinum toxin in serum and ELISA test to detect Clostridium botulinum in intestinal contents and serum. Botulism in laying hens has rarely been reported. The chickens developed cyanotic comb and wattle, dyspnea, different degrees of flaccid paralysis in the neck, and detachment of feathers. No macroscopic lesions were observed, as were microscopic findings. The chicken's serum was neutralized by C antitoxin, confirming the botulism diagnosis, and also toxin was detected in intestinal contents.

Pathologic findings on ruminant enteric clostridial diseases reveal specificities and differences among iota and iota-like toxins

The iota toxin (ITX) is a binary enterotoxin produced as a protoxin by Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) type E that is activated by proteolytic enzymes in the small intestine of infected animals. By depolymerization of the actin filaments, ITX causes cytoskeleton disorganization of cells promoting the increase of the cell permeability. Here, we conducted this review aiming to advance the understanding of enteric clostridial diseases caused by C. perfringens toxins and the specificity of ITX in the intestinal mucosa lesions. ITX consists of an enzymatic component (Ia) and a binding component (Ib). We screened the recently published histological findings of the ITX effects and its relationship with intestinal enteric diseases. Histologically, hemorrhagic necrosis and multifocal hemorrhage have been observed in the jejunum-ileum mucosa, the small intestine, and the abomasum. Although the diagnosis is still based on the presence of toxins in the intestinal contents and the clinical and/or histological history, it is important to develop novel enterotoxemic indicators capable of establishing precise methods for differentiate the actions of ITX and other toxins involved in the infectious process of C. perfringens type E.