Escherichia coli (E.coli) infections pose significant health risks to poultry and humans globally. In the face of antibiotic-resistant strains, metal oxide nanoparticles and plant extracts have emerged as promising alternatives. This study evaluated the effectiveness of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) and black elderberry extract (BEE) against E. coli O78 infection in specific pathogen-free chicks. The birds were divided into four groups: a negative control NC, a positive control (PC; challenged with E. coli O78), CuO-NPs treatment post-challenge, and BEE treatment post-challenge. Various parameters, including clinical signs, organ lesions, bacterial load, biochemical markers, and histopathology, were assessed. Both CuO-NPs and BEE demonstrated a reduction in clinical morbidity, organ damage, and E. coli counts compared to the PC. However, BEE exhibited slightly greater efficacy in alleviating liver and kidney dysfunction. Overall, CuO-NPs and BEE hold therapeutic potential against avian colibacillosis, likely acting through antimicrobial and immunomodulatory mechanisms. These findings underscore the potential of bio-based nanoparticles and plant extracts as safer, multi-modal alternatives to antibiotics for avian colibacillosis. Further optimization and mechanistic studies are needed to support their clinical application.

With an increasing incidence of obesity and metabolic syndrome epidemic, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) continues to be one of the most prevalent liver illnesses worldwide. One of recommended treatment in NAFLD is silymarin. Howerver, the problem is that silymarin has weak water solubility and limited bioavilability. Therefore, prepration of silymarin in nano-formulation would enhance silymarin's therapeutic effects and bioavailability. This study was designed to evaluate the biochemical and molecular effects of silymarin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (SILCSNPs) in NAFLD treatment in rats. Fifty rats were divided into five groups include: Group 1: Control group, group 2: HFD-induced NAFLD, group 3: HFD-induced NAFLD that orally received nano-chitosan, group 4: HFD-induced NAFLD that orally received nano-silymarin and group 5: HFD-induced NAFLD that orally received silymarin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (SILCSNPs). The dose of each treatment was 40 mg/kg/day for 60 days. Lipid parameters (triglycerides, total cholesterol), ALT, AST, hepatic (catalase, SOD and MDA) and mRNA expression of lipogenesis-related genes including ACC (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) and FASN (fatty acid synthase) as well as fatty acids catabolism-related genes including CPT-1 (carnitine palmitoyl-transferase I), PPAR-α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha) were measured. Histopathological examination of liver was also conducted. A significant elevation in HDL, catalase, SOD, CPT-1, PPAR-α levels as well as substantial reduction in triglycerides, cholesterol, ALT, AST, MDA, ACC and FASN levels were detected in treated groups in compared to the HFD-induced NAFLD group. Histopathological examination of the liver showed histological amelioration in hepatic tissue in treated groups in compared to the HFD-induced NAFLD group. SILCSNPs revealed a significant potential effect against NAFLD metabolic disturbance and considered an advanced trend in NAFLD treatment.

Cardiovascular toxicity includes damage to the heart resulting from inflammation, oxidative stress, and toxin-induced abnormalities in electrophysiology, and muscle damage. The current study set out to investigate the potential cardioprotective properties of lycopene (LCP) and grape seed extract (GSE) as potential novel therapies to counteract the cardiotoxicity caused by salbutamol. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis were used to achieve this.  Male albino rats weighing between (150_180g b.wt) were randomly divided into six sets, each containing seven rats. Group I received saline and kept as a control group. Group II was given oral administration of salbutamol (65 mg/kg b.wt.) for 2 consecutive days. Group lll received oral dose of LCP (1 mg/kg b.wt.) for three weeks. Group IV was given oral dose of GSE (100 mg/kg b.wt.) for three weeks. Group V was pretreated orally with LCP for three weeks followed by salbutamol oral administration (65 mg/kg b.wt.) for two consecutive doses. Group VI was pretreated orally with GSE (100 mg/kg b.wt.) for three weeks followed by salbutamol oral administration (65 mg/kg b.wt.) for two consecutive doses. All treatments were administered once daily by oral route using gastric tube. Results revealed that salbutamol induced cardiac damage manifested by congestion of myocardial blood vessels, intermuscular hemorrhages, endocardial degenerative changes, microcalcification and subendocardial congestion and hemorrhage, focal cardiomyocytes hyalinization with nuclear peripheralization and pyknosis and individual cellular apoptosis. In comparison with salbutamol group, pre-treatment of rats with GSE demonstrated a moderate ameliorative effect comparable to that of LCP pretreated group; however the residual tissue changes are little bit worse. Immunohistochemistry results supported the histopathological investigations. In conclusion, pre-administration of GSE and LCP provide potential cardioprotective effects by reducing salbutamol-induced cardiac damage linked to alterations in histopathology and immunohistochemistry.

Concerns about potential health risks have made heavy metal contamination in food a prominent issue. The primary route of human exposure to metals is through food consumption. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess metal concentrations in game bird meat and calculate daily intake and associated health risks. An ICP-OES was employed to measure the levels of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), magnesium (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe). The study's results indicated that As, Zn, and Fe were present at relatively high levels in the studied groups, while Co, Hg, Cr, and Cd had comparatively lower mean concentrations. Among the detected heavy metals, there were no statistically significant differences between the three studied groups, except for Cr, Co, and Zn, which exhibited statistically significant variations. Most quails and pigeons stayed within the designated permissible limits (PL) for Hg, while sparrows exceeded these limits. Both quails and sparrows also exceeded the PL for Pb, whereas pigeons remained within it. In the case of Zn, Cu, and Co, the majority of the three species adhered to the PL, while they exceeded the PL for As. However, all three species remained within the PL for Cd and Cr. Despite the Hazard Quotients (HQs) for the tested heavy metals, with the exception of As, Fe, and Zn, not exceeding 1, this suggests that consuming game bird meat is unlikely to significantly elevate the risk of human exposure to these specific metals, indicating a lower potential health hazard.Top of Form

Chicken meat and its edible offal have a high biological value and act as a good substrate for different types of bacteria implicated in foodborne disease outbreaks. Therefore, a total of 150 random samples of chicken (Breast, thigh and edible offal, 50 of each) were collected from different outlets, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt to be examined bacteriologically. The obtained results revealed that the mean Enterobacteriacae count was 3.73±0.07, 4.02±0.10 and 4.34±0.12 log10 CFU/g in breast, thigh and edible offal samples, respectively. E. coli was isolated from 12(24%), 15(30%) and 20(40%) of breast, thigh and edible offal samples, respectively, five different serotypes were identified (O157:H7, O158:H19, O128:H2, O26:H11and O55:H7) and the isolated E. coli strains were resistant to penicillin (100%), while the resistance was 72.3%, 65.9%, 51.1% and 51.1% to sulphamethoxazol-trimethoprim, oxytetracyclin, chloramphenicol and kanamycin, respectively, meanwhile, all strains were sensitive to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Salmonella spp. were isolated from 22(14.67%) of the examined samples with a prevalence of 5(10%), 7(14%) and 10(20%) in breast, thigh and edible offal, respectively, serological identification revealed five different serotypes (S. typhimurium, S. entritides, S. lindenberg, S. infantis and S. kentukay), and the isolated Salmonella spp. were resistant to penicillin and sulphamethoxazol-trimethoprim (100%), meanwhile, the sensitivity was 100% to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ampicillin.

Preservatives of natural sources have become a seemingly better and safer than artificial preservatives. Since these preservatives come from plants, they don’t have negative side effects like artificial preservatives. This study investigated the effects of Laurel nobilis, Moringa oleifera and Olive oils at different concentrations on the sensory attributes and chemical quality of beef Kofta at 4°C for 10 days cold storage period. Results revealed that samples treated with 1% Moringa, 0.5 % Moringa and 1% olive oils maintained the overall acceptability until 10th days of cold storage while those treated with 1 % laurel, 0.5 % laurel and .05 % olive oils got spoiled at 10th day. On the other hand, control samples got spoiled at 8th day of cold storage. Samples treated with selected oils showed marked decrease in their chemical analysis pH, Thiobarbituric Acid (TBA) and Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVB-N). These results indicating that these oils have potent antioxidant effects. Best antibacterial and antioxidant results were obtained in samples treated with 1% Moringa oleifera oil followed by those treated with 1% olive oil then Laurel oil at 0.5% which showed the lowest results with accepted sensory properties. On the other hand, Laurel oil 1% is more effective as antibacterial and antioxidant and demonstrated more enhancements of sensory attributes. So, the results suggested that Laurel oil 1%, Moringa oil 1% and Olive oil 1% can be applied to beef kofta as natural preservatives.

Heavy metals are toxic residues that exert harmful effects because of their accumulation in the biological tissues. This study aimed to investigate the fitness of chicken breast meat, gizzard and liver for the human consumption in relation to their heavy metal residues. In addition, biodegradable effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus on the heavy metals concentrations in chicken fillet samples was assessed. Lead, cadmium and arsenic concentrations were investigated in a total of ninety random samples of raw chilled chicken meat, gizzard and liver (30 of each), which were collected from poultry slaughter shops in Benha city, Qalubiya governorate, Egypt by the atomic absorption technique. Furthermore, in vivo degradable effect of L. rhamnosus on heavy metal residues in chicken fillet was investigated during refrigeration storage. Liver samples had significant higher levels of heavy metals than gizzard and meat, with the incidences of 56.7%, 46.7% and 16.7% for lead, cadmium and arsenic, respectively. Moreover, 28.9%, 24.4% and 28.9% of the examined samples were unfit for human consumption based on their heavy metal contents, and in accordance with the respective Egyptian standards. In addition, L. rhamnosus had a significant reduction effect on arsenic, cadmium and lead with the reduction (%) of 56, 71.5 and 82.6% at the end of the experiment, respectively. Accordingly, regular investigation of heavy metals levels in commercial meat products and their feed stuffs is recommended. Furthermore, L. rhamnosus showed promising diminishing effect on heavy metal accumulation in meat products, where advanced research on its effect on the environment is recommended.

The prevalence of bacteria that have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics has increased in recent years, posing a serious threat to public health. Some of these strains have proven almost immune to frequently used antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), for instance, is an example of a strain of bacteria that has become resistant to multiple medications. The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a report detailing the antibiotic-resistant diseases for which new and potent treatments are urgently needed. There has been a rise in interest in the potential applications of bacteriophage viruses that specifically target bacteria and eradicate them. Since they lack a metabolic system, these viruses must rely on bacteria for reproduction. It is estimated that bacteriophages are about 3 billion years old, making them one of the oldest and most common creatures on Earth. They are essential for keeping germs in check in circumstances where they naturally occur, such as in natural, unprocessed foods. The potential of bacteriophages to improve food safety is one area of increasing interest. Researchers employ animal models, such as invertebrate and vertebrate models, to examine the efficacy of medicines more swiftly and economically than human trials. The zebrafish is one example of a new model that could be used to investigate host-pathogen interactions in the future. Bacteriophage mixtures are being used by scientists as a means of more precisely treating specific infections and slowing the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Interface areas shared by humans, domestic and wild animals may serve as high transmission contexts for Toxoplasma gondii. However, knowledge about the epidemiology of T. gondii in such areas is currently limited. The present study assessed the seroprevalence of T. gondii in different hosts from Mpumalanga, South Africa. Furthermore, we investigated the local knowledge and related practices about T. gondii by conducting a questionnaire study in the community. Blood samples were obtained and analysed for T. gondii antibodies using a commercial multispecies latex agglutination kit. The seroprevalence detected in humans (n = 160; patients showing signs of acute febrile illness), cats (n = 9), chickens (n = 336) and goats (n = 358) was 8.8%, 0.0%, 4.2% and 11.2%, respectively. Seroprevalence in impalas (n = 97), kudus (n = 55), wild dogs (n = 54), wildebeests (n = 43), warthogs (n = 97) and zebras (n = 68) was calculated at 5.2%, 7.3%, 100.0%, 20.9%, 13.4% and 9.1%, respectively. The questionnaire revealed that 63.0% of household owners were subsistence farmers, and 35.9% were pet owners. A high level of female participation was found (75.3%) when compared to male participation (24.7%). The results show a low circulation of T. gondii in the domestic cycle and suggest the presence of possible bridges between the wildlife cycle and the surrounding domestic cycle. Contribution: The study contributes to identifying transmission patterns and risk factors of T. gondii within human and animal populations. This topic fits within the scope of the journal presenting original research in veterinary science, with the focus on wild and domestic populations on the African continent on a topic of universal importance.

Chronic cadmium exposure is known to be a major health concern due to its nephrotoxic effects. Consequently, this study aimed to assess the potential protective effects of date palm fruit extract (DPFE) against cadmium-induced renal toxicity in male albino rats. A total of 48 rats were divided equally into four groups and subjected to specific treatments. Group I (control given 1 ml distal water orally daily), group II (200 mg DPFE /kg b.wt. orally daily), Group III (5 mg CdCl2/kg b.wt. orally, twice a week), and VI (DPFE and CdCl2). Serum samples were collected after 4 and 8 weeks for biochemical analysis, and kidney tissue specimens were obtained for histopathological examination. The administration of cadmium chloride for 4 and 8 weeks resulted in a significant (p<0.05) increase in the serum creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels, indicating kidney dysfunction. Histopathological changes, including vascular lesions, hemorrhage, edema, periglomerular, perivascular and interstitial fibrosis, mononuclear leucocytic cellular infiltration and excessive glomerular and tubular degeneration and necrosis which further confirmed the nephrotoxic effects of cadmium. However, pre-treatment with DPFE exhibited a substantial ameliorative effect against cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity. DPFE supplementation led to a significant reduction in kidney biochemical parameters toward normal levels and improved renal tissue architecture. Our findings indicate that date palm fruit extract has a time-dependant protective effect on kidney function indices and histopathological alterations induced by cadmium, highlighting its potential as a natural medication to mitigate renal damage caused by chronic cadmium exposure.