Performance, blood and antioxidant status in dual-purpose laying hens supplemented with aqueous extract of Christ's thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi L.) leaves as phytogenic agent in subtropical conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The potential of aqueous extract of Christ's thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) leaves (SLAE) to reduce the negative impacts of heat stress on production performance and physiological traits was investigated in dual-purpose layers under subtropical farming. METHODS: A total of 200, 25-week-old laying hens (Inshas strain) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments including SLAE at 0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mL/kg, respectively. The average temperature-humidity index value was 26.69 during the experimental period. The SLAE contained saponin (0.045%), total flavonoid content of 17.9 mg of quercetin equivalent/ 100 g and overall antioxidant capacity concentration of 17.9 mg of ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g. RESULTS: The maximum final body weight (BW), BW gain, egg weight, number, and mass occurred at the level of SLAE7.5 inclusion. The egg quality was significantly higher in SLAE groups than in control, and overall, SLAE7.5 had the most favorable influence at 28 and 32 weeks. Liver and kidney function, as well as lipids profile, improved significantly by SLAE inclusion; the lowest concentrations of these parameters were in SLAE7.5 hens. Treatment with SLAE7.5 increased total antioxidant capacity and endogenous antioxidant enzymes compared to control, whereas no effect on superoxide dismutase was noticed. CONCLUSION: The addition of SLAE at 7.5 mL/kg diet improved egg laying performance and quality, metabolic profiles, and antioxidant status during hyperthermia conditions.

Impacts of synthetic androgen and estrogenic antagonist administration on growth performance, sex steroids hormones, and immune markers of male and female broilers.

The influence of synthetic androgen and estrogenic antagonists (Tamoxifen) on body characteristics and immune response of male and female broilers and the correlation between sex hormone levels were estimated in our experiment. One day old chicks were sexed, and chicks of each sex were randomly distributed on three experimental treatments; the first treatment group (TAM20) chicks were supplied with estrogenic antagonist tamoxifen citrate 20 mg/kg body weight through oral administration for four times every other day from third until ninth d; Androgen treatment chicks were injected intramuscular with veterinary androgen AD GAN@ (Boldenone Undecylenate 50 mg) 1 cm/10 kg body weight at fifth and ninth day, and the third treatment was control. Androgen treatment reported the highest feed intake with the lowest for TAM20 treatment. Concerning carcass characteristics, early androgen injection increased breast percentage significantly compared to TAM20 treatment. Androgen supplementation increased significantly comb the percentage. However, TAM20 decreased it particularly compared to control. Moreover, the percentage of comb and shanks was substantially higher for males than females. Concerning the effects of both treatments on sex hormones, androgen showed favorable effects on testosterone and estrogen compared to Tamoxifen 20 treatment. On the other hand, the administration of TAM 20 improves phagocytic activity compared to androgen administration.

Amino Acids Supplementation Affects Sustainability of Productive and Meat Quality, Survivability and Nitrogen Pollution of Broiler Chickens during the Early Life.

The response to amino acid (AAs) supplementation on broiler production, carcass and meat traits and nitrogen in the excreta during the early growth period was evaluated. Two experiments were performed during 1-28 d (245 birds, experiment 1) and 1-21 d of age (455 birds, experiment 2). In both experiments, the positive control (PC) diet had 22.5% crude protein (CP) and the negative control group (NC) diet had around 18% CP with the same methionine (Met) plus lysine (Lys) concentration as the PC diet. In experiment 1, the NC diet was fed to the other five groups supplemented with synthetic amino acids, such as L-arginine (Arg), L-threonine (Thr), L-valine (Val), L-isoleucine (Ile) or all these AAs, respectively. In experiment 2, the NC diet was formulated to contain 18% CP with either corn-soybean meal and animal protein or with only vegetable protein. Both NC diets were offered to the other ten groups with synthetic amino acids such as L-Arg, L-Thr, L-Val, L-tryptophan (Trp) or a combination of all these AAs plus L-isoleucine (Ile), respectively. In conclusion, broilers fed 18% CP supplemented with DL-Met plus L-Lys showed lower performance and a European production efficiency value (EPEV); Arg, Thr and Val addition improved growth, the feed conversion ratio and EPEV of the diets containing animal protein only, but broiler performance and EPEV was lower than with PC, indicating that DL-Met, L-Lys, L-Arg, L-Thr and L-Val supplementation may be limited in low-protein diets. Furthermore, a low-protein diet supplemented with amino acids did not affect the survivability of broilers up to 28 days of age.

Dietary supplementation of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with ß-glucan and/or Bacillus coagulans: Synergistic impacts on performance, immune responses, redox status and expression of some related genes.

A 14-week feeding study was conducted to assess the effects of feed supplementation with prebiotics ß-glucan (BG group) and/or probiotics Bacillus coagulans (BC group) on O. niloticus growth performance, body analysis, intestinal structure, immunological response, and antioxidant status. The fish were equally divided into six groups, as follows: the fish group fed an un-supplemented diet served as a control group; the other fish groups were fed supplemented diets with 0.1 g ß-glucan kg-1; 1 g Bacillus coagulans kg-1; 2 g B. coagulans kg-1; 0.1 g ß-glucan combined with 1 g B. coagulans kg-1; 0.1 g ß-glucan combined with 2 g B. coagulans kg-1. The findings revealed that supplementing B. coagulans and the ß-glucan mixture improved growth performance and feed efficiency parameters (RGR and SGR) more than the other groups. The fish flesh analysis revealed increased crude protein and dry matter content and lower lipid and ash levels in the BG and BC supplemented groups than in the Control group. On the other hand, ß-glucan and B. coagulans supplementation significantly boosted antioxidant activity and immunological responses in serum as determined by CAT, MDA, lysozyme, and phagocytic activity. Dietary ß-glucan and B. coagulans supplementation remarkedly enhanced anterior intestine villus histomorphometry characteristics. Furthermore, B. coagulans, alone or in combination with ß-glucan, could reduce HSP70 and IL-1ß gene expression while increasing IL-8 and GH gene expression. According to the findings, B. coagulans and/or BG increased growth performance by increasing gut health and morphology. Furthermore, ß-glucan and B. coagulans supplementation enhanced Tilapia's body composition, immunological responses, and antioxidant status.

Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder Dietary Inclusion Differentially Modulates the Antioxidant, Inflammatory, and Histopathological Responses of Normal and Aeromonas hydrophila-Infected Mono-Sex Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

This study aimed to detect the impact of Moringa oleifera leaf powder dietary inclusion on the antioxidant and innate immune responses of mono-sex Nile tilapia fingerlings. A total of 180 fingerlings were allocated in a random method into three groups with triplicate each. One group (1st group) received the control diet (basal diet (BD) free of moringa) and the other groups (2nd and 3rd) fed BD containing M. oleifera leaf powder at 5 and 10% of the diet, respectively. After 6 weeks of feeding, fish were randomly redistributed into four replicates and rested for 24 h. Then, each fish in the first two replicates was injected with 0.2 mL of PBS, while the others were injected with 0.2 mL of A. hydrophila suspension (1.8 × 106 CFU/mL). Healthy fish fed on M. oleifera leaf powder showed enhanced immune response manifested by significant increases in phagocytic and lysozyme activities with a marked H/L ratio (P < 0.05). In addition, significant alterations of the lymphocytic and heterophilic population in circulation with increasing infiltration in tissue such as the spleen were noticed. Also, M. oleifera significantly upregulated the antioxidants, CAT and GPx, proinflammatory cytokines, IL1-ß, IL-8, and IFN-γ relative mRNA levels. On the other hand, following A. hydrophila challenging conditions, M. oleifera caused downregulations of IL1-ß, IL-8, and IFN-γ transcription levels, and also lowered the CAT and GPx mRNA levels. In addition, a marked reduction of leukocytic infiltration plus a significant improvement of the degenerative changes in intestinal architecture has occurred. So, M. oleifera leaf powder can be included in the fish diet to enhance immune response under normal health conditions and lower the infection-associated inflammatory response.

The impact of betaine supplementation in quail diet on growth performance, blood chemistry, and carcass traits.

The study aimed to investigate the effect of various doses of betaine supplemented dietary on Japanese quail performance, carcass characteristics, and blood chemistry. Therefore, 400 seven days old Japanese quails were classified randomly into four equal groups. Each group was subdivided into five replicates of 20 birds each. Four rations were formulated using four different betaine levels (0, 0.75, 1.5 and 2.25 g/kg, respectively) for five successive weeks. All groups received feed and clean water ad-libitum. The results of this trial indicated that the feed intake was lowered in groups fed with betaine (p ≤ 0.05) when compared with the control one. The highest weight gain (p ≤ 0.05) was noticed in groups fed diets BS4 (betaine supplementation at the rate of 2.25 g/kg). No difference among groups was observed in body length, shank length, shank diameter, and keel bone length or breast width. Also, the carcass weight and breast yield were highest (p ≤ 0.05) in the group reared on the BS4 diet. In addition, intestinal length and weight were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in groups fed betaine with a concentration of 2.25 g/kg. Fat weight was lower in the group fed BS4 than in the untreated group. Significantly higher values of high-density lipoprotein (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in the group fed BS4. All groups fed a ration containing betaine showed lower levels of liver enzymes such as alanine amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase, and aspartate amino transferase (p ≤ 0.05) and lowered low-density lipoprotein level. The quails fed BS4 had the greatest growth hormones and insulin (p ≤ 0.05) and the lowest thyroxin level. We concluded that dietary betaine supplementation positively impacts Japanese quail growth performance, carcass traits, and blood chemistry.

The use of black pepper (Piper guineense) as an ecofriendly antimicrobial agent to fight foodborne microorganisms.

Consumers demand clean-label food products, necessitating the search for new, natural antimicrobials to meet this demand while ensuring food safety. This review aimed at investigating the antimicrobial properties of black pepper (Piper guineense) against foodborne microorganisms. The existence of foodborne illness, food spoilage, food waste, the resulting negative economic impact of these issues, and consumer interests have all pushed the food industry to find alternative, safe, and natural antimicrobials to be used in foods and beverages. Consumers have also influenced the demand for novel antimicrobials due to the perceived association of current synthetic preservatives with diseases and adverse effects on children. They also have a desire for clean-label products. These combined concerns have prompted researchers at investigating plant extracts as potential sources for antimicrobials. Plants possess many antimicrobial properties; therefore, evaluating these plant extracts as a natural source of antimicrobials can lead to a preventative control method in reducing foodborne illness and food spoilage, inclusively meeting consumer needs. In most regions, P. guineense is commonly utilized due to its potent and effective medicinal properties against foodborne microorganisms.

Prebiotics can restrict Salmonella populations in poultry: a review.

Antibiotics were over the years, the common supplement used for poultry production. There is a global trend to lessen antibiotics' use due to the contamination of consumed meat with antibiotic residues. Also, there is a concern that human treatments might be jeopardized due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Prebiotics are attractive supplements, particularly in poultry production, because of the diversity of their effects, including pH amendments, production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and the inhibition of pathogens' growth. The commonly used prebiotics are carbohydrate sources that cannot be easily broken down by chickens. However, they can efficiently be utilized by the intestinal tract's microflora. Oligosaccharides, polysaccharides and lactose are non-digestible carbohydrate sources that are typically used in poultry diets as prebiotics. This review covers current applications and prospects for using prebiotics to improve poultry performance and reduce pathogens, particularly Salmonella, in gastrointestinal tract.

Corrigendum: Moringa oleifera leaf powder dietary inclusion differentially modulates the antioxidant, inflammatory, and histopathological responses of normal and Aeromonas hydrophila-infected mono-sex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.918933.].

A quantitative and qualitative assessment of sugar beet genotype resistance to root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita.

Sugar beet productivity is highly constrained by the root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita. Eight sugar beet genotypes were screened under greenhouse conditions for their susceptibility to M. incognita according to an adapted quantitative scheme for assignment Canto-Saenz's host suitability (resistance) designations (AQSCS). Besides, the degree of susceptibility or tolerance of the examined genotypes was recorded by the modified host-parasite index (MHPI) scale based on yield performance. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was also determined. Sugar beet genotypes have been classified into four categories for their susceptibility or tolerance according to the AQSCS scale. The first category, the moderately resistant (MR) group implies only one variety named SVH 2015, which did not support nematode reproduction (RF≤1), and had less root damage (GI≈2). Second, the tolerant group (T) involving Lilly and Halawa KWS supported fairly high nematode reproduction (RF>1) with relatively plant damage (GI≤2). Whereas the susceptible (S) category involved four varieties, FARIDA, Lammia KWS, Polat, and Capella, which supported nematode reproduction factor (RF>1) with high plant damage (GI>2). The fourth category refers to the highly susceptible (HYS) varieties such as Natura KWS that showed (RF≤1) and very high plant damage (GI>2). However, the MHPI scale showed that Lammia KWS variety was shifted from the (S) category to the (T) category. Results revealed significant differences among genotypes regarding disease severity, yield production, and quality traits. The SVH 2015 variety exhibited the lowest disease index values concerning population density with 800/250 cm3 soils, RF=2, root damage/gall index (GI=1.8), gall size (GS=2.3), gall area (GA=3.7), damage index (DI=3.4), susceptibility rate (SR=2.4), and MHP index (MHPI=2.5). However, Lammia KWS showed the highest disease index values regarding population density with 8890/250 cm3 soils, RF= 22.2, GI= 4.8, and SR= 14.1. Meanwhile, Natura KWS the highest GS, GA and MHPI with 7.1, 8 and 20.9, respectively. The lowest DI was achieved by Capella (DI= 6) followed by Lammia KWS (DI= 5.9). For yield production, and quality traits, SVH 2015 exhibited the lowest reductions of sugar yields/beet's root with 11.1%. While Natura KWS had the highest reduction with 79.3%, as well as it showed the highest reduction in quality traits; including sucrose, T.S.S, and purity with 65, 27.3, and 51.9%, respectively. The amino acid alignment and prediction of the DNA sequences revealed the presence of five SNPs among all sugar beet verities.

Control of foliar phytoparasitic nematodes through sustainable natural materials: Current progress and challenges.

Nematodes are hidden enemies that inhibit the entire ecosystem causing adverse effects on animals and plants, leading to economic losses. Management of foliar phytoparasitic nematodes is an excruciating task. Various approaches were used to control nematodes dispersal, i.e., traditional practices, resistant cultivars, plant extract, compost, biofumigants, induced resistance, nano-biotechnology applications, and chemical control. This study reviews the various strategies adopted in combating plant-parasitic nematodes while examining the benefits and challenges. The significant awareness of biological and environmental factors determines the effectiveness of nematode control, where the incorporation of alternative methods to reduce the nematodes population in plants with increasing crop yield. The researchers were interested in explaining the fundamental molecular mechanisms, providing an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the sustainable management of nematodes in croplands. Eco-friendly pesticides are effective as a sustainable nematodes management tool and safe for humans. The current review presents the eco-friendly methods in controlling nematodes to minimize yield losses, and benefit the agricultural production efficiency and the environment.

Vital roles of sustainable nano-fertilizers in improving plant quality and quantity-an updated review.

Nanotechnology has received much attention because of its distinctive properties and many applications in various fields. Nanotechnology is a new approach to increase agricultural production with premium quality, environmental safety, biological support, and financial stability. Ecofriendly technology is becoming progressively important in modern agricultural applications as alternatives to traditional fertilizers and pesticides. Nanotechnology offers an alternative solution to overcome the disadvantages of conventional agriculture. Therefore, recent developments in using nanoparticles (NPs) in agriculture should be studied. This review presented a novel overview about the biosynthesis of NPs, using NPs as nano-fertilizers and nano-pesticides, the applications of NPs in agriculture, and their role in enhancing the function of biofactors. We also, show recent studies on NPs-plant interactions, the fate and safety of nanomaterials in plants, and NPs' function in alleviating the adverse effects of abiotic stress and heavy metal toxicity. Nano-fertilizers are essential to reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers and reduce their antagonistic effects on the environment. Nano-fertilizers are more reactive, can penetrate the epidermis allowing for gradual release, and targeted distribution, and thus reducing nutrients surplus, enhancing nutrient use efficiency. We also, concluded that NPs are crucial in alleviating abiotic stress and heavy metal toxicity. However, some studies reported the toxic effects of NPs on higher plants by induction of oxidative stress signals via depositing NPs on the cell surface and in organelles. The knowledge in our review article is critical in defining limitations and future perspectives of using nano-fertilizers as an alternative to conventional fertilizers.

The use of biological selenium nanoparticles to suppress Triticum aestivum L. crown and root rot diseases induced by Fusarium species and improve yield under drought and heat stress.

Fusarium species threaten wheat crops around the world and cause global losses. The global trend is toward using biological materials such as selenium (Se) in nano form to control these fungi. Bulk selenium is toxic and harmful at high doses; however, selenium nanoparticles are safe; therefore, the aim of this study to employ the biological selenium nanoparticles (BioSeNPs) synthesized by Lactobacillus acidophilus ML14 in controlling wheat crown and root rot diseases (CRDs) induced by Fusarium spp., especially Fusarium culmorum and Fusarium graminearum, and their reflection on the growth and productivity of wheat. The ability of BioSeNPs to suppress the development and propagation of F. culmorum and F. graminearum and the CRDs incidence were also investigated. The obtained BioSeNPs were spherical with a size of 46 nm and a net charge of -23.48. The BioSeNPs significantly scavenged 88 and 92% of DPPH and ABTS radicals and successfully inhibited the fungal growth in the range of 20-40 µg/mL; these biological activities were related to the small size of BioSeNPs and the phenolic content in their suspension. Under greenhouse conditions, the wheat supplemented with BioSeNPs (100 µg/mL) was significantly reduced the incidence of CRDs by 75% and considerably enhanced plant growth, grain quantity and quality by 5-40%. Also, photosynthetic pigments and gas exchange parameters were significantly increased as compared to chemical selenium nanoparticles (Che-SeNPs) and control. This study results could be recommended the use of BioSeNPs (100 µg/mL) in reducing CRDs incidence and severity in wheat plants, enhancing their tolerance with drought and heat stress, and increasing their growth and productivity as compared to control and Che-SeNPs.

Impact of mycogenic zinc nanoparticles on performance, behavior, immune response, and microbial load in Oreochromis niloticus.

This work aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of biological zinc nanoparticles (BIO-ZnONPs) against pathogenic fish bacteria and assess the effect of BIO-ZnONPs on the performance, behavior, and immune response in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as compared to chemical zinc nanoparticles (CH- ZnONPs). Aspergillus niger TS16 fabricated the BIO-ZnONPs were spherical shape with the average size of 45 nm and net charge of -27.23 mV. Generally, the results indicate that BIO-ZnONPs were more effective than CH- ZnONPs in enhancing the performance properties of Nile tilapia. Five experimental groups of Nile tilapia (initial body weight of 20.2 g) were treated with two concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mg L-1 from biological and chemical ZnONPs, while the fifth group was served as a control. After ten weeks of treated water with ZnONPs, the performance, feed efficiency parameters, feeding, and swimming behaviors significantly improved in BIO-ZnONPs treated groups (P < 0.05). The liver function, LYZ activity, and NBT values were significantly enhanced in the 0.5 mg L-1 BIO-ZnONPS group compared to CH- ZnONPs group and control (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the lowest cortisol and the highest testosterone and growth hormone levels were recorded in 1 mg L-1 BIO-ZnONPs group. Regarding the antibacterial effects, BIO-ZnONPs displayed the lower total bacterial loads in water and fish tissues (intestine, gills, skin, and muscle) and the maximum antibacterial properties against pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Aeromonas hydrophila). Our study exemplifies novel findings of BIO-ZnONPs in the promotion of fish health and production and its antibacterial properties in Nile tilapia.

Impacts of Supplementing Broiler Diets with Biological Curcumin, Zinc Nanoparticles and Bacillus licheniformis on Growth, Carcass Traits, Blood Indices, Meat Quality and Cecal Microbial Load.

The current study aimed to investigate the influence of dietary zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs), curcumin nanoparticles (CurNPs), and Bacillus licheniformis (Bl) on the growth, carcass, blood metabolites, and the count of some cecal microorganisms of Indian River (IR) broilers. Chicks were allotted into seven experimental groups: control group, 1st, 2nd and 3rd groups were given diets enriched with ZnNPs, CurNPs and Bl (3.0, 5.0 and 2.0 cm3/kg diet, respectively). The 4th, 5th and 6th groups were given diets supplemented with ZnNPs (3.0) + Bl (2.0) (ZP); ZnNPs (3.0) + CurNPs (5.0) (ZC) and ZnNPs (3.0) + CurNPs (5.0) + Bl (2.0) (ZCP) cm3/kg diet, respectively. The results revealed that ZnNPs and CurNPs exhibited a considerable antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. They also inhibited the growth of microbes in a range of 50-95 µg/mL. The diet supplemented with ZnNPs, CurNPs, and Bl increased the body weight compared to the control after five weeks of age. Additionally, values of daily feed intake increased in these groups; however, the feed conversion ratio decreased. All values of carcass traits were better than that of the control. The treatments led to decreased abdominal lipids compared to the control. The activity of liver enzymes and malondialdehyde (MDA) activity decreased in the treated groups. In a converse trend, the levels of oxidative enzymes, amylase, protease, lipase and immunoglobulin were higher than that of the control. Meat quality properties were improved and cecal microbial counts were decreased. In conclusion, the ZnNPs, CurNPs, and Bl improved the broiler's weights, carcass traits, meat quality traits, as well as some blood indices and cecal microbial load. Therefore, the inclusion of ZnNPs, CurNPs, or Bl is recommended for broiler feeding regimens to improve the performance and health status.

Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine for the Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19: A Fiction, Hope or Hype? An Updated Review.

In December 2019, the novel coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) that began in China had infected so far more than 109,217,366 million individuals worldwide and accounted for more than 2,413,912 fatalities. With the dawn of this novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), there was a requirement to select potential therapies that might effectively kill the virus, accelerate the recovery, or decrease the case fatality rate. Besides the currently available antiviral medications for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), the chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (CQ/HCQ) regimen with or without azithromycin has been repurposed in China and was recommended by the National Health Commission, China in mid-February 2020. By this time, the selection of this regimen was based on its efficacy against the previous SARS-CoV-1 virus and its potential to inhibit viral replication of the SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. There was a shortage of robust clinical proof about the effectiveness of this regimen against the novel SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, extensive research effort has been made by several researchers worldwide to investigate whether this regimen is safe and effective for the management of COVID-19. In this review, we provided a comprehensive overview of the CQ/HCQ regimen, summarizing data from in vitro studies and clinical trials for the protection against or the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Despite the initial promising results from the in vitro studies and the widespread use of CQ/HCQ in clinical settings during the 1st wave of COVID-19, current data from well-designed randomized controlled trials showed no evidence of benefit from CQ/HCQ supplementation for the treatment or prophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Particularly, the two largest randomized controlled trials to date (RECOVERY and WHO SOLIDARITY trials), both confirmed that CQ/HCQ regimen does not provide any clinical benefit for COVID-19 patients. Therefore, we do not recommend the use of this regimen in COVID-19 patients outside the context of clinical trials.

COVID-19: pathogenesis, advances in treatment and vaccine development and environmental impact-an updated review.

Diseases negatively impact the environment, causing many health risks and the spread of pollution and hazards. A novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a recent respiratory syndrome epidemic in humans. In December 2019, the sudden emergence of this new coronavirus and the subsequent severe disease it causes created a serious global health threat and hazards. This is in contrast to the two aforementioned coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 (in 2002) and middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus MERS-CoV (in 2012), which were much more easily contained. The World Health Organization (WHO) dubbed this contagious respiratory disease an "epidemic outbreak" in March 2020. More than 80 companies and research institutions worldwide are working together, in cooperation with many governmental agencies, to develop an effective vaccine. To date, six authorized vaccines have been registered. Up till now, no approved drugs and drug scientists are racing from development to clinical trials to find new drugs for COVID-19. Wild animals, such as snakes, bats, and pangolins are the main sources of coronaviruses, as determined by the sequence homology between MERS-CoV and viruses in these animals. Human infection is caused by inhalation of respiratory droplets. To date, the only available treatment protocol for COVID-19 is based on the prevalent clinical signs. This review aims to summarize the current information regarding the origin, evolution, genomic organization, epidemiology, and molecular and cellular characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 as well as the diagnostic and treatment approaches for COVID-19 and its impact on global health, environment, and economy.

Phytogenic Products and Phytochemicals as a Candidate Strategy to Improve Tolerance to Coronavirus.

Coronaviruses are the causative agents of many infectious diseases in human and animals. These included severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), avian infectious bronchitis (IBV) in poultry, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in humans. These results had considerable death burdens and negative influences on social-economic life. Since the appearance of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, continuous investigations have been carried out by researchers to find active compounds, mainly from plants, as natural sources, that could inhibit or stop the proliferation of the causative agent of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). The most common symptoms caused by infections with COVID-19 can include cough, fever, and sore throat. Nevertheless, there is a shortage of active antiviral compounds for treating different strains of coronavirus. Herbal medicine is a class of medication that originates from nature and is aimed at decreasing the use of preservatives, excipients, or other additives and, consequently, lesser side effects. The rapid spread of COVID-19 infection besides the lack of knowledge about any treatments and the growing concern of the public from the virus directed us toward writing this review article in an aim to provide alternatives to the allopathic medicine use. There is a wealth of chemical diversity in the naturally existing compounds, including their antiviral activities, which may encourage their utilization as therapeutics against viral infections, including coronaviruses. The majority of publications on the herbal remedies of coronavirus, MERS, or SARS focused primarily on the use of polar compounds. These substances displayed encouraging inhibitory influences on coronavirus in humans. These include psoralidin, scutellarein, silvestrol, tryptanthrin, caffeic acid, quercetin, myricetin, saikosaponin B2, griffithsin (lectins), and isobavachalcone. Some other agents like lycorine may be useful, if the antiviral activity is obtained by concentrations below the toxic plasma levels. According to the available literatures, the most promising inhibitors of coronaviruses are polyphenolic compounds, which are small molecules with conjugated fused ring structures.

COVID-19 in Human, Animal, and Environment: A Review.

The medical authority in China, especially in Wuhan city, reported on December 2019 a large number of highly fatal, rapidly spreading viral pneumonia caused by an unknown coronavirus. The common history of all the patients was their visiting a Wuhan's whole food store, where live animals and seafood are sold. Irrespective of the efforts of the Chinese authorities, the virus spread rapidly all over the world by travelers, provoking widespread attention by the media and panic. Many previous coronavirus epidemics had been recorded, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and the recently newly discovered epidemic is named coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). This disease is caused by SARS Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), and this virus is antigenically related to the SARS virus (SARS-CoV), which had been detected in 2002, depending on clinical, serological, and molecular findings. There is rapid competition among the researchers to discover the source of the virus, understand the mechanism of the disease development, establish treatment strategies, and determine the factors affecting the incidence of infection and severity of the disease, and focus on the production of a vaccine. Coronaviruses are a group of single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome viruses; its genome length varies from 26 to 32 kb. Coronavirus causes mild to severe respiratory disorders. In December 2019, several cases of pneumonia of unknown causes were found in Wuhan city, which is located in the Hubei province in China. Chinese health authorities investigated the problem and found that a new virus caused such infection and, using next-generation sequencing, found the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). It has been transferred from humans to humans and animals to humans (zoonotic). Coronaviruses cause multiple respiratory problems, varying from common cold to severe infections such as SARS. General symptoms of infection include fatigue, cough, and breathing problems such as shortness of breath, as described by World Health Organization. Serious cases may result in pneumonia, renal failure, and even death. We address current information about the new SARS Coronavirus-2 as well as the COVID-19 disease caused by it in this review.

Probiotics in poultry feed: A comprehensive review.

The use of antibiotics to maintain animal well-being, promote growth and improve efficiency has been practised for more than 50 years. However, as early as the 1950s, researchers identified concern on the development of resistant bacteria for the antibiotics streptomycin and tetracycline used in turkeys and broilers respectively. These findings laid the groundwork for agricultural officials to impose stricter regulatory parameters on the use of antibiotics in poultry feeds. Probiotics are live micro-organisms included in the diet of animals as feed additives or supplements. Commonly known as a direct-fed microbial, probiotics provide beneficial properties to the host, primarily through action in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of the animal. Supplementation of probiotics in the diet can improve animal health and performance, through contributions to gut health and nutrient use. For instance, supplementation of probiotics has been demonstrated to benefit farm animals in immune modulation, structural modulation and increased cytokine production, which positively affect the intestinal mucosal lining against pathogens. Bacillus subtilis has been a popular bacterium used within the industry and was shown to improve intestinal villus height. Increasing the villus height and structure of the crypts in the GIT allows for the improvement of nutrient digestion and absorption. Tight junctions maintain important defences against pathogenic bacteria and cellular homeostasis. Heat stress can be a major environmental challenge in the poultry industry. Heat stress causes the bird to fluctuate its internal core temperature beyond their comfort zone. To overcome such challenges, poultry will attempt to balance its heat production and dissipation through behavioural and physiological adaptation mechanisms.