Fatma Eldemery

The H9N2 subtype of avian influenza A virus (aIAV) is circulating among birds worldwide, leading to severe economic losses. H9N2 cocirculation with other highly pathogenic aIAVs has the potential to contribute to the rise of new strains with pandemic potential. Therefore, rapid detection of H9 aIAVs infection is crucial to control virus spread. A qualitative reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) assay for the detection of aIAV subtype H9N2 was developed. All results were compared to the gold standard (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)). The RT-RPA assay was designed to detect the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of H9N2 by testing three pairs of primers and a probe. A serial concentration between 10⁶ and 10⁰ EID₅₀ (50% embryo infective dose)/mL was applied to calculate the analytical sensitivity. The H9 RT-RPA assay was highly sensitive as the lowest concentration point of a standard range at one EID₅₀/mL was detected after 5 to 8 min. The H9N2 RT-RPA assay was highly specific as nucleic acid extracted from H9 negative samples and from other avian pathogens were not cross detected. The diagnostic sensitivity when testing clinical samples was 100% for RT-RPA and RT-PCR. In conclusion, H9N2 RT-RPA is a rapid sensitive and specific assay that easily operable in a portable device for field diagnosis of aIAV H9N2.

The use of natural plant extracts in poultry feed could improve their productivity as well as the oxidative stability of stored derived meat. The roles of cornelian cherry extract (CCE) in growth, cecal microbes, and meat antioxidative markers of broiler chickens were evaluated. A total of 500 Ross 308 broiler chicks were fed diets supplemented with CCE (0, 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/kg of diet) for 38 days. The highest levels of weight gain and feed utilization were observed in a group fed 200 mg/kg of CCE. Maximum upregulation of glucose transporters—1 and 2 and sodium-dependent glucose transporter genes—were found in the group fed 200 mg/kg of CCE. Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium colonization increased as the CCE levels increased. The greatest upregulation of antioxidant genes (glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) in breast meat was observed in groups fed CCE (200 and 400 mg/kg). Dietary CCE significantly delayed the lipid oxidation of breast meat compared with that of the control group. The total phenolic content, 2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrihydrzyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reducing power in meat improved with higher levels of CCE. Dietary CCE improved the growth, performance of broilers, and meat antioxidant stability after 90 days of storage.

SUMMARY We previously demonstrated that chickens primed with a recombinant Newcastle disease virus LaSota (rLS) expressing the S2 gene of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and boosted with an attenuated IBV Massachusetts (Mass)-type vaccine were protected against IBV Arkansas (Ark)-type virulent challenge. A possible basis for the reported ability of IBV 4/91 (serotype 793/B) vaccine to protect against divergent IBV strains (e.g., QX, Q1, and D1466) in a prime-boost approach with an IBV Mass vaccine is that an immune response against the S2 protein of IBV 4/91 is cross-protective. Therefore, we evaluated the protective capabilities of the S2 protein of IBV 4/91 expressed from rLS. The level of S2 amino acid sequence identity between 4/91 and the Ark challenge strain used in this study (90.7%) is within the range of S2 amino acid sequence identities between 4/91 and Q1 (91%–94%) and QX (89%–94%) strains. Chickens primed with attenuated Mass IBV at 1 day of age and boosted with rLS/IBV.S2-4/91 at 14 days of... RESUMEN Nota de investigación- El gene S2 del virus de la bronquitis infecciosa 4/91 expresado por un virus recombinante no protege contra el desafío con el tipo Arkansas. Anteriormente, se demostró que los pollos primoinmunizados con el virus recombinante de la enfermedad de Newcastle LaSota (rLS) que expresaba el gene S2 del virus de la bronquitis infecciosa (IBV) y potenciado con una vacuna atenuada con la bronquitis infecciosa del tipo Massachusetts (Mass) estaban protegidos contra el desafío con el virus virulento de bronquitis infecciosa tipo Arkansas. Una posible base para esta capacidad reportada de la vacuna 4/91 (serotipo 793/B) para proteger contra cepas divergentes del virus de bronquitis infecciosa (por ejemplo, QX, Q1 y D1466) con el enfoque de primovacunación con una vacuna Massachusetts es que la respuesta inmune contra la proteína S2 del virus de la bronquitis infecciosa 4/91 confería protección cruzada. Por lo tanto, se evaluaron las capacidades protectoras de la proteína S2 del virus 4/...