Albina Vladimirovna Luneva

Trichostrongylid nematodes are globally distributed gastrointestinal parasites of major veterinary and, in some cases, zoonotic importance. Accurate identification often requires an integrative approach because morphology alone may be compromised by specimen damage, cryptic diversity, and dimorphic species complexes. In the Philippines previous work has been largely limited to coproscopy, with no published DNA-based studies on adult trichostrongylids or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) documentation. Here, we provide an integrative characterization of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus axei recovered from a single goat in Mindanao, Philippines, in 2023. Identification was based on light microscopy, SEM, morphometry, and sequence data from the cox1 and ITS regions. Phylogenetic analyses and a haplotype network for H. contortus placed the Philippine material within a widely distributed lineage complex with weak geographic structuring. Because the study is based on parasites from a single host, the findings should be interpreted as a taxonomic and faunistic record rather than evidence for broader epidemiological or population-level patterns. This study provides the first molecular record of trichostrongylid nematodes from the Philippines and the first SEM-based documentation of H. contortus in the country. Broader sampling is needed to assess parasite diversity, distribution, genetic variation, and potential veterinary and public health relevance nationwide.

Trichostrongylid nematodes are globally distributed gastrointestinal parasites of major veterinary and, in some cases, medical importance. Among them, Haemonchus contortus is especially important as a highly pathogenic haematophagous species. Reliable diagnosis of trichostrongylids often requires an integrative approach because specimen damage, cryptic diversity, dimorphic species complexes, and possible hybridization may compromise identification based on morphology alone. In the Philippines, and particularly in Mindanao, previous work has been restricted largely to coproscopy, with no published studies on adult trichostrongylids using DNA-based methods or scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Here, we present an integrative characterization of H. contortus and Trichostrongylus axei recovered from a goat in Mindanao, Philippines, in 2023. Identification was based on light microscopy, SEM, morphometry with descriptive statistics, and sequence data from the CoxI and ITS regions. Phylogenetic analyses and a haplotype network for H. contortus indicated that the Philippine material belongs to a widely distributed lineage complex showing weak geographic structuring. In broadly distributed nematodes of small ruminants, the geographic origin of individual genotypes may therefore be difficult to infer from locality alone, as global host movements can facilitate admixture among parasite lineages. This study provides the first molecular record of trichostrongylid nematodes from the Philippines and the first SEM-based documentation of H. contortus in the country. These findings confirm the presence of economically important gastrointestinal nematodes in Philippine small ruminants and underscore the value of integrative diagnosis for accurate species delimitation. Broader sampling is needed to clarify parasite diversity, distribution, and genetic variation across the country.

This study presents the results of evaluating the effects of a dry microbial composition based on lactobacilli strains (Loigolactobacillus coryniformis and Lactobacillus johnsonii), isolated from the intestinal tract of pheasants, on productivity, physiological status, and gut microbiocenosis of Romanian pheasants. The experiment was conducted on 140 birds divided into four groups: one control group and three experimental groups receiving the microbial composition at inclusion levels of 0.5–1.5% of the feed mixture. The trial duration was 91 days. Survival rate, body weight dynamics, feed intake, hematological and biochemical blood parameters were assessed, along with bacteriological analysis of the cecal contents. The results demonstrated that supplementation with the microbial composition at a dose of 1.0% yielded the most pronounced effects, including an increase in survival rate up to 100%, a statistically significant increase in body weight by 7.2%, and a reduction in feed conversion ratio by 4.2% compared to the control group. Hematological and biochemical analyses revealed no signs of toxicity or adverse effects of the microbial additive on the experimental birds. Microbiological analysis of the cecal chyme showed that administration of the microbial composition induced a restructuring of the gut microbiome, characterized by an increase in beneficial microbiota, namely Lactobacillus spp. (1.1–2.9-fold) and Bifidobacterium spp. (1.4–3.6-fold), accompanied by a reduction in opportunistic microorganisms. The study shows the efficacy of the developed dry microbial composition in Romanian pheasant production, with the optimal effect, at a dosage of 1.0% of the compound feed.

Relevance. Today, the search for safe, effective and promising strain cultures exhibiting high probiotic properties as the main components of pharmacological microbial agents is a relevant area. The article presents the results of the study of probiotic properties and safety indicators of the normal flora of the genus Lactobacillus.Materials and methods. The properties of Ligilactobacillus agilis, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Ligilactobacillus salivarius, which were isolated from the caecum of turkeys, were studied as probiotic strains. Of the probiotically significant properties of beneficial microflora, the antagonistic effect on pathogenic microorganisms, adhesive and anti-adhesive properties were analyzed in cellular models (ram blood erythrocytes and intestinal enterocytes of rat embryos). The safety of the probiotic strains was assessed by their ability to produce hemolysin by seeding them on a dense nutrient medium with defibrinated ram blood, as well as by intraperitoneal administration of a suspension of the test microorganism killed by heating in its maximum concentration.Results. A set of microbiological studies demonstrated that the studied beneficial strains exhibit probiotic properties to varying degrees. The results of studying the antagonistic properties showed that the growth inhibition zone of opportunistic microorganisms varied within 4–14 mm depending on the test culture. When analyzing adhesiveness and antiadhesion, the best results were demonstrated by the strains Ligilactobacillus agilis and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei. When assessing the safety, it was found that the studied representatives of lactic acid bacteria do not form a hemolysis zone on the nutrient medium, and when intraperitoneally administered to laboratory animals, they do not cause signs of impairment of their health or loss of body weight.

The research paper presents the results of the use of a new probiotic feed additive containing a dry culture of lactic acid bacteria and fillers of plant origin in the diet of young poultry. The use of probiotics in the diet of broiler chickens showed that outdoor and cage keeping conditions did not significantly affect the economic and productive parameters of poultry, while the use of feed additives in their diet provided an increase in the preservation of Ross 308 cross by 6.0 and 4.0%, the live weight gain by 5.6 and 5.5%, and the slaughter yield of gutted chicken carcasses by 3.2 and 4.0%, as well as the decrease in the feed conversion by 4.4 and 3.9%. In broiler chickens of the Cobb 500 cross, the feed additive provided an increase in the preservation of livestock by 4.0 and 6.0%, the increase in the live weight by 6.6%, the slaughter yield of the gutted poultry carcass by 2.1 and 2.7%, as well as the decrease in feed conversion by 5.9 and 5.4%. As a result of the research, it is recommended to introduce a new microbial feed additive in the diet at a dose of 0.7 kg per 1 ton of feed additionally throughout the entire growing period to improve the preservation, increase the live weight of poultry, meat productivity and its quality, and reduce the cost of compound feed to obtain a unit of production for broiler chickens of Ross 308 and Cobb 500 crosses.