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SARS-CoV-2, a novel Corona virus strain, was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. As of December 16, 2021, almost 4,822,472 people had died and over 236,132,082 were infected with this lethal viral infection. It is believed that the human immune system is thought to play a critical role in the initial phase of infection when the viruses invade the host cells. Although some effective vaccines have already been on the market, researchers and many bio-pharmaceuticals are still working hard to develop a fully functional vaccine or more effective therapeutic agent against the COVID-19. Other efforts, in addition to functional vaccines, can help strengthen the immune system to defeat the corona virus infection. Herein, we have reviewed some of those proven measures, following which a more efficient immune system can be better prepared to fight viral infection. Among these, dietary supplements like- fresh vegetables and fruits offer a plentiful of vitamins and antioxidants, enabling to build of a healthy immune system. While the pharmacologically active components of medicinal plants directly aid in fighting against viral infection, supplementary supplements combined with a healthy diet will assist to regulate the immune system and will prevent viral infection. In addition, some personal habits, like- regular physical exercise, intermittent fasting, and adequate sleep, had also been proven to aid the immune system in becoming an efficient one. Maintaining each of these will strengthen the immune system, allowing innate immunity to become a more defensive and active antagonistic mechanism against corona-virus infection. However, because dietary treatments take longer to produce beneficial effects in adaptive maturation, personalized nutrition cannot be expected to have an immediate impact on the global outbreak.

Abstract:The study was conducted aiming at the isolation and identification of pathogens from poultry feed manufactured by four different brands namely A (broiler starter), B (broiler finisher), C (layer starter) and D (layer finisher) sold in retail stores of Rangpur city of Bangladesh. All these samples were collected from four randomly chosen outlets and analyzed by culturing in different culture media such as Nutrient broth (NB), Nutrient agar (NA), Salmonella-Shigella (SS) agar, Eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar, MacConkey agar, Triple sugar iron (TSI) agar slant, Motility, Indole, Urease (MIU) and Saboraud Dextrose agar (SDA) media. The bacterial agents were isolated and examined under light microscope for their gross morphological and conventional biochemical characteristics. The bacteriological analyses were done at the Microbiology

The current study provides information on Bacillus spp. contamination along with present status in commercially available poultry and animal feeds as well as animal-derived products in Bangladesh. The research has been conducted to determine if animal feed and its components are a source of Bacillus spp. contamination in feed and food chain. Out of 180 different feeds, milk, egg, and human stool samples, 218 Bacillus spp. were isolated and identified by cultural morphology, microscopic, biochemical, and molecular characteristics where B. cereus, B. subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. licheniformis, B. thuringiensis, B. megaterium, and B. coagulans accounted for 51, 22, 9.1, 5.9, 5, 3.6, and 2.2%, respectively. Regarding the enumeration of total viable count and total Bacillus count, correspondingly 67 and 39% samples were found to be contaminated with above 10,000 CFU/g, while highest contamination was 85 and 75% in broiler feed, respectively. The total number of bacteria above the regulatory limits in commercially available feeds indicates a poor compliance with regulation and abuse administration in the Bangladeshi market. Moreover, a hospital-based survey showed that food-borne Bacillus spp. contributed to 4.5% human diarrhea cases and 25% food contamination associated with vegetables, rice, RTE food, milk, and egg, accounting for 46, 34, 14, 4, and 2%, respectively. B. cereus was the dominant isolate correspondingly accounting for 56 and 51% egg and milk contamination followed by B. amyloliquefaciens (32%) and B. thuringiensis (12%) in egg and B. subtilis (25%), B. amyloliquefaciens (12%), B. thuringiensis (6.4%), and B. coagulans (3.2%) in milk, respectively. Toxin gene profiling of Bacillus spp. revealed that B. cereus constituted a principal part of virulence, while B. thuringiensis, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium, B. coagulans, and B. subtilis showed genetic diversity and B. amyloliquefaciens had not carried any toxin gene. Detection rate of enterotoxin genes (nheA, nheB, nheC, cytK, hblA, hblC, hblD, and entFM) showed that 55% isolates carried nheABC genes, 80% entFM, and 71% cytK, whereas only 33% of the isolates contained hblACD gene clusters. These virulence genes were posing a threat to human health due to spread across the food and feed chain. Finally, our findings support the hypothesis that B. cereus might contribute to clinical diarrhea, gizzard erosion, and lung infection in duck and poultry, and that it contaminates animal-derived foods resulting in toxicity and antibacterial resistance to humans. Therefore, maximal tolerance limits of Bacillus spp. and their potential risks to the animal industry are urgently needed to clarify. Moreover, Bacillus spp.–induced toxin residual must be altered for human health via food chain transmission.

Objectives: To avoid further transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, blood is tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) before transfusion. However, post-transfusion hepatitis B has been detected in clinics after transfusion of HBsAg-negative blood. The study presented here was undertaken to assess if HBsAg-negative blood is free from HBV or not. Methods: Sera were collected from 398 blood donors who were negative for HBsAg. Out of 398 blood samples, antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (ant-HBc) was detected in 82 sera samples. HBV DNA was evaluated in HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive sera. HBsAg, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe), and anti-HBc in the sera were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HBV DNA was quantified by a real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Out of 82 HBsAgnegative, anti-HBc-positive sera samples, HBV DNA were detected in the sera of 7 voluntary blood donors. Out of these 7 subjects, all were negative for HBeAg. The levels of ALT were more than 30 IU/L in 6 of 7 HBVDNApositive subjects and it was above upper limit of normal (>42 IU/ml) in one subject. Conclusions: The present recommendation about blood transfusion of HBsAg-negative blood system is not capable of blocking HBV transmission to blood recipients. Although advanced countries have adopted nucleic acid testing (NAT) for preventing HBV transmission, developing countries may apply anti-HBc testing and ALT estimation before blood transmission. ( J CLIN EXP HEPATOL 2016;6:115-118) I mportant insights have been developed about epidemiology, virology, molecular biology, immunology, and pathogenesis, mode of transmission, prevention and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) during last three decades. 1 Although satisfactory treatment modalities are yet to be surfaced, 2 significant developments have been achieved regarding prevention of HBV infection. 3,4 Potent vaccines against HBV are widely used as part of expanded program of immunization around the world. Public health measures have been accentuated to ensure HBV-free safe childbirth. Also, attention has been given for safe transfusion of blood. Taken together, it is now clear that HBV prevention is an achievable goal. In fact, new HBV infection has been a rare entity in most developed and advanced countries with improved health care delivery system. However, the beneficial effects of different HBV prevention programs have not been properly implemented in developing and resource-constrained countries of the world as several millions of new HBV infection emerges every year in developing countries of the world.Bangladesh, a developing country of South-East Asia, has a population of 160 million. HBV is the most common cause of chronic liver diseases including cirrhosis of liver, hepatic failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The risk of acquiring new HBV infection has been reduced in Bangladesh with the introduction of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) screening in blood donors. However, with the advent of ...

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Fumonisin B (FB) and other fumonisins, deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEN) are mycotoxins (secondary metabolites of fungi) present at high levels of contamination in poultry diets and threatening the sustainability of the poultry industry and egg safety for consumers. However, residual mycotoxins in breeder eggs and their effects on chicken progeny and gizzard ulcerations remain unclear. To unveil mycotoxin contaminations from daily diets to breeder eggs, 293 poultry feed samples were collected from three large-scale poultry provinces across Northern China to Southern China. Average levels of 1,628 ± 4.36 μg/kg of FB1, 593 ± 11.16 μg/kg of DON, 69 ± 9.21 μg/kg of ZEN, 52 ± 7.33 μg/kg of OTA, and 24 ± 5.85 μg/kg of AFB1 were found in feedstuffs and poultry diets using commercial ELISA kits. In terms of residual mycotoxins in breeder eggs, FB1 and DON contaminations dominated residues in egg albumen and yolk samples. Out of 221 breeder eggs, the average residual of FB1 in albumen were 320.6 ± 10.12 μg/kg (Hebei), 420.2 ± 10.98 μg/kg (Guangdong), and 549.4 ± 10.27 (Guangxi). Moreover, higher residual of DONs were determined in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces compared to Hebei province. ZEN, ochratoxins A (OTA), and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination at low levels were found in the above samples collected from afronmentioned three provinces. Based on residual mycotoxins in breeder eggs, SPF embryonated eggs aged 11 days were inoculated into albumen with different doses of FB1, FB2 or DON, or a combination of FB1 and DON, or a combination of FB1 with FB2 and FB3. A lower hatching rate was observed in the chicken progenies with the combination of 24 μg of FB1 and 0.1 μg of DON compared to other treatments. Moreover, typical gizzard ulcerations with hemorrhagic lungs were observed in the progeny of breeder eggs post-inoculation of 24 μg of FB1 and synergetic inoculation of FB1 and DON. Finally, residual FB mycotoxins were detected in the gizzards and in the lungs of the progenies. Based on the above evidence, feed-borne FB1 and DON are dominant mycotoxins in breeder eggs and threatening food security using breeder eggs as a Trojan horse. More importantly, the residual of FB1 alone and in combination with of DON contamination are associated with low hatching rate and gizzard ulcerations in chicken progenies, hampering sustainable development perspectives of the poultry industry.