Different Borrelia species and serotypes were tested for their sensitivity to serum complement from various animals and human. Complement-mediated Borrelia killing in cattle, European bison and deer was higher irrespective of the Borrelia species whereas in other animals and human it was intermediate and Borrelia species-dependent. Activation of the alternative complement pathway by particular Borrelia strain was in correlation with its sensitivity or resistance. These results support the incompetent reservoir nature of cattle, European bison, red, roe and fallow deer, at the same time present the probable reservoir nature of mouflon, dog, wolf, cat and lynx. In short, this study reviews Borrelia-host relationship and its relevance in reservoir competence nature of animals.
The study compared the effect of dietary supplementation with an inorganic or organic source of zinc (Zn) on mucin 2 (MUC-2) and IgA gene expression, the cytokines IL-17 and TGF-β4 and the secretory IgA content (sIgA) in broiler jejunum. One-day-old chickens were fed an unsupplemented basal diet (BD) or the same BD supplemented with 30 or 70 mg/kg of added Zn from ZnSO 4 ·H 2 O or Zn chelate of glycine hydrate for 40 days. The highly expressed MUC-2 and IgA genes were observed in both groups supplemented with the low-dose Zn sources (30 mg/kg). A higher sIgA concentration was observed in both the ZnSO 4 groups and the glycine-zinc/30 mg group. Our data indicate that the organic Zn chelate has better availability than the inorganic Zn source, and the low-dose Zn diets proved to be more beneficial to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis.
ARTICLE HISTORY
In the present study the effect of preventive application of <I>Enterococcus faecium</I> EF 55 on the intestinal mucosa was evaluated in experimentally infected chickens with <I>Salmonella enterica</I> subsp. <I>Enteritidis</I>. A total of 120, one-day-old <I>Salmonella</I>-free chickens of Isa Brown hybrid were divided into 4 groups. The chickens in groups E and ES were perorally inoculated with <I>E. faecium</I> EF55 in a dose of 1 × 109 CFU/ml for 7 consecutive days. Placebo was applied to birds in control group C and group S during the first 7 days of life. At the age of 8 days chickens in groups ES and S were perorally infected with <I>S. enterica</I> subsp.<I> Enteritidis</I> phage type 4 in a dose of 1 × 108 CFU/ml. In birds treated with <I>E. faecium</I> EF 55 (group ES) a decreased number of <I>Salmonella</I> spp. positive individuals was recorded from 28.5% 2 days post infection (p.i.) to 10% 14 days p.i. when the difference between group ES and group with the application of <I>Salmonella</I> Enteritidis alone (group S) was significant (<I>P</I> < 0.01). On the contrary, in birds of group S the percentage of <I>Salmonella</I> spp. positive animals showed no constant changes. It increased from 12.5% 2 days p.i. to 37.5% 4 days p.i. The maximum of positive samples 83.3% was found 14 days p.i. The application of <I>E. faecium</I> EF55 reduced colonisation of caeca and minimized translocation of salmonellae into the liver and spleen. Two days p.i. the shortest villi in the jejunum were observed in group S – 1 266.2 µm, when compared to group E with the highest jejunal villi – 1 605 µm (<I>P</I> < 0.05). The growth of the villi was observed 14 days p.i. in all groups except group S. The early exposition of chickens to <I>E. faecium</I> EF55 led to more rapid development of intestinal villi when compared to the untreated control (P < 0.05). Reduced colonisation of the intestinal tract by salmonellae in birds treated with <I>E. faecium</I> EF 55 also preserved the microenvironment of the intestine from harmful effects of the pathogen.
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