Abstract: |
Campylobacter species (spp.) are one of the most important causes of human bacterial
gastroenteritis in foods of animal origin. Recently, with the spread of multi-drug-resistant (MDR)
and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Campylobacter spp., natural alternative therapeutic methods
are urgently required. Phytogenic active principles have gained considerable attention due to
their proficiency to enhance gut health and, thereby, performance of broiler chickens. Thus, the
current study aims to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter spp. of different chicken sources in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, and to assess the growth-promoting,
immunostimulant and antimicrobial effects of a mixture of eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde
in an in vivo approach. A total of 101 (67.3%) campylobacter isolates was identified, according
to both phenotypic and genotypic techniques. Moreover, all of the campylobacter isolates were
resistant to erythromycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and ampicillin (100% each). Of note, a
dietary supplementation of the mixture of eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde led to a significant
improvement of the feed conversion ratio and body weight gain and a decrease in the cecal C.
jejuni loads in the broilers challenged with XDR C. jejuni. Additionally, eugenol and the transcinnamaldehyde
mixture had protective activities via the down-regulation of XDR C. jejuni (flaA,
virB11 and wlaN) virulence genes and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-8), and
the up-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Thus, we recommend the usage of a mixture
of eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde as an alternative to antimicrobials for the control and treatment
of campylobacter infections.
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