Understanding the interactions between Eimeria infection and gut microbiota, towards the control of chicken coccidiosis: a review

The gastrointestinal tract in poultry harbours a diverse microbial community that serves a crucial role in digestion and protection. Disruption of the gut environment due to Eimeria spp. parasite infection causes an imbalance in intestinal homeostasis, driving the increment of pathogens such as Clostridium species. Coccidiosis infection affects the composition and integrity of gut microbiota, resulting in elevated susceptibility to diseases that pose a serious threat to the overall health and productivity of chickens. Anticoccidial drugs have proven effective in curbing coccidiosis but with concerning drawbacks like drug resistance and drug residues in meat. The exploration of natural alternative strategies such as probiotics and phytochemicals is significant in controlling coccidiosis through modification and restoration of gut microbiota, without inducing drug resistance. Understanding the interaction between Eimeria parasites and gut microbiota is crucial for the control and prevention of coccidiosis, and the development of novel alternative treatments

Screening of apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1), dense granule protein-7 (GRA7) and rhoptry protein-16 (ROP16) antigens for a potential vaccine candidate against Toxoplasma gondii for chickens

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii known to infect almost all animals, including birds and humans globally. This disease has impacted the livestock industry and public health, where infection of domestic animals increases the zoonotic risk of transmission of infection to humans, threatening public health. Hence the need to discover novel and safe vaccines to fight against toxoplasmosis. In the current study, a novel multiepitope vaccine was designed using immunoinformatics techniques targeting T. gondii AMA1, GRA7 and ROP16 antigens, consisting of antigenic, immunogenic, non-allergenic and cytokine inducing T-cell (9 CD8+ and 15 CD4+) epitopes and four (4) B-cell epitopes fused together using AAY, KK and GPGPG linkers. The tertiary model of the proposed vaccine was predicted and validated to confirm the structural quality of the vaccine. The designed vaccine was highly antigenic (antigenicity = 0.6645), immunogenic (score = 2.89998), with molecular weight of 73.35 kDa, instability and aliphatic index of 28.70 and 64.10, respectively; and GRAVY of −0.363. The binding interaction, stability and flexibility were assessed with molecular docking and dynamics simulation, which revealed the proposed vaccine to have good structural interaction (binding affinity = −106.882 kcal/mol) and stability when docked with Toll like receptor-4 (TLR4). The results revealed that the Profilin-adjuvanted vaccine is promising, as it predicted induction of enhanced immune responses through the production of cytokines and antibodies critical in blocking host invasion

Screening of apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1), dense granule protein-7 (GRA7) and rhoptry protein-16 (ROP16) antigens for a potential vaccine candidate against Toxoplasma gondii for chickens

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii known to infect almost all animals, including birds and humans globally. This disease has impacted the livestock industry and public health, where infection of domestic animals increases the zoonotic risk of transmission of infection to humans, threatening public health. Hence the need to discover novel and safe vaccines to fight against toxoplasmosis. In the current study, a novel multiepitope vaccine was designed using immunoinformatics techniques targeting T. gondii AMA1, GRA7 and ROP16 antigens, consisting of antigenic, immunogenic, non-allergenic and cytokine inducing T-cell (9 CD8+ and 15 CD4+) epitopes and four (4) B-cell epitopes fused together using AAY, KK and GPGPG linkers. The tertiary model of the proposed vaccine was predicted and validated to confirm the structural quality of the vaccine. The designed vaccine was highly antigenic (antigenicity = 0.6645), immunogenic (score = 2.89998), with molecular weight of 73.35 kDa, instability and aliphatic index of 28.70 and 64.10, respectively; and GRAVY of 0.363. The binding interaction, stability and flexibility were assessed with molecular docking and dynamics simulation, which revealed the proposed vaccine to have good structural interaction (binding affinity = 106.882 kcal/mol) and stability when docked with Toll like receptor-4 (TLR4). The results revealed that the Profilin-adjuvanted vaccine is promising, as it predicted induction of enhanced immune responses through the production of cytokines and antibodies critical in blocking host invasion.The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/jvacxam2023Veterinary Tropical DiseasesSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein