This review provides a synthesis of the last ten years of research on nanodelivery systems used for the delivery of essential oils (EOs), as well as their potential as a viable alternative to antibiotics in human and veterinary therapy. The use of essential oils alone in therapy is not always possible due to several limitations but nanodelivery systems seem to be able to overcome these issues. The choice of the essential oil, as well as the choice of the nanodelivery system influences the therapeutic efficacy obtained. While several studies on the characterization of EOs exist, this review assesses the characteristics of the nanomaterials used for the delivery of essential oils, as well as impact on the functionality of nanodelivered essential oils, and successful applications. Two classes of delivery systems stand out: polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) including chitosan, cellulose, zein, sodium alginate, and poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA), and lipidic NPs including nanostructured lipid carriers, solid lipid NPs, nanoemulsions, liposomes, and niosomes. While the advantages and disadvantages of these delivery systems and information on stability, release, and efficacy of the nanodelivered EOs are covered in the literature as presented in this review, essential information, such as the speed of emergence of a potential bacteria resistance to these new systems, or dosages for each type of infection and for each animal species or humans is still missing today. Therefore, more quantitative and in vivo studies should be conducted before the adoption of EOs loaded NPs as an alternative to antibiotics, where appropriate.

Florfenicol is a broad-spectrum bacteriostatic antibiotic used exclusively in veterinary medicine in order to treat the pathology of farm and aquatic animals. It is a synthetic fluorinated analog of thiamphenicol and chloramphenicol that functions by inhibiting ribosomal activity, which disrupts bacterial protein synthesis and has shown over time a strong activity against Gram-positive and negative bacterial groups. Florfenicol was also reported to have anti-inflammatory activity through a marked reduction in immune cell proliferation and cytokine production. The need for improvement came from (1) the inappropriate use (to an important extent) of this antimicrobial, which led to serious concerns about florfenicol-related resistance genes, and (2) the fact that this antibiotic has a low water solubility making it difficult to formulate an aqueous solution in organic solvents, and applicable for different routes of administration. This review aims to synthesize the various applications of florfenicol in veterinary medicine, explore the potential use of nanotechnology to improve its effectiveness and analyze the advantages and limitations of such approaches. The review is based on data from scientific articles and systematic reviews identified in several databases.

Currently, there are three classes of anthelmintics most commonly used in small ruminants: the benzimidazoles (BZs), macrocyclic lactones (MLs) and cholinergic agonists (especially levamisole; LEV). The widespread use of those products has led to the emergence of drug-resistant parasite strains which represents a serious threat to the livestock industry. In the present study, we describe for the first time a case of resistance to anthelmintics in goats in Romania. The study was carried out in 2021 in a dairy goat herd from the Transylvania region. Two types of diagnostic methods were used to confirm anthelmintic resistance (AR). First, the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT), an in vivo AR diagnostic method, was used to evaluate the efficacy of eprinomectin (EPM). The results of this test were analysed applying two different calculative methods that are used only in treated animals (without the control group). Furthermore, two in vitro methods were used: the egg hatch test (EHT) for the detection of resistance to BZs, and the larval development test (LDT) for detection of resistance to all three classes of anthelmintics. The results of FECRT indicate the resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) to EPM in both calculative methods (FECR₁ = −88% and FECR₂ = −202%). In addition, the results obtained for ivermectin aglycone (IVM-AG) in LDT also indicate resistance to drugs from MLs group, especially avermectins. Similarly, the results of in vitro methods (EHT and LDT) indicate resistance to BZs in this herd. LEV was the only drug that stopped the development of L3 larvae 100% (LDT). H. contortus was the only nematode species found in coproculture after EPM treatment. Furthermore, H. contotus L3 larvae was the only species found in the wells with the highest concentrations of thiabendazole (TBZ) and IVM-AG in LDT. This suggests that resistance to both BZs and MLs was present for that species.

The field of veterinary medicine needs new solutions to address the current challenges of antibiotic resistance and the need for increased animal production. In response, a multitude of delivery systems have been developed in the last 20 years in the form of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), a subclass of which are polymeric, biodegradable ENPs, that are biocompatible and biodegradable (pbENPs). These platforms have been developed to deliver cargo, such as antibiotics, vaccines, and hormones, and in general, have been shown to be beneficial in many regards, particularly when comparing the efficacy of the delivered drugs to that of the conventional drug applications. However, the fate of pbENPs developed for veterinary applications is poorly understood. pbENPs undergo biotransformation as they are transferred from one ecosystem to another, and these transformations greatly affect their impact on health and the environment. This review addresses nanoparticle fate and impact on animals, the environment, and humans from a One Health perspective.

The avocado seed is an underused waste resulting from the processing of pulp. Polyphenols, fibers, and carotenoids are present in the seed, which also exhibits prophylactic, fungicidal, and larvicidal effects. Developing food products with avocado seed as an ingredient or spice is highly desired for nutritional, environmental, and economic reasons. The present study proposed its valorization in a hot drink, similar to already existing coffee alternatives, obtained by infusing the roasted and grinded avocado seed. The proximate composition of the raw or conditioned avocado seed and that of the novel drink were determined. The total phenolic content was assessed using the Folin-Ciocâlteu method. The total carotenoids were extracted and assessed spectrophotometrically. Starch determination was performed by the Ewers Polarimetric method. The highest content of polyphenols, 772.90 mg GAE/100 g, was determined in the crude seed, while in the drink was as low as 17.55 mg GAE/100 g. However, the proposed drink demonstrated high antioxidant capacity, evaluated through the DPPH method. This might be due to the high content of the total carotenoid compounds determined in the roasted seed (6534.48 µg/100 g). The proposed drink demonstrated high antiproliferative activity on Hs27 and DLD-1 cell lines.

Antimicrobial and multidrug-resistant bacteria are a major problem worldwide and, consequently, the surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and assessment of the dissemination routes are essential. We hypothesized that migratory birds, coming from various environments, would carry more numerous Vibrio strains than sedentary species, with increased risk to be passed to their contacts or environment in habitats they transit or nest in. Similarly, we presumed that strains from migratory birds will show multidrug resistance. A total of 170 oral and rectal swabs were collected from wild birds captured in different locations of the Danube Delta (Malic, Sfantu-Gheorghe, Letea Forest) and processed using standardized selective media. V. cholerae strains were confirmed by serology and molecular methods and, subsequently, their susceptibility was evaluated. The prevalence of Vibrio species by host species, habitat type, and location was interpreted. The isolated Vibrio species were identified as Vibrio cholerae 14.33%, V. fluvialis 13.33%, V. alginolyticus 12%, V. mimicus 17.33%, V. vulnificus 10.88%, with V. parahaemolyticus and V. metschnikovii (16%) also being prevalent. Of the 76 Vibrio spp. isolates, 18.42% were resistant towards at least three antimicrobials, and 81.57% demonstrated a multidrug resistance phenotype, including mainly penicillins, aminoglycosides, and macrolides. The results of the present study indicate higher numbers of Vibrio strains in migratory (74.66%) than in sedentary birds (25.33%), confirming our hypothesis. Furthermore, the increased pathogenicity of Vibrio spp. strains, isolated from wild migratory and sedentary birds, was confirmed by their increased multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index (0.09–0.81).