Background: Oxidative stress, an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causes lipid peroxidation resulting in cell and tissue damages. It may be associated with the development and progression of cancers in dogs. Malondialdehyde (MDA), the end product of lipid peroxidation, is commonly used as a marker of oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to assess oxidative stress in cancer-bearing dogs by measuring serum MDA levels. All client-owned dogs underwent physical examination at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University to determine the health status with the owner’s consent. Blood samples of cancer-bearing dogs (N = 80) and clinically normal dogs (N = 101) were obtained and subjected for determination of MDA levels. In addition, complete blood count, creatinine, and alanine aminotransferase were measured.Results: Serum MDA was significantly higher in cancer-bearing dogs than in clinically normal dogs (mean ± SD, 4.68 ± 1.32 μmol/L vs 2.95 ± 0.61 μmol/L, respectively; p < 0.001). Packed cell volume (mean ± SD, 36.18 ± 7.65% vs 44.84 ± 5.54%), hemoglobin (mean ± SD, 11.93 ± 2.88 g% vs 15.17 ± 2.00 g%) and red blood cells (median (IQA), 6.05 (2.15) vs 8.09 (1.34)) were all significantly lower in cancer-bearing dogs than in clinically normal dogs. However, the reverse was true for white blood cells (median (IQA), 18.20 (11.95) vs 14.90 (5.10)). Neither creatinine nor alanine aminotransferase levels were significantly different between groups.Conclusions: This study supports the conclusion that oxidative stress is associated with many types of cancers in dogs, as serum MDA levels were significantly higher in cancer-bearing dogs compared to clinically normal dogs.

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the potentials and effects of Bacillus subtilis and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as probiotics on broiler growth, health, and Salmonella infection. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the inoculum size applicable for broilers, 1-day-old broilers were orally fed fresh cultures of single strains and a B. subtilis KKU213/Pediococcus pentosaceus NP6 mixture at 108 and 1012 colony-forming unit (CFUs)/mL/chick. The body weight gain (BWG), Salmonella contamination level and total Bacillus and LAB abundances in the crop and intestine were measured. Subsequently, 1-day-old broilers were orally fed of KKU213, CH403, and Pediococcus acidilactici SH8 at 1010 CFUs/mL, followed by inulin. After 35 days, the BWG, Bacillus and LAB abundances in the cecum, blood parameters, and KKU213 colonization were assessed. Results: The broilers fed single strains or KKU213+NP6 exhibited a higher BWG and a higher crop LAB abundance than the controls (p<0.05). Probiotic feeding decreased the intestinal Salmonella abundance and correspondingly increased the LAB abundance. The broilers fed the mixed culture (KKU213+CH403+SH8) followed by prebiotics showed lower mortality, higher blood high-density lipoprotein levels, and lower blood uric acid levels than the controls (p<0.0004). Probiotic feeding significantly increased the Bacillus and LAB counts (p<0.05). A CE330 isolate obtained from the cecum after 35 days of KKU213 feeding was closely related to B. subtilis KKU213. Conclusion: B. subtilis KKU213 is a potent probiotic strain that can survive, colonize and reduce Salmonella infection in broilers and improve their growth and health. This strain, combined with different LAB can act synergistically in the gut and promote broiler growth.

Background and Aim: Many strains of probiotics have been exploited and used as animal dietary supplements for broiler production. The efficacy and survival of probiotics during production may reflect better activities of the probiotics in the host. This study investigated the effects of freeze- and spray-drying on the survivability and properties of probiotics and their ability to improve the growth and health performance of broilers. Materials and Methods: Probiotic powders of four strains of lactic acid bacteria, Enterococcus faecium CA4, Enterococcus durans CH33, Ligilactobacillus salivarius CH24, Pediococcus acidilactici SH8, and Bacillus subtilis KKU213, were prepared using rice bran/chitosan/carboxy methyl cellulose as the carrier. The survival of each probiotic strain was investigated under stress conditions, including freeze-drying, spray-drying, and simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The body weight gain (BWG) and intestinal histomorphology were determined to assess broiler growth performance. Results: All dried probiotics yielded a high survival rate during freeze-drying (95.8-98.6%) and spray-drying (94.4-98.2%). In addition, an analysis of the main effect revealed that the effectiveness of freeze-drying was higher than that of spray-drying in minimizing the loss of cell viability. The antimicrobial activity of all immobilized dried probiotic strains against Salmonella was maintained. The immobilized probiotics tolerated a low pH value of 2.0 and 0.5% (w/v) bile salt. Probiotic administration of a mixture of the five dried probiotics to 1-day-old hatched male broilers at early and late ages resulted in potential colonization in the broiler intestine, and enhancements in the BWG, lipid metabolism, and gut health (villus height and cryptal depth) were observed in the probiotic-treated groups. Conclusion: The administration of three doses of the spray-dried probiotic mixture at days 15, 17, and 19 after hatching was sufficient to achieve long-term growth and health benefits in broilers. This finding might provide a cost-effective alternative to the administration of commonly used antibiotics in broiler production. Keywords: broilers, growth performance, immobilized probiotics, intestinal morphology, lactic acid bacteria.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are a leading cause of nosocomial infections in patients worldwide. VRE contamination in food of animal origin may create a risk for human health. This study was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of VRE in food of animal origin worldwide, to assess the result heterogeneity, and to determine cumulative evidence and the trend of the prevalence over time. Relevant studies were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled prevalence of VRE in food of animal origin. Subgroup meta-analysis was used to assess the heterogeneity of the results. A cumulative meta-analysis and meta-regression were conducted to determine cumulative evidence and the trend of the prevalence of VRE in food of animal origin over time, respectively. Of the 1352 retrieved studies, 50 articles were included. The pooled prevalence of VRE in food of animal origin was 11.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 8.4 to 16.0). Subgroup meta-analyses showed a significant difference in the prevalence of VRE for two characteristics. First, for the source of food, the prevalence of VRE was highest in aquatic food (43.4% [95% CI = 28.4 to 59.7]) and lowest in dairy food (4.1% [95% CI = 1.7 to 9.8]). Second, for continents, the prevalence of VRE was highest in Africa (18.5% [95% CI = 12.8 to 26.1]) and lowest in North America (0.3% [95% CI = 0.1 to 1.1]). Cumulative evidence showed two distinct features in two different periods. The pooled prevalence of VRE rapidly decreased from 79.3% in 1998 to 13.1% in 2003; it has slightly fluctuated between 10.5% and 20.5% since 2004. The results of the meta-regression indicated that the prevalence gradually decreased over time. In conclusion, the estimate of overall VRE prevalence worldwide in food of animal origin was ∼12%, indicating the burden of VRE contamination in food of animal origin.