Search

Double emulsion solvent evaporation technique was used. The properties of the obtained nanospheres were determined using a zetasizer, FTIR, and AFM devices. Nanoparticles were administered to mice BALB/c by applying the intramuscular route. ELISA was used to measure the amounts of immunoglobulins produced; also, an opsonophagocytic killing assay was used to measure the effectiveness of immunoglobulins. Immunized mice were then challenged with liveThe prepared particles were 550 nm in diameter with a negative surface charge. The production of the OMPs specific IgG was much higher in the group receiving nanoparticles containing antigen as compared to those getting pure antigen. The immunoglobulins produced against nanoparticles were superior to those developed against pure antigens. Mice that received the new nanovaccine were more resistant to pneumonia caused by this bacterium than those that received pure antigen.Overall, it can be said that PLGA nanoparticles could deliver their internal antigens (OMPs) well to the immune system of mice and stimulate humoral immunity in these animals, thus protecting them against pneumonia caused by

Background: Feather waste is generated in large amounts as a by-product of commercial poultry processing. The main component of feather is keratin. The main purpose of this study was to identify Bacillus spp. (the keratinolytic bacteria) that are able to degrade the feather for producing keratin. Methods: Bacillus spp. Were isolated from the waste of poultries located in Miyaneh city. The bacteria were grown on basal medium containing 1% hen feather as the sole source of carbon ,nitrogen, sulfur and energy at 27ºC for 7 days. Then,the isolates capable of feather degrading were identified. The Bradford method was used to assay the production of keratin in the feather samples. Different pH and temperatures were studied to determine the best conditions for production of keratinase enzyme. Results: Seven Bacillus spp. including: B. pumilis, B. subtilis, B. firmus, B. macerance, B. popilliae, B. lentimorbus and B. larvae were found to be able to degrade the feather with different abilities. Conclusion: B. subtilis was found to be most productive isolate for keratinase enzyme production.

Background: The feather is an environmental pollutant that can be degraded by bacterial and fungal microorganisms. The keratin sheets constitute 90% of the feather mass. Due to the extremely rigid structure, keratin is insoluble and hard to degrade. Some microorganisms such as Bacillus spp. were reported to be able to degrade keratin by secretion of keratinase. Objectives: The aim of this study was the isolation of feather degrading Bacillus spp. from a poultry waste and the optimization of conditions for the highest enzyme activity and feather degradation. Materials and Methods: The microorganisms were isolated from the waste of a poultry in Miyaneh, Iran, and the Bacillus spp. were identified using morphological, physiological and biochemical tests. The Bacillus spp. cultured in a medium consisted of feather at pH 7.4 and 27 oC for seven days to identify the feather-degrading Bacillus spp. The biochemical tests were performed to determine the strain of the bacterium. The study was repeated under different pH and temperatures to find the optimum conditions for best enzyme activity. Results: The PCR approved the Bacillus genus of the isolates. The strain of Bacillus subtilis was identified using biochemical tests. 40 oC and pH 11 are the optimum condition for maximum keratinase enzyme activity. Conclusions: B. subtilis was found to be able to degrade the feather.

Background Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium, which causes food poisoning. Spores enable the persistence of B. cereus in the environment, and B. cereus strains can tolerate adverse environmental conditions, such as temperature and insufficient nutrients. B. cereus causes food poisoning via the production of two enterotoxins. Most isolates produce toxins leading to diarrhea (enterotoxins) and vomiting (emetic forms). Diarrhea is caused by the production of three different heat-labile enterotoxins: HBL, NHE, and cytotoxin K. A heat-stable toxin, cereulide, is responsible for emesis. Objectives This study aimed to detect enterotoxigenic B. cereus isolates in cheese samples using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Materials and Methods Two-hundred pasteurized (n = 100) and nonpasteurized (n = 100) cheese samples were collected. The initial isolation was performed on PEMBA specific medium. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using several antibiotic disks, according to the guidelines of the Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute. Specific primers amplifying the hblA enterotoxin-encoding gene and bal hemolysin-encoding gene were used for the molecular detection of the toxins. Results Ten samples were positive for the presence of B. cereus, with both Gram staining and biochemical reactions. All the isolates were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin but susceptible to vancomycin, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin. Six and three isolates were resistant to tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, respectively. The hblA and bal genes were amplified in all the B. cereus isolates. Conclusions The prevalence of B. cereus among the cheese samples was low. All the isolates were positive for genes encoding the hblA enterotoxin and bal toxin.