AUTHOR=Adams James R. G. , Mehat Jai , La Ragione Roberto , Behboudi Shahriar 

TITLE=Preventing bacterial disease in poultry in the post-antibiotic era: a case for innate immunity modulation as an alternative to antibiotic use

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1205869

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2023.1205869

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=The widespread use of antibiotics in the poultry industry has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing a significant health risk to humans and animals. These public health concerns and legislation limiting antibiotic use in animals drive the requirement for alternative strategies for controlling and treating bacterial infections. Modulation of the avian innate immune system through the use of immunostimulatory compounds provides a promising solution that can enhance poultry immune responses to a broad range of bacterial infections without the risk of generating antibiotic resistance. A range of immunomodulatory compounds has been investigated for their impact on poultry performance and immune responses. However, further research is required to identify compounds capable of controlling bacterial infections without detrimentally impacting bird performance. It is also crucial to determine the safety and effectiveness of using these compounds alongside poultry vaccines. This review provides an overview of the various immune modulators known for enhancing innate immunity against avian bacterial pathogens in chickens, and describes the mechanisms involved in innate immune system activation leadings to the control of bacterial infection by these compounds.