Probiotics as a Natural Shield: Rethinking Poultry Health in the Era of Pathogens and Viruses

Mukhlif Mohsin Slaihim¹*, Luay Ali Dhahi ², and Abeer Hussein Ali ³

Probiotics offer sustainable, natural alternatives to antibiotics, enhancing poultry health, preventing infections, and reducing antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic disease risks.

Abstract

The modern poultry industry stands at a crossroads — striving to sustain production while battling an array of bacterial and viral diseases that threaten both animal welfare and public health. For decades, antibiotics and vaccines have been the backbone of disease control. Yet, antibiotic overuse has fueled antimicrobial resistance, and evolving viral strains often outpace vaccine development. Against this backdrop, probiotics have gained attention as a natural, sustainable alternative for promoting poultry health. These beneficial microbes play a crucial role in maintaining a balanced gut ecosystem, strengthening the immune system, and limiting the colonization of harmful pathogens such as Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, and E. coli. Beyond their antibacterial action, probiotics also demonstrate antiviral potential—helping birds resist infections like avian influenza, Newcastle disease, and infectious bronchitis by enhancing immune resilience and producing bioactive compounds that inhibit viral activity.This systematic review synthesizes recent evidence on the multifaceted role of probiotics in controlling poultry pathogens and viruses. It explores the biological mechanisms behind their protective effects, the practical challenges in their consistent use, and the broader implications for food safety and sustainable farming. While probiotics are not a one-size-fits-all solution, they represent a meaningful step toward antibiotic-free poultry production and improved animal health management. The growing scientific consensus underscores a simple truth: nurturing the right microbes may be the key to protecting both birds and consumers in the long run.

Keywords: Probiotics, Poultry Health, Gut Microbiota, Antimicrobial Resistance, Immune Modulation, Bacterial Pathogens, Viral Infections, Sustainable Farming

References

Aguilar-Toalá, J. E., Garcia-Varela, R., Garcia, H. S., Mata-Haro, V., González-Córdova, A. F., Vallejo-Cordoba, B., & Hernández-Mendoza, A. (2018). Postbiotics: An evolving term within the functional foods field. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 75, 105–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2018.03.009

Clavijo, V., & Flórez, M. J. V. (2018). The gastrointestinal microbiome and its association with the control of pathogens in broiler chicken production: A review. Poultry Science, 97(3), 1006–1021. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pex359

Gadde, U., Kim, W. H., Oh, S. T., & Lillehoj, H. S. (2017). Alternatives to antibiotics for maximizing growth performance and feed efficiency in poultry: A review. Animal Health Research Reviews, 18(1), 26–45. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1466252316000207

Gibson, G. R., Hutkins, R., Sanders, M. E., Prescott, S. L., Reimer, R. A., Salminen, S. J., ... & Reid, G. (2017). The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on prebiotics. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 14(8), 491–502. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2017.75

Kashyap, D., & Goswami, K. (2024). The changing role of the poultry sector in the food and nutritional security of India. In Food Security in a Developing World: Status, Challenges, and Opportunities (pp. 153-171). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-57283-8_10

Kizerwetter-Swida, M., & Binek, M. (2016). Selection of potentially probiotic Lactobacillus strains towards their inhibitory activity against poultry enteropathogenic bacteria. Poultry Science, 95(12), 3069–3076.

Kumar, S., Chen, C., Indugu, N., Werlang, G. O., Singh, M., Kim, W. K., & Callaway, T. R. (2019). Effect of antibiotics on gut microbiota of poultry and humans: A comparison. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, 1586.

Markowiak, P., & Slizewska, K. (2018). The role of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics in animal nutrition. Gut Pathogens, 10(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13099-018-0250-0

Oakley, B. B., Buhr, R. J., Ritz, C. W., Kiepper, B. H., Berrang, M. E., Seal, B. S., ... & Cox, N. A. (2014). Successional changes in the chicken cecal microbiome during 42 days of growth determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. PLOS ONE, 9(12), e115311. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115311

Nanda Kumar, T., Samantara, A., & Gulati, A. (2022). Poultry value chain. In Agricultural value chains in India: ensuring competitiveness, inclusiveness, sustainability, scalability, and improved finance (pp. 227-252). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/52430/1/978-981-33-4268-2.pdf#page=253

Stanley, D., Hughes, R. J., & Moore, R. J. (2014). Microbiota of the chicken gastrointestinal tract: Influence on health, productivity and disease. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 98(10), 4301–4310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-5646-2

Timmerman, H. M., Veldman, A., van den Elsen, E., Rombouts, F. M., & Beynen, A. C. (2004). Mortality and growth performance of broilers given drinking water supplemented with chicken-specific probiotics. Poultry Science, 83(4), 568–573. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119440157

Tang, Y., Yu, X., Guo, Y., Yue, R., & Yuan, J. (2025). Antimicrobial and Nutritional Potentials of Bacillus Strains. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(19), 9363. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/19/9363

Wernicki, A., Nowaczek, A., & Urban-Chmiel, R. (2017). Bacteriophage therapy to combat bacterial infections in poultry. Virology Journal, 14(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-017-0849-7

Shaji, S., Selvaraj, R. K., & Shanmugasundaram, R. (2023). Salmonella infection in poultry: A review on the pathogen and control strategies. Microorganisms, 11(11), 2814. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11112814