biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)Hall ANSub-Clinical Necrotic Enteritis (SCNE), caused by toxin-producing Clostridium perfringens, is a major challenge in poultry production. SCNE has traditionally been managed with in-feed antibiotics; however, increasing concerns about the spread of antimicrobial resistance call for antibiotic-free strategies for its control. We recently described an NE control strategy leveraging Limosilactobacillus reuteri probiotic strains genetically engineered to deliver nanobodies against alpha toxin and NetB from C. perfringens in the poultry gut. Here, in a controlled study under SCNE conditions, we found that the engineered strains significantly improved feed conversion ratios and weight gain of broilers, outperforming treatment with either a prophylactic antibiotic or the wild-type probiotic strains.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes52https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12910073biostudies-literatureLactobacillus-vectored nanobodies improve broiler productivity under sub-clinical necrotic enteritis with associated microbiome and transcriptome changes.PMC12910073Romero LFPlata GShields JSusanti DPayling LMHoerr FJManuja SHofacre CGangaiah DKumar AHall ANfalseLactobacillus-vectored nanobodies improve broiler productivity under sub-clinical necrotic enteritis with associated microbiome and transcriptome changes.Sub-Clinical Necrotic Enteritis (SCNE), caused by toxin-producing Clostridium perfringens, is a major challenge in poultry production. SCNE has traditionally been managed with in-feed antibiotics; however, increasing concerns about the spread of antimicrobial resistance call for antibiotic-free strategies for its control. We recently described an NE control strategy leveraging Limosilactobacillus reuteri probiotic strains genetically engineered to deliver nanobodies against alpha toxin and NetB from C. perfringens in the poultry gut. Here, in a controlled study under SCNE conditions, we found that the engineered strains significantly improved feed conversion ratios and weight gain of broilers, outperforming treatment with either a prophylactic antibiotic or the wild-type probiotic strains.2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Jan2026-07-16T05:14:58.469Z2026-07-09T13:09:52.869ZS-EPMC129100734153530310.1038/s41522-026-00916-w