Selenium is an essential trace mineral important for the maintenance of homeostasis in animals and humans. It evinces a strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and potential antimicrobial capacity. Selenium biological function is primarily achieved by its presence in selenoproteins as a form of selenocysteine. Selenium deficiency may result in an array of health disorders, affecting many organs and systems; to prevent this, dietary supplementation, mainly in the forms of organic (i.e., selenomethionine and selenocysteine) inorganic (i.e., selenate and selenite) sources is used. In pigs as well as other food animals, dietary selenium supplementation has been used for improving growth performance, immune function, and meat quality. A substantial body of knowledge demonstrates that dietary selenium supplementation is positively associated with overall animal health especially due to its immunomodulatory activity and protection from oxidative damage. Selenium also possesses potential antiviral activity and this is achieved by protecting immune cells against oxidative damage and decreasing viral replication. In this review we endeavor to combine established and novel knowledge on the beneficial effects of dietary selenium supplementation, its antioxidant and immunomodulatory actions, and the putative antimicrobial effect thereof. Furthermore, our review demonstrates the gaps in knowledge pertaining to the use of selenium as an antiviral, underscoring the need for further in vivo and in vitro studies, particularly in pigs.

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硒对食用动物的健康益处：综述

硒是一种必需的微量矿物质，对维持动物和人类的体内平衡很重要。它表现出强大的抗氧化、抗炎和潜在的抗菌能力。硒的生物学功能主要是通过它作为硒代半胱氨酸的一种形式存在于硒蛋白中来实现的。硒缺乏可能导致一系列健康问题，影响许多器官和系统；为了防止这种情况，膳食补充剂主要以有机（即硒代蛋氨酸和硒代半胱氨酸）、无机（即硒酸盐和亚硒酸盐）来源的形式使用。在猪和其他食用动物中，膳食硒补充剂已被用于改善生长性能、免疫功能和肉质。大量知识表明，膳食硒补充剂与整体动物健康呈正相关，特别是由于其免疫调节活性和保护免受氧化损伤。硒还具有潜在的抗病毒活性，这是通过保护免疫细胞免受氧化损伤和减少病毒复制来实现的。在这篇综述中，我们努力结合关于膳食硒补充剂的有益作用、其抗氧化和免疫调节作用及其推定的抗菌作用的既定知识和新知识。此外，我们的审查表明了与使用硒作为抗病毒药物有关的知识空白，强调需要进一步的体内和体外研究，特别是在猪身上。硒还具有潜在的抗病毒活性，这是通过保护免疫细胞免受氧化损伤和减少病毒复制来实现的。在这篇综述中，我们努力结合关于膳食硒补充剂的有益作用、其抗氧化和免疫调节作用及其推定的抗菌作用的既定知识和新知识。此外，我们的审查表明了与使用硒作为抗病毒药物有关的知识空白，强调需要进一步的体内和体外研究，特别是在猪身上。硒还具有潜在的抗病毒活性，这是通过保护免疫细胞免受氧化损伤和减少病毒复制来实现的。在这篇综述中，我们努力结合关于膳食硒补充剂的有益作用、其抗氧化和免疫调节作用及其推定的抗菌作用的既定知识和新知识。此外，我们的审查表明了与使用硒作为抗病毒药物有关的知识空白，强调需要进一步的体内和体外研究，特别是在猪身上。