Exogenous binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) enhance immune regulatory phenotype in ex-vivo Mtb infected PBMCs stratified based on QuantiFERON response.

Even though anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment is readily available, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection continues to be a global threat with a high death rate recorded from a single infectious agent. This highlights the significance of developing new strategies to curb the growing Mtb infection cases. Host-directed therapies (HDT) offer a promising approach that includes both drug discovery and drug repurposing, aimed at identifying host targets and promoting immune cell populations that can lead to better infection outcomes.

Baseline and end-of-treatment host serum biomarkers predict relapse in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: There is a need for new tools for monitoring of the response to TB treatment. Such tools may allow for tailored treatment regimens, and stratify patients initiating TB treatment into different risk groups. We evaluated combinations between previously published host biomarkers and new candidates, as tools for monitoring TB treatment response, and prediction of relapse.

Feasibility of a Sprague???Dawley Rat Model for Investigating the Effects of Seated Whole-body Vibration.

Vehicular whole-body vibration (WBV) can have long-term adverse effects on human quality of life. Animal models can be used to study pathophysiologic effects of vibration. The goal of this study was to assess animal cooperation and well-being to determine the feasibility of a novel seated rat model for investigating the effects of WBV on biologic systems.

Field evaluation of a point-of-care triage test for active tuberculosis (TriageTB).

Background: To improve tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for a non-sputum based triage test to focus TB testing on people with a high likelihood of having active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Various host or pathogen biomarker-based testing devices are in design stage and require validity assessment. Host biomarkers have shown promise to accurately rule out active TB, but further research is required to determine generalisability.

Optimising the yield from bronchoalveolar lavage on human participants in infectious disease immunology research.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is becoming a common procedure for research into infectious disease immunology. Little is known about the clinical factors which influence the main outcomes of the procedure. In research participants who underwent BAL according to guidelines, the BAL volume yield, and cell yield, concentration, viability, pellet colour and differential count were analysed for association with important participant characteristics such as active tuberculosis (TB) disease, TB exposure, HIV infection and recent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Newborn bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination induces robust infant interferon-γ-expressing natural killer cell responses to mycobacteria.

Objectives: The bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is usually administered at birth to protect against severe forms of tuberculosis in children. BCG also confers some protection against other infections, possibly mediated by innate immune training. We investigated whether newborn BCG vaccination modulates myeloid and natural killer (NK) cell responses to mycobacteria.

Optimising the yield from bronchoalveolar lavage on human participants in infectious disease immunology research.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is becoming a common procedure for research into infectious disease immunology. Little is known about the clinical factors which influence the main outcomes of the procedure. In research participants who underwent BAL according to guidelines, the BAL volume yield, and cell yield, concentration, viability, pellet colour and differential count were analysed for association with important participant characteristics such as active tuberculosis (TB) disease, TB exposure, HIV infection and recent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Cascade Immune Mechanisms of Protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (IMPAc-TB): study protocol for the Household Contact Study in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Background: Natural immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis exists, and > 90% of those infected remain disease-free. Innate and adaptive immune responses required to mediate such protection against tuberculosis (TB) are, however, poorly understood.

Methods: This is an analytical study exploring protective and non-protective pathways of immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Analysis of Aflatoxin Biomarkers in the Hair of Experimental Animals.

Analysis of body fluids and tissues of aflatoxin exposed individuals for the presence of aflatoxins and aflatoxin metabolites has emerged as a reliable indicator of exposure and metabolism of aflatoxins. However, current aflatoxin biomarkers are not appropriate for investigating the long-term effects of aflatoxin exposure. In this explorative study, we investigated the analysis of hair as a complementary or alternative matrix for the assessment of biomarkers of long-term aflatoxin exposure.

IL-4-Responsive B Cells Are Detrimental During Chronic Tuberculosis Infection in Mice.

In tuberculosis, T cell-mediated immunity is extensively studied whilst B cells received limited attention in human and mice. Of interest, () does increase IL-4 Receptor-alpha (IL4Rα) expression in murine B cells. To better understand the role of IL4Rα signalling in B cells, we compared wild type mice with B cell-specific IL4Rα deficient mice (mb1IL-4Rα mice).

FasL regulatory B-cells during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and TB disease.

Tuberculosis (TB) disease remains a major health crisis. Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) cause a range of diseases ranging from latent infection to active TB disease.

Immunoglobulin profile and B-cell frequencies are altered with changes in the cellular microenvironment independent of the stimulation conditions.

Introduction: B-cells are essential in the defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Studies on isolated cells may not accurately reflect the responses that occur in vivo due to the presence of other cells. This study elucidated the influence of microenvironment complexity on B-cell polarization and function in the context of tuberculosis disease.

Killer (FASL regulatory) B cells are present during latent TB and are induced by BCG stimulation in participants with and without latent tuberculosis.

Regulatory B cells (Bregs) have been shown to be present during several disease states. The phenotype of the cells is not completely defined and the function of these cells differ between disease. The presence of FASL expressing (killer) B cells during latent and successfully treated TB disease have been shown but whether these cells are similar to regulatory B cells remain unclear.

Decreased neutrophil-associated miRNA and increased B-cell associated miRNA expression during tuberculosis.

MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding to, and suppressing the expression of genes. Research show that microRNAs have potential to be used as biomarkers for diagnosis, treatment response and can be used for therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, microRNA expression has effects on immune cell functions, which may lead to disease.

The use of primary murine fibroblasts to ascertain if Spirocerca lupi secretory/excretory protein products are mitogenic ex vivo.

Background: Spirocerca lupi is a nematode that parasitizes vertebrates in particular canids, by forming nodules in the thoracic cavity specifically in the oesophagus. In 25% of Spirocerca infections of the domestic dog, nodules progress from inflammatory to pre-neoplastic to sarcomatous neoplasia. With the mechanism of neoplastic transformation being incompletely understood, this study investigates if S.

B-cells with a FasL expressing regulatory phenotype are induced following successful anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Introduction: Studies show that B-cells, in addition to producing antibodies and antigen-presentation, are able to produce cytokines as well. These include regulatory cytokines such as IL-10 by regulatory B-cells. Furthermore, a rare regulatory subset of B-cells have the potential to express FasL, which is a death-inducing ligand.

Successful TB treatment induces B-cells expressing FASL and IL5RA mRNA.

Activated B-cells increase T-cell behaviour during autoimmune disease and other infections by means of cytokine production and antigen-presentation. Functional studies in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) indicate that B-cell deficiencies, and a lack of IL10 and IL35 leads to a poor prognosis. We hypothesised that B-cells play a role during tuberculosis.

Transcriptomics: the key to biomarker discovery during tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a global threat affecting millions of people and requires more efficient methods of diagnosis, monitoring treatment response and the development of more efficacious drug therapies and new vaccines. The use of transcriptomic approaches and gene expression techniques have contributed to the elucidation of these aspects concerning the study of tuberculosis, and more specifically, the utilization of transcriptional profiles to identify biomarkers. These markers are the key to developing tools required to improve diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.

Close relationship between equine and human molluscum contagiosum virus demonstrated by in situ hybridisation.

To determine whether the virus responsible for human molluscum contagiosum (MCV) is the causal agent of a similar disease in horses, in situ hybridisations using cloned fragments of human MCV DNA labelled with digoxigenin were carried out on formalin-fixed biopsy sections of lesions from two horses with molluscum contagiosum-like skin lesions. In both instances there was evidence of specific hybridisation of the labelled probe to target DNA in the sections under high stringency conditions, identified by the development of a deep blue-purple stain in the cytoplasm of cells in the stratum spinosum and stratum granulosum of the lesions and the absence of non-specific hybridisation in adjacent non-lesional areas of the epidermis. These results indicate that on the basis of very close homology of their viral DNA sequences, the causative virus of equine molluscum contagiosum is either identical with, or very closely related to, its human equivalent.

The prevalence of intestinal Salmonella infection in horses submitted for necropsy.

Specimens from the ileum, colon and rectum were aseptically collected from 50 consecutive horse carcases submitted for necropsy to the Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria. These were bacteriologically examined for the presence of Salmonella. Seventeen of these were positive for Salmonella at one or more sites.

Cardiomyopathy in ostriches (Struthio camelus) due to avocado (Persea americana var. guatemalensis) intoxication.

Nine out of 120 ostriches died from congestive heart failure within 96 h of ingesting avocado leaves and immature fruit in an avocado orchard containing Hass and Fuerte cultivars. Foliage and immature fruit from both cultivars dosed to ostriches (n = 4) and domestic hens (n = 8) resulted in severe cardiomyopathy in all the ostriches. In the hens, which had received a lower dose, milder lesions occurred.

[Suspected inherited granulocytopathy in four Holstein Friesian calves].

Five Holstein Friesian calves varying in age from 7 to 9 weeks old, were suspected of suffering from an inherited granulocytopathy known as bovine leucocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD). Four of them were examined clinically and at necropsy. The most significant clinical findings were fever, depression, weakness, emaciation, diarrhoea, pseudomembranous gingivitis, loose teeth, respiratory infection and occult blood in the faeces.

Generalised Listeria monocytogenes infection in a dog.

A 6-year-old Doberman bitch was presented for an acute onset of circling, hemiparesis and depression. Clinical examination revealed conjunctivitis, abdominal pain, anaemia, decreased facial sensation, decreased jaw, tongue and pharyngeal tone, decreased conscious proprioception, decreased flexor withdrawal reflexes, and abnormal hemiwalking and hemistanding. Pancytopaenia was evident on haematological evaluation.

Renal dysplasia in two adult horses: clinical and pathological aspects.

Renal dysplasia is reported in two adult horses in chronic renal failure. Renal dysplasia, complicated by severe interstitial pyelonephritis, was diagnosed on renal biopsy and confirmed on post mortem examination.

Suspected avocado (Persea americana) poisoning in goats.

A herd of 15 Cameroon goats was suspected of having been poisoned by eating leaves of the Fuerte variety of avocado pear (Persea americana). Two of the affected goats were examined clinically, while necropsies were carried out on 3 of the 4 that had died. The most significant clinical findings were tachycardia, hyperpnoea and evidence of lung oedema.