ABSTRACT
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), a neglected zoonotic disease, is endemic in cattle in many Sub-saharan African countries, yet its contribution to tuberculosis (TB) burden is understudied. Rapid urbanisation and increase in demand for animal proteins, including dairy products, increases the risk of spill over. This study compared the latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) risk in children, a proxy-measure for recent TB infection, in children living in high cattle density areas to children from the general population in Cameroon. Cross-sectional study in the Centre Region of Cameroon in 2021, recruiting 160 children aged 2-15 years, stratified by exposure to livestock, people treated for pulmonary TB (PTB) and the general community. Veinous blood was tested for LTBI using QuantiFERON-TB Gold-Plus. Prevalence were calculated and the association to exposure and other risk factors investigated using logistic regression models. The crude LTBI prevalence were 8.2% in the general population, 7.3% in those exposed to cattle and 61% in pulmonary TB household contacts. After adjusting for confounding and sampling design, exposure to cattle and exposure to pulmonary TB were associated with higher risk of LTBI than the general population (respectively odds ratio (OR): 3.56, 95%CI: 0.34 to 37.03; and OR: 10.36, 95%CI: 3.13 to 34.21). Children frequently consuming cow milk had higher risk of LTBI (OR: 3.35; 95%CI 0.18 to 60.94). Despite limited statistical power, this study suggests that children exposed to cattle in a setting endemic for bTB had higher risk of LTBI, providing indirect evidence that Mycobacterium bovis may contribute to TB burden.
ABSTRACT
High serum cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), leading to many fatalities. Traditional palm wine (Elaeis guineensis) and corn beer are noted as potential sources of probiotic bacteria with cholesterol lowering activity. In this study, we isolated and characterised lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with probiotic and cholesterol lowering properties from these sources. The isolates were identified using API 50 CHL kit and sequencing of 16 S rRNA gene. A hypercholesterolemia model involving three groups of eighteen diet-induced Wistar albino rats was established, and the serum lipid profile was analysed using biochemical kits. The genotypic identification of two best cholesterol lowering LAB revealed that they were strains of Levilactobacillus brevis and Enterococcus faeccium. Their 16 S r RNA gene sequences were deposited in NCBI genbank with the accension numbers ON454506 and ON908682 respectively. These isolates effectively lowered LDL-c and increased HDL-c in rat sera, which are the main risk factors for CVD. These probiotics are potential candidates for functional foods formulation against hypercholesterolemia.