Ingestion of Bean Leaves Reduces Metabolic Complications and Restores Intestinal Integrity in C57BL/6 Mice with Obesity Induced by a High-Fat and High-Fructose Diet.

Consumption of foods with fiber and compounds can promote gastrointestinal health and reduce obesity complications. Therefore, treatment with common bean leaves (BL) against obesity was evaluated in mice with a high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFFD) for 14 weeks. The bromatological and phytochemical characterization of BL were determined. Afterwards, the animals were supplemented with BL (10%) or a standard diet (SD) as a strategy to encourage a healthy diet for 12 additional weeks. Changes in body composition, lipid profile, and intestinal integrity were analyzed. The characterization of BL stood out for its content of 27.2% dietary fiber, total phenolics (475.04 mg/100 g), and saponins (2.2 mg/100 g). The visceral adipose tissue (VAT) decreased in the BL group by 52% compared to the HFFD group. Additionally, triglyceride levels were 23% lower in the BL consumption group compared to the HFFD group. The improvement in lipid profile was attributed to the 1.77-fold higher fecal lipid excretion in the BL consumption group compared to the HFFD group and the inhibition of pancreatic lipase by 29%. Furthermore, BL supplementation reduced the serum levels of IL-6 (4.4-fold) and FITC-dextran by 50% compared with those in the HFFD group. Metabolic endotoxemia was inhibited after BL supplementation (-33%) compared to the HFFD group. BL consumption as a treatment in obese mice reduces adipose tissue accumulation and improves the lipid profile. Furthermore, we report for the first time that BL consumption improves intestinal integrity.

A Systematic Review on the Role of Wildlife as Carriers and Spreaders of Campylobacter spp.

Campylobacter spp. are important zoonotic pathogens and can cause one of the main bacterial diarrheal diseases worldwide. Research in the context of infection arising from transmission from other humans and other vertebrates has been extensive. A large fraction of these investigations has focused on domestic animals; however, there are also a number of publications which either totally, or at least in part, consider the role of wild or feral animals as carriers or spreaders of Campylobacter spp. Here, we carry out a systematic review to explore the role played by wild vertebrates as sources of Campylobacter spp. with a compilation of prevalence data for more than 150 species including reptiles, mammals and birds. We found that numerous vertebrate species can act as carriers of Campylobacter species, but we also found that some host specificity may exist, reducing the risk of spread from wildlife to domestic animals or humans.

Occurrence of Giardia duodenalis in Cats from Queretaro and the Risk to Public Health.

Giardia is a protozoan that affects humans as well as a wide range of domestic species. It is distributed worldwide, and the highest frequency is seen in developing countries. Due to the potential for domestic cats to be carriers of this parasite and subsequently transmit the infection to humans, it is important to know the risk of transmission. For this reason, the objective of this study was to determine the frequency of this parasite in the cat population of the city of Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico, and identify the assemblages present to determine the role this host plays in public health, this being the first study of its type to be performed in the country. This was a cross-sectional study during which 200 fecal samples were collected from cats of both sexes and varying ages and strata of origin. The samples were analyzed by microscopy following the flotation technique, having obtained a general frequency of 25%. Giardia cysts were found at higher frequency in pasty stools. The assemblages found were zoonotic, specifically assemblage A, which suggests that the cat poses an important risk for the dissemination of the parasite to humans, making it an important public health problem.

Effect of Feeding Insoluble Fiber on the Microbiota and Metabolites of the Caecum and Feces of Rabbits Recovering from Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy Relative to Non-Infected Rabbits.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding insoluble fiber on the microbiota and metabolites of the caecum and feces of rabbits recovering from epizootic rabbit enteropathy relative to non-infected rabbits. Rabbits that had either recovered from epizootic rabbit enteropathy or ones that had never had epizootic rabbit enteropathy were fed on a diet of 32% or 36% neutral detergent fiber until they were 70 days of age. At this point, the short-chain fatty acid and ammonia levels were measured in caecotroph and fecal samples and compared using 2 × 2 ANOVA. The microbial composition of the samples was also analyzed using next-generation sequencing and compared by PERMANOVA. Caecotrophic samples from previously affected rabbits on lower fiber diets had higher short-chain fatty acid contents and higher species diversity index values for some indices (p < 0.05), although the fecal samples showed lower species diversity levels (p < 0.05). In addition, the PERMANOVA analyses demonstrated that differences were detected in the microbial composition of both fecal and caecotrophic samples, depending on the disease status at the outset of the experiment (p < 0.05). The results of this work show that, although there is some potential in the use of high-fiber diets for the treatment of rabbits that have had epizootic rabbit enteropathy, they are not able to produce the same digestive tract properties as those seen in rabbits that have never had the condition. This is true even after the rabbits have recovered from epizootic rabbit enteropathy.

Gap Analysis of the Habitat Interface of Ticks and Wildlife in Mexico.

Mexico is a highly diverse country where ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBD) directly impact the health of humans and domestic and wild animals. Ticks of the genera Rhipicephalus spp., Amblyomma spp., and Ixodes spp. represent the most important species in terms of host parasitism and geographical distribution in the country, although information on other genera is either limited or null. In addition, information regarding the influence of global warming on the increase in tick populations is scarce or nonexistent, despite climate conditions being the most important factors that determine tick distribution. In order to aid in the management of ticks and the risks of TBD in humans and domestic animals in Mexico, an analysis was conducted of the gaps in information on ticks with the purpose of updating the available knowledge of these ectoparasites and adapting the existing diagnostic tools for potential distribution analysis of TBD in wildlife. These tools will help to determine the epidemiological role of wildlife in the human-domestic animal interface in anthropized environments in Mexico.

Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) lectin fraction provokes reversible adverse effects on rats' digestive tract.

The Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) lectin fraction (TBLF) exhibits differential cytotoxicity on colon cancer cells and inhibition of early tumorigenesis in the colon (50 mg/kg, three times per week, for 6 weeks). TBLF showed low toxicity with the ability to activate the immune system; however, some adverse effects are the loss in body weight gain, intestinal atrophy, and pancreatic hyperplasia. After a recovery period of 2 weeks after treatment, reversion of pancreatic hyperplasia but no recovery of intestinal atrophy was observed. As TBLF has shown anticancer effects on the colon, it is important to characterize the adverse effects and how they can be reversed. Sprague Dawley rats were administered with TBLF (50 mg/kg) for 6 weeks, three times per week, and then allowed to recover for 6 weeks post-treatment. After TBLF administration, small intestine atrophy, villus atrophy, and cryptic hyperplasia were confirmed, as well as increased intestinal mucus production, increased permeability and a decrease in the apparent ileal digestibility of crude proteins. The colon showed damage in the simple prismatic tissue and decreased crypt depth, and changes in microbiota and a decrease in the apparent fecal digestibility of crude protein were determined. Our results show that the adverse effects provoked by TBLF were partially reversed after 6 weeks of recovery post-treatment, suggesting that increasing the recovery period it could be possible to reverse all adverse effects observed.

Metataxonomic and Histopathological Study of Rabbit Epizootic Enteropathy in Mexico.

Epizootic rabbit enteropathy (ERE) affects young rabbits and represents 32% of the enteropathies in rabbit production farms in Mexico. The etiology of this syndrome has not been clarified yet. A metataxonomic and histopathology study of ERE was carried out to compare the gastrointestinal microbiota and histopathological lesions of healthy and positive-ERE rabbits. The metataxonomic study was done using an Illumina MiSeq (MiSeq® system, Illumina, San Diego California, USA) massive segmentation platform, and a Divisive Amplicon Denoising Algorithm 2 (DADA2 algorithm) was used to obtain Shannon and Simpson diversity indices as well as the relative abundance of the identified communities. For the histopathological study, paraffin sections of the cecum, ileo-cecal valve, and colon were stained with eosin and hematoxylin. AxioVision 4.9 software (Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH, Jena, Germany) was used to measure the crypt depths. Statistical analysis was done using PERMANOVA analysis for the metataxonomic study and ANOVA for the histopathology study. Histopathologic analysis showed smaller sizes of crypts in the colon of ERE rabbits. Differences were observed in the diversity and abundance of the gastrointestinal microbiota between the analyzed groups. The genus Clostridium and the species Cloacibacillus porcorum and Akkermansia muciniphila were associated with ERE. The results obtained from this study can provide information for future clarification of the etiology and proposals of effective treatments.

Gut Bacterial Families Are Associated with Body Composition and Metabolic Risk Markers in School-Aged Children in Rural Mexico.

Background: Differences in gut microbiota composition have been associated with obesity and metabolic alterations in children. The aim of this study was to analyze the abundance of the main bacterial families of the gut among children according to their body composition and metabolic markers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 93 school-aged children (8.4 ± 1.6 years old). Anthropometric and body composition variables were measured and a blood sample was collected to determine glucose, insulin, lipid profile, C-reactive protein, leptin, and cytokines [interleukin 6, interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)]. DNA was extracted from stool samples and the abundance of bacterial families (Bacteroidaceae-Porphyromonadaceae-Prevotellaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Enterococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae-Ruminococcaceae) was determined by qPCR assays. Results: Children with obesity and high waist/height ratio had lower Bacteroidaceae-Porphyromonadaceae-Prevotellaceae and higher abundance of Lactobacillaceae when compared with normal-weight children. TNFα was negatively associated and IL-10 was positively associated with Bacteroidaceae-Porphyromonadaceae-Prevotellaceae. Triglycerides showed a positive relationship with Lachnospiraceae-Ruminococcaceae whereas high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was negatively associated with Lactobacillaceae. Conclusion: In rural Mexican school-aged children, a low abundance of Bacteroidaceae-Porphyromonadaceae-Prevotellaceae and a high abundance of Lactobacillaceae are associated with obesity and metabolic disturbances.

Prevalence and Zoonotic Potential of Giardia intestinalis in Dogs of the Central Region of Mexico.

Giardia intestinalis is a protozoan of worldwide distribution capable of infecting a large number of species, including humans and domestic animals. Dogs represent a risk to public health due to cross-infections by the zoonotic assemblages. However, there is little information concerning the prevalence and frequency of this parasite and its assemblages in dogs of the central region of Mexico, thus this study aimed to contribute to this matter. A total of 402 feces samples from dogs of different settings (shelter, breeding establishments, domestic and stray) were obtained and direct coproparasitoscopic examination by flotation revealed a prevalence of 25%. PCR was performed for amplification of the ß-Giardin gene, to which 24 samples were positive. Assemblages were obtained through RFLP analysis, using enzymes Hae III to obtain the main genotypes (A-G), and Hha I to subtype assemblage A. All 24 samples were genotyped as assemblage A, with 83% as AI and 17% as AII. Thus, these findings confirm that dogs in the central region of Mexico are a risk for zoonotic transmission of this parasite, emphasizing the importance of a much needed control of the disease in this species.

Characterisation of the effect of day length, and associated differences in dietary intake, on the gut microbiota of Soay sheep.

Differences in the rumen bacterial community have been previously reported for Soay sheep housed under different day length conditions. This study extends this previous investigation to other organs of the digestive tract, as well as the analysis of ciliated protozoa and anaerobic fungi. The detectable concentrations of ciliated protozoa and anaerobic fungi decreased with increased day length in both the rumen and large colon, unlike those of bacteria where no effect was observed. Conversely, bacterial community composition was affected by day length in both the rumen and large colon, but the community composition of the detectable ciliated protozoa and anaerobic fungi was not affected. Day length-associated differences in the bacterial community composition extended to all of the organs examined, with the exception of the duodenum and the jejunum. It is proposed that differences in rumen fill and ruminal 'by-pass' nutrients together with endocrinological changes cause the observed effects of day length on the different gut microbial communities.

Efficacy of a vaccine formula against tuberculosis in cattle.

"Test-and-slaughter" has been successful in industrialized countries to control and eradicate tuberculosis from cattle; however, this strategy is too expensive for developing nations, where the prevalence is especially high. Vaccination with the Calmette-Guérin (BCG) strain has been shown to protect against the development of lesions in vaccinated animals: mouse, cattle and wildlife species. In this study, the immune response and the pathology of vaccinated (BCG-prime and BCG prime-CFP-boosted) and unvaccinated (controls) calves were evaluated under experimental settings. A 10(6) CFU dose of the BCG strain was inoculated subcutaneously on the neck to two groups of ten animas each. Thirty days after vaccination, one of the vaccinated groups was boosted with an M. bovis culture filtrate protein (CFP). Three months after vaccination, the three groups of animals were challenged with 5×10(5) CFU via intranasal by aerosol with a field strain of M. bovis. The immune response was monitored throughout the study. Protection was assessed based on immune response (IFN-g release) prechallenge, presence of visible lesions in lymph nodes and lungs at slaughter, and presence of bacilli in lymph nodes and lung samples in histological analysis. Vaccinated cattle, either with the BCG alone or with BCG and boosted with CFP showed higher IFN-g response, fewer lesions, and fewer bacilli per lesion than unvaccinated controls after challenge. Animals with low levels of IFN-g postvaccine-prechallenge showed more lesions than animals with high levels. Results from this study support the argument that vaccination could be incorporated into control programs to reduce the incidence of TB in cattle in countries with high prevalence.

Prevalence of fleas and gastrointestinal parasites in free-roaming cats in central Mexico.

The prevalence of fleas and gastrointestinal parasites in free-roaming and domestic cats in central Mexico was evaluated. Three hundred and fifty eight cats captured in the street or brought in by owners to the Animal Control Center Unit, a unit of State Government, from June 2010 to May 2011, were included in the study. All cats were examined for the presence of fleas and gastrointestinal worms. One-hundred and ninety (53%) cats were infested with at least one flea species. Single infestations were observed in 106 (30%) cats and mixed infestations in 84 (23%) cats. Four species of fleas were recovered: Ctenocephalides felis in 53% of the cats, C. canis in 18%, Echidnophaga gallinacea in 7% and Pulex irritans in 1%. One-hundred and sixty three (45%) cats were infected with one or more species of gastrointestinal parasites: 48 (13%) with nematodes, 145 (40%) with cestodes, and one animal presented Moniliformis moniliformis. Prevalences and mean intensity of infection were: Physaloptera praeputialis 7 and 18; T. cati 3 and 2; Ancylostoma tubaeforme 2.5 and 2; Toxascaris leonina 0.5 and 2; Dipylidium caninum 36 and 32; Taenia taeniformis 4 and 3 and Moniliformis moniliformis 0.3 and 106, respectively. There was significant association (P<0.01), between season and ectoparasites load, more fleas were obtained in the summer and autumn than in the winter and spring; however, no statistical difference was observed for endoparasites load (P>0.05). The correlation between the total number of ectoparasites and endoparasites was not significant (r = 0.089, P = 0.094).