Analysis of cellular responses to Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony biotype associated with control of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia

A better understanding of protective immune memory against contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is needed in order to facilitate the development of safer vaccines based on selected components of the pathogen. For this purpose, cells collected from lymph nodes draining the lungs of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony biotype (MmmSC)-infected cattle were stimulated with the pathogen in vitro and evaluated concurrently for proliferation (CFSE based method), expression of activation, memory markers and cytokine production. Direct evidence is presented for a major contribution of CD4+ T cells to the vigorous proliferative and T1 biased cytokine recall responses observed in cattle that have recovered from infection but not in animals developing the acute form of the disease. Two different phenotypes of MmmSC-specific memory CD4 were observed based on CD62L expression and proliferative capacities. Furthermore, recall proliferation of B cells also occurred but was strictly dependent on the presence of CD4. The information provided in this study will facilitate the search for MmmSC antigens that have potential for the development of subunit vaccines against CBPP.     

Characterisation of the lymph node immune response following Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. Mycoides SC infection in cattle

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides biotype Small Colony (MmmSC), is still a major cattle disease in Africa. Development of long-term protective vaccines, the only relevant strategy to achieve CBPP eradication, requires the characterisation of the protective immune mechanism. To this aim, the present study investigated the cellular immune response persisting in the lymph nodes of cattle infected naturally and experimentally by contact, one year post exposure. The lymph node cell composition, MmmSC responsiveness and phenotype of the MmmSC-responding lymphocytes were compared between animals according to the different outcomes of the infection. To unravel the protective mechanism, the study focussed on the MmmSC-specific memory immune response generated in recovered cattle, known to develop long-term immunity and to be resistant to reinfection. An MmmSC-specific immune response, mediated by IFNgamma-secreting CD4 T-cells, was detected in the lymph nodes of all recovered cattle. Furthermore, the magnitude of this immune response was significantly higher in animals with complete recovery than in recovered animals presenting lung sequestra. The findings suggest that, in recovered cattle, a subset of MmmSC-primed IFNgamma-secreting CD4 T-cells homed to the regional lymph nodes as MmmSC-specific memory T-cells, likely responsible for the protective anamnestic response. Induction and expansion of this subset of MmmSC-specific CD4 memory T-cells might be a major goal to develop efficient long term protective vaccines against CBPP.     

Analysis of nutritional components of eight famine foods of the Republic of Niger

In the western Sahel, indigenous plants become important staples when cereal harvests are inadequate to support populations inhabiting that region of Africa. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutrient content of several of these edible wild plants. The leaves of the following seven plant foods were analyzed: Ziziphus mauritiana, Cerathotheca sesamoides, Moringa oleifera, Leptadenia hastata, Hibiscus sabdarifa, Amaranthus viridi, and Adansonia digitata. The fatty acid, vitamin E, carotenoid, selected mineral and amino acid contents of these plant foods were determined. These same analyses were performed on the fruit of the Adansonia digitata. In quantitative and qualitative terms, Amaranthus viridis was found to be an excellent source of protein. Its amino acid composition compared favorably to that of a World Health Organization (WHO) protein standard. It also contained considerable amounts of the two fatty acids that are essential in humans (linoleic and -linolenic) and a number of minerals including iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc. The leaves of Hibiscus sabdarifa contained an appreciable quantity of protein the composition of which was comparable to the WHO standard. The mineral content of the leaves of this plant was also exceptionally high; noteworthy was its high zinc content. H. sabdarifa also contained significant quantities of the two essential fatty acids. Ziziphus mauritiana was an excellent source of the essential fatty acid linoleic acid and several of the metals including iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Its content of other essential nutrients, however, was rather low. In general, Adansonia digitata leaves were nutritionally superior to the fruit of the tree; however, the fruit did contain useful quantities of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and -linolenic acid. The Leptadenia hastata leaves were an especially good source of lutein and -carotene. These data should be useful to the people who inhabit the western Sahel in helping them devise healthy diets during times when cereal staples are in short supply.     

Farmers’ practices,utilization, conservation and marketing of Bambara groundnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna subterranea</Emphasis> (L.) Verdc.) in Dosso Region,Western Niger

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is one of the important legume crop grown in marginal soils of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its importance in food security and income generation for small scale farmers, it remains as a neglected and underutilized crop and the productivity is very low in the field due to the lack of improved varieties and lack adequate farming practices. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate all aspects related to its production including source of seeds supply and farmers management practices, utilization, conservation and marketing. The results revealed that in this Region of Western Niger Bambara groundnut was mainly produced by female (95%) compared to male (5%). Farmers use their own recycled seed (80%) which is the main source followed by provision of recycled seeds by relatives (5%) and purchasing from the local market (15%). Also, this finding shows that there is a lack of adequate farming practices and the crop is mostly produced on inherited land without any inputs as reported by 80% of the respondents. Mono-cropping is mainly practiced by 97% of farmers while a few of them do rotation (2%) and most of pre and postharvest handling technologies are traditional. The most important traits preferred by Bambara farmers is seed colour (cream color), followed by high grain yield, early maturity and cooking ability according to the respondents with 98, 92, 88 and 72% respectively. Several features have to be taking into account in order to promote Bambara nut including its ability to do well in harsh conditions, its nutritional benefits, and its ability to fix nitrogen, thereby increasing soil fertility in mixed cropping systems.     

Comparison of reproductive performances of local and improved pigs reared in south Benin

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Benin’s domestic production of pork is deficient because of the animals’ low productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the zootechnical...     

Morphological divergence in the West African shorthorn Lagune cattle populations from Benin

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study explored the potential role of agro-ecology in shaping the morphology of Lagune cattle population of Benin. A total of 708 adult Lagune cattle...     

Pulmonary and serum antibody responses elicited in zebu cattle experimentally infected with Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC by contact exposure

The purpose of the present study was to characterize the Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony (MmmSC)-specific humoral immune response at both systemic and local levels in cattle experimentally infected with MmmSC, for a better understanding of the protective immune mechanisms against the disease. The disease was experimentally reproduced in zebu cattle by contact. Clinical signs, postmortem and microbiological findings were used to evaluate the degree of infection. Serum and bronchial lavage fluids (BAL) were collected sequentially, before contact and over a period of one year after contact. The kinetics of the different antibody isotypes to MmmSC was established. Based on the severity of the clinical signs, post mortem and microbiological findings, the animals were classified into three groups as acute form with deaths, sub-acute to chronic form and resistant animals. Seroconversion was never observed for the control animals throughout the duration of the experiment, nor for those classified as resistant. Instead, seroconversion was measured for all other cattle either with acute or sub-acute to chronic forms of the disease. For these animals, IgM, IgG1, IgG2 and IgA responses were detected in the serum and BAL samples. The kinetics of the IgM, IgG1 and IgG2 responses was nearly similar between both groups of animals. No evident correlation could thus be established between the levels of these isotypes and the severity of the disease. Levels of IgA were high in both BAL and serum samples of animals with sub-acute to chronic forms of the disease, and tended to persist throughout the entire experimental period. In contrast, animals with acute forms of the disease showed low levels of IgA in their BAL samples with none or very transient but low levels of IgA in the serum samples. Our results thus demonstrated that IgA is produced locally in MmmSC experimentally infected cattle by contact and may play a role in protection against contagious bovine pleuropneumonia.