Tart Cherry Concentrate Does Not Alter the Gut Microbiome, Glycaemic Control or Systemic Inflammation in a Middle-Aged Population.

This is the final version. available from MDPI via the DOI in this recordLimited evidence suggests that the consumption of polyphenols may improve glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity. The gut microbiome produces phenolic metabolites and increases their bioavailability. A handful of studies have suggested that polyphenol consumption alters gut microbiome composition. There are no data available investigating such effects in polyphenol-rich Montmorency cherry (MC) supplementation. A total of 28 participants (aged 40-60 years) were randomized to receive daily MC or glucose and energy-matched placebo supplementation for 4 wk. Faecal and blood samples were obtained at baseline and at 4 wk. There was no clear effect of supplementation on glucose handling (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and Gutt indices), although the Matsuda index decreased significantly in the MC group post-supplementation, reflecting an increase in serum insulin concentration. Contrastingly, placebo, but not MC supplementation induced a 6% increase in the Oral Glucose Insulin Sensitivity (OGIS) estimate of glucose clearance. Serum IL-6 and C reactive protein were unaltered by either supplement. The faecal bacterial microbiome was sequenced; species richness and diversity were unchanged by MC or placebo and no significant correlation existed between changes in Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium abundance and any index of insulin sensitivity. Therefore, 4 weeks of MC supplementation did not alter the gut microbiome, glycaemic control or systemic concentrations of IL-6 and CRP in a middle-aged population.The Cherry Marketing Institut

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic pigs, sheep, cattle, wild boars, and moose in the Nordic-Baltic region: A systematic review and meta-analysis : Parasite Epidemiology and Control

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an important foodborne zoonotic parasite. Meat of infected animals is presumed to constitute a major source of human infection and may be a driver of geographical variation in the prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in humans, which is substantial in the Nordic-Baltic region in northern Europe. However, data on seroprevalence of T. gondii in different animal species used for human consumption are scattered. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of seroprevalence studies and meta-analysis to estimate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in five animal species that are raised or hunted for human consumption in the Nordic-Baltic region: domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), sheep (Ovis aries), cattle (Bos taurus), wild boars (Sus scrofa), and moose (Alces alces). We searched for studies that were conducted between January 1990 and June 2018, and reported in articles, theses, conference abstracts and proceedings, and manuscripts. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify variables influencing the seroprevalence. Findings: From a total of 271 studies identified in the systematic review, 32 were included in the meta-analysis. These comprised of 13 studies on domestic pigs, six on sheep, three on cattle, six on wild boars, and four on moose. The estimated pooled seroprevalence of T. gondii was 6% in domestic pigs (CI 95% : 3–10%), 23% in sheep (CI 95% : 12–36%), 7% in cattle (CI 95% : 1–21%), 33% in wild boars (CI 95% : 26–41%), and 16% in moose (CI 95% : 10–23%). High heterogeneity was observed in the seroprevalence data within each species. In all host species except wild boars, the pooled seroprevalence estimates were significantly higher in animals >1 year of age than in younger animals. Not all studies provided information on animal age, sensitivity and specificity of the serological method employed, and the cut-off values used for defining an animal seropositive. Conclusions: A substantial proportion of animals raised or hunted for human consumption in the region had tested positive for T. gondii. This indicates widespread exposure to T. gondii among animals raised or hunted for human consumption in the region. Large variations were observed in the seroprevalence estimates between the studies in the region; however, studies were too few to identify spatial patterns at country-level. © 2019Peer reviewe

Nonfasting triglycerides and risk of cardiovascular death in men and women from the Norwegian Counties Study

The association between nonfasting triglycerides and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has recently been actualized. The aim of the present study was to investigate nonfasting triglycerides as a predictor of CVD mortality in men and women. A total of 86,261 participants in the Norwegian Counties Study 1974–2007, initially aged 20–50 years and free of CVD were included. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for deaths from CVD, ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke and all causes by level of nonfasting triglycerides. Mean follow-up was 27.0 years. A total of 9,528 men died (3,620 from CVD, 2,408 IHD, 543 stroke), and totally 5,267 women died (1,296 CVD, 626 IHD, 360 stroke). After adjustment for CVD risk factors other than HDL-cholesterol, the HRs (95% CI) per 1 mmol/l increase in nonfasting triglycerides were 1.16 (1.13–1.20), 1.20 (1.14–1.27), 1.26 (1.19–1.34) and 1.09 (0.96–1.23) for all cause mortality, CVD, IHD, and stroke mortality in women. Corresponding figures in men were 1.03 (1.01–1.04), 1.03 (1.00–1.05), 1.03 (1.00–1.06) and 0.99 (0.92–1.07). In a subsample where HDL-cholesterol was measured (n = 40,144), the association between CVD mortality and triglycerides observed in women disappeared after adjustment for HDL-cholesterol. In a model including the Framingham CHD risk score the effect of triglycerides disappeared in both men and women. In conclusion, nonfasting triglycerides were associated with increased risk of CVD death for both women and men. Adjustment for major cardiovascular risk factors, however, attenuated the effect. Nonfasting triglycerides added no predictive information on CVD mortality beyond the Framingham CHD risk score in men and women

Multi-parallel qPCR provides increased sensitivity and diagnostic breadth for gastrointestinal parasites of humans: field-based inferences on the impact of mass deworming

BACKGROUND: Although chronic morbidity in humans from soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections can be reduced by anthelmintic treatment, inconsistent diagnostic tools make it difficult to reliably measure the impact of deworming programs and often miss light helminth infections. METHODS: Cryopreserved stool samples from 796 people (aged 2-81 years) in four villages in Bungoma County, western Kenya, were assessed using multi-parallel qPCR for 8 parasites and compared to point-of-contact assessments of the same stools by the 2-stool 2-slide Kato-Katz (KK) method. All subjects were treated with albendazole and all Ascaris lumbricoides expelled post-treatment were collected. Three months later, samples from 633 of these people were re-assessed by both qPCR and KK, re-treated with albendazole and the expelled worms collected. RESULTS: Baseline prevalence by qPCR (n = 796) was 17 % for A. lumbricoides, 18 % for Necator americanus, 41 % for Giardia lamblia and 15% for Entamoeba histolytica. The prevalence was <1% for Trichuris trichiura, Ancylostoma duodenale, Strongyloides stercoralis and Cryptosporidium parvum. The sensitivity of qPCR was 98% for A. lumbricoides and N. americanus, whereas KK sensitivity was 70% and 32%, respectively. Furthermore, qPCR detected infections with T. trichiura and S. stercoralis that were missed by KK, and infections with G. lamblia and E. histolytica that cannot be detected by KK. Infection intensities measured by qPCR and by KK were correlated for A. lumbricoides (r = 0.83, p < 0.0001) and N. americanus (r = 0.55, p < 0.0001). The number of A. lumbricoides worms expelled was correlated (p < 0.0001) with both the KK (r = 0.63) and qPCR intensity measurements (r = 0.60). CONCLUSIONS: KK may be an inadequate tool for stool-based surveillance in areas where hookworm or Strongyloides are common or where intensity of helminth infection is low after repeated rounds of chemotherapy. Because deworming programs need to distinguish between populations where parasitic infection is controlled and those where further treatment is required, multi-parallel qPCR (or similar high throughput molecular diagnostics) may provide new and important diagnostic information

Comparison of Methods for Detection of Blastocystis Infection in Routinely Submitted Stool Samples, and also in IBS/IBD Patients in Ankara, Turkey

BACKGROUND: This study compared diagnostic methods for identifying Blastocystis in stool samples, and evaluated the frequency of detection of Blastocystis in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: From a set of 105 stool specimens submitted for routine parasitological analysis, 30 were identified as positive for Blastocystis by the culture method. From that group of 30 positives, Lugol's stain, trichrome staining, and an immunofluorescence assay identified 11, 15, and 26 samples as positive respectively. Using culture as a standard, the sensitivity of Lugol's stain was 36.7%, trichrome staining was 50%, and the IFA stain was 86.7%. The specificity of Lugol's stain was 91%, trichrome staining was 100%, and the IFA stain was 97.3%. In the group of 27 IBS and IBD patients, using all methods combined, we detected Blastocystis in 67% (18/27) of the patients. Blastocystis was detected in 33% (2/6) of IBD patients and 76% (16/21) of IBS patients. For comparison, trichrome staining alone, the method most frequently used in many countries, would have only identified Blastocystis infection in 29% (6/21) of the IBS patients. No parasitic co-infections were identified in the IBS/IBD patients. Most Blastocystis-positive IBS/IBD patients were over 36 with an average length of illness of 4.9 years. CONCLUSIONS: Most IBS patients in this study were infected with Blastocystis. IFA staining may be a useful alternative to stool culture, especially if stool specimens have been chemically preserved

Molecular characterisation of protist parasites in human-habituated mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), humans and livestock, from Bwindi impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Over 60 % of human emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, and there is growing evidence of the zooanthroponotic transmission of diseases from humans to livestock and wildlife species, with major implications for public health, economics, and conservation. Zooanthroponoses are of relevance to critically endangered species; amongst these is the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) of Uganda. Here, we assess the occurrence of Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Giardia, and Entamoeba infecting mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda, using molecular methods. We also assess the occurrence of these parasites in humans and livestock species living in overlapping/adjacent geographical regions