The findings of this study revealed that the GenoType MTBDRplus assay has high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of RIF and INH resistance. These preliminary data support the notion that the assay should be considered as an alternative to the DST for the characterization of MDR in M. tuberculosis isolates and the control of TB.

Epizootic lymphangitis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum is a debilitating disease incurring considerable economic losses and affecting the welfare of carthorses. Understanding of its epidemiology is important for devising effective prevention and control measures. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 4,162 carthorses in 17 towns in Ethiopia between October 2018 and June 2019. Clinical and microscopic examinations, fungal culturing, and polymerase chain reaction were used to undertake this study. The overall prevalence of epizootic lymphangitis was 16.67% (95% CI: 15.55–17.84) in carthorses. Epizootic lymphangitis was detected in carthorses found in 16 of the 17 towns included in the study. The highest prevalence was recorded at Kombolcha Town (33.33; 95% CI: 27.54–39.52) whereas the lowest was recorded at Debre Birhan Town (0.00; 95% CI: 0.00–1.27). The results of univariable firth logistic regression analysis showed that the difference between the prevalence of Kombolcha and the prevalences of all the other towns except Holota and Shashemene were statistically significant. Statistically significantly lower prevalence was observed in other towns. Classification of the cases into different clinical forms showed that 87.18, 4.33, and 0.58% were cutaneous, ocular, and respiratory forms respectively, while the remaining 7.93% (55/694; 95% CI: 6.03–10.19) were classified as mixed form. In terms of the severity of the disease, 28.67, 60.52, and 0.81% were mild, moderate, and severe cases, respectively. The majority of the lesions (43.95%) were observed in the skin followed by forelimbs (14.55%) and neck region (14.27%). Higher mean annual temperature, lower annual rainfall, and higher humidity of the study towns were statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of epizootic lymphangitis. In conclusion this study revealed widespread occurrence of epizootic lymphangitis in carthorses yet a heterogeneous prevalence between towns. The veterinary and livestock authorities should take this into account while devising disease control.

Differential diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infection (LTBI) remains a public health priority in high TB burden countries. Pulmonary TB is diagnosed by sputum smear microscopy, chest X-rays, and PCR tests for distinct Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) genes. Clinical tests to diagnose LTBI rely on immune cell stimulation in blood plasma with TB-specific antigens followed by measurements of interferon-gamma concentrations. The latter is an important cytokine for cellular immune responses against Mtb in infected lung tissue. Sputum smear microscopy and chest X-rays are not sufficiently sensitive while both PCR and interferon-gamma release assays are expensive. Alternative biomarkers useful for developing diagnostic tests to discern TB disease states are desirable. This study's objective was to discover biomarkers in sputum, assessing the proteomes and microbiomes of 74 TB patients, 46 individuals with LTBI, and 51 negative community controls (NCC). Study participants were from the South Omo province, a pastoral region in southern Ethiopia. A total of 161 and 115 samples were used to determine the 16S rRNA sequence-based bacterial taxonomies and proteomic profiles, respectively. Sputum microbiota did not reveal statistically significant differences in alpha-diversity comparing the three groups. The genus Mycobacterium, representing Mtb, was only identified for the TB group. The latter featured reduced abundance of the genus Rothia in comparison to the LTBI and NCC groups. Rothia is a human respiratory tract commensal and may be sensitive to the inflammatory milieu caused by TB infection. Proteomic data strongly supported innate immune responses against Mtb in subjects with pulmonary TB. Ferritin, an iron storage protein released by damaged host cells, was markedly increased in abundance in TB sputum compared to the LTBI and NCC groups, along with alpha-1-acid glycoproteins ORM1 and ORM2. These proteins are acute phase reactants and inhibit excessive neutrophil activation. Proteomic data also supported effector roles of neutrophils in the anti-Mtb response which was not observed for LTBI cases. Less abundant in sputum of the LTBI group versus the NCC group were two immunomodulatory proteins, mitochondrial TSPO and the extracellular ribonuclease T2. If validated, these proteins are of interest as diagnostic biomarkers for LTBI.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health threat causing the highest morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia. However, there is shortage of information on the species and strains of mycobacteria that cause TB in Ethiopia. The objective of this study is to investigate the diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) isolated from TB patients in northeastern Ethiopia. Methods: A total of 384 smear positive pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB cases were recruited on the basis of clinical examination and ZiehlNeelsen staining for further investigation. Mycobacterial culturing, region of difference (RD) 9-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR), spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing were used for the identification the species and strains. Descriptive statistical analysis was used for the expression of the results while proportions were compared using c2 test. Statistical significance was considered when p<0.05.Results: Smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis accounted for 74.5% (286/384). The disease proportion was highest in age group of 18–37 years. Culture positivity was confirmed only in 29.2% (112/384). Speciation of the culture positive isolates using RD9 indicated that 77.7% (87/112) were M. tuberculosis. Further identification of the isolates using spoligotyping indicated 92.9% (104/112) interpretable spoligotyping patterns of which 20.2% (21/104) were grouped under 10 clustered patterns. Further grouping of the spoligotypes indicated that 86.5% (90/104) of the isolates as orphan types. Grouping of the isolates into the major lineages showed 52.9%, 27.9% and 19.2% of the isolates as Euroamerican, Indio-oceanic and East African Indian lineages, respectively. Typing of 69 isolates using 24-loci MIRU-VNTR typing gave interpretable results for 56 isolates each of them having distinct MIRU-VNTR profile and were considered as 56 different genotypes (strains).Conclusion: M. tuberculosis was identified as the main cause of TB in northeastern Ethiopia and its strains were highly diversified.