Links Between Infectious Diseases and Cardiovascular Disease: A Growing Body of Evidence

Interaction of genotype and diet on small intestine microbiota of Japanese quail fed a cholesterol enriched diet

Our previous study has shown that genetic selection for susceptibility/resistance to diet-induced atherosclerosis has affected the Japanese quail's cecal environment to accommodate distinctly different cecal microbiota. In this study, we fed the Atherosclerosis-resistant (RES) and -susceptable (SUS) quail a regular and a cholesterol enriched diet to examine the interaction of host genotype and diet on the diversity, composition, and metabolic functions of the duodenal and ileal microbiota with relations to atherosclerosis development. In the duodenal content, 9 OTUs (operational taxonomic units) were identified whose abundance had significant positive correlations with plasma total cholesterol, LDL level and/or LDL/HDL ratio. In the ileal content, 7 OTUs have significant correlation with plasma HDL. Cholesterol fed RES hosted significantly less Escherichia and unclassified Enterobacteriaceae (possibly pathogenic) in their duodenum than SUS fed the same diet. Dietary cholesterol significantly decreased the duodenal microbiome of SUS's biosynthesis of Ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinone. Cholesterol fed RES had significantly more microbiome genes for Vitamin B6, selenocompound, taurine and hypotaurine, and Linoleic acid metabolism; Bisphenol degradation; primary bile acid, and butirosin and neomycin biosynthesis than SUS on the same diet. Microbiome in the ileum and ceca of RES contributed significantly towards the resistance to diet induced atherosclerosis.

Innovating healthcare delivery to address noncommunicable diseases in low-income settings: the example of hypertension

London Dialogue event, The Hospital Club, 24 Endell St, London, WC2H 9HQ, London, UK, 1 December 2015 Hypertension is a global health issue causing almost 10 million deaths annually, with a disproportionate number occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The condition can be managed effectively, but there is a need for innovation in healthcare delivery to alleviate its burden. This paper presents a number of innovative delivery models from a number of different countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Barbados and India. These models were presented at the London Dialogue event, which was cohosted by the Novartis Foundation and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Centre for Global Noncommunicable Diseases on 1 December 2015. It is argued that these models are applicable not only to hypertension, but provide valuable lessons to address other noncommunicable diseases.