Equine Histoplasmosis in Ethiopia: Phylogenetic Analysis by Sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer Region of rRNA Genes

Prevalence and risk factors for epizootic lymphangitis among equids in ethiopia during 2002-2023: A systematic review and meta-analysis

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), particularly in Ethiopia, Epizootic Lymphangitis (EL) is the most prevalent fungal disease of equids, which causes significant economic losses as well as a decrease in equid populations. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to pool the results of individual studies and estimate the prevalence of EL among equids in Ethiopia. A systematic search of research articles on the prevalence and risk factors of EL among equids in Ethiopia was conducted in registers, databases, and other sources. Cochrane's Q, inverse variance (I2), sensitivity analysis, funnel plot, Begg's, and Egger's regression tests were used to check heterogeneity and publication bias. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled burden of EL among equids. For this meta-analysis, a total of 7217 equids were included in the 14 eligible studies. The overall pooled prevalence of EL among equids in Ethiopia was 20.24% (95% CI: 16.27, 24.21). According to the subgroup analysis, the highest prevalence was observed in cart horses (20.98%), the Amhara region (21.46%), and studies conducted using sample sizes of 384 equids or greater (24.67%) and from 2002 to 2018 (25.52%) study periods. Harness-inflicted wounds, sharing stables or yards with harnesses, and the presence of preexisting wounds were identified as factors significantly associated with EL magnitude. Early diagnosis and proper medication, as well as implementing appropriate prevention and control measures, are necessary for the management of EL in equids.

Design of a Multi-Epitope Vaccine against Histoplasma capsulatum through Immunoinformatics Approaches

Histoplasmosis is a widespread systemic disease caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, prevalent in the Americas. Despite its significant morbidity and mortality rates, no vaccines are currently available. Previously, five vaccine targets and specific epitopes for H. capsulatum were identified. Immunoinformatics has emerged as a novel approach for determining the main immunogenic components of antigens through in silico methods. Therefore, we predicted the main helper and cytotoxic T lymphocytes and B-cell epitopes for these targets to create a potential multi-epitope vaccine known as HistoVAC-TSFM. A total of 38 epitopes were found: 23 common to CTL and B-cell responses, 11 linked to HTL and B cells, and 4 previously validated epitopes associated with the B subunit of cholera toxin, a potent adjuvant. In silico evaluations confirmed the stability, non-toxicity, non-allergenicity, and non-homology of these vaccines with the host. Notably, the vaccine exhibited the potential to trigger both innate and adaptive immune responses, likely involving the TLR4 pathway, as supported by 3D modeling and molecular docking. The designed HistoVAC-TSFM appears promising against Histoplasma, with the ability to induce important cytokines, such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL17, and IL6. Future studies could be carried out to test the vaccine's efficacy in in vivo models.