Neutrophils readily infiltrate infection foci, phagocytose and usually destroy microbes. In tuberculosis (TB), a chronic pulmonary infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), neutrophils harbor bacilli, are abundant in tissue lesions, and their abundances in blood correlate with poor disease outcomes in patients. The biology of these innate immune cells in TB is complex. Neutrophils have been assigned host-beneficial as well as deleterious roles. The short lifespan of neutrophils purified from blood poses challenges to cell biology studies, leaving intracellular biological processes and the precise consequences of Mtb–neutrophil interactions ill-defined. The phenotypic heterogeneity of neutrophils, and their propensity to engage in cellular cross-talk and to exert various functions during homeostasis and disease, have recently been reported, and such observations are newly emerging in TB. Here, we review the interactions of neutrophils with Mtb, including subcellular events and cell fate upon infection, and summarize the cross-talks between neutrophils and lung-residing and -recruited cells. We highlight the roles of neutrophils in TB pathophysiology, discussing recent findings from distinct models of pulmonary TB, and emphasize technical advances that could facilitate the discovery of novel neutrophil-related disease mechanisms and enrich our knowledge of TB pathogenesis.

Thirty-six female sheep, previously vaccinated against Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) using inactivated vaccines, were included in this field study. In Germany, vaccination was compulsory in 2008 and 2009, voluntary in 2010 and early 2011, and later, was prohibited in 2011. Due to their age, eighteen sheep had been vaccinated for two or more consecutive years, while a further eighteen animals had only been vaccinated once or not at all. The sheep were blood sampled five (n = 31) to 7.5 years (n = 5) after their last vaccination. All serum samples (n = 36) were tested for BTV group-specific antibodies by an ELISA (IDScreen^® Bluetongue Competition assay, ID Vet). In five of the animals, the BTV-8 serotype-specific antibody titers were measured by serum neutralization (SN). The majority of sheep that were vaccinated annually for two or more years showed a positive ELISA (14/18 sheep) and a SN (two of two sheep) result 5 years after their last vaccination. Most of the sheep vaccinated fewer than twice showed a negative ELISA result 5 to 7.5 years after their last vaccination (13/18 animals). The three animals in this group tested by SN showed one negative and two positive results. This short communication is the first to describe the presence of BTV antibodies in sheep 5 to 7.5 years after vaccination with inactivated BTV-8 vaccines.

In the case of a notifiable animal disease like salmonellosis, manure is contaminated and must be disinfected. This can be performed using heat measures, chemical disinfectants, or long-term storage. All these measures bring along severe economic, ecological, and logistical problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate lactic acid fermentation (LAF) as an alternative disinfection method. Fermentation was started by adding a carbohydrate source to the manure and creating anaerobic conditions. For testing, cattle manure was enriched with different carbohydrate (CHO) sources and spiked with Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Ty.). The samples were incubated at 10 °C and 21 °C for 111 days (Exp1) and at 21 °C for 50 days (Exp2). The microbial shift was determined using cultural methods and MALDI-TOF. Both the change in pH and Enterococcus spp. were tested as suitable indicators. The results showed the different suitability of the selected CHO for hygienization by LAF. Using squeezed oat as an additive, S. Ty was reduced to below the detection limit under both temperature conditions within 21 days and 14 days. Additional saccharose decreased the reduction time. This study showed that LAF is a valuable alternative for disinfecting cattle manure in the case of bovine salmonellosis. Using this method, both manure and feed residues can be treated in one approach and afterwards be used as fertilizer.