Microbial Diversity in Bushmeat Samples Recovered from the Serengeti Ecosystem in Tanzania

Katani, Robab; Schilling, Megan A.; Lyimo, Beatus; Tonui, Triza; Cattadori, Isabella M.; Eblate, Ernest; Martin, Andimile; Estes, Anna B.; Buza, Teresia; Rentsch, Dennis; Davenport, Karen Walston; Hovde, Blake T.; Lyimo, Samson; Munuo, Lydia; Stomeo, Francesca; Tiambo, Christian; Radzio-Basu, Jessica; Mosha, Fausta; Hudson, Peter J.; Buza, Joram J.; Kapur, Vivek

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-53969-7

Title: Microbial Diversity in Bushmeat Samples Recovered from the Serengeti Ecosystem in Tanzania

Journal Article · 01 December 2019 · Scientific Reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-53969-7 · OSTI ID:1603985

^[1]; Schilling, Megan A. ^[1];

^[2]; Tonui, Triza ^[3];

^[1]; Eblate, Ernest ^[4]; Martin, Andimile ^[2]; Estes, Anna B. ^[5]; Buza, Teresia ^[1]; Rentsch, Dennis ^[6];

^[7];

^[7]; Lyimo, Samson ^[2]; Munuo, Lydia ^[2]; Stomeo, Francesca ^[8]; Tiambo, Christian ^[3]; Radzio-Basu, Jessica ^[1]; Mosha, Fausta ^[9]; Hudson, Peter J. ^[1]; Buza, Joram J. ^[2] more »

Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
Nelson Mandela African Inst. of Science and Technology, Arusha (Tanzania)
Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Inst. (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi (Kenya)
Nelson Mandela African Inst. of Science and Technology, Arusha (Tanzania); Tanzania Wildlife Research Inst., Arusha (Tanzania)
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Nelson Mandela African Inst. of Science and Technology, Arusha (Tanzania)
Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL (United States)
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg (Germany); Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Inst. (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi (Kenya)
Ministry of Health Community Development Gender Elderly and Children, Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)

Bushmeat, the meat and organs derived from wildlife species, is a common source of animal protein in the diets of those living in sub-Saharan Africa and is frequently associated with zoonotic spillover of dangerous pathogens. Given the frequent consumption of bushmeat in this region and the lack of knowledge about the microbial communities associated with this meat, the microbiome of 56 fresh and processed bushmeat samples ascertained from three districts in the Western Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania was characterized using 16S rRNA metagenomic sequencing. Here, the results show that the most abundant phyla present in bushmeat samples include Firmicutes (67.8%), Proteobacteria (18.4%), Cyanobacteria (8.9%), and Bacteroidetes (3.1%). Regardless of wildlife species, sample condition, season, or region, the microbiome is diverse across all samples, with no significant difference in alpha or beta diversity. The findings also suggest the presence of DNA signatures of potentially dangerous zoonotic pathogens, including those from the genus Bacillus, Brucella, Coxiella, and others, in bushmeat. Together, this investigation provides a better understanding of the microbiome associated with this major food source in samples collected from the Western Serengeti in Tanzania and highlights a need for future investigations on the potential health risks associated with the harvesting, trade, and consumption of bushmeat in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Biological Threat Reduction Program; USDA National Inst. of Food and Agriculture and Multistate

Grant/Contract Number:: 89233218CNA000001

OSTI ID:: 1603985

Report Number(s):: LA-UR--19-20024

Journal Information:: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 9; ISSN 2045-2322

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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