An Investigation of the Spanish Causatives: "Hacer Ver, Hacer Creer, Hacer Pensar, Hacer Saber."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowling, Lee H.

1981-01-01

Presents study which shows that although these causatives have same surface structure as productive causative constructions they differ in several ways, e.g., unlike other productive causatives their meaning changes when "que" subjunctive is substituted for the infinitive, and they function like lexical causatives which involve agent-patient, not…

Effect of human papilloma virus expression on clinical course of laryngeal papilloma.

PubMed

Kim, Kwang Moon; Cho, Nam Hoon; Choi, Hong Shik; Kim, Young Ho; Byeon, Hyung Kwon; Min, Hyun Jin; Kim, Se-Heon

2008-10-01

Our observations suggest that human papilloma virus (HPV) 6/11 is the main causative agent of laryngeal papilloma and that detection of active HPV DNA expression may be helpful in identifying patients with aggressive recurrent laryngeal papilloma. HPV is assumed to be the main causative agent of this disease. We investigated the expression of the entire genotype of HPV in cases of laryngeal papilloma and correlated their expression with the clinical course of the disease. Seventy cases of laryngeal papilloma were evaluated for the presence of the HPV genome by in situ hybridization (ISH) using wide-spectrum HPV DNA probe. Specific types of HPV infection were determined by DNA ISH using type-specific HPV DNA probes (HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33). Separate analyses were conducted comparing viral types, frequency of recurrences and duration of disease-free periods. We detected HPV DNA in 40 of the 70 laryngeal papilloma cases (57%). In particular, HPV DNA was detected in 75% of the juvenile types. There were significant associations between HPV and laryngeal papilloma (p<0.01). Among the HPV-positive cases, major specific types were HPV 6/11 (97%). Significant associations were also noted between viral expression and clinical course.

Identification, antifungal susceptibility and scanning electron microscopy of a keratinolytic strain of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa: a primary causative agent of onychomycosis.

PubMed

da Cunha, Marcel M L; dos Santos, Luana P B; Dornelas-Ribeiro, Marcos; Vermelho, Alane B; Rozental, Sonia

2009-04-01

Onychomycosis is a dermatological problem of high prevalence that mainly affects the hallux toenail. Onychomycosis caused by the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was identified using colony morphology, light microscopy, urease and carbohydrate metabolism in a 57-year-old immunocompetent patient from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy of nail fragments, processed by a noncoating method, led to the observation with fine detail of the structures of both nail and fungus involved in the infection. Yeasts were mainly found inside grooves in the nail. Budding yeasts presented a spiral pattern of growth and blastoconidia were found in the nail groove region. Keratinase assays and keratin enzymography revealed that this isolate was highly capable of degrading keratin. Antifungal susceptibility tests showed that the fungus was susceptible to low concentrations of amphotericin B and 5-flucytosine and resistant to high concentrations of fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole and terbinafine. These findings showed data for the first time concerning the interaction of R. mucilaginosa in toenail infection and suggest that this emerging yeast should also be considered an opportunistic primary causative agent of onychomycosis.

Identification of the causative dermatophyte of tinea capitis in children attending Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda by PCR-ELISA and comparison with conventional mycological diagnostic methods.

PubMed

Wiegand, Cornelia; Mugisha, Peter; Mulyowa, Grace K; Elsner, Peter; Hipler, Uta-Christina; Gräser, Yvonne; Uhrlaß, Silke; Nenoff, Pietro

2017-08-01

Tinea capitis is a dermatophyte infection common among prepubertal children in sub-Saharan Africa and mainly caused by Trichophyton and Microsporum species. Accurate identification is challenging as conventional methods like culture and microscopy are slow and mostly based on morphological characteristics, which make them less sensitive and specific. Modern molecular methods, like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, are gaining acceptance and are quick as well as accurate. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical patterns of tinea capitis and to accurately identify the most common causative dermatophytes affecting the scalps of children aged 1 to 16 years attending the Skin Clinic at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mbarara, Uganda, East Africa, using both conventional mycological methods and PCR-ELISA for detection of dermatophyte DNA. One hundred fifteen clinical samples from children from Western Uganda attending the MUST Skin Clinic with a clinical diagnosis of tinea capitis were analyzed. T. violaceum was identified as the most common causative agent, followed by M. audouinii, T. soudanense, and T. rubrum. The early identification of the causative agent of tinea capitis is a prerequisite for the effective management of the disease, the identification of probable source and the prevention of spreading. Children with tinea capitis in Western Uganda should be treated by systemic therapy rather than topical preparations to ensure high cure rates as the most common causative dermatophytes T. violaceum exhibits an endothrix rather than ectothrix invasion of the hair follicle. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

75 FR 52758 - Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-27

...- related virus (XMRV) has been implicated as a possible causative agent of prostate cancer and chronic... other retroviruses to possibly establish these viruses as causative agents for CFS, prostate cancer, and... other biologics, for treating prostate cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, and any other disease where...

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification as an emerging technology for detection of Yersinia ruckeri the causative agent of enteric red mouth disease in fish.

PubMed

Saleh, Mona; Soliman, Hatem; El-Matbouli, Mansour

2008-08-12

Enteric Redmouth (ERM) disease also known as Yersiniosis is a contagious disease affecting salmonids, mainly rainbow trout. The causative agent is the gram-negative bacterium Yersinia ruckeri. The disease can be diagnosed by isolation and identification of the causative agent, or detection of the Pathogen using fluorescent antibody tests, ELISA and PCR assays. These diagnostic methods are laborious, time consuming and need well trained personnel. A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and evaluated for detection of Y. ruckeri the etiological agent of enteric red mouth (ERM) disease in salmonids. The assay was optimised to amplify the yruI/yruR gene, which encodes Y. ruckeri quorum sensing system, in the presence of a specific primer set and Bst DNA polymerase at an isothermal temperature of 63 degrees C for one hour. Amplification products were detected by visual inspection, agarose gel electrophoresis and by real-time monitoring of turbidity resulted by formation of LAMP amplicons. Digestion with HphI restriction enzyme demonstrated that the amplified product was unique. The specificity of the assay was verified by the absence of amplification products when tested against related bacteria. The assay had 10-fold higher sensitivity compared with conventional PCR and successfully detected Y. ruckeri not only in pure bacterial culture but also in tissue homogenates of infected fish. The ERM-LAMP assay represents a practical alternative to the microbiological approach for rapid, sensitive and specific detection of Y. ruckeri in fish farms. The assay is carried out in one hour and needs only a heating block or water bath as laboratory furniture. The advantages of the ERM-LAMP assay make it a promising tool for molecular detection of enteric red mouth disease in fish farms.

Infectious causes of reproductive disorders in cattle.

PubMed

Yoo, Han Sang

2010-01-01

The incidences of reproductive disorders in bovine are increasing over years. This scenario is further aggravating due to more emphasis on selection and rearing of animal for specific commercial purposes which compromises livestock reproduction. Reproductive disorders like infertility and abortions in cattle are major problems in the bovine industry. The reproductive disorders might be caused by several different agents such as physical agents, chemical agents, biological agents, etc. Also, the causative agent and pathogenesis of reproductive disorders are influenced by various factors including environmental factor. The exact causes may not be evident and are often complicated with multiple causative agents. Thus, there is a need for multi-faceted approach to understand correlation of various factors with reproductive performance. Of the agents, infectious biological agents are significant cause of reproductive disorder and are of high priority in the bovine industry. These factors are not only related to the prosperity of bovine industry but are also important from public health point of view because of their zoonotic potentials. Several infectious agents like bacterial, viral, protozoon, chlamydial and fungal agents are known to have direct impact on reproductive health of cattle. These diseases can be arranged and discussed in different groups based on the causative agents.

42 CFR 441.17 - Laboratory services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... testing for the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody or for the isolation and identification of the HIV causative agent as described in § 405.1316(f) (2) and (3) of this chapter, the... requirement for patient's name, in paragraph (b) of this section for HIV antibody or causative agent testing...

42 CFR 441.17 - Laboratory services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... testing for the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody or for the isolation and identification of the HIV causative agent as described in § 405.1316(f) (2) and (3) of this chapter, the... requirement for patient's name, in paragraph (b) of this section for HIV antibody or causative agent testing...

42 CFR 441.17 - Laboratory services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... testing for the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody or for the isolation and identification of the HIV causative agent as described in § 405.1316(f) (2) and (3) of this chapter, the... requirement for patient's name, in paragraph (b) of this section for HIV antibody or causative agent testing...

42 CFR 441.17 - Laboratory services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... testing for the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody or for the isolation and identification of the HIV causative agent as described in § 405.1316(f) (2) and (3) of this chapter, the... requirement for patient's name, in paragraph (b) of this section for HIV antibody or causative agent testing...

42 CFR 441.17 - Laboratory services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... testing for the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody or for the isolation and identification of the HIV causative agent as described in § 405.1316(f) (2) and (3) of this chapter, the... requirement for patient's name, in paragraph (b) of this section for HIV antibody or causative agent testing...

Helminthic transmission and isolation of Ehrlichia risticii, the causative agent of Potomac horse fever, by using trematode stages from freshwater stream snails.

PubMed

Pusterla, N; Madigan, J E; Chae, J S; DeRock, E; Johnson, E; Pusterla, J B

2000-03-01

We report successful helminthic transmission of Ehrlichia risticii, the causative agent of Potomac horse fever, using trematode stages collected from Juga yrekaensis snails. The ehrlichial agent was isolated from the blood of experimentally infected horses by culture in murine monocytic cells and identified as E. risticii ultrastructurally and by characterization of three different genes.

Helminthic Transmission and Isolation of Ehrlichia risticii, the Causative Agent of Potomac Horse Fever, by Using Trematode Stages from Freshwater Stream Snails

PubMed Central

Pusterla, Nicola; Madigan, John E.; Chae, Joon-Seok; DeRock, Elfriede; Johnson, Eileen; Pusterla, Jeannine Berger

2000-01-01

We report successful helminthic transmission of Ehrlichia risticii, the causative agent of Potomac horse fever, using trematode stages collected from Juga yrekaensis snails. The ehrlichial agent was isolated from the blood of experimentally infected horses by culture in murine monocytic cells and identified as E. risticii ultrastructurally and by characterization of three different genes. PMID:10699046

Atypical aetiology in patients hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia is associated with age, gender and season; a data-analysis on four Dutch cohorts.

PubMed

Raeven, Vivian M; Spoorenberg, Simone M C; Boersma, Wim G; van de Garde, Ewoudt M W; Cannegieter, Suzanne C; Voorn, G P Paul; Bos, Willem Jan W; van Steenbergen, Jim E

2016-06-17

Microorganisms causing community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) can be categorised into viral, typical and atypical (Legionella species, Coxiella burnetii, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydia species). Extensive microbiological testing to identify the causative microorganism is not standardly recommended, and empiric treatment does not always cover atypical pathogens. In order to optimize epidemiologic knowledge of CAP and to improve empiric antibiotic choice, we investigated whether atypical microorganisms are associated with a particular season or with the patient characteristics age, gender, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A data-analysis was performed on databases from four prospective studies, which all included adult patients hospitalised with CAP in the Netherlands (N = 980). All studies performed extensive microbiological testing. A main causative agent was identified in 565/980 (57.7 %) patients. Of these, 117 (20.7 %) were atypical microorganisms. This percentage was 40.4 % (57/141) during the non-respiratory season (week 20 to week 39, early May to early October), and 67.2 % (41/61) for patients under the age of 60 during this season. Factors that were associated with atypical causative agents were: CAP acquired in the non-respiratory season (odds ratio (OR) 4.3, 95 % CI 2.68-6.84), age <60 year (OR 2.9, 95 % CI 1.83-4.66), male gender (OR 1.7, 95 % CI 1.06-2.71) and absence of COPD (OR 0.2, 95 % CI 0.12-0.52). Atypical causative agents in CAP are associated with respectively non-respiratory season, age <60 years, male gender and absence of COPD. Therefore, to maximise its yield, extensive microbiological testing should be considered in patients <60 years old who are admitted with CAP from early May to early October. NCT00471640 , NCT00170196 (numbers of original studies).

[Bolivian hemorrhagic fever].

PubMed

Markin, V A; Pantiukhov, V B; Markov, V I; Bondarev, V P

2013-01-01

Analysis of data of the available literature on epidemiology of Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, manifestations of human disease, biological properties of the causative agent and development carried out abroad of means and methods of diagnostics, prophylaxis and therapy of this infection that presents a potential threat for the population and economy of the Russian Federation in case of introduction of the causative agent is presented.

[Staphylococcus aureus infection in Apis mellifera L. (honeybees)].

PubMed

Keskin, N

1989-07-01

The causative agent of American foulbrood is Bacillus larvae, the causes of the European foulbrood diseases are Streptococcus pluton and Bacillus alvei and the causes of the septicemia are Pseudomonas apiseptica and Escherichia coli in honeybees (Apis mellifera). Apart from the above causative agents in this study, Staphylococcus aureus has been isolated and identified from honeybees (Apis mellifera).

[Formation of microbial biofilms in causative agents of acute and chronic pyelonephritis].

PubMed

Lagun, L V; Atanasova, Iu V; Tapal'skiĭ, D V

2013-01-01

Study the intensity of formation of microbial biofilms by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated during various forms of pyelonephritis. 150 clinical isolates of microorganisms isolated from urine ofpatientswith acute and chronic pyelonephritiswere included into the study. Determination of intensity of film-formation was carried out by staining of the formed biofilms by crystal violet with consequent extraction of the dye and measurement of its concentration in washout solution. Among causative agents ofpyelonephritis P. aeruginosa isolates had the maximum film-forming ability. The intensity of biofilm formation of these isolates was 2-3 time higher than staphylococcus and enterobacteria strains. Strains isolated from patients with chronic pyelonephritis by ability to form biofilms significantly surpassed strains isolated from acute pyelonephritis patients. A higher ability to form microbial biofilms for microorganisms--causative agents of pyelonephritis progressing against the background ofurolithiasis was noted. The ability to form biofilms is determined by both causative agent species and character of the infectious process in which this microorganism participates. Intensive formation of biofilms by E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus clinical isolates may be an important factor of chronization of urinary tract infections.

Distinctive features of the microbiota associated with different forms of apical periodontitis

PubMed Central

Siqueira, José F.; Rôças, Isabela N.

2009-01-01

Microorganisms infecting the dental root canal system play an unequivocal role as causative agents of apical periodontitis. Although fungi, archaea, and viruses have been found in association with some forms of apical periodontitis, bacteria are the main microbial etiologic agents of this disease. Bacteria colonizing the root canal are usually organized in communities similar to biofilm structures. Culture and molecular biology technologies have demonstrated that the endodontic bacterial communities vary in species richness and abundance depending on the different types of infection and different forms of apical periodontitis. This review paper highlights the distinctive features of the endodontic microbiota associated with diverse clinical conditions. PMID:21523208

Novel duck parvovirus identified in Cherry Valley ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus), China.

PubMed

Li, Chuanfeng; Li, Qi; Chen, Zongyan; Liu, Guangqing

2016-10-01

An unknown infectious disease in Cherry Valley ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) characterized by short beak and strong growth retardation occurred in China during 2015. The causative agent of this disease, tentatively named duck short beak and dwarfism syndrome (DSBDS), as well as the evolutionary relationships between this causative agent and all currently known avian-origin parvoviruses were clarified by virus isolation, transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation, analysis of nuclear acid type, (RT-)PCR identification, whole genome sequencing, and NS1 protein sequences-based phylogenetic analyses. The results indicated that the causative agent of DSBDS is closely related with the goose parvovirus-like virus, which is divergent from all currently known avian-origin parvoviruses and should be a novel duck parvovirus (NDPV). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence for a close phylogenetic relationship between Melissococcus pluton, the causative agent of European foulbrood disease, and the genus Enterococcus.

PubMed

Cai, J; Collins, M D

1994-04-01

The 16S rRNA gene sequence of Melissococcus pluton, the causative agent of European foulbrood disease, was determined in order to investigate the phylogenetic relationships between this organism and other low-G + C-content gram-positive bacteria. A comparative sequence analysis revealed that M. pluton is a close phylogenetic relative of the genus Enterococcus.

Serological detection of Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever in Texan domestic dogs

PubMed Central

Snell, Chloe B.; Adetunji, Shakirat A.; Piccione, Julie

2017-01-01

Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) is caused by spirochetes in the genus Borrelia. Very limited information exists on the incidence of this disease in humans and domestic dogs in the United States. The main objective of this study is to evaluate exposure of dogs to Borrelia turicatae, a causative agent of TBRF, in Texas. To this end, 878 canine serum samples were submitted to Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory from October 2011 to September 2012 for suspected tick-borne illnesses. The recombinant Borrelial antigen glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GlpQ) was expressed, purified, and used as a diagnostic antigen in both ELISA assays and Immunoblot analysis. Unfortunately, due to significant background reaction, the use of GlpQ as a diagnostic marker in the ELISA assay was not effective in discriminating dogs exposed to B. turicatae. Nevertheless, immunoblot assays showed that 17 out of 853 samples tested were considered to be seropositive, which constitutes 1.99% of all Texas samples tested in this study. The majority of positive samples were from central and southern Texas. Exposure to TBRF spirochetes may be seasonal, with 70.59% (12 out of 17) of the cases detected between June and December. In addition, 2 out of the 17 sero-reactive cases (11.76%) showed reactivity to both B. burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) and B. turicatae (a causative agent of TBRF). This is the first report of TBRF sero-prevalence in companion animals in an endemic area. Our findings further indicate that B. turicatae is maintained in domestic canids in Texas in regions where human disease also occurs, suggesting that domestic dogs could serve as sentinels for this disease. PMID:29232415

The End of a 60-year Riddle: Identification and Genomic Characterization of an Iridovirus, the Causative Agent of White Fat Cell Disease in Zooplankton

PubMed Central

Toenshoff, Elena R.; Fields, Peter D.; Bourgeois, Yann X.; Ebert, Dieter

2018-01-01

The planktonic freshwater crustacean of the genus Daphnia are a model system for biomedical research and, in particular, invertebrate-parasite interactions. Up until now, no virus has been characterized for this system. Here we report the discovery of an iridovirus as the causative agent of White Fat Cell Disease (WFCD) in Daphnia. WFCD is a highly virulent disease of Daphnia that can easily be cultured under laboratory conditions. Although it has been studied from sites across Eurasia for more than 60 years, its causative agent had not been described, nor had an iridovirus been connected to WFCD before now. Here we find that an iridovirus—the Daphnia iridescent virus 1 (DIV-1)—is the causative agent of WFCD. DIV-1 has a genome sequence of about 288 kbp, with 39% G+C content and encodes 367 predicted open reading frames. DIV-1 clusters together with other invertebrate iridoviruses but has by far the largest genome among all sequenced iridoviruses. Comparative genomics reveal that DIV-1 has apparently recently lost a substantial number of unique genes but has also gained genes by horizontal gene transfer from its crustacean host. DIV-1 represents the first invertebrate iridovirus that encodes proteins to purportedly cap RNA, and it contains unique genes for a DnaJ-like protein, a membrane glycoprotein and protein of the immunoglobulin superfamily, which may mediate host–pathogen interactions and pathogenicity. Our findings end a 60-year search for the causative agent of WFCD and add to our knowledge of iridovirus genomics and invertebrate–virus interactions. PMID:29487186

Characteristics of Filoviridae: Marburg and Ebola Viruses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beer, Brigitte; Kurth, Reinhard; Bukreyev, Alexander

Filoviruses are enveloped, nonsegmented negative-stranded RNA viruses. The two species, Marburg and Ebola virus, are serologically, biochemically, and genetically distinct. Marburg virus was first isolated during an outbreak in Europe in 1967, and Ebola virus emerged in 1976 as the causative agent of two simultaneous outbreaks in southern Sudan and northern Zaire. Although the main route of infection is known to be person-to-person transmission by intimate contact, the natural reservoir for filoviruses still remains a mystery.

Unveiling Members of Colletotrichum acutatum Species Complex Causing Colletotrichum Leaf Disease of Hevea brasiliensis in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Hunupolagama, D M; Chandrasekharan, N V; Wijesundera, W S S; Kathriarachchi, H S; Fernando, T H P S; Wijesundera, R L C

2017-06-01

Colletotrichum is an important fungal genus with great diversity, which causes anthracnose of a variety of crop plants including rubber trees. Colletotrichum acutatum and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides have been identified as the major causative agents of Colletotrichum leaf disease of rubber trees in Sri Lanka based on morphology, pathogenicity, and the analysis of internally transcribed spacer sequences of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. This study has been conducted to investigate the members of the C. acutatum species complex causing rubber leaf disease using a morphological and multi gene approach. For the first time in Sri Lanka, Colletotrichum simmondsii, Colletotrichum laticiphilum, Colletotrichum nymphaeae, and Colletotrichum citri have been identified as causative agents of Colletotrichum leaf disease in addition to C. acutatum s. str. Among them, C. simmondsii has been recognized as the major causative agent.

[Clinico-mycological study of onychomycosis in elderly patients].

PubMed

Rodríguez-Soto, M E; Fernández-Andreu, C M; Moya Duque, S; Rodríguez Díaz, R M; Martínez-Machín, G

1993-01-01

Physical examination of nails was carried out in 210 elderly patients and nail scrapings were obtained from onychomycosis suggested lesions in order to determine their causative agents, incidence and clinical characteristics. Diagnostic was confirmed by the isolation of the agents from 74 patients, mainly from toe-nails (incidence 35.2). Tinea pedis occurred in 25% of the cases and Diabetes mellitus was the most prevalent associated disease and the most frequent clinical characteristics were the thickening, the opacity and the presence of longitudinal strias in the surface of the nails. It was compared the results obtained by microscopic examination and by culture. Trichophyton rubrum was the most common dermatophyte isolated; Candida parapsilosis was dominant among Candida species.

[Opportunistic microorganisms in purulent inflammatory otolaryngologic diseases and meningitis].

PubMed

Mironov, A Iu; Savitskaia, K I; Vorob'ev, A A

2001-01-01

The contamination of clinical specimens material, obtained from patients with otolaryngology inflammatory processes and purulent meningitides in the Moscow region, has been studied. Etiologically significant causative agents dominating in different purulent inflammatory diseases have been established. As revealed in this study, in the Moscow region the leading causative agents of purulent inflammatory otolaryngology deseases and meningitides are coagulase-negative ataphylococci, Escherichia coli, meningococci, pyogenic streptococci and fungi of the genus Candida.

United States Air Force Personnel and Exposure to Herbicide Orange

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-01

effects. Dioxin cannot be confidently identified as the causative agent of these findings at this time because of several reasons, including the absence...of correlations with an exposure index and the incomplete clinical picture. However, dioxin is not exonerated as a causative agent because of the...relative risk of two for causes of death, such as heart disease, having incidence 1/100 in the comparison population. The corresponding power is less than

A rapid and definitive diagnosis of kerosene dermatitis by an analysis of detached lesional epidermis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tsujino, Yoshio; Hieda, Yoko; Morita, Eishin

2005-08-01

A 73-year-old woman, who suffered from erythema with bullae and pustules on her abdomen and anterior right thigh, visited our hospital without an awareness of the causative agents. The lesions appeared like first and second degree burns. The small amount of detached roof of bulla was sampled without skin biopsy before the ointment treatment. The sample was sonicated in an ultrasonic bath for 1 min in n-pentane, and then 1 mul of the extract was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The causative agent was determined to be kerosene. An examination of blood samples collected at the first visit failed to detect kerosene, though traces of trimethylbenzene were detected. A GC-MS analysis of the small sample of lesional epidermis was very useful to identify kerosene as a causative agent.

FOOT ECZEMA: THE ROLE OF PATCH TEST IN DETERMINING THE CAUSATIVE AGENT USING STANDARD SERIES

PubMed Central

Priya, K S; Kamath, Ganesh; Martis, Jacintha; D, Sukumar; Shetty, Narendra J; Bhat, Ramesh M; Kishore, B Nanda

2008-01-01

Foot dermatitis refers to the predominant involvement of feet in the eczematous process. This study is undertaken to determine the clinical pattern and causative agent in foot eczema and to evaluate the role of patch testing in determining the causative agent of foot eczema. Data was collected from 50 patients with foot eczema, who attended the out-patient department. The patch test was performed using Indian standard series. Patch test was positive in 88% of the patients. The most common site affected was the dorsal aspect of the foot (48%) and scaly plaque was the predominant morphological pattern. The highest number of patients (24%) showed positive reactions to mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) and the lowest (4%) to neomycin sulfate. Rubber and rubber chemicals have been reported worldwide to be the most common sensitizer causing foot eczema. Thus, patch test has a major role in finding out the cause of foot eczema. PMID:19881990

First Detection of an Enterovirus C99 in a Captive Chimpanzee with Acute Flaccid Paralysis, from the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center, Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Mombo, Illich Manfred; Berthet, Nicolas; Lukashev, Alexander N; Bleicker, Tobias; Brünink, Sebastian; Léger, Lucas; Atencia, Rebeca; Cox, Debby; Bouchier, Christiane; Durand, Patrick; Arnathau, Céline; Brazier, Lionel; Fair, Joseph N; Schneider, Bradley S; Drexler, Jan Felix; Prugnolle, Franck; Drosten, Christian; Renaud, François; Leroy, Eric M; Rougeron, Virginie

2015-01-01

Enteroviruses, members of the Picornaviridae family, are ubiquitous viruses responsible for mild to severe infections in human populations around the world. In 2010 Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo recorded an outbreak of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in the humans, caused by wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). One month later, in the Tchimpounga sanctuary near Pointe-Noire, a chimpanzee developed signs similar to AFP, with paralysis of the lower limbs. In the present work, we sought to identify the pathogen, including viral and bacterial agents, responsible for this illness. In order to identify the causative agent, we evaluated a fecal specimen by PCR and sequencing. A Human enterovirus C, specifically of the EV-C99 type was potentially responsible for the illness in this chimpanzee. To rule out other possible causative agents, we also investigated the bacteriome and the virome using next generation sequencing. The majority of bacterial reads obtained belonged to commensal bacteria (95%), and the mammalian virus reads matched mainly with viruses of the Picornaviridae family (99%), in which enteroviruses were the most abundant (99.6%). This study thus reports the first identification of a chimpanzee presenting AFP most likely caused by an enterovirus and demonstrates once again the cross-species transmission of a human pathogen to an ape.

[Therapeutic principles of bronchopulmonary infections in the aged].

PubMed

Kummer, F

1983-05-01

Airways and lungs are equipped with a highly effective defense mechanism. These can bei found damaged in the aged: Cough is weaker, mucociliary clearance and mucous production are irregular. This damage can bei caused and increased by smoking, recurrent infection, and some sorts of air pollution (SO2). We call it a primary infection, when the organ has been intact as well as the general condition (immune defense etc), and where the causative agent is a virus or virus-like organism. A secondary infection is conditioned by previous disease, and when the causative agents are bacilli. Finally, a tertiary infection is dependent on a defense failure of the body and on opportunistic organisms. For elderly patients, secondary infections outweight the others (recurrent purulent bronchitits). However, tertiary infections must also bei considered in bedridden or post-operative patients or in those with metabolic disease. Finally, pneumonia in the aged must be differentiated in terms of underlying carcinoma, infarction, aspiration and tuberculosis. Therapy of primary (viral)infection consists mainly in prophylaxis of bacterial secondary infection. The choice of drug, dosage and duration of treatment depends on the degree of previous damage to the organ, of complications and status of the whole body and it's defense mechanisms.

Management of tinea capitis in childhood

PubMed Central

Bennassar, Antoni; Grimalt, Ramon

2010-01-01

Tinea capitis (TC) is a common dermatophyte infection affecting primarily prepubertal children. The causative pathogens belong to only two genera: Trichophyton and Microsporum. Although there is a great local variation in the epidemiology of TC worldwide, T. tonsurans is currently the most common cause of TC with M. canis second. Even though there is an emerging number of anthropophilic scalp infections, M. canis remains the predominant causative organism in many countries of the Mediterranean basin, the most important dermatophyte carriers being stray cats and dogs as well as pet puppies, kittens and rabbits. TC always requires systemic treatment because topical antifungal agents do not penetrate down to the deepest part of the hair follicle. Since the late 1950s, griseofulvin has been the gold standard for systemic therapy of TC. It is active against dermatophytes and has a long-term safety profile. The main disadvantage of griseofulvin is the long duration of treatment required which may lead to reduced compliance. The newer oral antifungal agents including terbinafine, itraconazole, ketokonazole, and fluconazole appear to have efficacy rates and potential adverse effects similar to those of griseofulvin in children with TC caused by Trichophyton species, while requiring a much shorter duration of treatment. They may, however, be more expensive. PMID:21437064

[MANIFESTATIONS OF EPIDEMIC PROCESS AND TRANSMISSION ROUTES OF CAUSATIVE AGENT OF ENTEROVIRUS SEROUS MENINGITIS].

PubMed

Sergevnin, V I; Tryasolobova, M A; Kudrevatykh, E V; Kuzovnikova, E Zh

2015-01-01

Study the manifestations of epidemic process and leading transmission routes of causative agents of enterovirus serous meningitis (SM) by results of laboratory studies and epidemiologic examination of epidemic nidi. During 2010 - 2014 a study for enterovirus was carried out in cerebrospinal fluid in 743 patients, hospitalized into medical organizations of Perm with primary diagnosis "serous meningitis", feces of 426 individuals, that had communicated with patients with SM of enterovirus etiology; 827 water samples from the distribution network, 295 water samples from open water and 57 washes from surface of vegetables and fruits. All the samples were studied in polymerase chain reaction, part--by a virological method. Epidemiologic examination of 350 epidemic nidi of SM was carried out. Enterovirus and (or) its RNA were detected in 62.0% of patients and 61.9% of individuals that had communicated with patients with enteroviris SM. ECHO 6 serotype enterovirus dominated among the causative agents. Maximum intensity of epidemic process of enterovirus SM, based on data from laboratory examination of patients, was detected in a group of organized pre-school and school age children during summer-autumn period. . Examination of epidemic nidi and laboratory control of environmental objects have shown that CV causative agent transmission factors are, in particular, unboiled water from decentralized sources (boreholes, wells, springs), water from open waters during bathing, as well as fresh vegetables, fruits, berries and meals produced from them. .

Observational goals for Max '91 to identify the causative agent for impulsive bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batchelor, D. A.

1989-01-01

Recent studies of impulsive hard x ray and microwave bursts suggest that a propagating causative agent with a characteristic velocity of the order of 1000 km/s is responsible for these bursts. The results of these studies are summarized and observable distinguishing characteristics of the various possible agents are highlighted, with emphasis on key observational goals for the Max '91 campaigns. The most likely causative agents suggested by the evidence are shocks, thermal conduction fronts, and propagating modes of magnetic reconnection in flare plasmas. With new instrumentation planned for Max '91, high spatial resolution observations of hard x ray sources have the potential to identify the agent by revealing detailed features of source spatial evolution. Observations with the Very Large Array and other radio imaging instruments are of great importance, as well as detailed modeling of coronal loop structures to place limits on their density and temperature profiles. With the combined hard x ray and microwave imaging observations, aided by loop model results, the simplest causative agent to rule out would be the propagating modes of magnetic reconnection. To fit the observational evidence, reconnection modes would need to travel at approximately the same velocity (the Alfven velocity) in different coronal structures that vary in length by a factor of 10(exp 3). Over such a vast range in loop lengths, it is difficult to believe that the Alfven velocity is constant. Thermal conduction fronts would be suggested by sources that expand along the direction of B and exhibit relatively little particle precipitation. Particle acceleration due to shocks could produce more diverse radially expanding source geometries with precipitation at loop footprints.

Genital elephantiasis and sexually transmitted infections - revisited.

PubMed

Gupta, Somesh; Ajith, C; Kanwar, Amrinder J; Sehgal, Virendra N; Kumar, Bhushan; Mete, Uttam

2006-03-01

Genital elephantiasis is an important medical problem in the tropics. It usually affects young and productive age group, and is associated with physical disability and extreme mental anguish. The majority of cases are due to filariasis; however, a small but significant proportion of patients develop genital elephantiasis due to bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), mainly lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) and donovanosis. STI-related genital elephantiasis should be differentiated from elephantiasis due to other causes, including filariasis, tuberculosis, haematological malignancies, iatrogenic, or dermatological diseases. Laboratory investigations like microscopy of tissue smear and nucleic acid amplification test for donovanosis, and serology and polymerase chain reaction for LGV may help in the diagnosis, but in endemic areas, in the absence of laboratory facilities, diagnosis largely depends on clinical characteristics. The causative agent of LGV, Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L1-L3, is a lymphotropic organism which leads to the development of thrombolymphangitis and perilymphangitis, and lymphadenitis. Long-standing oedema, fibrosis and lymphogranulomatous infiltration result in the final picture of elephantiasis. Elephantiasis in donovanosis is mainly due to constriction of the lymphatics which are trapped in the chronic granulomatous inflammatory response generated by the causative agent, Calymmatobacterium (Klebsiella) granulomatis. The LGV-associated genital elephantiasis should be treated with a prolonged course of doxycycline given orally, while donovanosis should be treated with azithromycin or trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole combination given for a minimum of three weeks. Genital elephantiasis is not completely reversible with medical therapy alone and often needs to be reduced surgically.

Epidemiological Study on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in an Endemic Area, of Qom Province, Central Iran.

PubMed

Saghafipour, Abedin; Vatandoost, Hassan; Zahraei-Ramazani, Ali Reza; Yaghoobi-Ershadi, Mohammad Reza; Jooshin, Moharram Karami; Rassi, Yavar; Shirzadi, Mohammad Reza; Akhavan, Amir Ahmad; Hanafi-Bojd, Ahmad Ali

2017-09-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most important health problems in many areas of Iran. There are two forms of the disease in Iran, anthroponotic and zoonotic CL. This study conducted to assess the epidemiological situation of CL in an endemic area of Qom Province, central Iran from Apr to Nov 2015. The sticky paper traps and aspirating tubes were used for collecting adult sand flies. Sherman traps and small insect nets were used to capture rodents and small mammals. Giemsa staining was used for preparing the expanded smear and followed by PCR for identifying the causative agent in human, vectors, and reservoirs. In this study, relative frequency of CL was also calculated. Fourteen species of Phlebotomine sand flies were collected. Phlebotomus papatasi (61.74%) was the predominant species through the period of activity. Overall, 62 Meriones libycus , 8 Nesokia indica , 4 Mus musculus , 16 Allactaga elater and 2 Hemiechinus auritis were caught. PCR technique showed 6 out of 150 P. papatasi (2%), two out of 62 M. libycus (3.23%) and all of suspected human's skin tissue samples (100%) were infected with Leishmania major . The relative frequency of CL was 0.30%. This is the first detection of L. major within P. papatasi , M. libycus and human in Kahak District in Qom Province of Iran. Zoonotic cycle of CL exists in this area, L. major is the causative agent, P. papatasi is the main vector and M. libycus is the main reservoir of the disease.

Modulation of the multidrug efflux pump EmrD-3 from Vibrio cholerae by Allium sativum extract and the bioactive agent allyl sulfide plus synergistic enhancement of antimicrobial susceptibility by A. sativum extract.

PubMed

Bruns, Merissa M; Kakarla, Prathusha; Floyd, Jared T; Mukherjee, Mun Mun; Ponce, Robert C; Garcia, John A; Ranaweera, Indrika; Sanford, Leslie M; Hernandez, Alberto J; Willmon, T Mark; Tolson, Grace L; Varela, Manuel F

2017-10-01

The causative agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae, is a public health concern. Multidrug-resistant V. cholerae variants may reduce chemotherapeutic efficacies of severe cholera. We previously reported that the multidrug efflux pump EmrD-3 from V. cholerae confers resistance to multiple structurally distinct antimicrobials. Medicinal plant compounds are potential candidates for EmrD-3 efflux pump modulation. The antibacterial activities of garlic Allium sativum, although poorly understood, predicts that a main bioactive component, allyl sulfide, modulates EmrD-3 efflux. Thus, we tested whether A. sativum extract acts in synergy with antimicrobials and that a main bioactive component allyl sulfide inhibits EmrD-3 efflux. We found that A. sativum extract and allyl sulfide inhibited ethidium bromide efflux in cells harboring EmrD-3 and that A. sativum lowered the MICs of multiple antibacterials. We conclude that A. sativum and allyl sulfide inhibit EmrD-3 and that A. sativum extract synergistically enhances antibacterial agents.

Antibiotic resistance patterns of urinary tract pathogens in Turkish children.

PubMed

Gunduz, Suzan; Uludağ Altun, Hatice

2018-01-01

Knowledge of local antimicrobial resistance patterns is essential for evidence- based empirical antibiotic prescribing. We aimed to investigate the distribution and changes in causative agents of urinary tract infections in children and the resistance rates, and to recommend the most appropriate antibiotics. In this retrospective study, we evaluated causative agents and antimicrobial resistance in urine isolates from the positive community from September 2014 to April 2016 in a single hospital in Ankara, Turkey. A total of 850 positive urine cultures were identified, of which 588 (69.2%) were from girls and 262 (30.8%) were from boys. Their mean age was 36.5 ± 45.0 months. The most common causative agent was Escherichia coli (64.2% of cases) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.9%). The overall resistance to ampicillin (62.6%), cephalothin (44.2%), co-trimoxazole (29.8%) and cefuroxime (28.7%) was significant. No resistance to imipenem was detected in the isolates. The least resistance was for amikacin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and cefepime (0.1, 2.4, 7.5 and 8.3%, respectively). Imipenem was the most active agent against E. coli followed by amikacin (0.2%), ceftriaxone (2.7%) and nitrofurantoin (5.1%). High resistance rates to nitrofurantoin were detected in K. pneumoniae, Proteus and Enterobacteriae . E. coli was the most common causative agent of urinary tract infection in children. Ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfometaxazole, cephalothin and cefuroxim had the highest resistance rates against urinary tract pathogens in our center. For oral empirical antibiotherapy, cefixime is the most appropriate choice so as to include Klebsiella strains.

[Recurrent epidemics of gastroenteritis caused by norovirus GI.3 in a small hotel].

PubMed

Soini, Jani; Hemminki, Kaisa; Pirnes, Aija; Roivainen, Merja; Al-Hello, Haider; Maunula, Leena; Kauppinen, Ari; Miettinen, Likka; Smit, Pieter W; Huusko, Sari; Toikkanen, Salla; Rimhanen-Finne, Ruska

2016-01-01

Recurrent cases of gastroenteritis occurred in a small hotel. The causative agent of disease could not be detected. The cause and the source of the disease were established through epidemiological investigations and laboratory diagnosis. The causative agent of the disease was norovirus GI.3. Norovirus GI was detected in the water from the well and on surfaces at the hotel. Both epidemiological investigations and laboratory diagnostics are needed in resolving epidemics. Continuous development of laboratory methods is important.

Molecular and clinical study on prevalence of feline herpesvirus type 1 and calicivirus in correlation with feline leukemia and immunodeficiency viruses.

PubMed

Najafi, Hamideh; Madadgar, Omid; Jamshidi, Shahram; Ghalyanchi Langeroudi, Arash; Darzi Lemraski, Mahdieh

2014-01-01

Upper respiratory tract diseases (URTD) are common clinical problem in cats worldwide. Feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) are the main primary pathogens. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are also among the most common infectious diseases of cats which suppress the immunity. Oropharyngeal and conjunctival swabs and blood samples were taken from 16 cats with clinical signs of URTD and 26 clinically healthy cats. PCR and RT-PCR were used to detect FHV/FIV or FCV/FeLV infections, respectively. Feline calicivirus was detected in all cats with URTD and 87.00% and 93.00% of them were positive for FIV and FeLV, respectively. Feline herpesvirus rate of infection was 43.00% in sick cats. In clinically normal cats, prevalence rates of FCV and FHV were about 50.00%, but FIV and FeLV rates (42.00% and 65.00% respectively) were higher compared to other studies. Stomatitis was observed in 50.00% of cats with URTD. The main causative agent of corneal ulcers is FHV-1, but in 50.00% of cats with corneal ulcers, FCV was detected alone. It seems new variants of Caliciviruses are the main causative agents to attack uncommon tissues like cornea, although retroviral infections may be in the background of these various signs. The high retroviral prevalence may be due to existence of large population of stray cats. This is the first molecular study of FeLV and FCV in Iran and seems that FCV and FHV prevalence rates in FIV or FeLV infected cats is more than other non-infected ones.

Molecular and clinical study on prevalence of feline herpesvirus type 1 and calicivirus in correlation with feline leukemia and immunodeficiency viruses

PubMed Central

Najafi, Hamideh; Madadgar, Omid; Jamshidi, Shahram; Ghalyanchi Langeroudi, Arash; Darzi Lemraski, Mahdieh

2014-01-01

Upper respiratory tract diseases (URTD) are common clinical problem in cats worldwide. Feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) are the main primary pathogens. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are also among the most common infectious diseases of cats which suppress the immunity. Oropharyngeal and conjunctival swabs and blood samples were taken from 16 cats with clinical signs of URTD and 26 clinically healthy cats. PCR and RT-PCR were used to detect FHV/FIV or FCV/FeLV infections, respectively. Feline calicivirus was detected in all cats with URTD and 87.00% and 93.00% of them were positive for FIV and FeLV, respectively. Feline herpesvirus rate of infection was 43.00% in sick cats. In clinically normal cats, prevalence rates of FCV and FHV were about 50.00%, but FIV and FeLV rates (42.00% and 65.00% respectively) were higher compared to other studies. Stomatitis was observed in 50.00% of cats with URTD. The main causative agent of corneal ulcers is FHV-1, but in 50.00% of cats with corneal ulcers, FCV was detected alone. It seems new variants of Caliciviruses are the main causative agents to attack uncommon tissues like cornea, although retroviral infections may be in the background of these various signs. The high retroviral prevalence may be due to existence of large population of stray cats. This is the first molecular study of FeLV and FCV in Iran and seems that FCV and FHV prevalence rates in FIV or FeLV infected cats is more than other non-infected ones. PMID:25610576

Environmental agency in read-alouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Rogers, Patterson; Quigley, Cassie F.; Samburskiy, Denis; Barss, Kimberly; Rivera, Seema

2015-06-01

Despite growing interest in helping students become agents of environmental change who can, through informed decision-making and action-taking, transform environmentally detrimental forms of human activity, science educators have reduced agency to rationality by overlooking sociocultural influences such as norms and values. We tackle this issue by examining how elementary teachers and students negotiate and attribute responsibility, credit, or blame for environmental events during three environmental read-alouds. Our verbal analysis and visual representation of meta-agentive discourse revealed varied patterns of agential attribution. First, humans were simultaneously attributed negative agentive roles (agents of endangerment and imbalance) and positive agentive roles (agents of prevention, mitigation, and balance). Second, while wolves at Yellowstone were constructed as intentional (human-like) agents when they crossed over into the human world to kill livestock in nearby farms, polar bears in the Arctic were denied any form of agential responsibility when they approached people's homes. Third, anthropogenic causation of global warming was constructed as distal and indirect chains of cause and effect (i.e., sophisticated sequences of ripple effects), whereas its mitigation and prevention assumed the form of simple and unidirectional causative links (direct and proximal causality). Fourth, the notion of balance of nature was repeatedly used as a justification for environmental conservation but its cause and dynamic nature remained unclear. And, fifth, while one teacher promoted environmental agency by encouraging students to experience positive emotions such as love of nature, freedom, and oneness with nature, the other teachers encouraged students to experience negative emotions such as self-blame and guilt. This study's main significance is that it highlights the need for environmental educators who set out to promote environmental agency to expand the focus of their instructional efforts beyond rational argumentation and reasoning. It also underscores the importance of increasing school teachers' awareness of implicit discursive messages in particular patterns of environmental agency attribution when discussing environmental issues with students and implementing pedagogical strategies centered on oral deliberation such as read-alouds.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases as drug targets in eukaryotic parasites☆

PubMed Central

Pham, James S.; Dawson, Karen L.; Jackson, Katherine E.; Lim, Erin E.; Pasaje, Charisse Flerida A.; Turner, Kelsey E.C.; Ralph, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are central enzymes in protein translation, providing the charged tRNAs needed for appropriate construction of peptide chains. These enzymes have long been pursued as drug targets in bacteria and fungi, but the past decade has seen considerable research on aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in eukaryotic parasites. Existing inhibitors of bacterial tRNA synthetases have been adapted for parasite use, novel inhibitors have been developed against parasite enzymes, and tRNA synthetases have been identified as the targets for compounds in use or development as antiparasitic drugs. Crystal structures have now been solved for many parasite tRNA synthetases, and opportunities for selective inhibition are becoming apparent. For different biological reasons, tRNA synthetases appear to be promising drug targets against parasites as diverse as Plasmodium (causative agent of malaria), Brugia (causative agent of lymphatic filariasis), and Trypanosoma (causative agents of Chagas disease and human African trypanosomiasis). Here we review recent developments in drug discovery and target characterisation for parasite aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. PMID:24596663

Cutaneous Disseminated and Extracutaneous Sporotrichosis: Current Status of a Complex Disease

PubMed Central

Bonifaz, Alexandro; Tirado-Sánchez, Andrés

2017-01-01

Sporotrichosis is an implantation or inoculation mycosis caused by species of Sporothrix schenckii complex; its main manifestations are limited to skin; however, cutaneous-disseminated, disseminated (visceral) and extracutaneous variants of sporotrichosis can be associated with immunosuppression, including HIV-AIDS, chronic alcoholism or more virulent strains. The most common extracutaneous form of sporotrichosis includes pulmonary, osteoarticular and meningeal. The laboratory diagnosis requires observing yeast forms and isolating the fungus; the two main causative agents are Sporothrix schenckii (ss) and Sporothrix brasiliensis. Antibody levels and species recognition by Polimerase Chain Reaction using biological samples or cultures are also useful. The treatment of choice for most cases is amphotericin B and subsequent itraconazole for maintenance therapy. PMID:29371525

Cutaneous Disseminated and Extracutaneous Sporotrichosis: Current Status of a Complex Disease.

PubMed

Bonifaz, Alexandro; Tirado-Sánchez, Andrés

2017-02-10

Sporotrichosis is an implantation or inoculation mycosis caused by species of Sporothrix schenckii complex; its main manifestations are limited to skin; however, cutaneous-disseminated, disseminated (visceral) and extracutaneous variants of sporotrichosis can be associated with immunosuppression, including HIV-AIDS, chronic alcoholism or more virulent strains. The most common extracutaneous form of sporotrichosis includes pulmonary, osteoarticular and meningeal. The laboratory diagnosis requires observing yeast forms and isolating the fungus; the two main causative agents are Sporothrix schenckii ( ss ) and Sporothrix brasiliensis . Antibody levels and species recognition by Polimerase Chain Reaction using biological samples or cultures are also useful. The treatment of choice for most cases is amphotericin B and subsequent itraconazole for maintenance therapy.

Dermatophytes and other fungi associated with skin mycoses in Tripoli, Libya.

PubMed

Ellabib, M S; Khalifa, Z; Kavanagh, K

2002-04-01

This study sought to determine the prevalence of skin infections and their causative agents in the Libyan population. Samples were collected from 2224 patients attending the Dermatology Clinics of the Tripoli Medical Centre (TMC) between August 1997 and December 1999 and were submitted to a mycology laboratory for analysis. Diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic examination in 1180 cases (53.1%) and the causative agent was isolated and cultured in 1160 cases (52.2%). Dermatophytes, Malassezia furfur and Candida albicans were the most common etiological agents isolated. Tinea corporis accounted for 45.9% of cases (85% of cases occurred in children below 15 years of age). The frequency of the other clinical types in descending order was pityriasis versicolor 27.8% (322 cases), candidiosis 13.4% (156 cases), tinea pedis 8.1% (94 cases), tinea manuum 2.6% (30 cases) and tinea barbae 2.2% (26 cases). Trichophyton violaceum was the most common etiological agent, responsible for 44% (300 cases) of dermatophyte infections. Malassezia furfur was ranked the second most frequent causative agent being found in 27.8% of cases, followed by Trichophyton rubrum 13.8% (160 cases) and Candida albicans 10% (116 cases). Other species isolated included Microsporum canis 8.1% (94 cases), Epidermophyton floccosum 6.6% (76 cases) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes 3.1% (36 cases).

Furuncular Myiasis Caused by Dermatobia hominis in a Traveler Returning from the Amazon Jungle.

PubMed

Kuşcu, Ferit; Özsoy, Kerem Mazhar; Ulu, Aslıhan; Kurtaran, Behice; Kömür, Süheyla; İnal, Ayşe Seza; Taşova, Yeşim; Aksu, Hasan Salih Zeki

2017-09-01

A 39-year-old man who was returning from the Amazon Jungle and had no medical history presented with a furuncular lesion on his right parietal scalp. Despite receiving appropriate antimicrobial treatment, his lesion did not heal. After surgical intervention, a Dermatobia hominis larva was extracted. The human botfly D. hominis is the most common causative agent of furuncular myiasis among travelers returning from Central and South America. Surgery is the main treatment option, and secondary bacterial infection should be kept in mind.

Isolation and confirmation of viral nervous necrosis (VNN) disease in golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) and leaping mullet (Liza saliens) in the Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea.

PubMed

Zorriehzahra, M E J; Ghasemi, M; Ghiasi, M; Karsidani, S Haghighi; Bovo, G; Nazari, A; Adel, M; Arizza, V; Dhama, K

2016-07-15

The present study was conducted on 428 moribund mullet fish samples to isolate and identify the causative agent of a mysterious acute mortality which recently occurred in wild mullets in Iranian waters of Caspian Sea, suspected to be due to viral nervous necrosis (VNN) disease. Disease investigation was carried out employing various diagnostic procedures such as virology, bacteriology, parasitology, haematology, histopathology, IFAT, IHC and nested RT-PCR. Brain and eye samples of affected fishes were collected in sterile conditions and then kept at -80°C for cell culture isolation and nested RT-PCR detection of the causative agent. Other tissue samples were also collected and fixed for histopathology, IHC and EM examinations. CPE was observed in cell cultures at 6days after inoculation. Nine samples were found positive with virological assay. Nested RT-PCR, performed on suspected tissues and CPE positive samples, showed that about 21 tissue samples and all the CPE positive samples were positive for VNN virus (VNNV). IFAT was selected as a confirmatory method for detecting the presence of Betanodavirus antigen, cell culture isolation results and nested RT-PCR findings. Moreover, VNNV particles with 25-30nm in diameter were also visualized in the infected brain and retina. In pathogenicity studies, guppy fishes bathed in VNNV-infected tissue culture (10(-4) TCID50) showed clinical signs similar to naturally infected mullet after 15days post infection (dpi), with mortality rates reaching up to 100% at 30dpi. Affected organ samples as examined by cell culture isolation, IFAT, IHC and histopathology, revealed the presence of VNNV in the guppy fishes. In conclusion, it was confirmed that VNNV was the main causative agent for the disease outbreak in mullet fish in the Caspian Sea, and this is such first official report of VNN disease from Iran. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inferences about moral character moderate the impact of consequences on blame and praise.

PubMed

Siegel, Jenifer Z; Crockett, Molly J; Dolan, Raymond J

2017-10-01

Moral psychology research has highlighted several factors critical for evaluating the morality of another's choice, including the detection of norm-violating outcomes, the extent to which an agent caused an outcome, and the extent to which the agent intended good or bad consequences, as inferred from observing their decisions. However, person-centered accounts of moral judgment suggest that a motivation to infer the moral character of others can itself impact on an evaluation of their choices. Building on this person-centered account, we examine whether inferences about agents' moral character shape the sensitivity of moral judgments to the consequences of agents' choices, and agents' role in the causation of those consequences. Participants observed and judged sequences of decisions made by agents who were either bad or good, where each decision entailed a trade-off between personal profit and pain for an anonymous victim. Across trials we manipulated the magnitude of profit and pain resulting from the agent's decision (consequences), and whether the outcome was caused via action or inaction (causation). Consistent with previous findings, we found that moral judgments were sensitive to consequences and causation. Furthermore, we show that the inferred character of an agent moderated the extent to which people were sensitive to consequences in their moral judgments. Specifically, participants were more sensitive to the magnitude of consequences in judgments of bad agents' choices relative to good agents' choices. We discuss and interpret these findings within a theoretical framework that views moral judgment as a dynamic process at the intersection of attention and social cognition. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Spirochaete is suggested as the causative agent of Akoya oyster disease by metagenomic analysis

PubMed Central

Yasuike, Motoshige; Fujiwara, Atushi; Nakamura, Yoji; Takano, Tomokazu; Takeuchi, Takeshi; Satoh, Noriyuki; Adachi, Yoshikazu; Tsuchihashi, Yasushi; Aoki, Hideo; Odawara, Kazushi; Iwanaga, Shunsuke; Kurita, Jun; Kamaishi, Takashi; Nakayasu, Chihaya

2017-01-01

Mass mortality that is acompanied by reddish browning of the soft tissues has been occurring in cultured pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata martensii. The disease is called Akoya oyster disease (AOD). Although spreading pattern of the disease and transmission experiments suggest that the disease is infectious, the causative agent has not yet been identified. We used shotgun and 16S rRNA-based metagenomic analysis to identify genes that are present specifically in affected oysters. The genes found only in diseased oysters were mostly bacterial origin, suggesting that the causative agent was a bacterial pathogen. This hypothesis was supported by the inhibition of AOD development in naïve oysters injected with the hemolymph of diseased animals followed immediately with penicillin bath-administration. Further analyses of the hemolymph and mantle specifically and universally detected genes of bacteria that belong to phylum Spirochaetes in diseased pearl oysters but not in healthy oysters. By in situ hybridization or immunostaining, a Brachyspira-like bacterium was observed in the smears of hemolymph from affected oysters, but not from healthy oysters. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA sequences showed that the presumptive causative bacterium was outside of but most closely related to family Brachyspiraceae. We propose ‘Candidatus Maribrachyspira akoyae’ gen. nov, sp nov., for this bacterium. PMID:28771537

Sertaconazole Nitrate Shows Fungicidal and Fungistatic Activities against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum, Causative Agents of Tinea Pedis▿

PubMed Central

Carrillo-Muñoz, Alfonso J.; Tur-Tur, Cristina; Cárdenes, Delia C.; Estivill, Dolors; Giusiano, Gustavo

2011-01-01

The fungistatic and fungicidal activities of sertaconazole against dermatophytes were evaluated by testing 150 clinical isolates of causative agents of tinea pedis, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum. The overall geometric means for fungistatic and fungicidal activities of sertaconazole against these isolates were 0.26 and 2.26 μg/ml, respectively, although values were higher for T. mentagrophytes than for the others. This is the first comprehensive demonstration of the fungicidal activity of sertaconazole against dermatophytes. PMID:21746955

The immune response against Candida spp. and Sporothrix schenckii.

PubMed

Martínez-Álvarez, José A; Pérez-García, Luis A; Flores-Carreón, Arturo; Mora-Montes, Héctor M

2014-01-01

Candida albicans is the main causative agent of systemic candidiasis, a condition with high mortality rates. The study of the interaction between C. albicans and immune system components has been thoroughly studied and nowadays there is a model for the anti-C. albicans immune response; however, little is known about the sensing of other pathogenic species of the Candida genus. Sporothrix schenckii is the causative agent of sporotrichosis, a subcutaneous mycosis, and thus far there is limited information about its interaction with the immune system. In this paper, we review the most recent information about the immune sensing of species from genus Candida and S. schenckii. Thoroughly searches in scientific journal databases were performed, looking for papers addressing either Candida- or Sporothrix-immune system interactions. There is a significant advance in the knowledge of non-C. albicans species of Candida and Sporothrix immune sensing; however, there are still relevant points to address, such as the specific contribution of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) for sensing by different immune cells and the immune receptors involved in such interactions. This manuscript is part of the series of works presented at the "V International Workshop: Molecular genetic approaches to the study of human pathogenic fungi" (Oaxaca, Mexico, 2012). Copyright © 2013 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Medical Management of Melasma: A Review with Consensus Recommendations by Indian Pigmentary Expert Group.

PubMed

Sarkar, Rashmi; Gokhale, Narendra; Godse, Kiran; Ailawadi, Pallavi; Arya, Latika; Sarma, Nilendu; Torsekar, R G; Somani, V K; Arora, Pooja; Majid, Imran; Ravichandran, G; Singh, Mohan; Aurangabadkar, Sanjeev; Arsiwala, Shehnaz; Sonthalia, Sidharth; Salim, T; Shah, Swapnil

2017-01-01

Melasma is one of the most common hyperpigmentary disorders found mainly in women and dark-skinned patients. Sunlight, hormones, pregnancy, and genetics remain the most implicated in the causation of melasma. Although rather recalcitrant to treatment, topical agents such as hydroquinone, modified Kligman's Regime, azelaic acid, kojic acid, Vitamin C, and arbutin still remain the mainstay of therapy with sun protection being a cornerstone of therapy. There are several new botanical and non botanical agents and upcoming oral therapies for the future. There is a lack of therapeutic guidelines, more so in the Indian setup. The article discusses available evidence and brings forward a suggested treatment algorithm by experts from Pigmentary Disorders Society (PDS) in a collaborative discussion called South Asian Pigmentary Forum (SPF).

Medical Management of Melasma: A Review with Consensus Recommendations by Indian Pigmentary Expert Group

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Rashmi; Gokhale, Narendra; Godse, Kiran; Ailawadi, Pallavi; Arya, Latika; Sarma, Nilendu; Torsekar, R G; Somani, V K; Arora, Pooja; Majid, Imran; Ravichandran, G; Singh, Mohan; Aurangabadkar, Sanjeev; Arsiwala, Shehnaz; Sonthalia, Sidharth; Salim, T; Shah, Swapnil

2017-01-01

Melasma is one of the most common hyperpigmentary disorders found mainly in women and dark-skinned patients. Sunlight, hormones, pregnancy, and genetics remain the most implicated in the causation of melasma. Although rather recalcitrant to treatment, topical agents such as hydroquinone, modified Kligman's Regime, azelaic acid, kojic acid, Vitamin C, and arbutin still remain the mainstay of therapy with sun protection being a cornerstone of therapy. There are several new botanical and non botanical agents and upcoming oral therapies for the future. There is a lack of therapeutic guidelines, more so in the Indian setup. The article discusses available evidence and brings forward a suggested treatment algorithm by experts from Pigmentary Disorders Society (PDS) in a collaborative discussion called South Asian Pigmentary Forum (SPF). PMID:29263529

Epidemiological Study on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in an Endemic Area, of Qom Province, Central Iran

PubMed Central

Saghafipour, Abedin; Vatandoost, Hassan; Zahraei-Ramazani, Ali Reza; Yaghoobi-Ershadi, Mohammad Reza; Jooshin, Moharram Karami; Rassi, Yavar; Shirzadi, Mohammad Reza; Akhavan, Amir Ahmad; Hanafi-Bojd, Ahmad Ali

2017-01-01

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most important health problems in many areas of Iran. There are two forms of the disease in Iran, anthroponotic and zoonotic CL. This study conducted to assess the epidemiological situation of CL in an endemic area of Qom Province, central Iran from Apr to Nov 2015. Methods: The sticky paper traps and aspirating tubes were used for collecting adult sand flies. Sherman traps and small insect nets were used to capture rodents and small mammals. Giemsa staining was used for preparing the expanded smear and followed by PCR for identifying the causative agent in human, vectors, and reservoirs. In this study, relative frequency of CL was also calculated. Results: Fourteen species of Phlebotomine sand flies were collected. Phlebotomus papatasi (61.74%) was the predominant species through the period of activity. Overall, 62 Meriones libycus, 8 Nesokia indica, 4 Mus musculus, 16 Allactaga elater and 2 Hemiechinus auritis were caught. PCR technique showed 6 out of 150 P. papatasi (2%), two out of 62 M. libycus (3.23%) and all of suspected human’s skin tissue samples (100%) were infected with Leishmania major. The relative frequency of CL was 0.30%. Conclusion: This is the first detection of L. major within P. papatasi, M. libycus and human in Kahak District in Qom Province of Iran. Zoonotic cycle of CL exists in this area, L. major is the causative agent, P. papatasi is the main vector and M. libycus is the main reservoir of the disease. PMID:29322057

[EXPERIENCE OF STUDY AND POSSIBLE WAYS OF ELIMINATION OF FALSE POSITIVE AND FALSE NEGATIVE RESULTS DURING EXECUTION OF POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ON AN EXAMPLE OF JUNIN VIRUS RNA DETECTION].

PubMed

Sizikova, T E; Lebedev, V N; Pantyukhov, V B; Borisevich, S V; Merkulov, V A

2015-01-01

Experience of study and possible ways of elimination of false positive and false negative results during execution of polymerase chain reaction on an example of Junin virus RNA detection. MATERIALSS AND METHODS: Junin virus--causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF) strain XJpR37/5787 was obtained from the State collection of pathogenicity group I causative agents of the 48th Central Research Institute. Reagent kit for detection of Junin virus RNA by RT-PCR was developed in the Institute and consists of 4 sets: for isolation of RNA, execution of reverse-transcription reaction, execution of PCR and electrophoretic detection of PCR products. RT-PCR was carried out by a standard technique. Continuous cell cultures of African green monkey Vero B, GMK-AH-1(D) were obtained from the museum of cell culture department of the Centre. An experimental study of the effect of various factors of impact on the sample under investigation ("thawing-freezing", presence of formaldehyde, heparin) on the obtaining of false negative results during Junin virus RNA detection by using RT-PCR was studied. Addition of 0.01% heparin to the samples was shown to completely inhibit PCR. Addition of 0.05% formaldehyde significantly reduces sensitivity of the method. A possibility of reduction of analysis timeframe from 15 to 5 days was shown during detection of the causative agent in samples with low concentration of the latter by growing the samples and subsequent analysis of the material obtained by using RT-PCR. During detection of causative agent by using RT-PCR false negative results could appear in the presence of formaldehyde and heparin in the sample. A possibility of elimination of false negative PCR results due to concentration of the causative agent in the sample under investigation at a level below sensitivity threshold was shown on the example of Junin virus RNA detection by using growing of the pathogen in appropriate accumulation system with subsequent analysis of the material obtained using PCR.

[Bacteremia and sepsis in patients hospitalized at the Dr. Fran Mihaljevíc Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb 1987-1991].

PubMed

Skerk, V; Schönwald, S; Bobinac, E; Bejuk, D; Zrinsćak, J

1995-01-01

A total number of 836 episodes of bacteremia and fungemia were examined in 823 hospitalized patients in the University Hospital of Infectious Diseases "Dr Fran Mihaljević" Zagreb from the beginning of 1987 to the end of 1991. Twenty-five percent of them were nosocomial bacteremias and 5% were polymicrobial bacteremias. The most frequently isolated causative agents were Salmonella spp. (26%), Escherichia coli (17%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (11%) and Staphylococcus aureus (8%). There were 34% of gram-positive bacteremias. The increased frequency of nosocomial bacteremias caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci was recorded. The frequency of coagulase-negative staphylococci strains resistant to gentamicin and Klebsiella spp. strains resistant to cefotaxime was increased. Shock was present in 19% of episodes. Relation between septic shock occurrence and causative agent of bacteremia was not proved. Mortality in patients with bacteremia was 13%, and total mortality was 20%. The outcome of the disease was in direct relation with causative agent of bacteremia. The initial empiric antimicrobial therapy was prolonged in 91% of episodes of bacteremia after blood culture results were known.

Augmenting the activity of antifungal agents against aspergilli using structural analogues of benzoic acid as chemosensitizing agents

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several benzoic acid analogs showed antifungal activity against strains of Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus and A. terreus, causative agents of human aspergillosis. Structure-activity analysis revealed that antifungal activities of benzoic and gallic acids increased by addition of a methyl, methoxyl...

Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, within southwestern Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Brown, Scott M; Lehman, Preston M; Kern, Ryan A; Henning, Jill D

2015-06-01

Prevalence studies of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum have been rare for ticks from southwestern Pennsylvania. We collected 325 Ixodes scapularis ticks between 2011 and 2012 from four counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. We tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum using PCR. Of the ticks collected from Pennsylvania, B. burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) was present in 114/325 (35%) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (causative agent of Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis) was present in 48/325 (15%) as determined by PCR analysis. © 2015 The Society for Vector Ecology.

Causative Agents of Aspergillosis Including Cryptic Aspergillus Species and A. fumigatus.

PubMed

Toyotome, Takahito

2016-01-01

Aspergillosis is an important deep mycosis. The causative agents are Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus terreus, of which A. fumigatus is the most prevalent. Cryptic Aspergillus spp., which morphologically resemble representative species of each Aspergillus section, also cause aspergillosis. Most of the cryptic species reveal different susceptibility patterns and/or different secondary metabolite profiles, also called exometabolome in this manuscript, from those representative species. On the other hand, azole-resistant A. fumigatus strains in clinical specimens and in the environment have been reported. Therefore, it is imperative to precisely identify the species, including cryptic Aspergillus spp., and evaluate the susceptibility of isolates.In this manuscript, some of the causative cryptic Aspergillus spp. are briefly reviewed. In addition, the exometabolome of Aspergillus section Fumigati is described. Finally, azole resistance of A. fumigatus is also discussed, in reference to several studies from Japan.

Prospective multicenter survey on the clinical management of pediatric contact dermatitis.

PubMed

Ruggiero, Giuseppe; Carnevale, Claudia; Diociaiuti, Andrea; Arcangeli, Fabio; El Hachem, May

2016-12-01

Contact dermatitis can be defined as an inflammatory process affecting the skin surface and induced by contact with chemical, physical and/or biotic agents in the environment. It causes lesions to skin, mucosae and semi-mucosae by means of allergic and irritant pathogenic mechanisms. Among the main triggers of contact dermatitis in the pediatric age are chemical or physical agents, which cause irritant contact dermatitis (ICD), and sensitizers, which cause a tissue damage through an allergic mechanism (allergic contact dermatitis [ACD]). A prospective, multicenter, observational study was carried out in 204 children affected by contact dermatitis, aged up to 14 years, and enrolled by pediatricians from 7 different Italian provinces. The diagnosis of contact dermatitis was based on the pediatrician's clinical evaluation. The data were collected through a series of simple and multiple choice questions, anonymously filled out by pediatricians. In 90% of cases (184 of 204 patients), there was complete remission of contact dermatitis, with no cases of worsening. No adverse events were observed, either. The effectiveness of the therapy was rated as "very effective" by 84.4% of the parents and 86.8% of the pediatricians. In only 10 patients a new therapy had to be prescribed. Contact dermatitis is a heterogeneous inflammatory skin disease induced by contact with different kinds of environmental agents. Cutaneous manifestations are highly variable and depend on the modality of contact, on the causative agent and on the pathogenesis. This Italian experience of a clinical approach to contact dermatitis stresses the need of daily skin care through different therapeutic strategies, based on the diagnosis, the clinical severity and the parents and children compliance. The first therapeutic measure to be implemented is prevention, through the removal of the causative agent and the use of protective devices. Indeed, preserving the skin's barrier function is an important goal and a priority of treatment algorithms.

Causal Responsibility and Counterfactuals

PubMed Central

Lagnado, David A; Gerstenberg, Tobias; Zultan, Ro'i

2013-01-01

How do people attribute responsibility in situations where the contributions of multiple agents combine to produce a joint outcome? The prevalence of over-determination in such cases makes this a difficult problem for counterfactual theories of causal responsibility. In this article, we explore a general framework for assigning responsibility in multiple agent contexts. We draw on the structural model account of actual causation (e.g., Halpern & Pearl, 2005) and its extension to responsibility judgments (Chockler & Halpern, 2004). We review the main theoretical and empirical issues that arise from this literature and propose a novel model of intuitive judgments of responsibility. This model is a function of both pivotality (whether an agent made a difference to the outcome) and criticality (how important the agent is perceived to be for the outcome, before any actions are taken). The model explains empirical results from previous studies and is supported by a new experiment that manipulates both pivotality and criticality. We also discuss possible extensions of this model to deal with a broader range of causal situations. Overall, our approach emphasizes the close interrelations between causality, counterfactuals, and responsibility attributions. PMID:23855451

Obesity, metabolic syndrome and adipocytes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are examples whereby excess energy consumption and energy flux disruptions are causative agents of increased fatness. Because other, as yet elucidated, cellular factors may be involved and because potential treatments of these metabolic problems involve systemic agents...

Augmenting the activity of antifungal agents against aspergilli using structural analogues of benzoic acid as chemosensitizing agents

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Structure-activity analysis revealed that antifungal activities of benzoic and gallic acids were increased against strains of Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus and A. terreus, causative agents of human aspergillosis, by addition of a methyl, methoxyl or a chloro group at position 4 of the aromatic ri...

Denman Island disease (causative agent Mikrocytos mackini) in a new host, Kumamoto oysters Crassostrea sikamea.

PubMed

Elston, Ralph A; Moore, James; Abbott, Cathryn L

2012-12-03

Mikrocytos mackini, causative agent of Denman Island disease in Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas and other oyster species, was found in 2011 in a previously unreported host, the Kumamoto oyster C. sikamea, in Humboldt Bay, California, USA. The detection was also the first reported finding of M. mackini in California. Prevalence was estimated as high as approximately 27% from pooled samples analyzed by PCR. Higher prevalence appeared related to longer residence time in the bay and somewhat colder than typical winter seawater temperatures. No M. mackini was detected in Humboldt Bay juvenile Kumamoto oysters or Pacific oyster brood or seed stock in 2011 or 2012.

Occupational rhinitis.

PubMed

Sublett, J Wesley; Bernstein, David I

2011-11-01

Work-related rhinitis, which includes work-exacerbated rhinitis and occupational rhinoconjunctivitis (OR), is two to three times more common than occupational asthma. High molecular weight proteins and low molecular weight chemicals have been implicated as causes of OR. The diagnosis of work-related rhinitis is established based on occupational history and documentation of immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated sensitization to the causative agent if possible. Management of work-related rhinitis is similar to that of other causes of rhinitis and includes elimination or reduction of exposure to causative agents combined with pharmacotherapy. If allergens are commercially available, allergen immunotherapy can be considered. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Outbreak of Occupational Dermatitis Associated With Pyemotes ventricosus

PubMed Central

Jędrzejewska-Jurga, Katarzyna; Limburska, Joanna; Tomczyk, Jarosław

2017-01-01

Importance Although Pyemotes species have been known to cause dermatitis, recent reports are rare. During the past 30 years, only 3 outbreaks of dermatitis caused by Pyemotes ventricosus have been reported. Objective To analyze the causative agent of skin changes in employees of a company that produced herbal medicines. Design, Setting, and Participants This case series includes 18 patients (8 men, 10 women; mean age, 44 years) who contracted unusual dermatitis after an occupational exposure in July and August of 2012 while working for a company that produced herbal medicines. The patients were examined at the Lower Silesia Regional Centre of Occupational Medicine in Wroclaw, Poland. Exposures Workers weighed and packed 1 part of the Helichrysum arenarium herb. Main Outcomes and Measures We hypothesized the causative agent to be P ventricosus. An examination of the herbal specimens for ectoparasites confirmed the diagnosis. Results Initially 16 employees developed pruritic skin changes. Skin lesions with pruritic vesicles on an erythematous base with surrounding swelling and edema were observed. Several employees also developed a flulike illness. After 44 days, 2 new employees presented with the same skin changes. The analysis of working conditions showed that the same part of the H arenarium herb was weighed and packed at that time. Conclusions and Relevance We found that changing the time when the herbs were weighed and abandoning gas fumigation containing methyl bromide resulted in the recurrence of an almost forgotten disease. PMID:28445563

The structural damages of lens crystallins induced by peroxynitrite and methylglyoxal, two causative players in diabetic complications and preventive role of lens antioxidant components.

PubMed

Moghadam, Sogand Sasan; Oryan, Ahmad; Kurganov, Boris I; Tamaddon, Ali-Mohammad; Alavianehr, Mohammad Mehdi; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali Akbar; Yousefi, Reza

2017-10-01

Peroxynitrite (PON) and methylglyoxal (MGO), two diabetes-associated compounds, are believed to be important causative players in development of diabetic cataracts. In the current study, different spectroscopic methods, gel electrophoresis, lens culture and microscopic assessments were applied to examine the impact of individual, subsequent or simultaneous modification of lens crystallins with MGO and PON on their structure, oligomerization and aggregation. The protein modifications were confirmed with detection of the significantly increased quantity of carbonyl groups and decreased levels of sulfhydryl, tyrosine and tryptophan. Also, lens proteins modification with these chemical agents was accompanied with important structural alteration, oligomerization, disulfide/chromophore mediated protein crosslinking and important proteolytic instability. All these structural damages were more pronounced when the lens proteins were modified in the presence of both mentioned chemical agents, either in sequential or simultaneous manner. Ascorbic acid and glutathione, as the main components of lens antioxidant defense mechanism, were also capable to markedly prevent the damaging effects of PON and MGO on lens crystallins, as indicated by gel electrophoresis. The results of this study may highlight the importance of lens antioxidant defense system in protection of crystallins against the structural insults induced by PON and MGO during chronic hyperglycemia in the diabetic patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Cheilitis: Diagnosis and treatment].

PubMed

Samimi, Mahtab

2016-02-01

The whole examination of oral cavity, other mucosae and skin is required when managing a cheilitis. Irritants (climatic, mechanical, caustic agents...) constitute the main aetiological factors of cheilitis. Allergic contact cheilitis should be investigated with a detailed anamnesis in order to search any causative agent in contact with the oral mucosae. Patch testing is required to confirm the diagnosis of delayed hypersensivity. Chronic actinic cheilitis occurs mostly in middle-aged, fair-skinned men. It is a potentially malignant condition that requires biopsies to exclude severe dysplasia or carcinoma. Angular cheilitis can occur spontaneously but is frequently related with several precipitating factors, such as systemic immune suppression, local irritation and moisture, fungal and/or bacterial infection. Cheilitis can also be seen in various systemic conditions such as lichen planus, lupus, atopic dermatitis and nutritional deficiencies. Erosive and crusty cheilitis and bullous erosive stomatitis are the main oral features of erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Granulomatous macrocheilitis (cheilitis granulomatosa) presents with intermittent or permanent lip swelling. It should be confirmed by a biopsy. It can be either isolated (Miescher macrocheilitis) or associated with various systemic conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Application of calcifying bacteria for remediation of stones and cultural heritages

PubMed Central

Dhami, Navdeep Kaur; Reddy, M. Sudhakara; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2014-01-01

Since ages, architects and artists worldwide have focused on usage of durable stones as marble and limestone for construction of beautiful and magnificent historic monuments as European Cathedrals, Roman, and Greek temples, Taj Mahal etc. But survival of these irreplaceable cultural and historical assets is in question these days due to their degradation and deterioration caused by number of biotic and abiotic factors. These causative agents have affected not only the esthetic appearance of these structures, but also lead to deterioration of their strength and durability. The present review emphasizes about different causative agents leading to deterioration and application of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation as a novel and potential technology for dealing with these problems. The study also sheds light on benefits of microbial carbonate binders over the traditional agents and future directions. PMID:25018751

Application of calcifying bacteria for remediation of stones and cultural heritages.

PubMed

Dhami, Navdeep Kaur; Reddy, M Sudhakara; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2014-01-01

Since ages, architects and artists worldwide have focused on usage of durable stones as marble and limestone for construction of beautiful and magnificent historic monuments as European Cathedrals, Roman, and Greek temples, Taj Mahal etc. But survival of these irreplaceable cultural and historical assets is in question these days due to their degradation and deterioration caused by number of biotic and abiotic factors. These causative agents have affected not only the esthetic appearance of these structures, but also lead to deterioration of their strength and durability. The present review emphasizes about different causative agents leading to deterioration and application of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation as a novel and potential technology for dealing with these problems. The study also sheds light on benefits of microbial carbonate binders over the traditional agents and future directions.

Purple spot damage dynamics investigated by an integrated approach on a 1244 A.D. parchment roll from the Secret Vatican Archive.

PubMed

Migliore, Luciana; Thaller, Maria Cristina; Vendittozzi, Giulia; Mejia, Astrid Yazmine; Mercuri, Fulvio; Orlanducci, Silvia; Rubechini, Alessandro

2017-09-07

Ancient parchments are commonly attacked by microbes, producing purple spots and detachment of the superficial layer. Neither standard cultivation nor molecular methods (DGGE) solved the issue: causative agents and colonization model are still unknown. To identify the putative causal agents, we describe the 16 S rRNA gene analysis (454-pyrosequencing) of the microbial communities colonizing a damaged parchment roll dated 1244 A.D. (A.A. Arm. I-XVIII 3328, Vatican Secret Archives). The taxa in damaged or undamaged areas of the same document were different. In the purple spots, marine halotolerant Gammaproteobacteria, mainly Vibrio, were found; these microorganisms are rare or absent in the undamaged areas. Ubiquitous and environmental microorganisms were observed in samples from both damaged and undamaged areas. Pseudonocardiales were the most common, representing the main colonizers of undamaged areas. We hypothesize a successional model of biodeterioration, based on metagenomic data and spectroscopic analysis of pigments, which help to relate the damage to a microbial agent. Furthermore, a new method (Light Transmitted Analysis) was utilized to evaluate the kind and entity of the damage to native collagen. These data give a significant advance to the knowledge in the field and open new perspectives to remediation activity on a huge amount of ancient document.

Neotropical echinococcosis: second report of Echinococcus vogeli natural infection in its main definitive host, the bush dog (Speothos venaticus).

PubMed

do Carmo Pereira Soares, Manoel; Souza de Souza, Alex Junior; Pinheiro Malheiros, Andreza; Nunes, Heloisa Marceliano; Almeida Carneiro, Liliane; Alves, Max Moreira; Farias da Conceição, Bernardo; Gomes-Gouvêa, Michele Soares; Marins Póvoa, Marinete

2014-04-01

The bush dog (Speothos venaticus) acts as the natural definitive host in the life cycle of Echinococcus vogeli, the causative agent of polycystic hydatid disease, a zoonotic neglected disease in the South America. We report a case of natural infection by Echinococcus vogeli in a bush dog from the Brazilian Amazon, confirmed by the morphological and morphometric examination of adult parasites and their hooks obtained from the small intestine of the canid. Additionally, mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis corroborated these findings. This is the second report of natural infection by E. vogeli in a bush dog. © 2013.

Multidrug Efflux Pumps from Enterobacteriaceae, Vibrio cholerae and Staphylococcus aureus Bacterial Food Pathogens

PubMed Central

Andersen, Jody L.; He, Gui-Xin; Kakarla, Prathusha; KC, Ranjana; Kumar, Sanath; Lakra, Wazir Singh; Mukherjee, Mun Mun; Ranaweera, Indrika; Shrestha, Ugina; Tran, Thuy; Varela, Manuel F.

2015-01-01

Foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial microorganisms are common worldwide and constitute a serious public health concern. In particular, microorganisms belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae families of Gram-negative bacteria, and to the Staphylococcus genus of Gram-positive bacteria are important causative agents of food poisoning and infection in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Recently, variants of these bacteria have developed resistance to medically important chemotherapeutic agents. Multidrug resistant Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Vibrio cholerae, Enterobacter spp., and Staphylococcus aureus are becoming increasingly recalcitrant to clinical treatment in human patients. Of the various bacterial resistance mechanisms against antimicrobial agents, multidrug efflux pumps comprise a major cause of multiple drug resistance. These multidrug efflux pump systems reside in the biological membrane of the bacteria and actively extrude antimicrobial agents from bacterial cells. This review article summarizes the evolution of these bacterial drug efflux pump systems from a molecular biological standpoint and provides a framework for future work aimed at reducing the conditions that foster dissemination of these multidrug resistant causative agents through human populations. PMID:25635914

Multidrug efflux pumps from Enterobacteriaceae, Vibrio cholerae and Staphylococcus aureus bacterial food pathogens.

PubMed

Andersen, Jody L; He, Gui-Xin; Kakarla, Prathusha; K C, Ranjana; Kumar, Sanath; Lakra, Wazir Singh; Mukherjee, Mun Mun; Ranaweera, Indrika; Shrestha, Ugina; Tran, Thuy; Varela, Manuel F

2015-01-28

Foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial microorganisms are common worldwide and constitute a serious public health concern. In particular, microorganisms belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae families of Gram-negative bacteria, and to the Staphylococcus genus of Gram-positive bacteria are important causative agents of food poisoning and infection in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Recently, variants of these bacteria have developed resistance to medically important chemotherapeutic agents. Multidrug resistant Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Vibrio cholerae, Enterobacter spp., and Staphylococcus aureus are becoming increasingly recalcitrant to clinical treatment in human patients. Of the various bacterial resistance mechanisms against antimicrobial agents, multidrug efflux pumps comprise a major cause of multiple drug resistance. These multidrug efflux pump systems reside in the biological membrane of the bacteria and actively extrude antimicrobial agents from bacterial cells. This review article summarizes the evolution of these bacterial drug efflux pump systems from a molecular biological standpoint and provides a framework for future work aimed at reducing the conditions that foster dissemination of these multidrug resistant causative agents through human populations.

Metagenomic analysis of the turkey gut RNA virus community

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Poultry enteric disease syndromes present an ongoing economic burden to poultry producers worldwide. Despite considerable research into the viral agents associated with these enteric disease syndromes, no single virus has emerged as a likely causative agent and target for prevention and control effo...

A case report of tinea pedis caused by Trichosporon faecale in Iran

PubMed Central

Fallahi, Ali akbar; Moazeni, Maryam; Noorbakhsh, Fatemeh; Kordbacheh, Parivash; Zaini, Farideh; Mirhendi, Hossein; Zeraati, Hojjat; Rezaie, Sassan

2012-01-01

Trichosporon species are known as the causative agents of cutaneous infections and are involved in systemic, localized, as well as disseminated mycoses particularly in immunocompromised patients. Here we report a case of tinea pedis infection caused by Trichosporon faecale in a healthy 29-year-old woman in the north of Iran. Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics using direct examination as well as culture method revealed the causative agent as Trichosporon species. Molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region validated the initial result and indicated that this case of tinea pedis was caused by T. faecale. The patient was recovered after treatment with topical myconazole accompanied with oral fluconazole. PMID:24371737

[Genodiagnosis and molecular typing of the pathogens for plague, cholera, and anthrax].

PubMed

Kutyrev, V V; Smirnova, N I

2003-01-01

The paper contains a survey of published data about the use of DNA-diagnostics in indicating and identifying the causative agents of highly dangerous infections like plague, cholera and anthrax. A discussion of data about the genetic relationship between strains of the mentioned causative agents isolated from different sources by using the molecular-typing methods as well as about the evolution ties between strains of different origins is in the focus of attention. Results of comparative studies of nucleotide sequences of genomes or of individual genomes in different Yersinia pestis, Vibrio cholerae and Bacillus anthracis strains, which are indicative of the evolution of their pathogenicity, are also under discussion.

A case of bullous dermatitis artefacta possibly induced by a deodorant spray.

PubMed

Ikenaga, Satsuki; Nakano, Hajime; Umegaki, Noriko; Moritsugu, Ryuta; Aizu, Takayuki; Kuribayashi, Michihito; Hanada, Katsumi

2006-01-01

Dermatitis artefacta is one of a spectrum of factitious diseases etiologically responsible for skin lesions denied by patients. These factors often make it difficult to identify the causative agents of the condition. Herein, we report a case of bullous dermatitis artefacta in a 12-year-old girl, for which a deodorant spray was suspected as the probable cause. Pathological examination revealed subepidermal blistering with full-thickness necrosis of the epidermis, suggesting a thermo- or cryo-induced injury. Psychological testing demonstrated her immaturity and dependence. In searching for the causative agent, we suspected a deodorant spray as a blister-inducing agent. We succeeded in reproducing a similar blister lesion on the volunteer's healthy skin using the same spray. Psychiatric involvement significantly complicates the treatment of factitious diseases, including dermatitis artefacta. Cooperation among dermatologists, psychiatrists and the patient's family members is required for ensuring a favorable prognosis.

Foodborne Infectious Diseases Mediated by Inappropriate Infection Control in Food Service Businesses and Relevant Countermeasures in Korea.

PubMed

Park, Jong Myong; You, Young-Hyun; Cho, Hyun-Min; Hong, Ji Won; Ghim, Sa-Youl

2017-06-01

The objective of this review is to propose an appropriate course of action for improving the guidelines followed by food handlers for control of infection. For this purpose, previous epidemiological reports related to acute gastroenteritis in food service businesses mediated by food handlers were intensively analyzed. Relevant studies were identified in international databases. We selected eligible papers reporting foodborne infectious disease outbreaks. Among primary literature collection, the abstract of each article was investigated to find cases that absolutely identified a causative factor to be food handlers' inappropriate infection control and the taxon of causative microbial agents by epidemiological methodologies. Information about the sites (type of food business) where the outbreaks occurred was investigated. A wide variety of causative microbial agents has been investigated, using several epidemiological methods. These agents have shown diverse propagation pathways based on their own molecular pathogenesis, physiology, taxonomy, and etiology. Depending on etiology, transmission, propagation, and microbiological traits, we can predict the transmission characteristics of pathogens in food preparation areas. The infected food workers have a somewhat different ecological place in infection epidemiology as compared to the general population. However, the current Korean Food Safety Act cannot propose detailed guidelines. Therefore, different methodologies have to be made available to prevent further infections.

A new unifying hypothesis for lathyrism, konzo and tropical ataxic neuropathy: nitriles are the causative agents.

PubMed

Llorens, Jordi; Soler-Martín, Carla; Saldaña-Ruíz, Sandra; Cutillas, Blanca; Ambrosio, Santiago; Boadas-Vaello, Pere

2011-03-01

Konzo and lathyrism are associated with consumption of cassava and grass pea, respectively. Cassava consumption has also been associated with a third disease, tropical ataxic neuropathy (TAN). This review presents a new unifying hypothesis on the causative agents for these diseases: namely, that they are nitriles, compounds containing cyano groups. The diseases may be caused by different but similar nitriles through direct neurotoxic actions not mediated by systemic cyanide release. Both cassava and Lathyrus contain nitriles, and other unidentified nitriles can be generated during food processing or in the human body. Available data indicate that several small nitriles cause a variety of neurotoxic effects. In experimental animals, 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN), allylnitrile and cis-crotononitrile cause sensory toxicity, whereas hexadienenitrile and trans-crotononitrile induce selective neuronal degeneration in discrete brain regions. IDPN also induces a neurofilamentous axonopathy, and dimethylaminopropionitrile is known to cause autonomic (genito-urinary) neurotoxicity in both humans and rodents. Some of these actions depend on metabolic bioactivation of the parental nitriles, and sex- and species-dependent differences in susceptibility have been recorded. Recently, neuronal degeneration has been found in rats exposed to acetone cyanohydrin. Taken together, the neurotoxic properties of nitriles make them excellent candidates as causative agents for konzo, lathyrism and TAN. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foodborne Infectious Diseases Mediated by Inappropriate Infection Control in Food Service Businesses and Relevant Countermeasures in Korea

PubMed Central

Park, Jong Myong; You, Young-Hyun; Cho, Hyun-Min; Hong, Ji Won; Ghim, Sa-Youl

2017-01-01

Objectives The objective of this review is to propose an appropriate course of action for improving the guidelines followed by food handlers for control of infection. For this purpose, previous epidemiological reports related to acute gastroenteritis in food service businesses mediated by food handlers were intensively analyzed. Methods Relevant studies were identified in international databases. We selected eligible papers reporting foodborne infectious disease outbreaks. Among primary literature collection, the abstract of each article was investigated to find cases that absolutely identified a causative factor to be food handlers’ inappropriate infection control and the taxon of causative microbial agents by epidemiological methodologies. Information about the sites (type of food business) where the outbreaks occurred was investigated. Results A wide variety of causative microbial agents has been investigated, using several epidemiological methods. These agents have shown diverse propagation pathways based on their own molecular pathogenesis, physiology, taxonomy, and etiology. Conclusion Depending on etiology, transmission, propagation, and microbiological traits, we can predict the transmission characteristics of pathogens in food preparation areas. The infected food workers have a somewhat different ecological place in infection epidemiology as compared to the general population. However, the current Korean Food Safety Act cannot propose detailed guidelines. Therefore, different methodologies have to be made available to prevent further infections. PMID:28781938

MS 04-044: demographic features of drug and chemical poisoning in northern Malaysia.

PubMed

Fathelrahman, Ahmed Ibrahim; Ab Rahman, Ab Fatah; Mohd Zain, Zaininah

2005-01-01

Acute poisoning is a significant health problem all over the world. In Malaysia, nationwide data on poisoning pattern is scarce and incomplete. The objectives of our study were to determine the pattern of acute drug and chemical poisoning at Penang General Hospital (PGH), in the northern region of Malaysia, and to compare poisoning characteristics between different ethnic groups. The study was a retrospective case review of all poisoned patients admitted to PGH during the years 2000-2002. We collected data concerning demographic parameters of patients, information about the agent(s) implicated, and circumstances surrounding the event. There were 493 poisoning incidents. Nearly two-thirds of the poisoned cases involved female patients. The predominant mode of poisoning was intentional (51.5%). The age group 15.1-30 years ranked at the top, constituting 55.2% of all cases. Drugs were the predominant agents implicated. Among cases associated with drugs, paracetamol was the main causative agent (44.7%). Chinese patients constituted 37.7% of all poisoning cases, followed by the Indians (31.6%) and Malays (26.6%). Between ethnic groups, Indian patients were found to have the highest rate of poisoning admission of 75.2 per 100,000 persons.

[Epizootic characteristic of rabies today].

PubMed

Makarov, V V; Dzhupina, S I; Vedernikov, V A; Zavodskikh, A V; Afonin, V N

2002-01-01

During the 23 year period rabies was registered in the Moscow region in 163 cases among foxes, 22 cases among racoon-like dogs, 92 cases among dogs, 54 cases among cats. In 1991-2000 ten cases of rabies were registered among other wild animal other than foxes and raccoon-like dogs (hares, hedge-hogs, polecats, badgers, hamsters, martens, rats). Under today conditions the generalized epizootological pattern of rabies is characterized by the vector "natural foci-->anthropurgic foci" with wild and domestic animals playing an alternative role in the epizootic process and the circulation of the infective agent. Wild carnivorous animals maintain natural focal infection in time and space, while all domestic animals are a direct or indirect ecological impasse and took no part in the maintenance of the infection. Foxes are the main source of infection for the animals of the anthropurgic cycle: they play a special role in the development of the epizootic situation in the region as the main reservoir and source of the causative agent of rabies as a natural focal infection. Among other wild animals, raccoon-like dogs are involved into epizootic and epidemic chains. Dogs are the main objects to be infected in the anthropurgic cycles, while cats--a progressing group of risk. During the period of 25 years a decrease in the probability of natural rabies was noted.

Essential Oils of Myrtaceae Species Growing Wild in Tunisia: Chemical Variability and Antifungal Activity Against Biscogniauxia mediterranea, the Causative Agent of Charcoal Canker.

PubMed

Yangui, Islem; Zouaoui Boutiti, Meriem; Boussaid, Mohamed; Messaoud, Chokri

2017-07-01

The chemical composition of five Eucalyptus species and five Myrtus communis L. populations was investigated using GC/MS and GC-FID. For Eucalyptus essential oils, 32 compounds, representing 88.56 - 96.83% of the total oil according to species, were identified. The main compounds were 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, p-cymene, γ-gurjunene, α-aromadendrene, and β-phellandrene. For Myrtle essential oils, 26 compounds, representing 93.13 - 98.91% of the total oil were identified. α-Pinene, 1,8-cineole, linalool, and myrtenyl acetate were found to be the major compounds. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed chemical differentiation between Eucalyptus species and between Myrtle populations. Biscogniauxia mediterranea, the causative agent of charcoal canker, was identified according to its morphological and molecular characteristics. Essential oils of the investigated Eucalyptus species and Myrtle populations were tested for their antifungal capacity against this fungus. The antifungal activity varied according to the essential oil composition. Biscogniauxia mediterranea exhibited powerful resistance to some essential oils including them of Eucalyptus lehmannii and Eucalyptus sideroxylon but it was very sensitive to Eucalyptus camaldulensis oil (IC 50  = 3.83 mg/ml) and M. communis oil from Zaghouan (IC 50  = 1 mg/ml). This sensitivity was found to be correlated to some essential oil compounds such as p-cymene, carvacrol, cuminaldehyde, and linalool. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

LONGITUDINAL MONITORING OF TREE AIRBORNE POLLEN IN JAPAN.

PubMed

Kishikawa, Reiko; Kotoh, Eiko; Oshikawa, Chie; Soh, Nobuo; Shimoda, Terufumi; Saito, Akemi; Sahashi, Norio; Enomoto, Tadao; Usami, Atsushi; Teranishi, Hidetoyo; Fujisaki, Yohko; Yokoyama, Toshitaka; Murayama, Kohji; Imai, Tohru; Fukutomi, Yuma; Taniguchi, Masami; Iwanaga, Tomoaki

2017-01-01

In Japan patients with Japanese Cedar (JC) pollinosis have increased nation widely since the latter of 1970's. The Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japanese Governments has begun to take preventive measures against JC pollinosis and airborne pollen monitoring has begun to investigate as a causative agent since 1986. We have estimated the longitudinal investigation result for successful prevention and treatment against pollinosis in Japan. We have monitored airborne pollen all year around since July 1986 by gravitational pollen sampler, Durham's sampler, at more than 20 locations in the Japanese Islands. Pollen samples were sent to our hospital and counted pollen number per cm 2 after stained by Calberla solution and then classified main pollen grains as a causative agent of pollinosis. JC pollen number was the most of all, more than 40%, next cypress family, about 20%. They were occupied of more than 60% of all and they increased with the remarkable annual fluctuation as the allergen of JC pollinosis. Beech family pollen counting were also increasing and occupied about 10% of all pollen counts. In Hokkaido the prevalence of birch family pollen count was larger than that in other districts. There is cross-reactivity between beech and birch family which related with oral allergic syndrome.Perspective and Conclusion: In future new occurrences of oral allergy syndrome due to increasing allergic tree pollen grains would be appeared. The contentious pollen research should be important for patients with pollinosis in Japan.

Acanthamoeba genotypes T3 and T4 as causative agents of amoebic keratitis in Mexico.

PubMed

Omaña-Molina, Maritza; Vanzzini-Zago, Virginia; Hernandez-Martinez, Dolores; Gonzalez-Robles, Arturo; Salazar-Villatoro, Lizbeth; Ramirez-Flores, Elizabeth; Oregon-Miranda, Eric; Lorenzo-Morales, Jacob; Martinez-Palomo, Adolfo

2016-02-01

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are widely distributed worldwide. Some genera included in this group act as opportunistic pathogens causing fatal encephalitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a sight-threatening infection of the cornea associated with the use of soft contact lenses that could even end in blindness if an early diagnosis and treatment are not achieved. Furthermore, the numbers of AK cases keep rising worldwide mainly due to an increase of contact lens wearers and lack of hygiene in the maintenance of lenses and their cases. In Mexico, no cases of AK have been described so far although the isolation of other pathogenic FLA such as Naegleria fowleri and Balamuthia mandrillaris from both clinical and environmental sources has been reported. The present study reports two cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis diagnosed in two patients admitted to the Hospital "Luis Sánchez Bulnes" for Blindness Prevention in Mexico City, Mexico. Corneal scrapes and contact lenses were checked for the presence of Acanthamoeba strains in both patients. Strains were axenized after initial isolation to classify at the genotype level. After sequencing the diagnostic fragment 3 (DF3) region located on the 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene of Acanthamoeba, genotype T3 and genotype T4 were identified in clinical case 1 and 2, respectively. To our knowledge, these are the first reported cases of AK in Mexico in the literature and the first description of Acanthamoeba genotypes T3 and T4 as causative agents of amoebic infection.

Laws, causation and dynamics at different levels.

PubMed

Butterfield, Jeremy

2012-02-06

I have two main aims. The first is general, and more philosophical (§2). The second is specific, and more closely related to physics (§§3 and 4). The first aim is to state my general views about laws and causation at different 'levels'. The main task is to understand how the higher levels sustain notions of law and causation that 'ride free' of reductions to the lower level or levels. I endeavour to relate my views to those of other symposiasts. The second aim is to give a framework for describing dynamics at different levels, emphasizing how the various levels' dynamics can mesh or fail to mesh. This framework is essentially that of elementary dynamical systems theory. The main idea will be, for simplicity, to work with just two levels, dubbed 'micro' and 'macro', which are related by coarse-graining. I use this framework to describe, in part, the first four of Ellis' five types of top-down causation.

Mad cow disease--the OR connection.

PubMed

Hansel, P A

1999-08-01

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is one of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, a group of fatal, neurodegenerative disorders affecting both humans and animals. The causative agent is the prion, which is still being researched and is controversial. In the 1980s, bovine spongiform encephalopathy brought much media attention to these diseases. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is the result of faulty industrial practices that produced cattle feed contaminated by prions. In the 1990s, a new variant of CJD (i.e., nvCJD) appeared in Britain. Researchers believe that nvCJD was passed to humans through oral consumption of contaminated beef. This article describes the history, causative agent, mode of transmission, clinical features and course, diagnosis, treatment, and decontamination and sterilization guidelines for this baffling disease.

Pacific Broad Tapeworm Adenocephalus pacificus as a Causative Agent of Globally Reemerging Diphyllobothriosis

PubMed Central

Serrano-Martínez, Marcus Enrique; Scholz, Tomas

2015-01-01

The Pacific broad tapeworm Adenocephalus pacificus (syn. Diphyllobothrium pacificum) is the causative agent of the third most common fish-borne cestodosis among humans. Although most of the nearly 1,000 cases among humans have been reported in South America (Peru, Chile, and Ecuador), cases recently imported to Europe demonstrate the potential for spread of this tapeworm throughout the world as a result of global trade of fresh or chilled marine fish and travel or migration of humans. We provide a comprehensive survey of human cases of infection with this zoonotic parasite, summarize the history of this re-emerging disease, and identify marine fish species that may serve as a source of human infection when eaten raw or undercooked. PMID:26402440

Pacific Broad Tapeworm Adenocephalus pacificus as a Causative Agent of Globally Reemerging Diphyllobothriosis.

PubMed

Kuchta, Roman; Serrano-Martínez, Marcus Enrique; Scholz, Tomas

2015-10-01

The Pacific broad tapeworm Adenocephalus pacificus (syn. Diphyllobothrium pacificum) is the causative agent of the third most common fish-borne cestodosis among humans. Although most of the nearly 1,000 cases among humans have been reported in South America (Peru, Chile, and Ecuador), cases recently imported to Europe demonstrate the potential for spread of this tapeworm throughout the world as a result of global trade of fresh or chilled marine fish and travel or migration of humans. We provide a comprehensive survey of human cases of infection with this zoonotic parasite, summarize the history of this re-emerging disease, and identify marine fish species that may serve as a source of human infection when eaten raw or undercooked.

A Nonfatal Case of Dobrava Hantavirus Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome Combined with Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome.

PubMed

Dreshaj, Shemsedin; Ajazaj, Lindita; Hasani, Nderim; Halili, Bahrije; Ponosheci, Albina; Jakupi, Xhevat

2018-01-01

Among hantaviruses (HTNV), 22 are known as pathogenic for humans. HTNV can cause two clinical entities: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). In most countries of Eastern Europe as well as in Kosovo, HTNV infection is presented mainly as HFRS. Here, we report a 20-year-old man with HFRS and HCPS caused by Dobrava hantavirus strain, successfully treated in Intensive Care Unit of Infectious Diseases Clinic, University Clinical Center of Kosovo. In HFRS endemic areas, patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome need to be evaluated for Dobrava hantavirus strain as a possible causative agent.

9 CFR 113.113 - Autogenous biologics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... herd of origin and which there is reason to believe are the causative agent(s) of the current disease... for use in herds adjacent to the herd of origin, when adjacent herds are considered to be at risk. To request authorization to prepare a product for use in herds adjacent to the herd of origin, the...

9 CFR 113.113 - Autogenous biologics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... herd of origin and which there is reason to believe are the causative agent(s) of the current disease... for use in herds adjacent to the herd of origin, when adjacent herds are considered to be at risk. To request authorization to prepare a product for use in herds adjacent to the herd of origin, the...

9 CFR 113.113 - Autogenous biologics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... herd of origin and which there is reason to believe are the causative agent(s) of the current disease... for use in herds adjacent to the herd of origin, when adjacent herds are considered to be at risk. To request authorization to prepare a product for use in herds adjacent to the herd of origin, the...

Inactivation of F.tularensis Utah-112 on food and food contact surfaces by ultraviolet light

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia, a plague-like illness that affects animals and humans, and has caused large illness pandemics in the last century. It has also been used as a biological warfare agent, and tularemia can be contracted through consumption of contaminated food...

Thermal Inactivation of Viruses

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-10-01

thermal inactivation . 12 Bibliography 20 Table 3. Thermal inactivation of viruses in foods 25 Bibliography 31 Table 4, Agents modifying...the presence of protective agents that reduce the lethal effect of heat on the viruses at temperatures below 60 C In addition, whtn solid foods...systems but were observed j when animal inoculation was utilized. It is possible that free virus nucl’lc < acid may have been the causative agent in

Design and Engineering of a Multi-Target (Multiplex) DNA Simulant to Evaluate Nulceic Acid Based Assays for Detection of Biological Threat Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

mallei , Burkholderia pseudomallei and Variola virus (smallpox virus). A chimera of 2040 bp was engineered to produce PCR amplicons of different sizes...potential bio-warfare use have been completely sequenced, B. mallei , the etiologic agent of glanders , and B. pseudomallei, causative agent of... Burkholderia mallei Nierman et al, 2004 Burkholderia pseudomallei Holden et al, 2004 Burkholderia thailandensis

Isolation, experimental transmission, and characterization of causative agent of Potomac horse fever.

PubMed

Holland, C J; Ristic, M; Cole, A I; Johnson, P; Baker, G; Goetz, T

1985-02-01

Potomac horse fever, a disease characterized by fever, anorexia, leukopenia, and occasional diarrhea, is fatal in approximately 30 percent of affected animals. The seasonal occurrence of the disease (June to October) and evidence of antibodies to the rickettsia Ehrlichia sennetsu in the serum of convalescing horses suggested that a related rickettsia might be the causative agent. Such an agent was isolated in cultured blood monocytes from an experimentally infected pony. This intracytoplasmic organism was adapted to growth in primary cultures of canine blood monocytes. A healthy pony inoculated with these infected monocytes also developed the disease. The organism was reisolated from this animal which, at autopsy, had pathological manifestations typical of Potomac horse fever. Cross serologic reactions between the newly isolated agent and antisera to 15 rickettsiae revealed that it is related to certain members of the genus Ehrlichia, particularly to Ehrlichia sennetsu. Since the disease occurs in other parts of the United States as well as in the vicinity of the Potomac River, and since it has also been reported in Europe, the name equine monocytic ehrlichiosis is proposed as being more descriptive.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Ophthalmic Medications: Relevant Allergens and Alternative Testing Methods.

PubMed

Grey, Katherine R; Warshaw, Erin M

Allergic contact dermatitis is an important cause of periorbital dermatitis. Topical ophthalmic agents are relevant sensitizers. Contact dermatitis to ophthalmic medications can be challenging to diagnose and manage given the numerous possible offending agents, including both active and inactive ingredients. Furthermore, a substantial body of literature reports false-negative patch test results to ophthalmic agents. Subsequently, numerous alternative testing methods have been described. This review outlines the periorbital manifestations, causative agents, and alternative testing methods of allergic contact dermatitis to ophthalmic medications.

[The plague].

PubMed

Carniel, Elisabeth

2002-08-01

The plague has been one of the most devastating diseases of human history. Despite major advances in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, it has not been possible to eradicate this infection. Plague is still active in Africa, in Asia and in the Americas, and is classified as a currently re-emerging disease. The plague is mainly a disease of rodents, which is transmitted by fleabites. Humans develop two main clinical forms: bubonic plague (following bites of infected fleas, lethal in 50-70% of the cases in less than a week if an appropriate treatment is not started rapidly), and pneumonic plague (after inhalation of infected droplets, lethal in less than three days in 100% of cases without immediate treatment). Y. pestis, the causative agent of plague, is usually sensitive to most antibiotics, but the first multi-resistant strain was recently described. No efficient and safe vaccines are currently available. The plague bacillus is one of the few organisms that could be used for biological warfare.

Risk and Prognosis of Bacteremia and Fungemia Among Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

PubMed

Dalgaard, Lars Skov; Nørgaard, Mette; Povlsen, Johan Vestergaard; Jespersen, Bente; Jensen-Fangel, Søren; Ellermann-Eriksen, Svend; Østergaard, Lars; Schønheyder, Henrik Carl; Søgaard, Ole Schmeltz

♦ BACKGROUND: The incidence of bacteremia and fungemia (BAF) is largely unknown in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients initiating peritoneal dialysis (PD). ♦ OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to estimate and compare incidence rates of first episodes of BAF in incident PD patients and a comparison cohort. A secondary objective was to compare causative agents and 30-day post-BAF mortality between PD patients and the comparison cohort. ♦ METHODS: Design: Observational cohort study. Central and North Denmark regions. patients who initiated PD during 1995 - 2010. For each patient we sampled up to 10 controls from the general population matched on age, sex, and municipality. ♦ MAIN OUTCOME: Data on positive blood cultures were retrieved from electronic microbiology databases covering the 2 regions. We calculated incidence rates (IRs) of first-time BAF for PD patients and population controls. Incidence-rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated to compare these rates. Thirty-day mortality was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. ♦ RESULTS: Among 1,024 PD patients and 10,215 population controls, we identified 75 and 282 episodes of BAF, respectively. Incidence rates of BAF were 4.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8 - 5.9) per 100 person-years of follow-up (PYFU) in PD patients and 0.5 (95% CI, 0.4 - 0.5) per 100 PYFU in population controls (IRR = 10.4; 95% CI, 8.1 - 13.5). In PD patients, the most frequent microorganisms were Escherichia coli (18.7%) and Staphylococcus aureus (13.3%). Escherichia coli (27.3%) also ranked first among population controls. Thirty-day mortality following BAF was 20.8% (95% CI, 12.6 - 31.0) and 20.7% (95% CI, 16.3 - 25.9) among PD patients and population controls, respectively. ♦ CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal dialysis patients are at markedly higher risk of BAF than population controls. Causative agents and the 30-day post-BAF mortality were similar in the 2 cohorts. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis.

Mouse model for the Rift Valley fever virus MP12 strain infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a Category A pathogen and select agent, is the causative agent of Rift Valley fever. To date, no fully licensed vaccine is available in the U.S. for human or animal use and effective antiviral drugs have not been identified. The RVFV MP12 strain is conditionally licen...

[Topical terbinafine. Reduction of duration of therapy for tinea pedis].

PubMed

Schmid-Wendtner, M-H; Korting, H

2008-12-01

Superficial fungal infections are common and worldwide in distribution. Latest estimates suggest one- third of the population in Europe has a fungal infection of their feet, with dermatophyte infections of the skin of the feet (tinea pedis) most common. Tinea pedis interdigitalis is by far most common and can be effectively treated topically. Common agents include azoles, hydroxypyridones and allylamines, with morpholines used less frequently. While most antifungals have mainly fungistatic effects on dermatophytes, the causative agents of tinea pedis, terbinafine--an allylamine--is fungicidal. Due to this feature shorter treatment periods are possible using topical terbinafine. For effective treatment of uncomplicated tinea pedis interdigitalis, azole cream preparations are often used twice daily for four weeks whereas 1% terbinafine cream can be applied once a day for one week. Since 2006, 1% terbinafine is also available as a film-forming solution (FFS), which makes single-dose treatment possible. FFS may prove superior in daily practice with increased compliance and thus reduced recurrences.

[Bartonella henselae, an ubiquitous agent of proteiform zoonotic disease].

PubMed

Edouard, S; Raoult, D

2010-06-01

Bartonella henselae is the causative agent of cat scratch disease, a human infection usually characterized by persistent regional lymphadenopathy. It is transmitted to humans by cat scratches or bites. Cats are the major reservoir for this bacterium thus B. henselae has a worldwide distribution. The bacterial pathogenicity may bay emphasized by the immune status of the infected host. Angiomatosis or hepatic peliosis are the most frequent clinical manifestations in immunocompromised patients. B. henselae is also responsible for endocarditis in patients with valvular diseases, and may induce various clinical presentations such as: bacteriemia, retinitis, musculoskeletal disorders, hepatic or splenic diseases, encephalitis, or myocarditis. Several diagnostic tools are available; they may be combined and adapted to every clinical setting. B. henselae is a fastidious bacterium; its diagnosis is mainly made by PCR and blood tests. No treatment is required for the benign form of cat scratch disease. For more severe clinical presentations, the treatment must be adapted to every clinical presentation.

Polyamidoamine nanoparticles as nanocarriers for the drug delivery to malaria parasite stages in the mosquito vector.

PubMed

Urbán, Patricia; Ranucci, Elisabetta; Fernàndez-Busquets, Xavier

2015-11-01

Malaria is arguably one of the main medical concerns worldwide because of the numbers of people affected, the severity of the disease and the complexity of the life cycle of its causative agent, the protist Plasmodium spp. With the advent of nanoscience, renewed hopes have appeared of finally obtaining the long sought-after magic bullet against malaria in the form of a nanovector for the targeted delivery of antimalarial compounds exclusively to Plasmodium-infected cells, thus increasing drug efficacy and minimizing the induction of resistance to newly developed therapeutic agents. Polyamidoamine-derived nanovectors combine into a single chemical structure drug encapsulating capacity, antimalarial activity, low unspecific toxicity, specific targeting to Plasmodium, optimal in vivo activity and affordable synthesis cost. After having shown their efficacy in targeting drugs to intraerythrocytic parasites, now polyamidoamines face the challenge of spearheading a new generation of nanocarriers aiming at the malaria parasite stages in the mosquito vector.

Anthrax: Where Margins are Merging between Emerging Threats and Bioterrorism

PubMed Central

Banerjee, Dibyendu; Chakraborty, Baishali; Chakraborty, Banya

2017-01-01

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has classified all the emerging infectious diseases agents under three categories. Among Category A priority pathogens comes Bacillus anthracis –the causative agent of Anthrax. It is a gram positive spore bearing bacteria, and the disease is typically associated with grazing animals, and affects the people as a zoonosis. The disease can be classically transmitted by three routes namely: cutaneous, gastrointestinal and pulmonary, with a fourth route recently identified as “injection anthrax”, seen in intravenous drug abusers. Cutaneous anthrax is the commonest form in humans, accounting for 95% of all the cases. There are two main virulence factors of this bacteria, a capsule and an exotoxin, each carried by a separate toxin. Two models have been used for explaining the pathogenesis of this infection. The earlier one or “Trojan horse” model is now replaced with “jail-break” model. Centers for disease control (CDC) has issued updated guidelines for diagnosis, post-exposure prophylaxis and treatment. For immunization, anthrax vaccine absorbed is available. PMID:28979006

Five years audit for presence of toxic agents/drug of abuse at autopsy.

PubMed

Ali, S Muhammad Aijaz; Khalil, Inayatur-ur-Rehman; Saeed, Ahmed; Hussain, Zahid

2003-09-01

To know the frequency of fatal poisoning in Peshawar regarding the toxic agents mostly involved and yearwise percentage. To know the age group and the gender that is most vulnerable to fatal poisoning. Non-interventional (descriptive) type. This study was conducted over a period of five years (1997-2001) at Forensic Medicine Department, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. The study included 3508 autopsies conducted at Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. Out of these, 52 cases were those caused by fatal poisoning. These were analyzed according to age, gender and the toxic agent involved. t-test was applied as the test of significance. Poisoning was the cause of death in 1.48% of the total autopsies conducted during the five years. Males were more involved than the females, 90.38 %. Suicidal poisoning was present in 17.30% of the total cases and accidental poisoning was found in 80.72% cases, while homicidal cases were 1.29% only. Diacetylmorphine (heroin) was the most commonly involved agent, 65.38 %, of the total cases. The incidence of poisoning was more during the third and fourth decades of life. Diacetylmorphine (heroin) was the main causative agent involved in young males due to accidental over- dosage. Accidental and suicidal deaths should not be considered as inevitable. More elaborative studies are required in this area of recent research to adopt appropriate and adequate measures to save precious lives.

Viral etiology of respiratory infections in children under 5 years old living in tropical rural areas of Senegal: The EVIRA project.

PubMed

Niang, Mbayame Ndiaye; Diop, Ousmane M; Sarr, Fatoumata Diene; Goudiaby, Deborah; Malou-Sompy, Hubert; Ndiaye, Kader; Vabret, Astrid; Baril, Laurence

2010-05-01

Acute respiratory infection is one of the leading causes of child morbidity, especially in developing countries. Viruses are recognized as the predominant causative agents of acute respiratory infections. In Senegal, few data concerning the causes of respiratory infections are available, and those known relate mainly to classical influenza infections. Clinical and virological surveillance of acute respiratory infections was carried out in a rural community in children less than 5 years old. A standardized questionnaire was used and a nasopharyngeal swab sample was collected from each patient. These samples were tested for the detection of 20 respiratory viruses by multiplex RT-PCR or by viral culture. A total of 82 acute respiratory episodes were included, and 48 (58.5%) were found to be positive, with a total of 55 viral detections; several samples were positive for two (n = 5) or 3 (n = 1) viruses. Ten different viruses were identified: influenza viruses A, B, and C (n = 25), human respiratory syncytial virus type A (n = 13), rhinoviruses (n = 8), human coronaviruses type 229E and NL63 (n = 6), parainfluenza viruses 3 and 4 (n = 2), and bocavirus (n = 1). These results provide evidence on the importance and the diversity of viruses as causative agents of acute respiratory infections in children living in a rural community in Senegal. The establishment of sentinel surveillance sites could help estimate the burden of acute respiratory infection in the pediatric population and should help prepare the health care systems to identify and respond to new viral respiratory emergencies.

Multiple outbreaks of gastroenteritis that were associated with 16 funerals and a unique caterer and spanned 6 days, 2011, Québec, Canada.

PubMed

Gaulin, Colette; Nguon, Soulyvane; Leblanc, Marie-Andree; Ramsay, Danielle; Roy, Sophie

2013-09-01

In January 2011, multiple acute gastroenteritis outbreaks that spanned many days and were related to attendance at funerals were reported to public health units in Quebec. An epidemiological investigation was initiated to identify the source of the contamination and to explain the extent of the contamination over time. Thirty-one cohorts of individuals attended different funerals held between 14 and 19 January. All attendees were served a cold buffet made by the same caterer. Of these 31 cohorts, 16 (with a total of about 800 people) contained individuals who reported being ill after the funeral. Symptoms were mainly diarrhea (89 to 94% of individuals), vomiting (63 to 90%,) and fever (26 to 39%), with a median incubation period of 29 to 33 h and a median duration of symptoms of 24 to 33 h, suggesting norovirus-like infection. Among the 16 cohorts, 3 were selected for cohort studies. Among those three cohorts, the mean illness rate was 68%. Associations were found between those who fell ill and those who had consumed pasta salad (relative risk [RR] = 2.4; P = 0.0022) and ham sandwiches (RR = 1.8; P = 0.0096). No food handlers reported being sick. No stool samples were provided by individuals who became ill. Environmental and food samples were all negative for causative agents. Although the causative agent was not clearly identified, this investigation raised many concerns about the importance of preventing foodborne transmission of viral gastroenteritis and generated some recommendations for management of similar outbreaks.

[Bronchiolitis with airflow obstruction in adults].

PubMed

Fournier, M; Marceau, A; Dauriat, G; Camuset, J; Groussard, O

2004-04-01

The purpose of this paper is twofold: to describe the clinical and anatomical characteristics of bronchiolitis associated with airflow obstruction in adults; to present through a clinical approach, a classification of the main aetiologies or pathological frames associated with that entity. The constrictive bronchiolitis type is the most frequently encountered. On clinical grounds, cough, crackles, and a progressive dyspnea develop usually within a few weeks. Radiological signs of bronchiolar abnormalities are best visualized on high resolution expiratory CT scan. The decrease in maximal airflows and oxygen tension is of limited amplitude and poorly reversible with bronchodilators. Diagnosis is easily performed when a causative event, or the clinical context, can be delineated: inhalation of toxic fumes, diffuse bronchiectasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lung or bone marrow transplantation. Delayed formation of bronchiectasis in the central airways is common. The treatment is not standardized; corticosteroids are usually prescribed as a first line therapy; the benefit of the addition of, or substitution with immunosuppressive drugs has not been adequately evaluated, but is, on the mean, of limited amplitude. Recent advances in the identification of inhaled agents toxic for the distal airways help in establishing appropriate measures of prevention. When the aetiology of the bronchiolitis cannot be suspected, extensive search of a causative agent should be performed, including microbial and mineral analysis of bronchoalveolar products. Negative results should lead to perform a surgical lung biopsy. The study of chronic rejection processes in animal models of lung transplantation, the identification of inhibitory factors of bronchiolar fibrogenesis, and the efficacy of some anti-cytokines on inflammatory processes could result in new therapeutic approaches.

Tapeworm Diphyllobothrium dendriticum (Cestoda)—Neglected or Emerging Human Parasite?

PubMed Central

Kuchta, Roman; Brabec, Jan; Kubáčková, Petra; Scholz, Tomáš

2013-01-01

Background A total number of 14 valid species of Diphyllobothrium tapeworms have been described in literature to be capable of causing diphyllobothriosis, with D. latum being the major causative agent of all human infections. However, recent data indicate that some of these infections, especially when diagnosed solely on the basis of morphology, have been identified with this causative agent incorrectly, confusing other Diphyllobothrium species with D. latum. Another widely distributed species, D. dendriticum, has never been considered as a frequent parasite of man, even though it is found commonly throughout arctic and subarctic regions parasitizing piscivorous birds and mammals. Recent cases of Europeans infected with this cestode called into question the actual geographic distribution of this tapeworm, largely ignored by medical parasitologists. Methodology and Results On the basis of revision of more than 900 available references and a description and revision of recent European human cases using morphological and molecular (cox1) data supplemented by newly characterized D. dendriticum sequences, we updated the current knowledge of the life-cycle, geographic distribution, epidemiological status, and molecular diagnostics of this emerging causal agent of zoonotic disease of man. Conclusions The tapeworm D. dendriticum represents an example of a previously neglected, probably underdiagnosed parasite of man with a potential to spread globally. Recent cases of diphyllobothriosis caused by D. dendriticum in Europe (Netherlands, Switzerland and Czech Republic), where the parasite has not been reported previously, point out that causative agents of diphyllobothriosis and other zoonoses can be imported throughout the world. Molecular tools should be used for specific and reliable parasite diagnostics, and also rare or non-native species should be considered. This will considerably help improve our knowledge of the distribution and epidemiology of these human parasites. PMID:24386497

Tapeworm Diphyllobothrium dendriticum (Cestoda)--neglected or emerging human parasite?

PubMed

Kuchta, Roman; Brabec, Jan; Kubáčková, Petra; Scholz, Tomáš

2013-01-01

A total number of 14 valid species of Diphyllobothrium tapeworms have been described in literature to be capable of causing diphyllobothriosis, with D. latum being the major causative agent of all human infections. However, recent data indicate that some of these infections, especially when diagnosed solely on the basis of morphology, have been identified with this causative agent incorrectly, confusing other Diphyllobothrium species with D. latum. Another widely distributed species, D. dendriticum, has never been considered as a frequent parasite of man, even though it is found commonly throughout arctic and subarctic regions parasitizing piscivorous birds and mammals. Recent cases of Europeans infected with this cestode called into question the actual geographic distribution of this tapeworm, largely ignored by medical parasitologists. On the basis of revision of more than 900 available references and a description and revision of recent European human cases using morphological and molecular (cox1) data supplemented by newly characterized D. dendriticum sequences, we updated the current knowledge of the life-cycle, geographic distribution, epidemiological status, and molecular diagnostics of this emerging causal agent of zoonotic disease of man. The tapeworm D. dendriticum represents an example of a previously neglected, probably underdiagnosed parasite of man with a potential to spread globally. Recent cases of diphyllobothriosis caused by D. dendriticum in Europe (Netherlands, Switzerland and Czech Republic), where the parasite has not been reported previously, point out that causative agents of diphyllobothriosis and other zoonoses can be imported throughout the world. Molecular tools should be used for specific and reliable parasite diagnostics, and also rare or non-native species should be considered. This will considerably help improve our knowledge of the distribution and epidemiology of these human parasites.

Neotrombicula inopinata (Acari: Trombiculidae) – a possible causative agent of trombiculiasis in Europe

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background For over a decade, the presence of trombiculid mites in some mountain areas of La Rioja (Northern Spain) and their association with seasonal human dermatitis have been recognized. This work aimed to establish the species identity of the agent causing trombiculiasis in the study area. Methods Trombiculid larvae (chigger mites) were collected from vegetation in the Sierra Cebollera Natural Park and in Sierra La Hez during an outbreak of human trombiculiasis in 2010. Three specimens collected from a bird were also examined. Identification was made using morphological and morphometric traits based on the most recent taxonomic sources. A comparison of those mites with specimens of the same species collected throughout Europe was performed by means of cluster analysis with multiscale bootstrap resampling and calculation of approximately unbiased p-values. Results All collected mites were identified as Neotrombicula inopinata (Oudemans, 1909). Therefore, this species is the most likely causative agent of trombiculiasis in Spain, not Neotrombicula autumnalis (Shaw, 1790), as it was generally assumed. No chigger was identified as N. autumnalis in the study area. Neotrombicula inopinata clearly differs from N. autumnalis in the presence of eight or more setae in the 1st and 2nd rows of dorsal idiosomal setae vs. six setae in N. autumnalis. Comparison of N. inopinata samples from different locations shows significant geographic variability in morphometric traits. Samples from Western and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus formed three separate clusters. Conclusion Since the taxonomical basis of many studies concerning N. autumnalis as a causative agent of trombiculiasis is insufficient, it is highly possible that N. inopinata may be hiding behind the common name of “harvest bug” in Europe, together with N. autumnalis. PMID:24589214

Neotrombicula inopinata (Acari: Trombiculidae) - a possible causative agent of trombiculiasis in Europe.

PubMed

Stekolnikov, Alexandr A; Santibáñez, Paula; Palomar, Ana M; Oteo, José A

2014-03-03

For over a decade, the presence of trombiculid mites in some mountain areas of La Rioja (Northern Spain) and their association with seasonal human dermatitis have been recognized. This work aimed to establish the species identity of the agent causing trombiculiasis in the study area. Trombiculid larvae (chigger mites) were collected from vegetation in the Sierra Cebollera Natural Park and in Sierra La Hez during an outbreak of human trombiculiasis in 2010. Three specimens collected from a bird were also examined. Identification was made using morphological and morphometric traits based on the most recent taxonomic sources. A comparison of those mites with specimens of the same species collected throughout Europe was performed by means of cluster analysis with multiscale bootstrap resampling and calculation of approximately unbiased p-values. All collected mites were identified as Neotrombicula inopinata (Oudemans, 1909). Therefore, this species is the most likely causative agent of trombiculiasis in Spain, not Neotrombicula autumnalis (Shaw, 1790), as it was generally assumed. No chigger was identified as N. autumnalis in the study area. Neotrombicula inopinata clearly differs from N. autumnalis in the presence of eight or more setae in the 1st and 2nd rows of dorsal idiosomal setae vs. six setae in N. autumnalis. Comparison of N. inopinata samples from different locations shows significant geographic variability in morphometric traits. Samples from Western and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus formed three separate clusters. Since the taxonomical basis of many studies concerning N. autumnalis as a causative agent of trombiculiasis is insufficient, it is highly possible that N. inopinata may be hiding behind the common name of "harvest bug" in Europe, together with N. autumnalis.

[Spontaneous gas gangrene in a diabetic patient with Clostridium septicum].

PubMed

Mischke, A; Besier, S; Walcher, F; Waibel, H; Brade, V; Brandt, C

2005-10-01

Atraumatic infections due to Clostridium septicum are known to be associated with immunosuppression or even malignancy. In this case report, we present a patient with severe Clostridium septicum infection related to advanced colon cancer that had not previously been diagnosed. The case demonstrates the strong association between Clostridium septicum infections and malignancy, particularly in the presence of other predisposing diseases such as diabetes mellitus. It strongly suggests excluding malignant neoplasms, especially of the gastrointestinal tract, when severe Clostridium septicum infections occur. Moreover, if patients with known colorectal or other malignancy develop septicaemia or spontaneous gas gangrene, clinicians should be aware of Clostridium septicum as one of the main causative agents, as early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are important to improve prognosis.

Triazole Resistance in Aspergillus spp.: A Worldwide Problem?

PubMed Central

Rivero-Menendez, Olga; Alastruey-Izquierdo, Ana; Mellado, Emilia; Cuenca-Estrella, Manuel

2016-01-01

Since the first description of an azole-resistant A. fumigatus strain in 1997, there has been an increasing number of papers describing the emergence of azole resistance. Firstly reported in the USA and soon after in Europe, it has now been described worldwide, challenging the management of human aspergillosis. The main mechanism of resistance is the modification of the azole target enzyme: 14-α sterol demethylase, encoded by the cyp51A gene; although recently, other resistance mechanisms have also been implicated. In addition, a shift in the epidemiology has been noted with other Aspergillus species (mostly azole resistant) increasingly being reported as causative agents of human disease. This paper reviews the current situation of Aspergillus azole resistance and its implications in the clinical setting. PMID:29376938

[Tinea capitis by Microsporum gypseum, an infrequent species].

PubMed

García-Agudo, Lidia; Espinosa-Ruiz, Jorge J

2018-04-01

Tinea capitis is considered the most frequent dermatophyte infection in children. The etiological agents vary from time to time and by geographical area, although they normally are zoophilic dermatophytes and in the last years also anthropophilic species. We report a clinical case of inflammatory tinea capitis in a 6-year-old child caused by Microsporum gypseum, a geophilic fungus pathogenic to humans and animals. The sources of human infection are soil, cats, dogs and small mammals. This species is less frequent as a cause of dermatophytosis in humans, described mainly in tinea corporis and rarely in tinea capitis. In the diagnosis of tinea capitis identifying the causative species is a determinant of the treatment. Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.

Potential Mechanism of Action of 3'-Demethoxy-6-O-demethyl-isoguaiacin on Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Favela-Hernández, Juan Manuel J; Clemente-Soto, Aldo F; Balderas-Rentería, Isaías; Garza-González, Elvira; Camacho-Corona, María del Rayo

2015-07-08

Bacterial infections represent one of the main threats to global public health. One of the major causative agents associated with high morbidity and mortality infections in hospitals worldwide is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, there is a need to develop new antibacterial agents to treat these infections, and natural products are a rich source of them. In previous studies, we reported that lignan 3'-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin, isolated and characterized from Larrea tridentate, showed the best activity towards methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the potential molecular mechanism of the antibacterial activity of 3'-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin against methicillin-resistant S. aureus using microarray technology. Results of microarray genome expression were validated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The genetic profile expression results showed that lignan 3'-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin had activity on cell membrane affecting proteins of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport system causing bacteria death. This molecular mechanism is not present in any antibacterial commercial drug and could be a new target for the development of novel antibacterial agents.

Potential mechanism of action of 3'-demethoxy-6-O-demethyl-isoguaiacin on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Favela-Hernández, Juan Manuel J; Clemente-Soto, Aldo F; Balderas-Rentería, Isaías; Garza-González, Elvira; Camacho-Corona, María Del Rayo

2015-07-08

Bacterial infections represent one of the main threats to global public health. One of the major causative agents associated with high morbidity and mortality infections in hospitals worldwide is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, there is a need to develop new antibacterial agents to treat these infections, and natural products are a rich source of them. In previous studies, we reported that lignan 3'-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin, isolated and characterized from Larrea tridentate, showed the best activity towards methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the potential molecular mechanism of the antibacterial activity of 3'-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin against methicillin-resistant S. aureus using microarray technology. Results of microarray genome expression were validated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The genetic profile expression results showed that lignan 3'-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin had activity on cell membrane affecting proteins of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport system causing bacteria death. This molecular mechanism is not present in any antibacterial commercial drug and could be a new target for the development of novel antibacterial agents.

[EPIZOOTOLOGICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TULAREMIA IN GEORGIA].

PubMed

Elashvili, E; Velijanashvili, I

2017-02-01

The appropriate data as well as archival materials about the spread of Tularemia disease have been studied over of period from 1991-2014 in Georgia in order to evaluate the current situation in Kartli lowland foci as well as the main reasons of disease agent circulation and maintenance in the study area. 54 (24.6%) out of 220 suspicious cases were laboratory confirmed during the study period. Most of confirmed cases - 32 (59.26%) have been detected in Shida Kartli focus among the old population during the outbreaks in the winter period. Tularemia causative agent has been isolated from the environmental object on 87 occasions, 50 (57.5%) of them have been found in Shida Kartli and 8 (9.2%) - in Kvemo Kartli lowland. Existence of rodents and ixodes ticks in Kartli lowland greatly supports keeping up Tularemia foci in this area. The common vectors and kind of storage of disease are considered to be different species of ixodes ticks especially D. marginatus, Haem. Punctata, Haem. Sulcata. It should be noted that reduction of intensity of Tularemia agent partially should be linked to the reduction frequency of planned and intentional researches during the last period of time.

Bordetella

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The genus Bordetella includes 8 formally recognized species, of which Bordetella parapertussis, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Bordetella avium, and Bordetella hinzii are of veterinary interest. Bordetella pertussis, the type species, is an obligate human pathogen and the causative agent of whooping co...

[Problem of bioterrorism under modern conditions].

PubMed

Vorob'ev, A A; Boev, B V; Bondarenko, V M; Gintsburg, A L

2002-01-01

It is practically impossible to discuss the problem of bioterrorism (BT) and to develop effective programs of decreasing the losses and expenses suffered by the society from the BT acts without evaluation of the threat and prognosis of consequences based on research and empiric data. Stained international situation following the act of terrorism (attack on the USA) on September 11, 2001, makes the scenarios of the bacterial weapon use (the causative agents of plague, smallpox, anthrax, etc.) by international terrorists most probable. In this connection studies on the analysis and prognostication of the consequences of BT, including mathematical and computer modelling, are necessary. The authors present the results of initiative studies on the analysis and prognostication of the consequences of the hypothetical act of BT with the use of the smallpox causative agent in a city with the population of about 1,000,000 inhabitants. The analytical prognostic studies on the operative analysis and prognostication of the consequences of the BT act with the use of the smallpox causative agent has demonstrated that the mathematical (computer) model of the epidemic outbreak of smallpox is an effective instrument of calculation studies. Prognostic evaluations of the consequences of the act of BT under the conditions of different reaction of public health services (time of detection, interventions) have been obtained with the use of modelling. In addition, the computer model is necessary for training health specialists to react adequately to the acts of BT with the use of different kinds of bacteriological weapons.

Addenda to Allied Medical Publication 8, NATO Planning Guide for the Estimation of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Casualties (AMedP-8(C)) to Consider the Impact of Medical Treatment on Casualty Estimation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

122 I. Q Fever Model Parameters (Section C131) ....................................................128 1...needed to incorporate human response models for five biological agents not originally considered in AMedP-8(C): brucellosis, glanders, Q fever ...0103.1b should be modified to read: b. Biological agents include the causative agents of anthrax, brucellosis, glanders, Q fever , tularemia

Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei: the causative micro-organisms of glanders and melioidosis.

PubMed

Gilad, Jacob

2007-11-01

Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei are the causative micro-organisms of Glanders and Melioidosis, respectively. Although now rare in Western countries, both micro-organisms have recently gained much interest because of their unique potential as bioterrorism agents. This paper reviews the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of Melioidosis and Glanders. Recent patents relating to these micro-organisms, especially potential vaccines, are presented. Continued research and development is urgently needed, especially in regard to rapid and accurate diagnosis of melioidosis and glanders, efficacious therapy and primary and secondary prevention.

Fungicidal activity of essential oils of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (L.) and Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr et L.M. Perry against crown rot and anthracnose pathogens isolated from banana.

PubMed

Ranasinghe, L; Jayawardena, B; Abeywickrama, K

2002-01-01

To develop a post-harvest treatment system against post-harvest fungal pathogens of banana using natural products. Colletotrichum musae was isolated and identified as the causative agent responsible for anthracnose peel blemishes while three fungi, namely Lasiodiplodia theobromae, C. musae and Fusarium proliferatum, were identified as causative agents responsible for crown rot. During the liquid bioassay, cinnamon [Cinnamomum zeylanicum (L.)] leaf, bark and clove [Syzygium aromaticum (L.)] oils were tested against the anthracnose and crown rot pathogens. The test oils were fungistatic and fungicidal against the test pathogens within a range of 0.03-0.11% (v/v). Cinnamon and clove essential oils could be used as antifungal agents to manage post harvest fungal diseases of banana. Cinnamon and clove essential oil could be used as alternative post-harvest treatments on banana. Banana treated with essential oil is chemically safe and acceptable to consumers. Benomyl (Benlate), which is currently used to manage fungal pathogens, can cause adverse health effects and could be replaced with volatile essential oils.

Evaluation of Iranian microbiology laboratories for identification of etiologic agents of bacterial meningitidis. Survey results of an external quality assessment scheme (EQAS) programme.

PubMed

Marandi, Farinaz Rashed; Rahbar, Mohammad; Sabourian, Roghieh; Saremi, Mahnaz

2010-01-01

To determine the ability of Iranian microbiology laboratories for identification and susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae as causative agents of bacterial meningitides. Two strains of bacteria including Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae as a common causative agents of meningitides were chosen and coded as strain number 1 and number 2. The strains were distributed among 679 microbiology laboratories. All laboratories were requested for identification of each unknown microorganism and susceptibility testing of S. pneumoniae against five commonly used antibiotics. Of 679 microbiology laboratories 310 (46%) laboratories participated in the survey and among these, 258 laboratories completely identified S. pneumoniae. About 85% laboratories produced correct susceptibility testing against oxacillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and vancomycin. Of 310 received responses only 50 laboratories identified H. influenza correctly. The majority of the laboratories did not have the capacity to identification H. influenza. Microbiology laboratories in our country are qualified for identification and susceptibility testing of S. pneumoniae. However, majority of laboratories are not qualified for identification of H. influenzae.

Closing the mycetoma knowledge gap.

PubMed

van de Sande, Wendy; Fahal, Ahmed; Ahmed, Sarah Abdalla; Serrano, Julian Alberto; Bonifaz, Alexandro; Zijlstra, Ed

2018-04-01

On 28th May 2016, mycetoma was recognized as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. This was the result of a 4-year journey starting in February 2013 with a meeting of global mycetoma experts. Knowledge gaps were identified and included the incidence, prevalence, and mapping of mycetoma; the mode of transmission; the development of methods for early diagnosis; and better treatment. In this review, we review the road to recognition, the ISHAM working group meeting in Argentina, and we address the progress made in closing the knowledge gaps since 2013. Progress included adding another 9000 patients to the literature, which allowed us to update the prevalence map on mycetoma. Furthermore, based on molecular phylogeny, species names were corrected and four novel mycetoma causative agents were identified. By mapping mycetoma causative agents an association with Acacia trees was found. For early diagnosis, three different isothermal amplification techniques were developed, and novel antigens were discovered. To develop better treatment strategies for mycetoma patients, in vitro susceptibility tests for the coelomycete agents of black grain mycetoma were developed, and the first randomized clinical trial for eumycetoma started early 2017.

Acclimation strategies in gilts to control Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection.

PubMed

Garza-Moreno, Laura; Segalés, Joaquim; Pieters, Maria; Romagosa, Anna; Sibila, Marina

2018-06-01

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is the primary causative agent of enzootic pneumonia (EP), one of the most economically important infectious disease for the swine industry worldwide. M. hyopneumoniae transmission occurs mainly by direct contact (nose-to-nose) between infected to susceptible pigs as well as from infected dams to their offspring (sow-to-piglet). Since disease severity has been correlated with M. hyopneumoniae prevalence at weaning in some studies, and gilts are considered the main bacterial shedders, an effective gilt acclimation program should help controlling M. hyopneumoniae in swine farms. The present review summarizes the different M. hyopneumoniae monitoring strategies of incoming gilts and recipient herd and proposes a farm classification according to their health statuses. The medication and vaccination programs against M. hyopneumoniae most used in replacement gilts are reviewed as well. Gilt replacement acclimation against M. hyopneumoniae in Europe and North America indicates that vaccination is the main strategy used, but there is a current trend in US to deliberately expose gilts to the pathogen. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From notochord formation to hereditary chordoma: the many roles of Brachyury.

PubMed

Nibu, Yutaka; José-Edwards, Diana S; Di Gregorio, Anna

2013-01-01

Chordoma is a rare, but often malignant, bone cancer that preferentially affects the axial skeleton and the skull base. These tumors are both sporadic and hereditary and appear to occur more frequently after the fourth decade of life; however, modern technologies have increased the detection of pediatric chordomas. Chordomas originate from remnants of the notochord, the main embryonic axial structure that precedes the backbone, and share with notochord cells both histological features and the expression of characteristic genes. One such gene is Brachyury, which encodes for a sequence-specific transcription factor. Known for decades as a main regulator of notochord formation, Brachyury has recently gained interest as a biomarker and causative agent of chordoma, and therefore as a promising therapeutic target. Here, we review the main characteristics of chordoma, the molecular markers, and the clinical approaches currently available for the early detection and possible treatment of this cancer. In particular, we report on the current knowledge of the role of Brachyury and of its possible mechanisms of action in both notochord formation and chordoma etiogenesis.

Bordetella pertussis transmission

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella bronchiseptica are Gram negative bacterial respiratory pathogens. B. pertussis is the causative agent of whooping cough and is considered a human-adapted variant of B. bronchiseptica. B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica share mechanisms of pathogenesis and are gene...

[FEATURES OF MASS-SPECTROMETRIC PROTEIN PROFILES OF STRAINS OF BRUCELLOSIS CAUSATIVE AGENT DURING PREPARATION OF CULTURE ON VARIOUS NUTRIENT MEDIA].

PubMed

Ulshina, D V; Kovalev, D A; Zhirov, A M; Zharinova, N V; Khudoleev, A A; Kogotkova, O I; Efremenko, V I; Evchenko, N I; Kulichenko, A N

2016-01-01

Carry out comparative analysis using time-of-flight mass-spectrometry with matrix laser desorption/ionization (MALDI-TOF MS) of protein profiles of brucellosis causative agents (Brucella melitensis Rev-1 and Brucella abortus 19BA), cultivated in various nutrient media: Albimi agar, brucellagar and erythrit-agar. Vaccine,strains: Brucella melitensis Rev-1 and Brucella abortus 19BA. Protein profiling in linear mode on Microflex "Bruker Daltonics" MALDI-TOF mass-spectrometer. A number of characteristic features of brucella mass-spectra was detected: in particular, preservation of the total qualitative composition of protein profiles of cultures and significant differences in the intensity of separate peaks depending on the nutrient medium used. Based on the analysis of the data obtained, use of Albimi agar as the nutrient medium for preparation of brucella culture samples for mass-spectrometric analysis was shown to be optimal.

Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) prophylaxis is effective against acute murine inhalational melioidosis and glanders.

PubMed

Barnes, Kay B; Steward, Jackie; Thwaite, Joanne E; Lever, M Stephen; Davies, Carwyn H; Armstrong, Stuart J; Laws, Thomas R; Roughley, Neil; Harding, Sarah V; Atkins, Timothy P; Simpson, Andrew J H; Atkins, Helen S

2013-06-01

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of the disease melioidosis, which is prevalent in tropical countries and is intractable to a number of antibiotics. In this study, the antibiotic co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) was assessed for the post-exposure prophylaxis of experimental infection in mice with B. pseudomallei and its close phylogenetic relative Burkholderia mallei, the causative agent of glanders. Co-trimoxazole was effective against an inhalational infection with B. pseudomallei or B. mallei. However, oral co-trimoxazole delivered twice daily did not eradicate infection when administered from 6h post exposure for 14 days or 21 days, since infected and antibiotic-treated mice succumbed to infection following relapse or immunosuppression. These data highlight the utility of co-trimoxazole for prophylaxis both of B. pseudomallei and B. mallei and the need for new approaches for the treatment of persistent bacterial infection. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occupational Asthma in Korea

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyoo Sang

2010-01-01

Occupational asthma (OA) is the leading occupational respiratory disease. Cases compensated as OA by the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL) (218 cases), cases reported by a surveillance system (286 cases), case reports by related scientific journals and cases confirmed by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI) over 15 yr from 1992 to 2006 were analyzed. Annual mean incidence rate was 1.6 by compensation and 3.5 by surveillance system, respectively. The trend appeared to increase according to the surveillance system. Incidence was very low compared with other countries. The most frequently reported causative agent was isocyanate followed by reactive dye in dyeing factories. Other chemicals, metals and dust were also found as causative agents. OA was underreported according to compensation and surveillance system data. In conclusion, a more effective surveillance system is needed to evaluate OA causes and distribution, and to effectively prevent newly developing OA. PMID:21258586

Decreasing Skin Graft Contraction through Topical Wound Bed Preparation with Anti-Inflammatory Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

This proposal aims to identify topically applied anti-inflammatory drugs that will reduce recipient site inflammation and skin graft contraction. We...hypothesize that the elevated and prolonged inflammatory state of the recipient wound bed is a causative factor in the development of skin graft contraction...Using a porcine model of skin graft contraction, we will screen for anti-inflammatory agents (dose, schedule of administration, drug class

Control of Hemotropic Diseases of Dogs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-31

and Kobayashi, Y.: Studies on Infectious Mononucleosis . I. Isolation of Etiologic Agent from Blood, Bone Marrow and Lymph Node of a Patient with... Infectious Mononucleosis by Using Mice. Tokyo Iji Shinshi, 71 (1954): 683-686. Ristic, M., Huxsoll, D.L., IWeisiger, R.M., Hildebrandt, P.K., Nyindo, M. B...1030-1036. Tanaka, H. and Hanoaka, M.: Ultrastructurc and Taxonomy of Rickettsia sennetsu (the Causative Agent of "Sennetsu" or Infectious Mononucleosis

Novel Burkholderia mallei Virulence Factors Linked to Specific Host-Pathogen Protein Interactions

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-23

Wallqvist‡ Burkholderia mallei is an infectious intracellular pathogen whose virulence and resistance to antibiotics makes it a potential bioterrorism agent ...experimental Burkholderia data to ini- tially select a small number of proteins as putative viru- lence factors. We then used yeast two-hybrid assays...causative agent of glan- ders, a disease primarily affecting horses but transmittable to humans; and Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is responsible for

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: a complex lung disease.

PubMed

Riario Sforza, Gian Galeazzo; Marinou, Androula

2017-01-01

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), also called extrinsic allergic alveolitis, is a respiratory syndrome involving the lung parenchyma and specifically the alveoli, terminal bronchioli, and alveolar interstitium, due to a delayed allergic reaction. Such reaction is secondary to a repeated and prolonged inhalation of different types of organic dusts or other substances to which the patient is sensitized and hyper responsive, primarily consisting of organic dusts of animal or vegetable origin, more rarely from chemicals. The prevalence of HP is difficult to evaluate because of uncertainties in detection and misdiagnosis and lacking of widely accepted diagnostic criteria, and varies considerably depending on disease definition, diagnostic methods, exposure modalities, geographical conditions, agricultural and industrial practices, and host risk factors. HP can be caused by multiple agents that are present in work places and in the home, such as microbes, animal and plant proteins, organic and inorganic chemicals. The number of environment, settings and causative agents is increasing over time. From the clinical point of view HP can be divided in acute/subacute and chronic, depending on the intensity and frequency of exposure to causative antigens. The mainstay in managing HP is the avoidance of the causative antigen, though the complete removal is not always possible due to the difficulties to identify the agent or because its avoidance may lead to major changes in life style or occupational settings. HP is a complex syndrome that needs urgently for more stringent and selective diagnostic criteria and validation, including wider panels of IgG, and a closer collaboration with occupational physicians, as part of a multidisciplinary expertise.

Antibiotics are the Most Commonly Identified Cause of Perioperative Hypersensitivity Reactions

PubMed Central

Kuhlen, James L.; Camargo, Carlos A.; Balekian, Diana S.; Blumenthal, Kimberly G.; Guyer, Autumn; Morris, Theresa; Long, Aidan; Banerji, Aleena

2016-01-01

Background Hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) during the perioperative period are unpredictable and can be life threatening. Prospective studies for evaluation of perioperative HSR are lacking and data on causative agents varies between different studies. Objective To prospectively determine the success of a comprehensive allergy evaluation plan for patients with HSR during anesthesia, including identification of causative agent and outcomes during subsequent anesthesia exposure. Methods All patients referred for perioperative HSR between November 2013 and March 2015, from a Boston teaching hospital, were evaluated using a standardized protocol with skin testing (ST) within 6 months of HSR. Comprehensive allergy evaluation included collection of patient information, including characteristics of HSR during anesthesia. We reviewed results of ST and/or test doses for all potential causative medications Event-related tryptase levels were reviewed when available. Results Over 17 months, 25 patients completed the comprehensive allergy evaluation. Fifty-two percent (13/25) were female with a median age of 52 (IQR 43–66) years. The most frequently observed HSR systems were cutaneous (68%), cardiovascular (64%), and pulmonary (24%). A culprit drug, defined as a positive ST, was identified in 36% (9/25) of patients. The most common agent identified was cefazolin (6/9). Following our comprehensive evaluation and management plan, seven (7/8, 88%) patients tolerated subsequent anesthesia. Conclusions Cefazolin was the most commonly identified cause of perioperative HSR in our study population. Skin testing patients within 6 months of a perioperative HSR may improve the odds of finding a positive result. Tolerance of subsequent anesthesia is generally achieved in patients undergoing our comprehensive evaluation. PMID:27039234

Agents and Patients in Physical Settings: Linguistic Cues Affect the Assignment of Causality in German and Tongan

PubMed Central

Bender, Andrea; Beller, Sieghard

2017-01-01

Linguistic cues may be considered a potent tool for focusing attention on causes or effects. In this paper, we explore how different cues affect causal assignments in German and Tongan. From a larger screening study, two parts are reported here: Part 1 dealt with syntactic variations, including word order (agent vs. patient in first/subject position) and case marking (e.g., as ergative vs. non-ergative in Tongan) depending on verb type (transitive vs. intransitive). For two physical settings (wood floating on water and a man breaking a glass), participants assigned causality to the two entities involved. In the floating setting, speakers of the two languages were sensitive to syntactic variations, but differed in the entity regarded as causative. In the breaking setting, the human agent was uniformly regarded as causative. Part 2 dealt with implicit verb causality. Participants assigned causality to subject or object of 16 verbs presented in minimal social scenarios. In German, all verbs showed a subject (agent) focus; in Tongan, the focus depended on the verb; and for nine verbs, the focus differed across languages. In conclusion, we discuss the question of domain-specificity of causal cognition, the role of the ergative as causal marker, and more general differences between languages. PMID:28736538

Melasma treatment: A novel approach using a topical agent that contains an anti-estrogen and a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor.

PubMed

Cohen, Philip R

2017-04-01

Melasma is an acquired disorder of pigmentation that presents with asymptomatic symmetric darkening of the face. The pathogenesis of this condition is multifactorial and influenced by several factors including female sex hormones, genetic predisposition and ultraviolet light exposure. The management of melasma is usually directed at more than one of the causative etiologic factors and often incorporates a combination of topical agents, with or without the addition of physical modalities. Estrogen and angiogenesis are significant factors in the etiology of melasma. A useful addition to the therapeutic armentarium for treating melasma would include a topical agent that could effect both of these causative factors. Specifically, a topical preparation consisting of an anti-estrogen and a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor would accomplish this goal. Suitable candidates that target estrogen receptors and vascular endothelial growth factor are currently used in medical oncology as systemic antineoplastic agents. The anti-estrogen could be either a selective estrogen receptor modulator (such as tamoxifen or raloxifene) or an aromatase inhibitor (such as anastrozole or letrozole or exemestane). The vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor would be bevacizumab. In conclusion, a novel-topically administered-therapy for melasma would combine an anti-estrogen and a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An overview of health control in Croatian aquaculture.

PubMed

Oraić, D; Zrncić, S

2005-08-01

Aquaculture is an important segment of Croatian fishing industry with long tradition of carp and rainbow trout farming as well as marine aquaculture represented by shellfish (flat oyster and mussels), sea bass and sea bream cultivation and Atlantic bluefin tuna fattening. The fish and shellfish diseases survey is regulated by "Decree on the measures of animal health protection against infectious and parasite diseases" issued yearly by Ministry of Agriculture. This report derives from systematic clinical, parasitological, pathoanatomical, histopathological, bacteriological and virological monitoring of cultivated fish and shellfish on larger part of production during last several years. Among pathological conditions recognised on our farms, some specific viruses, bacteria and parasites represent frequently established causative nosologic agents. The overview of the main diseases with economic impact to the cultivation will be discussed in this paper.

Leishmaniasis: vaccine candidates and perspectives.

PubMed

Singh, Bhawana; Sundar, Shyam

2012-06-06

Leishmania is a protozoan parasite and a causative agent of the various clinical forms of leishmaniasis. High cost, resistance and toxic side effects of traditional drugs entail identification and development of therapeutic alternatives. The sound understanding of parasite biology is key for identifying novel drug targets, that can induce the cell mediated immunity (mainly CD4+ and CD8+ IFN-gamma mediated responses) polarized towards a Th1 response. These aspects are important in designing a new vaccine along with the consideration of the candidates with respect to their ability to raise memory response in order to improve the vaccine performance. This review is an effort to identify molecules according to their homology with the host and their ability to be used as potent vaccine candidates. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Genital mycoplasma infections].

PubMed

Werni, R; Mårdh, P A

1985-09-15

Clinical and experimental investigations on the significance of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum have revealed different and contradictory results. Both germs are frequently discovered in young, sexually active persons. Ureaplasma urealyticum might be the cause of some cases of non-gonococcal urethritis. M. hominis seems to be one causative agent of endometritis, salpingitis, parametritis and septicaemia after birth; we do not know yet, however, how often this may be the case. M. hominis may also infect the newborn, e.g., it may cause meningitis and encephalitis. The diagnosis of an infection with mycoplasmas is mainly based on the isolation of the organism, the lack of other pathogens in the lesions, and the demonstration of a significant change of titer of homologous antibodies. Tetracycline is the drug of choice; alternatives are clindamycin for M. hominis and erythromycin for U. urealyticum.

Tsetse-Wolbachia symbiosis: Comes of age and has great potential for pest and disease control

PubMed Central

Doudoumis, Vangelis; Alam, Uzma; Aksoy, Emre; Abd-Alla, Adly M.M.; Tsiamis, George; Brelsfoard, Corey; Aksoy, Serap; Bourtzis, Kostas

2013-01-01

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the sole vectors of African trypanosomes, the causative agent of sleeping sickness in human and nagana in animals. Like most eukaryotic organisms, Glossina species have established symbiotic associations with bacteria. Three main symbiotic bacteria have been found in tsetse flies: Wigglesworthia glossinidia, an obligate symbiotic bacterium, the secondary endosymbiont Sodalis glossinidius and the reproductive symbiont Wolbachia pipientis. In the present review, we discuss recent studies on the detection and characterization of Wolbachia infections in Glossina species, the horizontal transfer of Wolbachia genes to tsetse chromosomes, the ability of this symbiont to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility in Glossina morsitans morsitans and also how new environment-friendly tools for disease control could be developed by harnessing Wolbachia symbiosis. PMID:22835476

An outbreak of food-borne gastroenteritis due to sapovirus among junior high school students.

PubMed

Usuku, Shuzo; Kumazaki, Makoto; Kitamura, Katsuhiko; Tochikubo, Osamu; Noguchi, Yuzo

2008-11-01

The human sapovirus (SaV) causes acute gastroenteritis mainly in infants and young children. A food-borne outbreak of gastroenteritis associated with SaV occurred among junior high school students in Yokohama, Japan, during and after a study trip. The nucleotide sequences of the partial capsid gene derived from the students exhibited 98% homology to a SaV genogroup IV strain, Hu/Angelholm/SW278/2004/SE, which was isolated from an adult with gastroenteritis in Solna, Sweden. An identical nucleotide sequence was detected from a food handler at the hotel restaurant, suggesting that the causative agent of the outbreak was transmitted from the food handler. This is the first description of a food-borne outbreak associated with the SaV genogroup IV strain in Japan.

The discovery of the enteroviruses and the classification of poliovirus among them.

PubMed

Melnick, J L

1993-12-01

The history of the enteroviruses is described, and how poliovirus came to be recognized as the prototype species of the genus, a subdivision of the family Picornaviridae. Albert Sabin was one of the main contributors. He isolated several enterovirus types and established them as causative agents of human disease. The enteroviruses were discovered only after new methods were introduced for working with viruses. They are now recognized as constituting one of the genera of the picornavirus family. Pico-rna-virus stands for viruses which are small (pico), and have an RNA genome. The enterovirus genus includes the polioviruses, the coxsackieviruses and the echoviruses of humans, plus a number of enteroviruses of lower animals (e.g., monkeys, cattle, pigs, mice). Over 100 serotypes are now recognized, the first having been the polioviruses.

Echinococcus canadensis transmission in the North.

PubMed

Oksanen, Antti; Lavikainen, Antti

2015-10-30

The Echinococcus granulosus complex (EG) is the causative agent of cystic echinococcosis (CE). Northern cervid Echinococcus was previously suggested to be the ancestor of the entire EG. During the last century, it was regarded to have three (or four) different, but often overlapping, transmission cycles in the circumpolar North: the original wolf-wild cervid (reindeer or elk)-cycle; the semi-synanthropic cycle involving sled and hunting dogs and wild cervids; and the synanthropic cycle involving herding dogs and semi-domesticated reindeer. Human infections mainly derived from the latter two cycles. In Fennoscandia, the synanthropic cycle has been eliminated during the last 50 years due to changes in reindeer husbandry methods; machinery making herding dogs largely redundant. Typical to human CE in the North has been the relatively benign nature of the disease compared with CE caused by E. granulosus sensu stricto. The metacestodes in humans and in the natural cervid hosts predominantly appear in the lungs. The causative agents have been identified as EG mitochondrial genotypes G8 and G10, now together with G6 (camel), G7 (pig) and G9 genotypes constituting the Echinococcus canadensis species. Based on recent findings in reindeer in Yakutia, G6 might also be recognised among cervid genotypes. The geographical distribution of both G8 and G10 is circumpolar, with G10 currently apparently more prevalent both in the Palearctic and Nearctic. Because of the disappearance of the working dog, E. canadensis in Fennoscandia is again highly dependent on the wolf, as it was before domestication of the dog. Pet and sled dogs, if their number further increases, may to a minor part participate in the life cycle. Human CE in the North was mostly diagnosed by mass chest tuberculosis radiography campaigns, which have been discontinued. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Typing and comparative genome analysis of Brucella melitensis isolated from Lebanon.

PubMed

Abou Zaki, Natalia; Salloum, Tamara; Osman, Marwan; Rafei, Rayane; Hamze, Monzer; Tokajian, Sima

2017-10-16

Brucella melitensis is the main causative agent of the zoonotic disease brucellosis. This study aimed at typing and characterizing genetic variation in 33 Brucella isolates recovered from patients in Lebanon. Bruce-ladder multiplex PCR and PCR-RFLP of omp31, omp2a and omp2b were performed. Sixteen representative isolates were chosen for draft-genome sequencing and analyzed to determine variations in virulence, resistance, genomic islands, prophages and insertion sequences. Comparative whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism analysis was also performed. The isolates were confirmed to be B. melitensis. Genome analysis revealed multiple virulence determinants and efflux pumps. Genome comparisons and single nucleotide polymorphisms divided the isolates based on geographical distribution but revealed high levels of similarity between the strains. Sequence divergence in B. melitensis was mainly due to lateral gene transfer of mobile elements. This is the first report of an in-depth genomic characterization of B. melitensis in Lebanon. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Incidence of respiratory viruses in Peruvian children with acute respiratory infections.

PubMed

del Valle Mendoza, Juana; Cornejo-Tapia, Angela; Weilg, Pablo; Verne, Eduardo; Nazario-Fuertes, Ronald; Ugarte, Claudia; del Valle, Luis J; Pumarola, Tomás

2015-06-01

Acute respiratory infections are responsible for high morbi-mortality in Peruvian children. However, the etiological agents are poorly identified. This study, conducted during the pandemic outbreak of H1N1 influenza in 2009, aims to determine the main etiological agents responsible for acute respiratory infections in children from Lima, Peru. Nasopharyngeal swabs collected from 717 children with acute respiratory infections between January 2009 and December 2010 were analyzed by multiplex RT-PCR for 13 respiratory viruses: influenza A, B, and C virus; parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1, 2, 3, and 4; and human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, among others. Samples were also tested with direct fluorescent-antibodies (DFA) for six respiratory viruses. RT-PCR and DFA detected respiratory viruses in 240 (33.5%) and 85 (11.9%) cases, respectively. The most common etiological agents were RSV-A (15.3%), followed by influenza A (4.6%), PIV-1 (3.6%), and PIV-2 (1.8%). The viruses identified by DFA corresponded to RSV (5.9%) and influenza A (1.8%). Therefore, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) were found to be the most common etiology of acute respiratory infections. The authors suggest that active surveillance be conducted to identify the causative agents and improve clinical management, especially in the context of possible circulation of pandemic viruses. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bradford Hill's criteria, emerging zoonoses, and One Health.

PubMed

Asokan, G V; Asokan, Vanitha

2016-09-01

Zoonoses constitute more than 60% of infectious diseases and 75% of emerging infectious diseases. Inappropriate overemphasis of specialization of disciplines has ignored public health. Identifying the causes of disease and determining how exposures are related to outcomes in "emerging zoonoses" affecting multiple species are considered to be the hallmarks of public health research and practice that compels the adoption of "One Health". The interactions within and among populations of vertebrates in the causation and transmissions of emerging zoonotic diseases are inherently dynamic, interdependent, and systems based. Disease causality theories have moved from one or several agents causing disease in a single species, to one infectious agent causing disease in multiple species-emerging zoonoses. Identification of the causative pathogen components or structures, elucidating the mechanisms of species specificity, and understanding the natural conditions of emergence would facilitate better derivation of the causal mechanism. Good quality evidence on causation in emerging zoonoses affecting multiple species makes a strong recommendation under the One Health approach for disease prevention and control from diagnostic tests, treatment, antimicrobial resistance, preventive vaccines, and evidence informed health policies. In the tenets of One Health, alliances work best when the legitimate interests of the different partners combine to prevent and control emerging zoonoses. Copyright © 2015 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Operational Testing of Floor Cleaning Cloths for Household ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report The objective of this study was to evaluate the Swiffer® Sweeper® floor mop system (SSFMS) as a low-tech method to clean indoor residential floors contaminated with B. anthracis spores (the causative agent of anthrax).

Induction of Crown Gall on Carrot Slices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babich, H.; Fox, K. D.

1998-01-01

Argues that the transfer of plasmid from a bacterium to a plant cell has received little attention. Presents an experiment for studying this type of genetic transformation using the causative agent of crown gall, a malignant plant tumor. (DDR)

HPLC determination of pheophorbide a and pyropheophorbide a in dried laver product implicated in food poisoning.

PubMed

Hwang, Deng-Fwu; Tsai, Yu-Shia; Chou, Shin-Shoug; Liu, Shiu-Mei; Wu, Jiunn-Tzong; Lin, Shin-Jung; Tu, Wei-Chun

2005-04-01

In an outbreak of food poisoning involving a dried purple laver product (called nori), four persons had allergic-like symptoms such as inflammation and red rash on their face, mouth and belly. The causative nori was extracted and smeared on the arm-skin of five volunteers. Three out of five volunteers had a slight allergic reaction after 5 to 30 min when they were exposed to sunlight. The levels of the chlorophyll derivatives, pheophorbide a and pyropheophorbide a, measured by HPLC were 851-906 and 5,460-5,624 microg/g, respectively, in the causative samples. Judging from the high contents of pyropheophorbide a and pheophorbide a and the symptoms of patients and volunteers, the causative agents were concluded to be the photosensitizers pyropheophorbide a and pheophorbide a.

Occurrence of novel GII.17 and GII.21 norovirus variants in the coastal environment of South Korea in 2015

PubMed Central

Koo, Eung Seo; Kim, Man Su; Choi, Yong Seon; Park, Kwon-Sam; Jeong, Yong Seok

2017-01-01

Human norovirus (HNoV), a positive-sense RNA virus, is the main causative agent of acute viral gastroenteritis. Multiple pandemic variants of the genogroup II genotype 4 (GII.4) of NoV have attracted great attention from researchers worldwide. However, novel variants of GII.17 have been overtaking those pandemic variants in some areas of East Asia. To investigate the environmental occurrence of GII in South Korea, we collected water samples from coastal streams and a neighboring waste water treatment plant in North Jeolla province (in March, July, and December of 2015). Based on capsid gene region C analysis, four different genotypes (GII.4, GII.13, GII.17, and GII.21) were detected, with much higher prevalence of GII.17 than of GII.4. Additional sequence analyses of the ORF1-ORF2 junction and ORF2 from the water samples revealed that the GII.17 sequences in this study were closely related to the novel strains of GII.P17-GII.17, the main causative variants of the 2014–2015 HNoV outbreak in China and Japan. In addition, the GII.P21-GII.21 variants were identified in this study and they had new amino acid sequence variations in the blockade epitopes of the P2 domain. From these results, we present two important findings: 1) the novel GII.P17-GII.17 variants appeared to be predominant in the study area, and 2) new GII.21 variants have emerged in South Korea. PMID:28199388

Identification and characterization of lipases from Malassezia restricta, a causative agent of dandruff.

PubMed

Sommer, Bettina; Overy, David P; Kerr, Russell G

2015-11-01

Dandruff, a skin disorder affecting 50% of the world population, is linked with proliferation of lipophilic yeasts of the genus Malassezia (particularly Malassezia globosa and M. restricta). Most Malassezia species show a unique lipid dependency and require external lipids for growth. Genome mining of the incomplete M. restricta genome led to the identification of eight lipase sequences. Sequences representing the class 3 and LIP lipase families were used to clone the lipases MrLip1, MrLip2 and MrLip3, recombinantly expressed in Pichia pastoris, and tested for their activity using mono-, di- and triacylglycerol substrates. Hydrolysis by the M. restricta lipase MrLip1 and MrLip2 (family class 3) was limited to the mono- and diacylglycerol, while MrLip3 (family LIP) hydrolyzed all three substrates. This result confirms that Malassezia family LIP lipases are responsible for the hydrolysis of triacylglycerols, the main component of human sebum. Furthermore, the information regarding lipases from M. restricta presented here might aid in the search for anti-dandruff agents. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Human Viruses and Cancer

PubMed Central

Morales-Sánchez, Abigail; Fuentes-Pananá, Ezequiel M.

2014-01-01

The first human tumor virus was discovered in the middle of the last century by Anthony Epstein, Bert Achong and Yvonne Barr in African pediatric patients with Burkitt’s lymphoma. To date, seven viruses -EBV, KSHV, high-risk HPV, MCPV, HBV, HCV and HTLV1- have been consistently linked to different types of human cancer, and infections are estimated to account for up to 20% of all cancer cases worldwide. Viral oncogenic mechanisms generally include: generation of genomic instability, increase in the rate of cell proliferation, resistance to apoptosis, alterations in DNA repair mechanisms and cell polarity changes, which often coexist with evasion mechanisms of the antiviral immune response. Viral agents also indirectly contribute to the development of cancer mainly through immunosuppression or chronic inflammation, but also through chronic antigenic stimulation. There is also evidence that viruses can modulate the malignant properties of an established tumor. In the present work, causation criteria for viruses and cancer will be described, as well as the viral agents that comply with these criteria in human tumors, their epidemiological and biological characteristics, the molecular mechanisms by which they induce cellular transformation and their associated cancers. PMID:25341666

The Origin of Malignant Malaria

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of malignant malaria, which is among the most severe human infectious diseases. Despite its overwhelming significance to human health, the parasite’s origins remain unclear. The favored origin hypothesis holds that P. falciparum and its closest known rel...

Bordetellosis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bordetellosis, also known as turkey coryza, is an acute, highly contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract of young turkeys. In the 1980’s, following initial disagreement as to the etiology, the bacterium Bordetella avium was proven to be the causative agent. Mortality in uncomplicated outb...

Human gastroenteritis outbreak associated with Escherichia albertii, Japan.

PubMed

Ooka, Tadasuke; Tokuoka, Eisuke; Furukawa, Masato; Nagamura, Tetsuya; Ogura, Yoshitoshi; Arisawa, Kokichi; Harada, Seiya; Hayashi, Tetsuya

2013-01-01

Although Escherichia albertii is an emerging intestinal pathogen, it has been associated only with sporadic human infections. In this study, we determined that a human gastroenteritis outbreak at a restaurant in Japan had E. albertii as the major causative agent.

Neuroimaging Findings of Congenital Toxoplasmosis, Cytomegalovirus, and Zika Virus Infections: A Comparison of Three Cases.

PubMed

Werner, Heron; Daltro, Pedro; Fazecas, Tatiana; Zare Mehrjardi, Mohammad; Araujo Júnior, Edward

2017-12-01

Toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) are among the common infectious agents that may infect the fetuses vertically. Clinical presentations of these congenital infections overlap significantly, and it is usually impossible to determine the causative agent clinically. The objective was the comparison of neuroimaging findings in three fetuses who underwent intrauterine infection by toxoplasmosis, CMV, and ZIKV. Three confirmed cases of congenital toxoplasmosis, CMV, and ZIKV infections were included in the study over 7 months prospectively. Prenatal ultrasound, fetal brain MRI, and postnatal neuroimaging (CT or MRI) were performed on all of the included cases and interpreted by an expert radiologist. The mean GA at the time of prenatal imaging was 34.5 ± 3.5 weeks. The main neuroimaging findings in congenital toxoplasmosis were randomly distributed brain calcifications and ventricular dilatation on ultrasounds (US), as well as white matter signal change on fetal brain MRI. The main neuroimaging findings of congenital CMV infection included microcephaly, ventriculomegaly, and periventricular calcifications on US, as well as pachygyria revealed by fetal MRI. The case of congenital ZIKV infection showed microcephaly, ventriculomegaly, and periventricular calcifications on ultrasound, as well as brain atrophy and brain surface smoothness on fetal MRI. Although the neuroimaging findings in congenital infections are not pathognomonic, in combination with the patient history may be suggestive of one of the infectious agents, which will guide the management strategy. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Could inhibition of the proteasome cause mad cow disease?

PubMed

Hooper, Nigel M

2003-04-01

The proteasome is the cellular machinery responsible for the degradation of normal and misfolded proteins. Inhibitors of the proteasome are being evaluated as therapeutic agents and recent work suggests that such inhibition might promote the neurotoxic properties of the prion protein (the causative agent of mad cow disease) and its conformational conversion to the infectious form, thus raising the question as to whether proteasome inhibitors might facilitate the development of prion diseases.

Vaccine Development for Biothreat Alpha Viruses

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-25

gaviridae, are causative agents of debilitative, acute, and sometimes fatal encephalitis in North, Central, and South America [1]. These viruses are...and can be lyophilized. VEEV was tested as a biowarfare agent during the U.S. offensive program in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and may have been...MD 21702, USA Abstract The majority of alpha virus is non-pathogenic to humans. However, select alpha viruses can cause severe disease in humans

[Biocompatibility of crown and bridge materials. 1. Substances in contact with dentin].

PubMed

Klotzer, W T

1989-11-01

It is mandatory that the materials and drugs used in restorative dentistry be free from side effects resulting in potential tooth loss or irreversible damage to vital dental tissues. Up to now there have been no reliable in vitro methods available for the evaluation of pulp reactions. Since numerous different materials and drugs are successively applied to prepared dentine, pulp reactions are caused by cumulative action, and the causative factors, except for extremely toxic substances, cannot be revealed by clinical and/or posttreatment studies alone. At present, the evaluation of pulp reactions must still rely on histologic studies using human or animal teeth. Reports on pulp reactions to materials and drugs are reviewed. Few dependable figures have been reported on pulp reactions to dentinal medication, "sterilization", disinfectants and on the biologic response to and effectiveness of varnishes, liners, desensitizing agents, smear-layer removers, etc. Resins and composite materials seem to provoke acute reactions, mainly by the heat generated during setting, and chronic reactions due to the stimulation of bacterial growth. Except for glass ionomer cements, most of the publications show a high degree of agreement on the tissue reactions to luting agents. Regarding dentine bonding agents, however, it has not been possible to draw any conclusions, so far.

Agents causing occupational asthma in Finland in 1986-2002: cow epithelium bypassed by moulds from moisture-damaged buildings.

PubMed

Piipari, R; Keskinen, H

2005-12-01

Occupational asthma is an avoidable form of asthma. In Finland, the diagnosis of occupational asthma entitles substantial compensation to the employee. The diagnostics are based on symptoms, exposure assessment, allergologic investigations, follow-up of peak expiratory flow (PEF) at work and at home and, in many cases, specific challenge tests. To study the causative agents of occupational asthma in Finland. The causative agents and the numbers of new occupational asthma cases notified to the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases (FROD) during 1986-2002 are reported. The number of occupational asthma cases increased from 1986 until 1995, after which a downward trend, stabilizing during the last few years, has been observed. The majority of the cases (59%) in the beginning of the period (1986-1990) were associated with agriculture, but the percentage has fallen thereafter (42% of the cases in 1998-2002) along with the fall in the total number of cases. Since 1995, indoor moulds from water-damaged buildings have caused an increasing number of cases and have become the most important causative agents (0.5% cases, in 1986-1990 and 18% of the cases in 1998-2002). Chemicals have caused 10-30% of the cases, a decreasing number since 1990. The most important chemicals causing occupational asthma have been diisocyanates and welding fumes, followed by hairdressing chemicals and formaldehyde. The number of occupational asthma cases in Finland reached its height in the mid-1990s. The decrease in the number of total cases is because of the decrease in agriculture-associated cases, reflecting the number of employees in agriculture-associated occupations, which has greatly decreased since Finland joined the EU in 1995. An epidemic of mould-induced asthma, affecting mostly white-collar employees working in moisture-damaged buildings, has taken place since 1995.

Sporotrichosis: an update.

PubMed

Bonifaz, A; Vázquez-González, D

2010-10-01

Sporotrichosis is the most frequent and worldwide distributed subcutaneous mycoses. The aim of this article is to review the most recent aspects of sporotrichosis about its epidemiology, etiologic agents, mycologic characteristics, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment. The causative agents of sporotrichosis belong to five well defined species of dimorphic fungi of the called Sporothrix schenckii complex. Sporotrichosis and its etiologic agents have specific endemic areas, but it is possible to find epidemics of the disease in practically every continent, the entrance via is cutaneous due to the inoculation of the fungi into the skin after a traumatism and less frequent due to respiratory way. Clinical manifestations are widely variable, with important involvement of the skin and the superficial lymphatic system, but also with affection of the mucosa and some organs like lungs, bones and joints. Nowadays sporotrichosis is considered a true zoonosis with important changes related to the endemic areas and the ecologic features of the causative pathogens. The therapy of choice is the potassium iodide (KI), but other alternatives are itraconazole, terbinafine, thermotherapy and in severe cases amphotericin B. The importance of the recognition of the clinical manifestations of the disease in some non-endemic areas helps to challenge the diagnosis and give an accurate therapy.

Human Gastroenteritis Outbreak Associated with Escherichia albertii, Japan

PubMed Central

Ooka, Tadasuke; Tokuoka, Eisuke; Furukawa, Masato; Nagamura, Tetsuya; Ogura, Yoshitoshi; Arisawa, Kokichi; Harada, Seiya

2013-01-01

Although Escherichia albertii is an emerging intestinal pathogen, it has been associated only with sporadic human infections. In this study, we determined that a human gastroenteritis outbreak at a restaurant in Japan had E. albertii as the major causative agent. PMID:23260717

INFECTIOUS DOSE OF NORWALK VIRUS

EPA Science Inventory

The Norwalk virus and related viruses (caliciviruses) have been identified as a common cause of waterborne disease. Moreover, there are many outbreaks of waterborne disease every year where the causative agent was never identified, and it is thought that many of these are due to ...

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Klebsiella pneumonia recovered from nonhuman primates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a zoonotic, Gram-negative member of the family Enterobacteriaceae and is the causative agent of nosocomial septicemic, pneumonic, and urinary tract infections. Recently, pathogenic strains of K. pneumoniae sharing a hypermucoviscosity (HMV) phenotype have been attributed to ...

ENHANCED CONCENTRATION AND ISOLATION OF CYCLOSPORA CAYETANENSIS OOCYSTS FROM HUMAN FECAL SAMPLES

EPA Science Inventory

Cyclospora cayetanensis is the causative agent of cyclosporiasis, an emerging infections disease. A new method for the purification of Cycloposra cayetanensis oocysts from fecal matter has been developed, using a modified detachment solution and a Renocal-sucrose gradient sedimen...

SURVIVAL OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI IN A NATURAL FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The mode by which Helicobacter pylori, the causative agent of most gastric ulcers, is transmitted remains undetermined. Epidemiological evidence suggests these organisms are waterborne; however, H. pylori has rarely been grown from potential water sources. This may be due to th...

Gene expression analysis between planktonic and biofilm states of Flavobacterium columnare

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease causes substantial mortality worldwide in numerous freshwater finfish species. Due to its global significance and impact on the aquaculture industry continual efforts to better understand basic mechanisms that contribute to disease ...

Development of a waterborne challenge model for Flavobacterium psychrophilum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is the causative agent of bacterial coldwater disease and can cause significant mortality in salmonid aquaculture. To better evaluate disease prevention or treatment methods for F. psychrophilum in the laboratory, a waterborne challenge model that mimics a natural outbre...

Sensitivity of Mycobacterium bovis to common beef processing interventions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction. Cattle infected with Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis and a relevant zoonosis to humans, may be sent to slaughter before diagnosis of infection because of slow multiplication of the pathogen. Purpose. This study evaluates multiple processing interventi...

Large-Scale Environmental Influences on Aquatic Animal Health

EPA Science Inventory

In the latter portion of the 20th century, North America experienced numerous large-scale mortality events affecting a broad diversity of aquatic animals. Short-term forensic investigations of these events have sometimes characterized a causative agent or condition, but have rare...

Sickeningly sweet: L-rhamnose stimulates Flavobacterium columnare biofilm formation and virulence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease causes substantial mortality worldwide in numerous freshwater finfish species. Due to its global significance and impact on the aquaculture industry continual efforts to better understand basic mechanisms that contribute to disease ...

The carbohydrate L-rhamnose promotes biofilm formation which enhances Flavobacterium columnare virulence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease causes substantial mortality worldwide in numerous freshwater finfish species. Due to its global significance and impact on the aquaculture industry, continual efforts to better understand basic mechanisms that contribute to disease...

Setting Environmental Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fishbein, Gershon

1975-01-01

Recent court decisions have pointed out the complexities involved in setting environmental standards. Environmental health is composed of multiple causative agents, most of which work over long periods of time. This makes the cause-and-effect relationship between health statistics and environmental contaminant exposures difficult to prove in…

Multilocus sequence typing and evolutionary relationships among the causative agents of melioidosis and glanders, Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei.

PubMed

Godoy, Daniel; Randle, Gaynor; Simpson, Andrew J; Aanensen, David M; Pitt, Tyrone L; Kinoshita, Reimi; Spratt, Brian G

2003-05-01

A collection of 147 isolates of Burkholderia pseudomallei, B. mallei, and B. thailandensis was characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The 128 isolates of B. pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, were obtained from diverse geographic locations, from humans and animals with disease, and from the environment and were resolved into 71 sequence types. The utility of the MLST scheme for epidemiological investigations was established by analyzing isolates from captive marine mammals and birds and from humans in Hong Kong with melioidosis. MLST gave a level of resolution similar to that given by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and identified the same three clones causing disease in animals, each of which was also associated with disease in humans. The average divergence between the alleles of B. thailandensis and B. pseudomallei was 3.2%, and there was no sharing of alleles between these species. Trees constructed from differences in the allelic profiles of the isolates and from the concatenated sequences of the seven loci showed that the B. pseudomallei isolates formed a cluster of closely related lineages that were fully resolved from the cluster of B. thailandensis isolates, confirming their separate species status. However, isolates of B. mallei, the causative agent of glanders, recovered from three continents over a 30-year period had identical allelic profiles, and the B. mallei isolates clustered within the B. pseudomallei group of isolates. Alleles at six of the seven loci in B. mallei were also present within B. pseudomallei isolates, and B. mallei is a clone of B. pseudomallei that, on population genetics grounds, should not be given separate species status.

Antibiotics Are the Most Commonly Identified Cause of Perioperative Hypersensitivity Reactions.

PubMed

Kuhlen, James L; Camargo, Carlos A; Balekian, Diana S; Blumenthal, Kimberly G; Guyer, Autumn; Morris, Theresa; Long, Aidan; Banerji, Aleena

2016-01-01

Hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) during the perioperative period are unpredictable and can be life threatening. Prospective studies for the evaluation of perioperative HSRs are lacking, and data on causative agents vary between different studies. The objective of this study was to prospectively determine the success of a comprehensive allergy evaluation plan for patients with HSRs during anesthesia, including identification of a causative agent and outcomes during subsequent anesthesia exposure. All patients referred for a perioperative HSR between November 2013 and March 2015, from a Boston teaching hospital, were evaluated using a standardized protocol with skin testing (ST) within 6 months of HSR. Comprehensive allergy evaluation included collection of patient information, including characteristics of HSR during anesthesia. We reviewed the results of ST and/or test doses for all potential causative medications Event-related tryptase levels were reviewed when available. Over 17 months, 25 patients completed the comprehensive allergy evaluation. Fifty-two percent (13 of 25) were female with a median age of 52 (interquartile range 43-66) years. The most frequently observed HSR systems were cutaneous (68%), cardiovascular (64%), and pulmonary (24%). A culprit drug, defined as a positive ST, was identified in 36% (9 of 25) of patients. The most common agent identified was cefazolin (6 of 9). After our comprehensive evaluation and management plan, 7 (7 of 8, 88%) patients tolerated subsequent anesthesia. Cefazolin was the most commonly identified cause of a perioperative HSR in our study population. Skin testing patients within 6 months of a perioperative HSR may improve the odds of finding a positive result. Tolerance of subsequent anesthesia is generally achieved in patients undergoing our comprehensive evaluation. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biological Control Agents of Hydrilla Verticillata; Final Report on Surveys in East Africa, 1981-1984.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

terminal buds, attributable to insect feeding, but no causative agent was found. Some stems had obviously been grazed by fish, probably Tilapia ziulii...dispersal of the phytophagous Tilapia zillii through much of the region may also have played a part in stressing the plant. However, it seems...in nutrients. Most have high populations of depauperate Tilapia and, possibly as a result, are seemingly devoid of sub- 4merged vegetation. Pistia was

Experimental infection of bovine mammary gland with prototheca zopfii genotype 1.

PubMed

Ito, Takaaki; Kano, Rui; Sobukawa, Hideto; Ogawa, Jin; Honda, Yayoi; Hosoi, Yoshihiro; Shibuya, Hisashi; Sato, Tsuneo; Hasegawa, Atsuhiko; Kamata, Hiroshi

2011-01-01

Prototheca zopfii is divided into three genotypes, one of which, P. zopfii genotype 2, appears to be the main causative agent of bovine protothecal mastitis. However, the difference in pathogenicity between genotypes 1 and 2 has not been well investigated. In the present study, we experimentally infected normal bovine mammary gland with P. zopfii genotype 1 to investigate its pathogenicity. The mammary gland infected with P. zopfii genotype 1 showed no clinical signs. However, the histopathologic features of the infected mammary gland consisted of interstitial infiltrates of macrophages, plasma cells, lymphocytes, and fibroblasts with neutrophils in acinar lumens. Algae were present in macrophages and free in the alveolar lumens and the interstitium. Histopathology of the resultant tissue samples revealed that genotype 1 also induced a granulomatous lesion in the cow teat, similar to the mastitis lesion due to genotype 2.

Human Ocular Infection with Dirofilaria repens (Railliet and Henry, 1911) in an Area Endemic for Canine Dirofilariasis

PubMed Central

Otranto, Domenico; Brianti, Emanuele; Gaglio, Gabriella; Dantas-Torres, Filipe; Azzaro, Salvatore; Giannetto, Salvatore

2011-01-01

Dirofilaria repens, which is usually found in canine subcutaneous tissues, is the main causative agent of human dirofilariasis in the Old Word. However, a relationship between animal and human cases of dirofilariasis caused by D. repens in a given area has never been demonstrated. The uneven distribution of D. repens in provinces in Sicily, Italy represented the foundation for this study. We report a human case of ocular infection with D. repens from Trapani Province, where canine dirofilariasis is endemic. The nematode was morphologically and molecularly identified and surgical removal of the parasite was documented. The relationship between the prevalence of D. repens in dogs and the occurrence of human cases of ocular dirofilariasis is discussed on the basis of a review of the historical literature. PMID:21633041

Tsetse-Wolbachia symbiosis: comes of age and has great potential for pest and disease control.

PubMed

Doudoumis, Vangelis; Alam, Uzma; Aksoy, Emre; Abd-Alla, Adly M M; Tsiamis, George; Brelsfoard, Corey; Aksoy, Serap; Bourtzis, Kostas

2013-03-01

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the sole vectors of African trypanosomes, the causative agent of sleeping sickness in human and nagana in animals. Like most eukaryotic organisms, Glossina species have established symbiotic associations with bacteria. Three main symbiotic bacteria have been found in tsetse flies: Wigglesworthia glossinidia, an obligate symbiotic bacterium, the secondary endosymbiont Sodalis glossinidius and the reproductive symbiont Wolbachia pipientis. In the present review, we discuss recent studies on the detection and characterization of Wolbachia infections in Glossina species, the horizontal transfer of Wolbachia genes to tsetse chromosomes, the ability of this symbiont to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility in Glossina morsitans morsitans and also how new environment-friendly tools for disease control could be developed by harnessing Wolbachia symbiosis. Copyright © 2012 International Atomic Energy Agency. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic lymphadenopathy caused by a Brazilian strain of Bartonella henselae.

PubMed

Velho, Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira; Drummond, Marina Rovani; Adad, Marcio Antonio Haro; Cintra, Maria Letícia; Sowy, Stanley; Diniz, Pedro Paulo Vissotto de Paiva

2017-09-04

Bartonella henselae is a relevant causative agent of bartonelloses in humans. We described an immunocompetent patient with clinical manifestation of chronic cervical lymphadenopathy after a cat-scratch in her forearm. This case shows B. henselae infection persistence even after prolonged antibiotic treatment.

The first closed genome sequence of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis biovar intermedius

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Campylobacter fetus venerealis biovar intermedius is a variant of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis, the causative agent of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis. In contrast to Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis which is restricted to the genital tract of cattle, Campylobacter fetus subsp. vener...

Acetylcholinesterase mutations and organophosphate resistance in sand flies and mosquitoes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The sand fly, Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) is a major vector of Leishamnia major, the principle causative agent of human cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Middle East, southern Europe, northern Africa, and Southern Asia. Sand fly bites and leishmaniasis significantly impacted U.S. military operations...

Mapping of QTL for bacterial cold water disease resistance in rainbow trout

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) causes significant economic loss in salmonids aquaculture. We previously detected genetic variation in survival following challenge with Flavobacterium psychrophilum (Fp), the causative agent of BCWD in rainbow trout, and a family-based selection program to impro...

Detection of QTL in rainbow trout affecting survival when challenged with Flavobacterium psychrophilum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) causes significant economic loss in salmonid aquaculture. We previously detected genetic variation in survival following challenge with Flavobacterium psychrophilum (Fp), the causative agent of BCWD in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A family-based selectio...

ANIMAL MODELS OF MOLD ALLERGY

EPA Science Inventory

The concept of molds as causative agents for allergy/asthma is not new. In fact many fungal genera have been associated with allergic lung disease, but only a few fungi are well studied and even fewer fungal allergens well characterized. The complexity and variety of fungal pro...

Protein expression profiling of Rathayibacter toxicus using mass spectrometry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT) is a frequently fatal disease that primarily affects livestock in southern and Western Australia. The causative agent of the disease is RATHAYIBACTER TOXICUS, a bacterium that often contaminates the indigenous grasses used for grazing and hay-making. R. TOXICUS produc...

[Mass spectrometry in medicine and biotechnology].

PubMed

Polunina, T A; Kireev, M N; Khramchenkova, T A; Spitsyn, A N; Grigor'eva, G V

2013-01-01

History of development and improvement of tandem mass spectrometry, possibilities of its application at the contemporary stage in various fields of medicine and biotechnology including production of novel medicinal preparations, identification of biologically active substances, pathogenic microorganisms and causative agents of especially dangerous infections is given.

Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Drainage of a Spontaneous Candida glabrata Pituitary Abscess.

PubMed

Strickland, Ben A; Pham, Martin; Bakhsheshian, Joshua; Carmichael, John; Weiss, Martin; Zada, Gabriel

2018-01-01

Noniatrogenic pituitary abscess remains a rare clinical entity, and is the indication for surgery in <1% of transsphenoidal approaches. Correct diagnosis of this rare entity is often delayed. Without timely treatment, morbidity and mortality are high. Of the 200 cases reported to date, less than one-half have identified a causative organism. We report the second case of a pituitary abscess caused by Candida species, and also provide an intraoperative video showing the endoscopic management of this pathology. A 33-year-old woman presented with headache, hypopituitarism, and vision loss in the setting of diabetic ketoacidosis, and was found to have multiple abscesses in the liver, lung, kidney, and uterus. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 15-mm cystic sellar mass with restricted diffusion. The patient underwent urgent evacuation of the abscess via an endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal route, with obvious purulent material filling the sella, later identified as Candida glabrata. Antimicrobial therapy was refined appropriately, and she exhibited significant improvement in neurologic function, although endocrinopathy has persisted. With timely management, including a combination of surgical drainage and appropriate antimicrobial therapy, neurologic outcomes are good in most cases of pituitary abscess; however, endocrinopathy often does not improve. Although most reported cases with identified causative organisms speciate bacteria, some cases are of fungal etiology and require different antimicrobial agents. This further underscores the importance of identifying the causative agent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inhibitor-bound complexes of dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase from Babesia bovis

PubMed Central

Begley, Darren W.; Edwards, Thomas E.; Raymond, Amy C.; Smith, Eric R.; Hartley, Robert C.; Abendroth, Jan; Sankaran, Banumathi; Lorimer, Donald D.; Myler, Peter J.; Staker, Bart L.; Stewart, Lance J.

2011-01-01

Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by eukaryotic Babesia parasites which are morphologically similar to Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria in humans. Like Plasmodium, different species of Babesia are tuned to infect different mammalian hosts, including rats, dogs, horses and cattle. Most species of Plasmodium and Babesia possess an essential bifunctional enzyme for nucleotide synthesis and folate metabolism: dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase. Although thymidylate synthase is highly conserved across organisms, the bifunctional form of this enzyme is relatively uncommon in nature. The structural characterization of dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase in Babesia bovis, the causative agent of babesiosis in livestock cattle, is reported here. The apo state is compared with structures that contain dUMP, NADP and two different antifolate inhibitors: pemetrexed and raltitrexed. The complexes reveal modes of binding similar to that seen in drug-resistant malaria strains and point to the utility of applying structural studies with proven cancer chemotherapies towards infectious disease research. PMID:21904052

Febrile neutropenia in cats treated with chemotherapy.

PubMed

Pierro, J; Krick, E; Flory, A; Regan, R; DeRegis, C; Boudreaux, B; Barber, L; Saam, D; Saba, C

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical presentation, potential causative agents, treatment and outcome of febrile neutropenia (FN) in chemotherapy-treated cats. Medical records from eight institutions were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 22 FN events in 20 cats were evaluated. Lymphoma was the most common cancer diagnosis; lomustine and vinca alkaloids were the most frequently implicated causative agents. Presenting clinical signs included decreased appetite, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhoea. Median body temperature and absolute neutrophil count at presentation were 104.1 °F; 40 °C (range: 103.1-105.1 °F; 39.5-40.6 °C) and 246 mL -1 (range: 0-1600 mL -1 ), respectively. Median number of days between chemotherapy administration and FN onset was 5 (range: 4-25 days). All but one cat were treated with intravenous fluids and broad spectrum antibiotics. Fevers resolved in all cases and absolute neutrophil counts returned to normal in 19 cats. Clinical presentation of cats with FN appears similar to that of dogs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Resistance of different stocks and transferrin genotypes of coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, and steelhead trout, Salmo gairdneri, to bacterial kidney disease and vibriosis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winter , Gary W.; Schreck, Carl B.; McIntyre, John D.

1979-01-01

Juvenile coho salmon and steelhead trout ofdifferentstocks and three transferrin genotypes(AA, AC, and CCl, all reared in identical or similar environments, were experimentally infected with Corynebacterium sp., the causative agent ofbacterial kidney disease, or with Vibrio anguillarum, the causative agent of vibriosis. Mortality due to the pathogens was compared among stocks within a species and among transferrin genotypes within a stock to determine whetherthere was a geneticbasis for resistance to disease. Differences in resistance to bacterial kidney disease among coho salmon stocks had a genetic basis. Stock susceptibility to vibriosis was strongly influenced by environmental factors. Coho salmon orsteelhead trout of one stock may be resistant to one disease but susceptible to another. The importance of transferrin genotype of coho salmon in resistance to bacterial kidney disease was stock specific; in stocks that showed differential resistance of genotypes, the AA was the most susceptible. No differencesin resistance to vibriosis were observed among transferrin genotypes.

The gut microbiota and obesity: from correlation to causality.

PubMed

Zhao, Liping

2013-09-01

The gut microbiota has been linked with chronic diseases such as obesity in humans. However, the demonstration of causality between constituents of the microbiota and specific diseases remains an important challenge in the field. In this Opinion article, using Koch's postulates as a conceptual framework, I explore the chain of causation from alterations in the gut microbiota, particularly of the endotoxin-producing members, to the development of obesity in both rodents and humans. I then propose a strategy for identifying the causative agents of obesity in the human microbiota through a combination of microbiome-wide association studies, mechanistic analysis of host responses and the reproduction of diseases in gnotobiotic animals.

In Vitro Activity of Twenty Commercially Available, Plant-Derived Essential Oils against Selected Dermatophyte Species.

PubMed

Nardoni, Simona; Giovanelli, Silvia; Pistelli, Luisa; Mugnaini, Linda; Profili, Greta; Pisseri, Francesca; Mancianti, Francesca

2015-08-01

The in vitro activity of twenty chemically defined essential oils (EOs) obtained from Boswellia sacra, Citrus bergamia, C. limon, C. medica, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Eucalyptus globulus, Foeniculum vulgare, Helichrysum italicum, Illicium verum, Litsea cubeba, Mentha spicata, Myrtus communis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, O. vulgare, Pelargonium graveolens, Rosmarinus officinalis, Santalum album, Satureja montana, and Thymus serpyllum was assayed against clinical animal isolates of Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. erinacei, T. terrestre and Microsporum gypseum, main causative agents of zoonotic and/or environmental dermatophytoses in humans. Single main components present in high amounts in such EOs were also tested. Different dermatophyte species showed remarkable differences in sensitivity. In general, more effective EOs were T. serpyllum (MIC range 0.025%-0.25%), O. vulgare (MIC range 0.025%-0.5%) and L. cubeba (MIC range 0.025%-1.5%). F. vulgare showed a moderate efficacy against geophilic species such as M gypseum and T terrestre. Among single main components tested, neral was the most active (MIC and MFC values 5 0.25%). The results of the present study seem to be promising for an in vivo use of some assayed EOs.

[The berserks--what was wrong with them?].

PubMed

Høyersten, Jon Geir

2004-12-16

The terms berserk and going berserk reflect the violent and ferocious warriors and ruthless murderers of Scandinavia and Northern Europe, active from before the Viking age until the advent of Christianity. The main source on the phenomenon is the Old Norse literature, mainly the Icelandic sagas with their sober descriptive accounts of the berserks and their behaviour. The berserks are frequently depicted as having had antisocial character traits; often as bullies who evince, by way of autosuggestion, an enormous and uncontrollable rage, slaughtering and killing. They felt no pain and hardly took in the environment they lived in. The fits were followed by exhaustion or sleep. Although the phenomenon waned completely by the advent of Christianity, it can hardly be discarded as just myth or folklore. Most likely it could be explained as a kind of dissociative reaction. The widespread idea of toadstool as causative agent is at best debatable. The conceptions of pre-Christian heathenism about the human mind are of importance to the understanding of suggestibility and capacity for trance reaction. The condition is considered a culture-bound syndrome. Comparisons are drawn to lycanthropy (werewolf madness), frequently considered an identical phenomenon. Clinically (i.e. historically) it was mainly something different, namely psychotic conditions.

Evidence that explains absence of a latent period for Xylella fastidiosa in its sharpshooter vectors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), and other sharpshooter (Cicadelline) leafhoppers transmit Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), the causative agent of Pierce’s disease of grapevine and other scorch diseases. Past research has supported that vectors have virtually no late...

Prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in cats from Virginia and Pennsylvania

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sarcocystis neurona is best known as the causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis of horses in the Americas. Domestic cats (Felis domesticus) were the first animals described as an intermediate host for S. neurona. Sarcocystis neurona associated encephalitis has been reported in natur...

Assessing the potential for Burkholderia pseudomallei in the southeastern United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, is an underreported zoonosis in many countries where environmental conditions may be favorable for B. pseudomallei. This soil saprophyte is most often detected in tropical areas such as Southeast Asia and Northern Australia where the cas...

CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND GIARDIA IN STORMWATER AS A THREAT TO DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES

EPA Science Inventory

Since the first identified Cryptosporidium outbreak in the United Kingdom in 1983, the pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia have become the subject of growing local, state, and national concern. In the last decade, these organisms have been the causative agent of many gastroint...

EVALUATING CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND GIARDIA IN STORMWATER AS A THREAT TO DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES

EPA Science Inventory

Since the first identified Cryptosporidium outbreak in the United Kingdom in 1983, the
pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia have become the subject of growing local, state, and
national concern. Both organisms have been the causative agent of many gastrointestinal
illn...

Sensitivity of Mycobacterium bovis to common beef processing interventions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective. Mycobacterium bovis is the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, a relevant zoonosis that can spread to humans through inhalation or by ingestion. M. bovis multiplies slowly, so infected animals may be sent to slaughter during the early stages of the disease before diagnosis and when ...

Microbial control of the emerald ash borer

Treesearch

Leah S. Bauer; Houping Liu; Deborah L. Miller

2004-01-01

In June 2002, emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, a buprestid native to several Asian countries, was identified as the causative agent of ash (Fraxinus spp.) mortality in southeastern Michigan and southwestern Ontario. Currently, the only method known to control EAB is limited to identifying and destroying...

Evaluation of the antibody response to the LV-359-01 strain of flavobacterium columnare

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease produces substantial mortality worldwide among numerous freshwater farmed finfish species. As aquaculture production continues to increase the frequency of columnaris disease will only continue to rise. Add to this an increase in re...

Bovine viral diarrhea virus modulation of monocyte derived macrophages

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a single stranded, positive sense RNA virus and is the causative agent of bovine viral diarrhea (BVD). Disease can range from persistently infected (PI) animals displaying no clinical symptoms of disease to an acute, severe disease. Presently, limited studies ha...

Genome Sequencing Reveals the Environmental Origin of Enterococci and Potential Biomarkers for Water Quality Monitoring

EPA Science Inventory

Enterococci are common members of the gut microbiome and frequent causative agents of nosocomial infection. Because of their enteric lifestyle and ease of culturing, enterococci have been used worldwide as indicators of fecal pollution of waters. However, enterococci were recentl...

Factors Controlling Vegetation Fires in Protected and Non-Protected Areas of Myanmar

PubMed Central

Biswas, Sumalika; Vadrevu, Krishna Prasad; Lwin, Zin Mar; Lasko, Kristofer; Justice, Christopher O.

2015-01-01

Fire is an important disturbance agent in Myanmar impacting several ecosystems. In this study, we quantify the factors impacting vegetation fires in protected and non-protected areas of Myanmar. Satellite datasets in conjunction with biophysical and anthropogenic factors were used in a spatial framework to map the causative factors of fires. Specifically, we used the frequency ratio method to assess the contribution of each causative factor to overall fire susceptibility at a 1km scale. Results suggested the mean fire density in non-protected areas was two times higher than the protected areas. Fire-land cover partition analysis suggested dominant fire occurrences in the savannas (protected areas) and woody savannas (non-protected areas). The five major fire causative factors in protected areas in descending order include population density, land cover, tree cover percent, travel time from nearest city and temperature. In contrast, the causative factors in non-protected areas were population density, tree cover percent, travel time from nearest city, temperature and elevation. The fire susceptibility analysis showed distinct spatial patterns with central Myanmar as a hot spot of vegetation fires. Results from propensity score matching suggested that forests within protected areas have 11% less fires than non-protected areas. Overall, our results identify important causative factors of fire useful to address broad scale fire risk concerns at a landscape scale in Myanmar. PMID:25909632

Factors controlling vegetation fires in protected and non-protected areas of myanmar.

PubMed

Biswas, Sumalika; Vadrevu, Krishna Prasad; Lwin, Zin Mar; Lasko, Kristofer; Justice, Christopher O

2015-01-01

Fire is an important disturbance agent in Myanmar impacting several ecosystems. In this study, we quantify the factors impacting vegetation fires in protected and non-protected areas of Myanmar. Satellite datasets in conjunction with biophysical and anthropogenic factors were used in a spatial framework to map the causative factors of fires. Specifically, we used the frequency ratio method to assess the contribution of each causative factor to overall fire susceptibility at a 1km scale. Results suggested the mean fire density in non-protected areas was two times higher than the protected areas. Fire-land cover partition analysis suggested dominant fire occurrences in the savannas (protected areas) and woody savannas (non-protected areas). The five major fire causative factors in protected areas in descending order include population density, land cover, tree cover percent, travel time from nearest city and temperature. In contrast, the causative factors in non-protected areas were population density, tree cover percent, travel time from nearest city, temperature and elevation. The fire susceptibility analysis showed distinct spatial patterns with central Myanmar as a hot spot of vegetation fires. Results from propensity score matching suggested that forests within protected areas have 11% less fires than non-protected areas. Overall, our results identify important causative factors of fire useful to address broad scale fire risk concerns at a landscape scale in Myanmar.

Potential causative agents of acute gastroenteritis in households with preschool children: prevalence, risk factors, clinical relevance and household transmission.

PubMed

Heusinkveld, M; Mughini-Gras, L; Pijnacker, R; Vennema, H; Scholts, R; van Huisstede-Vlaanderen, K W; Kortbeek, T; Kooistra-Smid, M; van Pelt, W

2016-10-01

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) morbidity remains high amongst preschool children, posing a significant societal burden. Empirical data on AGE-causing agents is needed to gauge their clinical relevance and identify agent-specific targets for control. We assessed the prevalence, risk factors and association with symptoms for enteropathogens in households with preschool children. A monthly-repeated cross-sectional survey of enteropathogens in households with preschool children was performed. A parent-child pair per household (n = 907 households) provided faecal samples and reported their symptoms and potential risk exposures. Samples were tested by multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for 19 enteropathogens. Associations were assessed using logistic regression. 28.3 % of children (n = 981) and 15.6 % of parents (n = 971) carried pathogenic bacteria and/or Escherichia coli-associated pathogenicity genes, and 6.5 % and 3.3 % carried viruses, respectively. Giardia lamblia (4.6 % of children, 2.5 % of parents) and Dientamoeba fragilis (36 %, 39 %, respectively) were the main parasites, and were associated with pet exposure. Living in rural areas was associated with carriage of pathogenic E. coli, norovirus I and D. fragilis. Pathogenic E. coli was associated with summertime and livestock exposure. Attending day-care centres increased the risk of carrying norovirus, sapovirus and G. lamblia. Viruses occurred mainly in winter and were associated with AGE symptoms. Child-parent associations were found for bacterial pathogenicity genes, viruses, G. lamblia and D. fragilis. Enteropathogens spread widely in households with preschool children, particularly viruses, which more often cause symptoms. While bacteria predominate during summer and in those exposed to livestock, viruses predominate in wintertime and, like G. lamblia, are widespread amongst day-care centre attendees.

Reduction of rainbow trout spleen size by splenectomy does not alter resistance against bacterial cold water disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In lower vertebrates, the contribution of the spleen to anti-bacterial immunity is poorly understood. Researchers have previously reported a phenotypic and genetic correlation between resistance to Flavobacterium psychrophilum, the causative agent of bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) and spleen so...

Genome assemblies for 11 Yersinia pestis strains isolated in the Caucasus region

DOE PAGES

Zhgenti, Ekaterine; Johnson, Shannon L.; Davenport, Karen W.; ...

2015-09-17

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is endemic to the Caucasus region but few reference strain genome sequences from that region are available. We present the improved draft or finished assembled genomes from 11 strains isolated in the nation of Georgia and surrounding countries.

Partial proteome of the corynetoxin-producing Gram-positive bacterium, Rathayibacter toxicus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rathayibacter toxicus is a Gram-positive bacterium that is the causative agent of annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT), a disease that causes devastating losses in the Australian livestock industry. R. toxicus exhibits a complex life cycle, using the nematode Anguina funesta as a physical vector to carry...

Screening strawberry plants for anthracnose disease resistance using traditional and molecular techniques

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Anthracnose is one of the most destructive diseases of strawberry which may cause fruit rot, leaf and petiole lesions, crown rot, wilt, and death. Crop loss due to anthracnose diseases can reach into the millions of dollars. Three species of Colletotrichum are considered causative agents of anthr...

Prospecting genomic regions associated with Columnaris disease in two commercially important rainbow trout breeding populations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavbacterium Columnare, the causative agent of Columnaris disease (CD), is distributed around the world in fresh water sources, infecting freshwater finfish species. Recently it has been identified as an emerging problem for the rainbow trout aquaculture industry in the US. Two live-attenuated va...

Process Requirements for Achieving Full-Flow Disinfection of Recirculating Water Using Ozonation and UV Irradiation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A continuous water disinfection process can be used to prevent the introduction and accumulation of obligate and opportunistic fish pathogens in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), especially during a disease outbreak when the causative agent would otherwise proliferate within the system. To p...

Rational design of avian metapneumovirus live attenuated vaccines by inhibiting viral messenger RNA cap methyltransferase

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), also known as avian pneumovirus or turkey rhinotracheitis, is a non-segmented negative-sense RNA virus belonging to the family of Paramyxoviridae, the subfamily Pneumovirinae, and the genus Metapneumovirus. aMPV is the causative agent of respiratory tract infection and ...

The host-interacting proteins Tp0750 and Pallilysin; conservation among treponemes and restriction of proteolytic capacity to Treponema pallidum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The spirochete Treponema pallidum is the causative agent of syphilis, a chronic, sexually transmitted bacterial infection characterized by multiple symptomatic and asymptomatic stages. Treponema pallidum is significantly more invasive than other treponemal species, being able to cross both the blood...

VIRULENCE OF Flavobacterium columnare GENOMOVARS IN RAINBOW TROUT (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare is the causative agent of columnaris disease and is responsible for significant economic losses in aquaculture. F. columnare is a Gram-negative bacterium, and five genetic types or genomovars have been described based on restriction fragment length polymorphism of the 16S rR...

Cultivation of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and Ca. L. americanus associated with Huanglongbing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A new medium designated Liber A has been designed and used to successfully cultivate all three Candidatus Liberibacter species, the suspect causative agents of Huanglongbing (HLB) in citrus. The medium containing citrus vein extract and a growth factor sustained growth of Ca. Liberibacter species fo...

Novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex pathogen, M. mungi.

PubMed

Alexander, Kathleen A; Laver, Pete N; Michel, Anita L; Williams, Mark; van Helden, Paul D; Warren, Robin M; Gey van Pittius, Nicolaas C

2010-08-01

Seven outbreaks involving increasing numbers of banded mongoose troops and high death rates have been documented. We identified a Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex pathogen, M. mungi sp. nov., as the causative agent among banded mongooses that live near humans in Chobe District, Botswana. Host spectrum and transmission dynamics remain unknown.

Regulation of flagellum biosynthesis within the fish pathogen Yersinia ruckeri

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Yersinia ruckeri, a Gram negative Enterobacterium, is the causative agent of enteric red mouth disease (ERM) within farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum). There has been an increase of ERM outbreaks in previously vaccinated trout caused by a recently emerged, non-motile variant of Y. r...

Fungi isolated from house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) on penned cattle in South Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Musca domestica L. were collected from cattle diagnosed with bovine ringworm to evaluate the potential of the house fly to disseminate Trichophyton verrucosum E. Bodin, a fungal dermatophyte that is the causative agent for ringworm in cattle. Fungal isolates were cultured from 45 individual flies on...

Assessment of Food as a Source of Exposure to Mycobacterium avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis (MAP)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF or Committee) was asked to assess the importance of food as a source of exposure to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the causative agent of Johne’s disease, which affects primarily the small intestin...

Can Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis Cause Aphasia?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naude, H.; Pretorius, E.

2003-01-01

Aphasia implies the loss or impairment of language caused by brain damage. The key to understanding the nature of aphasic symptoms is the neuro-anatomical site of brain damage, and not the causative agent. However, because "Herpes simplex" virus (HSV) encephalitis infection usually affects the frontal and temporal lobes, subcortical…

Molecular epidemiology of infectious laryngotracheitis: a review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Falconid herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) is the causative agent of falcon inclusion body disease, an acute, highly contagious disease of raptors. The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of FHV-1 has been determined. The genome is arranged as a D-type genome with large inverted repeats flanking a ...

Novel DNA binding and regulatory activities for s54 (RpoN) in Salmonella Typhimurium 14028s

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhimurium, the causative agent of gastrointestinal disease and septicemia in humans, has been extensively studied, providing a comprehensive model system in which to study how pathogens respond to the rapidly changing conditions during persistence in...

Characterization of the Serralysin-like gene of 'Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum' associated with Potato Zebra Chip disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The non-culturable bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso) is the causative agent of zebra chip disease in potato. Computational analysis of the Lso genome revealed a serralysin-like gene based on conserved domains characteristic of genes encoding metalloprotease enzymes similar to se...

Phytochemicals attenuating aberrant activation of ß-catenin in cancer cells

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phytochemicals are a rich source of chemoprevention agents but their effects on modulating the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway have remained largely uninvestigated. Aberrantly activated Wnt signaling can result in the abnormal stabilization of ß-catenin, a key causative step in a broad spectrum of c...

Evidence for the presence of an endosymbiont in the Pecan Scab pathogen Venturia effusa (basyonym: Fusicladium effusum)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aims: To determine whether Venturia effusa (basyonym: Fusicladium effusum) the causative fungal agent of Pecan Scab harbors a bacterial symbiont. Methods and Results: Beginning with monoconidial isolates, V. effusa was maintained on potato dextrose agar amended with antibiotics (chloramphenicol 10...

Characterization and Reactivity of Broiler Chicken Sera to Selected Recombinant Campylobacter jejuni Chemotactic Proteins

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Campylobacter jejuni, a Gram-negative rod bacterium, is the leading causative agent of human acute bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Consumption and handling of raw or undercooked poultry are regarded as a major source for human infection. Because bacterial chemotaxis guides microorganisms to c...

Leukogram abnormalities in gnotobiotic pigs infected with porcine circovirus type 2

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is a single-stranded circular DNA virus that is the causative agent of porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD), a disease complex affecting swine around the world. Although this virus is believed to negatively affect the host's immune system, the mechanism by ...

Effectiveness of copper sulfate and potassium permanganate on channel catfish infected with Flavobacterium columnare

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Copper sulfate (CuSO4) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) were evaluated for their effectiveness to curtail mortality and decrease bacterial load in fish tissues and water in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus naturally infected with Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris. Fis...

Establishment of an Aerosal-Based Marek's Disease Virus Infection Model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease virus (MDV), which is the causative agent of Marek’s disease (MD), is shed by infected chickens and transmitted to other chickens through the respiratory route. Experimental reproduction of MD has been commonly done either by intra-abdominal inoculation of cell-associated MDV or by e...

Natural antimicrobials to control biofilms formed by environmental isolates of Salmonella

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fresh produce account for 9.5 million (12%) of the ~76 million U.S. foodborne illnesses annually. Salmonella is the leading causative agent of an estimated 35% hospitalizations and 28% deaths. Fresh produce can be contaminated by Salmonella at farm level via contaminated manure, irrigation water, w...

EPA ORD/REGION 2 COOPERATIVE EFFORT: EVALUATING CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND GIARDIA IN URBAN STORMWATER

EPA Science Inventory

Since the first identified Cryptosporidium outbreak in the United Kingdom in 1983, the pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia have become the subject of growing local, state, and national concern. Both organisms have been the causative agent of many gas...

Submission of nucleotide sequence clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin to genbank database

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Clostridium perfringens (CP) is ubiquitous in the nature, and a normal inhabitant in the intestinal tracts of animals and humans. However, pathogenic CP is also a causative agent of poultry disease necrotic enteritis (NE). Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin is a toxin produced by the bacterium Clo...

Submission of nucleotide sequence clostridium perfringens pyruvate-flavodoxin oxi-reductase to genbank database

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Clostridium perfringens (CP) is ubiquitous in the nature, and a normal inhabitant in the intestinal tracts of animals and humans. However, pathogenic CP is also a causative agent of poultry disease necrotic enteritis (NE). Clostridium-related poultry diseases such as necrotic enteritis (NE) and gang...

Submission of nucleotide sequence clostridium perfringens elongation factor-tu to genbank database

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Clostridium perfringens (CP) is ubiquitous in the nature, and a normal inhabitant in the intestinal tracts of animals and humans. However, pathogenic CP is also a causative agent of poultry disease necrotic enteritis (NE). Clostridium-related poultry diseases such as necrotic enteritis (NE) and gang...

Genetics of the pig tapeworm in Madagascar reveal a history of human dispersal and colonization

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An intricate history of human dispersal and geographic colonization has strongly affected the distribution of obligate parasites circulating among people. Among these parasites, the pig tapeworm Taenia solium occurs throughout the world as the causative agent of cysticercosis, one of the most serio...

Shotgun proteomic analysis of Yersinia ruckeri isolates under normal and iron-limited conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Yersinia ruckeri is the causative agent of enteric redmouth disease of fish and causes significant economic losses, particularly in salmonids. Iron is an essential nutrient for many cellular processes and is involved in host sensing and virulence regulation in many bacteria. Bacterial pathogens diff...

Transcriptional response of Leptospira interrogans to iron limitation and characterization of a PerR homolog

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leptospira interrogans is the causative agent of leptospirosis, a zoonosis of global significance. Iron is essential for growth of most bacterial species. Since availability of iron is low in the host, pathogens have evolved complex iron acquisition mechanisms to survive and establish infection. In ...

Natural enemies of emerald ash borer in southeastern Michigan

Treesearch

Leah S. Bauer; Houping Liu; Robert A. Haack; Toby R. Petrice; Deborah L. Miller

2004-01-01

Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), the emerald ash borer (EAB), is native to China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russian Far East, and Taiwan. In 2002, EAB was identified as the causative agent of extensive ash (Fraxinus spp.) mortality in southeastern Michigan and nearby southwestern Ontario. EAB was inadvertently...

Early immune responses to Marek’s disease vaccines

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease virus (MDV), a highly cell-associated lymphotropic 'alpha-herpesvirus, is the causative agent of Marek’s disease (MD) in domestic chickens. MDV replicates in chicken lymphocytes and establishes a latent infection within CD4+ T cells. The latently infected CD4+ T cells carry the vir...

Pathology of subclinical paratuberculosis (Johne's Disease) in Awassi sheep with reference to its occurrence in Jordan

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease) is an incurable infectious, chronically progressive enteric disease affecting domestic and exotic ruminants. The causative agent is Mycobacterium Avium Paratuberculosis (M Johnei). In this study, the occurrence of subclinical Johne’s disease in Awassi sheep is inve...

Disseminated sporotrichosis in an immunocompetent patient.

PubMed

Hassan, Kareem; Turker, Tolga; Zangeneh, Tirdad

2016-01-01

Sporothrix schenckii, the causative agent of sporotrichosis, is a relatively rare infection. Local infection usually occurs through direct inoculation of the organism through the skin; disseminated disease is rarely seen. This article describes a case of disseminated sporotrichosis in a middle-aged man without the commonly seen risk factors for dissemination.

Persistence of salmonella typhimurium in nopal cladodes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fresh produce associated outbreaks have increased in the last few years. E.coli O157:H7 and Salmonella have been causative agents of infection in these outbreaks. Fresh produce is consumed raw, and in the absence of terminal kill treatment, it is imperative to understand sources of contamination o...

Envelope protein complexes of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and their antigenicity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of Johne’s disease, a chronic enteric disease of ruminant animals. In the present study, blue native PAGE electrophoresis and 2D SDS-PAGE were used to separate MAP envelope protein complexes, followed by mass spectrometry (MS) ...

DETERMINING THE INFECTIOUS DOSE-50 FOR WEAPONS-GRADE ANTHRAX IN RHESUS MONKEYS USING A BIOLOGICALLY-BASED MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

One of the significant discoveries following the bioterrorist episodes beginning in October 2001 was that a modified form of Bacillus anthracis (Ames strain) was the causative agent. Physical alteration of the inoculum had occurred; the electrostatic charge had been removed and t...

Evaluating innate resistance to Flavobacterium Columnare in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare (Fc) is the causative agent for columnaris disease and a problem for several fish species. Recently, columnaris has been recognized as an emerging problem in farmed trout cultured within the Hagerman valley of Idaho. A long term breeding program at the NCCCWA has produced ...

Toward antituberculosis drugs: in silico screening of synthetic compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosisl,d-transpeptidase 2.

PubMed

Billones, Junie B; Carrillo, Maria Constancia O; Organo, Voltaire G; Macalino, Stephani Joy Y; Sy, Jamie Bernadette A; Emnacen, Inno A; Clavio, Nina Abigail B; Concepcion, Gisela P

2016-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) the main causative agent of tuberculosis, is the main reason why this disease continues to be a global public health threat. It is therefore imperative to find a novel antitubercular drug target that is unique to the structural machinery or is essential to the growth and survival of the bacterium. One such target is the enzyme l,d-transpeptidase 2, also known as LdtMt2, a protein primarily responsible for the catalysis of 3→3 cross-linkages that make up the mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan complex of Mtb. In this study, structure-based pharmacophore screening, molecular docking, and in silico toxicity evaluations were employed in screening compounds from a database of synthetic compounds. Out of the 4.5 million database compounds, 18 structures were identified as high-scoring, high-binding hits with very satisfactory absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties. Two out of the 18 compounds were further subjected to in vitro bioactivity assays, with one exhibiting a good inhibitory activity against the Mtb H37Ra strain.

Leishmanization revisited: immunization with a naturally attenuated cutaneous Leishmania donovani isolate from Sri Lanka protects against visceral leishmaniasis.

PubMed

McCall, Laura-Isobel; Zhang, Wen-Wei; Ranasinghe, Shanlindra; Matlashewski, Greg

2013-02-27

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania protozoa and associated with three main clinical presentations: cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis is the second most lethal parasitic disease after malaria and there is so far no human vaccine. Leishmania donovani is a causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in South East Asia and Eastern Africa. However, in Sri Lanka, L. donovani causes mainly cutaneous leishmaniasis, while visceral leishmaniasis is rare. We investigate here the possibility that the cutaneous form of L. donovani can provide immunological protection against the visceral form of the disease, as a potential explanation for why visceral leishmaniasis is rare in Sri Lanka. Subcutaneous immunization with a cutaneous clinical isolate from Sri Lanka was significantly protective against visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice. Protection was associated with a mixed Th1/Th2 response. These results provide a possible rationale for the scarcity of visceral leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka and could guide leishmaniasis vaccine development efforts. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Guidelines for the Detection of Babesia and Theileria Parasites.

PubMed

Lempereur, Laetitia; Beck, Relja; Fonseca, Isabel; Marques, Cátia; Duarte, Ana; Santos, Marcos; Zúquete, Sara; Gomes, Jacinto; Walder, Gernot; Domingos, Ana; Antunes, Sandra; Baneth, Gad; Silaghi, Cornelia; Holman, Patricia; Zintl, Annetta

2017-01-01

The genera Babesia and Theileria (phylum Apicomplexa, order Piroplasmida) are mainly transmitted by Ixodid ticks in which the sexual part of their life cycle followed by sporogony takes place. They include protozoan parasites that infect erythrocytes of a variety of vertebrate hosts, including domestic and wild animals, with some Babesia spp. also infecting humans. Babesia sporozoites transmitted in the tick's saliva during the bloodmeal directly infect erythrocytes, where they asexually multiply to produce pear-shaped merozoites in the process of merogony; whereas a pre-erythrocytic schizogonic life stage in leukocytes is found in Theileria and precedes merogony in the erythrocytes. The wide spectrum of Babesia and Theileria species and their dissimilar characteristics with relation to disease severity, transmission, epidemiology, and drug susceptibility stress the importance of accurate detection of babesiosis and theileriosis and their causative agents. These guidelines review the main methods currently used for the detection of Babesia and Theileria spp. for diagnostic purposes as well as epidemiological studies involving their vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors. Serological methods were not included once they did not indicate current infection but rather exposure.

Decreased mortality of lake michigan chinook salmon after bacterial kidney disease challenge: Evidence for pathogen-driven selection?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Purcell, M.K.; Murray, A.L.; Elz, A.; Park, L.K.; Marcquenski, S.V.; Winton, J.R.; Alcorn, S.W.; Pascho, R.J.; Elliott, D.G.

2008-01-01

In the late 1960s, Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from the Green River, Washington, were successfully introduced into Lake Michigan. During spring from1988 to 1992, large fish die-offs affecting Chinook salmon occurred in the lake. Multiple ecological factors probably contributed to the severity of the fish kills, but the only disease agent found regularly was Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease. in this study, survival after challenge by R. salmoninarum was compared between two Chinook salmon stocks: a Lake Michigan stock from Wisconsin (WI) and the progenitor stock from the Green River. We found that the WI stock had significantly greater survival than the Green River stock. Next, the WI and Green River stocks were exposed to the marine pathogen Listonella anguillarum (formerly Vibrio anguillarum), one of the causative agents of vibriosis; survival after this challenge was significantly poorer for the WI stock than for the Green River stock. A close genetic relationship between the Green River and WI stocks was confirmed by analyzing 13 microsatellite loci. These results collectively suggest that disease susceptibility of Lake Michigan Chinook salmon has diverged from that of the source population, possibly in response to pathogen-driven selection. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2008.

A suspected case of rocuronium-sugammadex complex-induced anaphylactic shock after cesarean section.

PubMed

Yamaoka, Masakazu; Deguchi, Miki; Ninomiya, Kiichiro; Kurasako, Toshiaki; Matsumoto, Mutsuko

2017-02-01

An anaphylactic reaction during a cesarean section occurs rarely, and rocuronium is thought to be one of the common agents causing perioperative anaphylaxis. Here we report an anaphylactic shock after cesarean section that is suggested to be induced by the rocuronium-sugammadex complex. A 36-year-old primigravida underwent an elective cesarean section under general anesthesia due to placenta previa. While the operation was completed uneventfully, she developed anaphylactic shock following sugammadex administration. She was successfully managed with rapid treatments. Serum tryptase level was significantly elevated. Although sugammadex was first suspected to be the causative agent, the result of intradermal skin tests with sugammadex were negative. Surprisingly, a subsequent intradermal test with undiluted rocuronium caused the patient to fall into a state of shock. Furthermore, a later skin-prick test with pre-mixed rocuronium-sugammadex complex also revealed a strong positive reaction, and a test with only rocuronium showed negative. We finally concluded that the rocuronium-sugammadex complex is the causative agent in this case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report suggesting anaphylaxis caused by the rocuronium-sugammadex complex. This case highlights the importance of appropriate examinations to determinate the pathogenesis of anaphylaxis in order to establish risk reduction strategies.

[Control of toxicity of Sarcocystis fayeri in horsemeat by freezing treatment and prevention of food poisoning caused by raw consumption of horsemeat].

PubMed

Harada, Seiya; Furukawa, Masato; Tokuoka, Eisuke; Matsumoto, Kazutoshi; Yahiro, Shunsuke; Miyasaka, Jiro; Saito, Morihiro; Kamata, Yoichi; Watanabe, Maiko; Irikura, Daisuke; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Sugita-Konishi, Yoshiko

2013-01-01

More than 27 outbreaks per year of food poisoning caused by consuming horse meat were reported in Kumamoto Prefecture (including Kumamoto City) from January 2009 to September 2011. It was found that the causative agent of the outbreaks was a protein with a molecular weight of 15 kDa that had originated from bradyzoites of Sarcocystis fayeri parasitizing the horse meat. Rabit ileal loop tests showed that pepsin treatment of homogenates of frozen horse meat containing the cysts of S. fayeri induced loss of toxicity, presumably by digestion of the proteinous causative agent(s). Slices of horse meat containing the cysts were frozen at below -20°C for various periods. The cysts were collected after thawing the slices, then treated in an artificial stomach juice containing pepsin. The bradyzoites of the cysts kept at -20°C for 48 hr or more completely disappeared. Simultaneously, the 15 kDa protein also disappeared in the frozen cysts. After notifying the public and recommending freezing treatment of horse meat, no subsequent cases of food poisoning were reported. This indicates that freezing of horse meat is effective to prevent the occurrence of food poisoning caused by consuming raw horse meat containing S. fayeri.

Decreased mortality of Lake Michigan Chinook salmon after bacterial kidney disease challenge: evidence for pathogen-driven selection?

PubMed

Purcell, Maureen K; Murray, Anthony L; Elz, Anna; Park, Linda K; Marcquenski, Susan V; Winton, James R; Alcorn, Stewart W; Pascho, Ronald J; Elliott, Diane G

2008-12-01

In the late 1960s, Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from the Green River, Washington, were successfully introduced into Lake Michigan. During spring from 1988 to 1992, large fish die-offs affecting Chinook salmon occurred in the lake. Multiple ecological factors probably contributed to the severity of the fish kills, but the only disease agent found regularly was Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease. In this study, survival after challenge by R. salmoninarum was compared between two Chinook salmon stocks: a Lake Michigan stock from Wisconsin (WI) and the progenitor stock from the Green River. We found that the WI stock had significantly greater survival than the Green River stock. Next, the WI and Green River stocks were exposed to the marine pathogen Listonella anguillarum (formerly Vibrio anguillarum), one of the causative agents of vibriosis; survival after this challenge was significantly poorer for the WI stock than for the Green River stock. A close genetic relationship between the Green River and WI stocks was confirmed by analyzing 13 microsatellite loci. These results collectively suggest that disease susceptibility of Lake Michigan Chinook salmon has diverged from that of the source population, possibly in response to pathogen-driven selection.

Immediate Type Hypersensitivity to Heparins: Two Case Reports and a Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Cesana, Philipp; Scherer, Kathrin; Bircher, Andreas J

2016-01-01

Immediate type hypersensitivity reactions due to heparins are rare, and the exact immunologic pathomechanism has not been identified so far. In our 2 case reports, we describe first a 50-year-old female who received dalteparin (Fragmin®) and developed signs of an immediate type hypersensitivity reaction. The personal history revealed a previous application of dalteparin (Fragmin®). Evaluation with a skin prick test showed positive results for dalteparin. The second case deals with a 73-year-old female with a suspected immediate type reaction after the administration of dalteparin (Fragmin®). A skin prick test was negative but intracutaneous tests showed a positive reaction to the causative agent. Both cases indicated cross-reactivity reactions for low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) but not for unfractioned heparin (UFH) or fondaparinux. In conclusion, our case reports including a review of published cases of immediate type hypersensitivity reactions after the application of heparins illustrate this rare complication. Mostly, the causative agent can be identified with a skin test, which is highly suggestive of an IgE-mediated reaction. Therapeutic alternatives for patients with sensitization to an LMWH are UFH and fondaparinux. Both agents have a small risk of cross-reactivity compared to heparins of the same substance class. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An infant with concurrent serotype 6C invasive pneumococcal disease and infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Nishikawa-Nakamura, Naoko; Okada, Takafumi; Nishimura, Keiko; Iwai, Tsuyako; Ubukata, Kimiko; Iwata, Satoshi; Iwai, Asayuki

2017-11-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a main causative agent of serious invasive bacterial infections. However, concurrent infection with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and viral infectious mononucleosis (IM) is rare. We report an infant with serotype 6C infection causing IPD occurring simultaneously with IM. A previously healthy 11-month-old girl referred to our hospital because of fever, leukopenia, and elevated C-reactive protein presented to us with disturbance of consciousness, tachycardia, tachypnea and agranulocytosis. Other findings included tonsillitis with purulent exudates and white spots, bilateral cervical adenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. We diagnosed her illness as sepsis and administered a broad-spectrum antibiotic, an antiviral agent, and granulocyte transfusions. After treatment was initiated, fever gradually decreased and general condition improved. IPD was diagnosed based upon isolation of S. pneumoniae of serotype 6C from blood cultures obtained on admission. Concurrently the girl had IM, based upon quantitation of Epstein-Barr viral DNA copies in blood and fluctuating serum antibody titers. Although simultaneous IPD and IM is a rare occurrence, this possibility is important to keep in mind. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Burns in adolescents].

PubMed

Ortiz Rodríguez, R; Domínguez Amillo, E; Soto Beauregard, C; Díaz González, M; López Gutiérrez, J C; Ros Mar, Z; Tovar Larrucea, J A

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to know the epidemiology of burns in teenagers. Burn patients over 11 years old admitted in our Institution in the last 10 years were included. Etiology, burn size, hospital stay, quirurgical interventions and long term sequelae were registered. One thousand and eight patients were admitted, 89 were over 11 years (8.8%), 70.7% were boys and 29.3% girls. Fire was the principal agent in 58 cases (65.1%), due to fireworks in 13 (22.4%), alcohol in 7 (12%), explosion of flammable containers (spray) in 4 (6.8%) and gasoline in 3 (5.2%). Fireworks injuries and spray explosions affected face and hand in 88% cases. The median hospital stay was 8 days after admission (1 to 90). 83.1% required surgical treatment with mean of 1.8 +/- 1.4 interventions and 21.3% had long-term sequelaes that required at least one surgical intervention. Fire is the main cause of burns in adolescents. Fireworks injuries represented a quarter of that lesions, and highlights paint spray explosions as new causative agents. Considering the high morbidity in this age group, with permanent functional and aesthetic sequelae, prevention campaigns are needed to reduce such accidents.

Photodynamic Therapy Combined with Terbinafine Against Chromoblastomycosis and the Effect of PDT on Fonsecaea monophora In Vitro

PubMed Central

Hu, Yongxuan; Huang, Xiaowen; Lu, Sha; Hamblin, Michael R.; Mylonakis, Eleftherios; Zhang, Junmin

2014-01-01

Chromoblastomycosis, a chronic fungal infection of skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by dematiaceous fungi, is associated with low cure and high relapse rates. Among all factors affecting clinical outcome, etiological agents have an important position. In southern China, Fonsecaea pedrosoi and Fonsecaea monophora are main causative agents causing Chromoblastomycosis. We treated one case of chromoblastomycosis by photodynamic therapy (PDT) of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) irradiation combined with terbinafine 250 mg a day. The lesions were improved after two sessions of ALA-PDT treatment, each including nine times, at an interval of 1 week, combined with terbinafine 250 mg/day oral, and clinical improvement could be observed. In the following study, based on the clinical treatment, the effect of PDT and antifungal drugs on this isolate was detected in vitro. It showed sensitivity to terbinafine, itraconazole or voriconazole, and PDT inhibited the growth. Both the clinic and experiments in vitro confirm the good outcome of ALA-PDT applied in the inhibition of F. monophora. It demonstrated that combination of antifungal drugs with ALA-PDT arises as a promising alternative method for the treatment of these refractory cases of chromoblastomycosis. PMID:25366276

Disease Transmission by Misfolded Prion-Protein Isoforms, Prion-Like Amyloids, Functional Amyloids and the Central Dogma

PubMed Central

Daus, Martin L.

2016-01-01

In 1982, the term “prions” (proteinaceous infectious particles) was coined to specify a new principle of infection. A misfolded isoform of a cellular protein has been described as the causative agent of a fatal neurodegenerative disease. At the beginning of prion research scientists assumed that the infectious agent causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) was a virus, but some unconventional properties of these pathogens were difficult to bring in line with the prevailing viral model. The discovery that prions (obviously devoid of any coding nucleic acid) can store and transmit information similarly to DNA was initially even denoted as being “heretical” but is nowadays mainly accepted by the scientific community. This review describes, from a historical point of view, how the “protein-only hypothesis” expands the Central Dogma. Definition of both, the prion principle and the Central Dogma, have been essential steps to understand information storage and transfer within and among cells and organisms. Furthermore, the current understanding of the infectivity of prion-proteins after misfolding is summarized succinctly. Finally, prion-like amyloids and functional amyloids, as found in yeast and bacteria, will be discussed. PMID:26742083

Disease Transmission by Misfolded Prion-Protein Isoforms, Prion-Like Amyloids, Functional Amyloids and the Central Dogma.

PubMed

Daus, Martin L

2016-01-04

In 1982, the term "prions" (proteinaceous infectious particles) was coined to specify a new principle of infection. A misfolded isoform of a cellular protein has been described as the causative agent of a fatal neurodegenerative disease. At the beginning of prion research scientists assumed that the infectious agent causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) was a virus, but some unconventional properties of these pathogens were difficult to bring in line with the prevailing viral model. The discovery that prions (obviously devoid of any coding nucleic acid) can store and transmit information similarly to DNA was initially even denoted as being "heretical" but is nowadays mainly accepted by the scientific community. This review describes, from a historical point of view, how the "protein-only hypothesis" expands the Central Dogma. Definition of both, the prion principle and the Central Dogma, have been essential steps to understand information storage and transfer within and among cells and organisms. Furthermore, the current understanding of the infectivity of prion-proteins after misfolding is summarized succinctly. Finally, prion-like amyloids and functional amyloids, as found in yeast and bacteria, will be discussed.

Effects of Manipulation on Attributions of Causation, Free Will, and Moral Responsibility.

PubMed

Murray, Dylan; Lombrozo, Tania

2017-03-01

If someone brings about an outcome without intending to, is she causally and morally responsible for it? What if she acts intentionally, but as the result of manipulation by another agent? Previous research has shown that an agent's mental states can affect attributions of causal and moral responsibility to that agent, but little is known about what effect one agent's mental states can have on attributions to another agent. In Experiment 1, we replicate findings that manipulation lowers attributions of responsibility to manipulated agents. Experiments 2-7 isolate which features of manipulation drive this effect, a crucial issue for both philosophical debates about free will and attributions of responsibility in situations involving social influence more generally. Our results suggest that "bypassing" a manipulated agent's mental states generates the greatest reduction in responsibility, and we explain our results in terms of the effects that one agent's mental states can have on the counterfactual relations between another agent and an outcome. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

[Isolation of the causative agent and histopathology of athlete's foot (preliminary report)].

PubMed

Pelayo Ulacia, S; Dafhnis, D

1980-01-01

Given the incidence of athlete's foot in our environment a study of the causing agent as well as the lesions it determines is made. For that purpose four male patients from an ESBEC (High School in the Countryside), seen at Jovellanos Municipality Hospital in the dermatology section, were studied. Average age was 13. The authors conducted a tissular study with adjusting sampling for isolating the relevant causing agent. The authors showed that the infecting agents were Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum which determined hyperkeratosis with marked and focal parakeratosis; maceration areas with destruction and sphacelus of the corneal layer, a site with abundant necrotic cells and spores; acanthosis; papillomatosis; hyphas, and a lympho-histocytary inflammatory infiltrate in the upper dermis.

Gene Transfer in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Shuttle Phasmids to Enlightenment

PubMed Central

JACOBS, WILLIAM R.

2016-01-01

Infectious diseases have plagued humankind throughout history and have posed serious public health problems. Yet vaccines have eradicated smallpox and antibiotics have drastically decreased the mortality rate of many infectious agents. These remarkable successes in the control of infections came from knowing the causative agents of the diseases, followed by serendipitous discoveries of attenuated viruses and antibiotics. The discovery of DNA as genetic material and the understanding of how this information translates into specific phenotypes have changed the paradigm for developing new vaccines, drugs, and diagnostic tests. Knowledge of the mechanisms of immunity and mechanisms of action of drugs has led to new vaccines and new antimicrobial agents. The key to the acquisition of the knowledge of these mechanisms has been identifying the elemental causes (i.e., genes and their products) that mediate immunity and drug resistance. The identification of these genes is made possible by being able to transfer the genes or mutated forms of the genes into causative agents or surrogate hosts. Such an approach was limited in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by the difficulty of transferring genes or alleles into M. tuberculosis or a suitable surrogate mycobacterial host. The construction of shuttle phasmids—chimeric molecules that replicate in Escherichia coli as plasmids and in mycobacteria as mycobacteriophages—was instrumental in developing gene transfer systems for M. tuberculosis. This review will discuss M. tuberculosis genetic systems and their impact on tuberculosis research. “I had to know my enemy in order to prevail against him.”Nelson Mandela PMID:26105819

Attempts to identify the source of avian vacuolar myelinopathy for waterbirds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rocke, T.E.; Thomas, N.J.; Meteyer, C.U.; Quist, C.F.; Fischer, John R.; Augspurger, T.; Ward, S.E.

2005-01-01

Attempts were made to reproduce avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) in a number of test animals in order to determine the source of the causative agent for birds and to find a suitable animal model for future studies. Submerged vegetation, plankton, invertebrates, forage fish, and sediments were collected from three lakes with ongoing outbreaks of AVM and fed to American coots (Fulica americana), mallard ducks and ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos), quail (Coturnix japonica), and laboratory mice either via gavage or ad libitum. Tissues from AVM-affected coots with brain lesions were fed to ducklings, kestrels (Falco sparverius), and American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). Two mallards that ingested one sample of Hydrilla verticillata along with any biotic or abiotic material associated with its external surface developed brain lesions consistent with AVM, although neither of the ducks had clinical signs of disease. Ingestion of numerous other samples of Hydrilla from the AVM affected lakes and a lake with no prior history of AVM, other materials (sediments, algae, fish, invertebrates, and water from affected lakes), or tissues from AVM-affected birds did not produce either clinical signs or brain lesions in any of the other test animals in our studies. These results suggest that waterbirds are most likely exposed to the causative agent of AVM while feeding on aquatic vegetation, but we do not believe the vegetation itself is the agent. We hypothesize that the causative agent of AVM might either be accumulated by aquatic vegetation, such as Hydrilla, or associated with biotic or abiotic material on its external surfaces. In support of that hypothesis, two coots that ingested Hydrilla sampled from a lake with an ongoing AVM outbreak in wild birds developed neurologic signs within 9 days (ataxia, limb weakness, and incoordination), and one of two coots that ingested Hydrilla collected from the same site 13 days later became sick and died within 38 days. None of these three sick coots had definitive brain lesions consistent with AVM by light microscopy, but they had no gross or histologic lesions in other tissues. It is unclear if these birds died of AVM. Perhaps they did not ingest a dose sufficient to produce brain lesions or the lesions were ultrastructural. Alternatively, it is possible that a separate neurotoxic agent is responsible for the morbidity and mortality observed in these coots.

Functional Diversity of the Schistosoma mansoni Tyrosine Kinases

PubMed Central

Avelar, Lívia G. A.; Nahum, Laila A.; Andrade, Luiza F.; Oliveira, Guilherme

2011-01-01

Schistosoma mansoni, one of the causative agents of schistosomiasis, has a complex life cycle infecting over 200 million people worldwide. Such a successful and prolific parasite life cycle has been shown to be dependent on the adaptive interaction between the parasite and hosts. Tyrosine kinases (TKs) play a key role in signaling pathways as demonstrated by a large body of experimental work in eukaryotes. Furthermore, comparative genomics have allowed the identification of TK homologs and provided insights into the functional role of TKs in several biological systems. Finally, TK structural biology has provided a rational basis for obtaining selective inhibitors directed to the treatment of human diseases. This paper covers the important aspects of the phospho-tyrosine signaling network in S. mansoni, Caenorhabditis elegans, and humans, the main process of functional diversification of TKs, that is, protein-domain shuffling, and also discusses TKs as targets for the development of new anti-schistosome drugs. PMID:21776387

First molecular identification of Dirofilaria spp. (Onchocercidae) in mosquitoes from Serbia.

PubMed

Kurucz, Kornélia; Kepner, Anett; Krtinic, Bosiljka; Zana, Brigitta; Földes, Fanni; Bányai, Krisztián; Oldal, Miklós; Jakab, Ferenc; Kemenesi, Gábor

2016-08-01

Dirofilariosis is a common and widespread veterinary health issue in several European countries with notable zoonotic potential. The causative agents are Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens nematoda species which are transmitted by different mosquito vectors. Similar to other mosquito-borne infections, the knowledge about mosquito species involved in disease transmission is crucial for the complex understanding of local transmission cycles. Since there is no available data on mosquito species, potentially involved in disease transmission from Serbia, 6369 female mosquito individuals were retrospectively tested for Dirofilaria nematodes, collected from 13 localities in Vojvodina province, Serbia, in 2013. Altogether, 8.33 % of tested pools showed positivity, composed of five mosquito species, mainly, Culex pipiens and Aedes vexans. D. immitis and D. repens were both detected from multiple localities, during the whole period of mosquito breeding season, which provides the first data on local transmission characteristics regarding mosquitoes from the Balkans.

HIV/AIDS vaccines for Africa: scientific opportunities, challenges and strategies

PubMed Central

Chin'ombe, Nyasha; Ruhanya, Vurayai

2015-01-01

More than decades have already elapsed since human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was identified as the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The HIV has since spread to all parts of the world with devastating effects. In sub-saharan Africa, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has reached unprecedented proportions. Safe, effective and affordable HIV/AIDS vaccines for Africans are therefore urgently needed to contain this public health problem. Although, there are challenges, there are also scientific opportunities and strategies that can be exploited in the development of HIV/AIDS vaccines for Africa. The recent RV144 Phase III trial in Thailand has demonstrated that it is possible to develop a vaccine that can potentially elicit modest protective immunity against HIV infection. The main objective of this review is to outline the key scientific opportunities, challenges and strategies in HIV/AIDS vaccine development in Africa. PMID:26185576

[Hepatitis E as zoonosis].

PubMed

Baumann-Popczyk, Anna

2011-01-01

The hepatitis E virus (HEV) the causative agent of hepatitis E, is a non-enveloped RNA virus. HEV is transmitted through oral consumption of contaminated food and water According to the currently knowledge now be considered as zoonosis. The main reservoir of HEV are pigs, boars and deer. For the first time HEV was isolated from animals (pigs) in 1997 in the U.S. Genetic analysis of strains isolated from pigs showed high similarity to strains HEV isolated from humans. This was the first evidence showing that HEV is a zoonosis. Further studies have shown that occupational groups e.g. veterinarians, swine breeders with close contact to pigs have an increased risk for HEV infections. The additional evidence supported the zoonotic potential of HEV were reports of acute hepatitis E after the consumption of undercooked meat from deer and wild boar. Infection of HEV in the domestic pig and wild boar population in Europe is widespread.

[CONTEMPORARY MOLECULAR-GENETIC METHODS USED FOR ETIOLOGIC DIAGNOSTICS OF SEPSIS].

PubMed

Gavrilov, S N; Skachkova, T S; Shipulina, O Yu; Savochkina, Yu A; Shipulin, G A; Maleev, V V

2016-01-01

Etiologic diagnostics of sepsis is one of the most difficult problems of contemporary medicine due to a wide variety of sepsis causative agents, many of which are components of normal human microflora. Disadvantages of contemporary "golden standard" of microbiologic diagnostics of sepsis etiology by seeding of blood for sterility are duration of cultivation, limitation in detection of non-cultivable forms of microorganisms, significant effect of preliminary empiric antibiotics therapy on results of the analysis. Methods of molecular diagnostics that are being actively developed and integrated during the last decade are deprived of these disadvantages. Main contemporary methods of molecular-biological diagnostics are examined in the review, actualdata on their diagnostic characteristic are provided. Special attention is given to methods of PCR-diagnostics, including novel Russian developments. Methods of nucleic acid hybridization and proteomic analysis are examined in comparative aspect. Evaluation of application and perspectives of development of methods of molecular diagnostics of sepsis is given.

Decontamination of radioisotopes

PubMed Central

Domínguez-Gadea, Luis; Cerezo, Laura

2011-01-01

Contaminations with radioactive material may occur in several situations related to medicine, industry or research. Seriousness of the incident depends mainly on the radioactive element involved; usually there are no major acute health effects, but in the long term can cause malignancies, leukemia, genetic defects and teratogenic anomalies. The most common is superficial contamination, but the radioactive material can get into the body and be retained by the cells of target organs, injuring directly and permanently sensitive elements of the body. Rapid intervention is very important to remove the radioactive material without spreading it. Work must be performed in a specially prepared area and personnel involved should wear special protective clothing. For external decontamination general cleaning techniques are used, usually do not require chemical techniques. For internal decontamination is necessary to use specific agents, according to the causative element, as well physiological interventions to enhance elimination and excretion. PMID:24376972

Killing of Serratia marcescens biofilms with chloramphenicol.

PubMed

Ray, Christopher; Shenoy, Anukul T; Orihuela, Carlos J; González-Juarbe, Norberto

2017-03-29

Serratia marcescens is a Gram-negative bacterium with proven resistance to multiple antibiotics and causative of catheter-associated infections. Bacterial colonization of catheters mainly involves the formation of biofilm. The objectives of this study were to explore the susceptibility of S. marcescens biofilms to high doses of common antibiotics and non-antimicrobial agents. Biofilms formed by a clinical isolate of S. marcescens were treated with ceftriaxone, kanamycin, gentamicin, and chloramphenicol at doses corresponding to 10, 100 and 1000 times their planktonic minimum inhibitory concentration. In addition, biofilms were also treated with chemical compounds such as polysorbate-80 and ursolic acid. S. marcescens demonstrated susceptibility to ceftriaxone, kanamycin, gentamicin, and chloramphenicol in its planktonic form, however, only chloramphenicol reduced both biofilm biomass and biofilm viability. Polysorbate-80 and ursolic acid had minimal to no effect on either planktonic and biofilm grown S. marcescens. Our results suggest that supratherapeutic doses of chloramphenicol can be used effectively against established S. marcescens biofilms.

[Relevant allergans by periorbital allergic contact dermatitis. Oxybuprocain, an underestimated allergen].

PubMed

Blaschke, V; Fuchs, T

2003-08-01

Periorbital allergic contact dermatitis is a rare disease and the main differential diagnoses are atopic and seborrhoeic dermatitis. The diagnosis is based on clinical appearance, patient history and patch testing. Current systematic overviews on contact allergens involved are lacking and with changes in medical preparations, new relevant antigens may emerge. Based on the systematic data of the information network of dermatological clinics (IVDK), patch test reactions in 48,969 patients tested between 1996 and 2000 were evaluated. A total of 763 patients suffered from periorbital dermatitis which was suspected to be due to the use of topical medication. The most common epidermal sensitizations in the general population were observed against nickel and fragrances. In the periorbital dermatitis group, sensitization against local anaesthetics and antibiotics was more frequent than in the general population. In three patients, oxybuprocain was identified as the causative agent, which has not yet been recognized as a common allergen.

Helicobacter pylori infection as a cause of gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer and nonulcer dyspepsia: a systematic overview.

PubMed

Veldhuyzen van Zanten, S J; Sherman, P M

1994-01-15

To evaluate current evidence for a causal relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer and nonulcer dyspepsia. A MEDLINE search for articles published in English between January 1983 and December 1992 with the use of MeSH terms Helicobacter pylori, gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer, dyspepsia and clinical trial; abstracts were excluded. Six journals and Current Contents were searched manually for pertinent articles published in that time frame. Original studies with at least 25 patients, case reports and reviews that examined the relation between H. pylori and the four gastrointestinal disorders; 350 articles were on gastritis, 122 on duodenal ulcer, 44 on gastric cancer and 96 on nonulcer dyspepsia. The quality of the studies was rated independently on a four-point scale. The strength of the evidence was assessed using a six-point scale for each of the eight established guidelines for determining a causal relation. There was conclusive evidence of a causal relation between H. pylori infection and histologic gastritis. Koch's postulates for the identification of a microorganism as the causative agent of a disease were fulfilled for H. pylori as a causative agent of gastritis. There was strong evidence that H. pylori is the main cause of duodenal ulcers not induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but all of Koch's postulates were not fulfilled. There was moderate epidemiologic evidence of an association between chronic H. pylori infection and gastric cancer. There was a lack of convincing evidence of a causal association between H. pylori and nonulcer dyspepsia. The evidence supports a strong causal relation between H. pylori infection and gastritis and duodenal ulcer and a moderate relation between such infection and gastric cancer. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of H. pylori in these disorders. Thus far, there is no evidence of a causal relation between H. pylori and nonulcer dyspepsia.

Urinary Tract Infections Among Hospitalized Adults in the Early Post-Liver Transplant Period: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Causative Agents, and Microbial Susceptibility.

PubMed

Pouladfar, Gholamreza; Jafarpour, Zahra; Firoozifar, Mohammad; Malek Hosseini, Seyed Ali; Rasekh, Razieh; Khosravifard, Leila; Janghorban, Parisa

2017-02-01

Urinary tract infections are among the most common infections after liver transplant, especially soon after surgery. This study analyzed urinary tract infections or bacteriuria, their causative agents, and related risk factors in the early period after liver transplant in hospitalized adult transplant recipients in the main liver transplant referral center in Iran. In this prospective study, 389 consecutive adult patients who underwent liver transplant at the Nemazee Teaching Hospital were enrolled between October 2014 and October 2015. Risk factors were compared for patients who developed urinary tract infections or bacteriuria ("infection group "; n = 63 [16.2% ]) and patients without evidence of infection ("control group "; n = 211 [54.2% ]). Patients with sites of infection other than the urinary tract were excluded. Antimicrobial sus ceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method. Univariate and multivariate analyses compared variables between the 2 groups. Seventy-nine episodes of urinary tract infections or bacteriuria occurred in the infection group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that female sex, hospitalization 2 to 7 days before transplant, and frequency of abdominal exploration were 11.0, 5.9, and 3.0 times more common in the infection group than in the control group. The chance of infection rises 1.1 times with each one unit increase of body mass index. The most common infection causes were gram-negative bacteria (n = 50; 63.3%), predominantly Escherichia coli (n = 24; 30.4%); followed by gram-positive bacteria (n = 20; 25.3%), predominantly Enterococcus species (n = 14; 17.8%) that had a high incidence of vancomycin resistance (n = 10; 71.4%); and non-Candida albicans species isolates (n = 9; 11.4%). Urinary tract infections are a common infection in hospitalized adult patients soon after liver transplant. Female sex, hospitalization shortly before transplant, more frequent abdominal exploration, and higher body mass index substantially increased the risk of developing such infections in this period.

Helicobacter pylori infection as a cause of gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer and nonulcer dyspepsia: a systematic overview.

PubMed Central

Veldhuyzen van Zanten, S J; Sherman, P M

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate current evidence for a causal relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer and nonulcer dyspepsia. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search for articles published in English between January 1983 and December 1992 with the use of MeSH terms Helicobacter pylori, gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer, dyspepsia and clinical trial; abstracts were excluded. Six journals and Current Contents were searched manually for pertinent articles published in that time frame. STUDY SELECTION: Original studies with at least 25 patients, case reports and reviews that examined the relation between H. pylori and the four gastrointestinal disorders; 350 articles were on gastritis, 122 on duodenal ulcer, 44 on gastric cancer and 96 on nonulcer dyspepsia. DATA EXTRACTION: The quality of the studies was rated independently on a four-point scale. The strength of the evidence was assessed using a six-point scale for each of the eight established guidelines for determining a causal relation. DATA SYNTHESIS: There was conclusive evidence of a causal relation between H. pylori infection and histologic gastritis. Koch's postulates for the identification of a microorganism as the causative agent of a disease were fulfilled for H. pylori as a causative agent of gastritis. There was strong evidence that H. pylori is the main cause of duodenal ulcers not induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but all of Koch's postulates were not fulfilled. There was moderate epidemiologic evidence of an association between chronic H. pylori infection and gastric cancer. There was a lack of convincing evidence of a causal association between H. pylori and nonulcer dyspepsia. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence supports a strong causal relation between H. pylori infection and gastritis and duodenal ulcer and a moderate relation between such infection and gastric cancer. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of H. pylori in these disorders. Thus far, there is no evidence of a causal relation between H. pylori and nonulcer dyspepsia. PMID:8287340

Oral phaeohyphomycosis

PubMed Central

Cardoso, S V; Campolina, S S; Guimarães, A L S; Faria, P R; da C Costa, E M; Gomez, R S; Rocha, A; Caligiorne, R B; Loyola, A M

2007-01-01

This is the first description of solitary phaeohyphomycosis affecting the mucosal surface. The lesion developed in the inferior lip of a 57‐year‐old woman. After surgical resection, histopathological examination evidenced characteristic brownish fungal structures within granulomatous–purulent inflammation. Amplification and sequencing of rDNA obtained from paraffin‐embedded tissue identified Alternaria species, as the causative agent. PMID:17264246

Emergence of Bordetella holmesii as a Causative Agent of Whooping Cough, Barcelona, Spain.

PubMed

Mir-Cros, Alba; Codina, Gema; Martín-Gómez, M Teresa; Fàbrega, Anna; Martínez, Xavier; Jané, Mireia; Van Esso, Diego; Cornejo, Thais; Rodrigo, Carlos; Campins, Magda; Pumarola, Tomàs; González-López, Juan José

2017-11-01

We describe the detection of Bordetella holmesii as a cause of whooping cough in Spain. Prevalence was 3.9% in 2015, doubling to 8.8% in 2016. This emergence raises concern regarding the contribution of B. holmesii to the reemergence of whooping cough and the effectiveness of the pertussis vaccine.

Flavobacterium columnare isolated from red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.): emphasis on genetic characterization and virulence of rhizoid and non-rhizoid morphotypes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare is the causative agent of columnaris disease and severely affects various freshwater fish species worldwide. Here, we described the phenotypic and genetic characterization of F. columnare isolates isolated from farmed red tilapia in Thailand. Additionally, the virulence as w...

Diagnostic Assay for Rickettsia japonica

PubMed Central

Hanaoka, Nozomu; Matsutani, Minenosuke; Kawabata, Hiroki; Yamamoto, Seigo; Fujita, Hiromi; Sakata, Akiko; Azuma, Yoshinao; Ogawa, Motohiko; Takano, Ai; Watanabe, Haruo; Kishimoto, Toshio; Shirai, Mutsunori; Kurane, Ichiro

2009-01-01

We developed a specific and rapid detection system for Rickettsia japonica and R. heilongjiangensis, the causative agents of spotted fever, using a TaqMan minor groove binder probe for a particular open reading frame (ORF) identified by the R. japonica genome project. The target ORF was present only in R. japonica–related strains. PMID:19961684

Pine needle abortion in cattle update: Metabolite detection in sera and fetal fluids from abortion case samples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cattle abortions associated with consumption of pine needles during late gestation are a serious poisonous plant problem in the Western US. Most cases of abortion have been associated with consumption of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and the causative agent was identified as the labdane diterpen...

Molecular and serological detection of Babesia bovis- and Babesiabigemina-infection in bovines and water buffaloes raised jointly in anendemic field

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

tBabesia bovis and Babesia bigemina are causative agents of bovine babesiosis, a tick-borne disease of cattlein tropical and subtropical regions. Babesia spp. infection adversely affects cattle health and can be fatalresulting in considerable economic loss worldwide. Under endemic stability conditio...

Finishing Genomes with Limited Resources: Lessons from an Ensemble of Microbial Genomes

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

proteobacteria from the Pasteurellaceae family that is strongly implicated as a causative agent of infective endo- carditis [6]. It can also be found as an...Sequence of Aggregatibacter (Haemophilus) aphrophilus NJB700. J Bacrerio/2009, 191(14):4693-4694. 6. Khairat 0: Endocarditis due to a new species of

Characterization of Newcastle disease viruses isolated from cormorant and gull species in the United States in 2010

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), a member of the genus Avulavirus of the family Paramyxoviridae, is the causative agent of Newcastle disease (ND) a highly contagious disease that affects many species of birds and which frequently causes significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. V...

9 CFR 114.5 - Micro-organisms used as seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS § 114.5 Micro-organisms used as seed. Micro-organisms used in the preparation of biological products at licensed establishments shall be free from the causative agents of other diseases or... Management and Budget under control number 0579-0059) [39 FR 16869, May 10, 1974, as amended at 48 FR 57473...

9 CFR 114.5 - Micro-organisms used as seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS § 114.5 Micro-organisms used as seed. Micro-organisms used in the preparation of biological products at licensed establishments shall be free from the causative agents of other diseases or... Management and Budget under control number 0579-0059) [39 FR 16869, May 10, 1974, as amended at 48 FR 57473...

9 CFR 114.5 - Micro-organisms used as seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS § 114.5 Micro-organisms used as seed. Micro-organisms used in the preparation of biological products at licensed establishments shall be free from the causative agents of other diseases or... Management and Budget under control number 0579-0059) [39 FR 16869, May 10, 1974, as amended at 48 FR 57473...

Novel monoclonal antibodies against Stx1d and 1e and their use for improvement of immunoassays

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Shiga toxins (Stxs) are major causative agents for bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening disease in humans. No effective treatment is available. Early detection of Stxs in clinical samples is critical for disease management. As bacteria evolve, new Stxs are produced; ther...

H NMR analyses of Citrus macrophylla subjected to Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) feeding

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a phloem feeding insect that can host and transmit the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which is the putative causative agent of the economically important citrus disease, Huanglongbing (HLB). ACP are widespread in Florida, and are spreading in Ca...

Theileria equi isolates vary in susceptibility to imidocarb dipropionate but demonstrate uniform in vitro susceptibility to a bumped kinase inhibitor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The apicomplexan hemoparasite Theileria equi is a causative agent of equine piroplasmosis, eradicated from the United States in 1988. However, recent outbreaks have sparked renewed interest in treatment options for infected horses. Imidocarb dipropionate is the current drug of choice, however variat...

Measuring bovine gamma delta T cell function at the site of Mycobacterium bovis infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The causative agent of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle is Mycobacterium bovis. The characteristic lesions of bovine TB are well-organized pulmonary granulomas. Gamma delta T cells are a unique subset of nonconventional T cells that play major roles in both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune sys...

Identification of sero-reactive antigens for the early diagnosis of Johne's disease in cattle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of Johne’s disease (JD), a chronic intestinal inflammatory disease of cattle and other ruminants. JD has a high herd prevalence rate and is recognized as a serious animal health problem and a cause of significant economic loss ...

Characterizing a point mutation within the UL5 gene that reduces in vivo replication and MD incidence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is an oncogenic alphaherpesvirus of chickens and the causative agent for Marek’s disease (MD). Vaccination is the primary method to control MD. Despite the success of vaccination, more virulent field strains are evolving, requiring the development of new vaccines. Attenua...

Molecular characterization of the complete genome of falconid herpesvirus strain S-18

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Falconid herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) is the causative agent of falcon inclusion body disease, an acute, highly contagious disease of raptors. The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of FHV-1 has been determined. The genome is arranged as a D-type genome with large inverted repeats flanking a ...

Bacteremia Caused by Arcobacter butzleri in an Immunocompromised Host

PubMed Central

Arguello, Esther; Otto, Caitlin C.; Mead, Peter

2015-01-01

Arcobacter butzleri is an emerging pathogen that has been implicated as the causative agent of persistent watery diarrhea. We describe a case involving a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who developed invasive A. butzleri bacteremia. This case illustrates the unique challenges involved in diagnosing infections caused by emerging gastrointestinal pathogens. PMID:25673792

Weighted ssGBLUP improves genomic selection accuracy for bacterial cold water disease resistance in a rainbow trout population

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to compare methods for genomic evaluation in a Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) population for survival when challenged by Flavobacterium psychrophilum, the causative agent of bacterial cold water disease (BCWD). The used methods were: 1)regular ssGBLUP that assume...

Inactivation of avirulent pgm+ and delta pgm Yersinia pestis by ultraviolet light (UV-C)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of bubonic plague. Though not considered a foodborne pathogen, Y. pestis can survive, and even grow, in some foods, and the foodborne route of transmission is not without precedent. As such, concerns exist over the possible intentional contamination of foods wi...

Sarcocystis tupaia, sp. nov., a new parasite species employing treeshrews (Tupaiidae, Tupaia belangeri chinensis) as natural intermediate hosts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of malignant malaria, which is among the most severe human infectious diseases. Despite its overwhelming significance to human health, the parasite’s origins remain unclear. The favored origin hypothesis holds that P. falciparum and its closest known rel...

Getting Them Speaking: Classroom Social Factors and Foreign Language Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Effiong, Okon

2016-01-01

This study, which focuses on foreign language anxiety (FLA) experienced by Japanese learners of English in four universities, explores causative agents by looking into the classroom. The research questions aim to explore how FLA is influenced by classroom social factors. The study adopted qualitative data collection procedures, and the field work…

Purification of a Recombinant Glutathione Transferase from the Causative Agent of Hydatidosis, "Echinococcus granulosus"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleitas, Andrea L.; Randall, Lía M.; Möller, Matías N.; Denicola, Ana

2016-01-01

This practical class activity was designed to introduce students to recombinant protein expression and purification. The principal goal is to shed light on basic aspects concerning recombinant protein production, in particular protein expression, chromatography methods for protein purification, and enzyme activity as a tool to evaluate purity and…

Low cost bioluminescence imaging as an alternative to in vivo bioassays for quantifying biologically active staphylococcal enterotoxin type E

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Staphylococcus aureus is a major causative agent implicated in outbreaks of food poisoning, acting through the production of a range of toxins including staphylococcal enterotoxin type E (SEE). While tests such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) exist to detect the toxin molecules, existing meth...

Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR). Volume 18, Number 11, November 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

served in chicken salad) that had been washed with a hose that had been used to clean fl oor drains that were contaminated Lt Col Alice S. Chapman...been bacterial (e.g., Shigella, Salmonella , Campylobacter, E.coli). How- ever, viruses are becoming increasingly common as the causative agents in

Chronic cutaneous ulcers secondary to Haemophilus ducreyi infection.

PubMed

Peel, Trisha N; Bhatti, Deepak; De Boer, Jim C; Stratov, Ivan; Spelman, Denis W

2010-03-15

Haemophilus ducreyi is a well recognised causative agent of genital ulcers and chancroid. We report two unusual cases of non-sexually transmitted H. ducreyi infection leading to chronic lower limb ulcers. Both patients were Australian expatriates visiting Australia from the Pacific Islands--one from Papua New Guinea and the other from Vanuatu.

The streptococcal phage SA2 and B30 endolysins act synergistically and kill mastitis causing streptococci in milk

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bovine mastitis results in billion dollar losses annually in the United States alone. Among the most relevant causative agents of this disease are members of the genus Streptococcus, particularly the species S. agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus; GBS), S. dysgalactiae (Group C; GCS), and S. uberis....

Efficacy of an autodisseminator of an entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria fumosorosea, to suppress Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, under greenhouse conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), transmits the causative agents of citrus greening disease or huanglongbing (HLB), the most devastating disease of citrus trees in the world today. ACP dwelling in noncommercial citrus (neighborhoods, commercial landscapes, etc.) can stymie area-wide management program...

9 CFR 114.5 - Micro-organisms used as seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS § 114.5 Micro-organisms used as seed. Micro-organisms used in the preparation of biological products at licensed establishments shall be free from the causative agents of other diseases or... Management and Budget under control number 0579-0059) [39 FR 16869, May 10, 1974, as amended at 48 FR 57473...

9 CFR 114.5 - Micro-organisms used as seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS § 114.5 Micro-organisms used as seed. Micro-organisms used in the preparation of biological products at licensed establishments shall be free from the causative agents of other diseases or... Management and Budget under control number 0579-0059) [39 FR 16869, May 10, 1974, as amended at 48 FR 57473...

Whole-Genome Sequencing of Two Bartonella bacilliformis Strains

PubMed Central

Guillen, Yolanda; Casadellà, Maria; García-de-la-Guarda, Ruth; Espinoza-Culupú, Abraham; Paredes, Roger; Ruiz, Joaquim

2016-01-01

Bartonella bacilliformis is the causative agent of Carrion’s disease, a highly endemic human bartonellosis in Peru. We performed a whole-genome assembly of two B. bacilliformis strains isolated from the blood of infected patients in the acute phase of Carrion’s disease from the Cusco and Piura regions in Peru. PMID:27389274

EPA ORD/EPA REGION 2/PITTSBURGH WSA COOPERATIVE EFFORT: EVALUATING CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND GIARDIA IN COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOW AS A THREAT TO DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES

EPA Science Inventory

Since the first identified Cryptosporidium outbreak in the United Kingdom in 1983, emerging protozoa pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia have become the subject of growing local, state, and national concerns. Both organisms have been the causative agent of many gastrointestina...

Disseminated sporotrichosis in an immunocompetent patient

PubMed Central

Hassan, Kareem; Turker, Tolga; Zangeneh, Tirdad

2016-01-01

Abstract Sporothrix schenckii, the causative agent of sporotrichosis, is a relatively rare infection. Local infection usually occurs through direct inoculation of the organism through the skin; disseminated disease is rarely seen. This article describes a case of disseminated sporotrichosis in a middle-aged man without the commonly seen risk factors for dissemination. PMID:27583270

Foot-and-mouth disease virus receptors: multiple gateways to initiate infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Since its discovery over 100 years ago as the causative agent of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), research has been directed at understanding the biology of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) so as to be able to control this devastating and highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed livestock. Giv...

Mechanism of Ethylene and Carbon Monoxide Production by Septoria musiva

Treesearch

Susan K. Brown-Skrobot; Lewis R. Brown; Ted H. Filer

1985-01-01

S. musiva, a causative agent of premature defoliation of cottonwood trees, has been shown previously to produce ethylene and carbon monoxide (CO) on media containing glucose, methionine, and iron. Chemical analyses have shown that all three substances are present in the cottonwood leaves. Of seven carbohydrates tested, none supported the production...

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF TWO WATERBORNE OUTBREAKS OF GASTROENTERITIS IN WYOMING

EPA Science Inventory

Two outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis were reported to the Wyoming Department of Health in 2001. The first was reported in February from recent vacationers of a snowmobile lodge. The second was in October among diners of a tourist saloon. The duration and type of symptoms exhibi...

[Effect of penicillin and the habitat medium in the body of bacterial carriers on the intercellular bonds in populations of the meningococcus and pertussis microbe].

PubMed

Vysotskiĭ, V V; Smirnova-Mutusheva, M A; Efimova, O G; Bakulina, N A

1983-04-01

The relationship of the bacterial cells in populations and their adhesion activity is at present one of the research priorities in microbiological studies. The stimulating effect of penicillin on the development of morphologically different intercellular bonds (IB) in populations of the pertussis causative agent and first of all derivatives or evaginates of the cell wall membranes was observed. Morphologically similar systems and polytubular IB were detected in populations of meningococcal strains isolated from carriers having no signs of the disease. Correlation between the after-effect of penicillin and the presence of the causative agent in bacterial carriers was shown. Unknown systems of interlacing tubular structures not directly bound with the cells, the walls of which were single contour membranes were determined in the meningococcal populations treated with penicillin. IB were observed in the population in the form of transpopulation cords. Morphologically different IB playing the role of specialized organelles might be considered as factors of the functional unity of the bacterial population as a multicellular system.

Black fly involvement in the epidemic transmission of vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (Rhabdoviridae: Vesiculovirus).

PubMed

Mead, Daniel G; Howerth, Elizabeth W; Murphy, Molly D; Gray, Elmer W; Noblet, Raymond; Stallknecht, David E

2004-01-01

The transmission routes of Vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV), a causative agent of vesicular stomatitis, an Office International des Epizooties List-A disease, are not completely understood. Epidemiological and entomological studies conducted during the sporadic epidemics in the western United States have identified potential virus transmission routes involving insect vectors and animal-to-animal contact. In the present study we experimentally tested the previously proposed transmission routes which were primarily based on field observations. Results obtained provide strong evidence for the following: (1) hematophagous insects acquire VSNJV by unconventional routes while blood feeding on livestock, (2) clinical course of VSNJV infection in livestock following transmission by an infected insect is related to insect bite site, (3) infection of livestock via insect bite can result in multiple transmission possibilities, including animal-to-animal contact. Taken together, these data significantly add to our understanding of the transmission routes of a causative agent of one of the oldest known infectious diseases of livestock, for which the details have remained largely unknown despite decades of research.

Squalene Synthase As a Target for Chagas Disease Therapeutics

PubMed Central

Chan, Hsiu-Chien; Li, Jikun; Zheng, Yingying; Huang, Chun-Hsiang; Ren, Feifei; Chen, Chun-Chi; Zhu, Zhen; Galizzi, Melina; Li, Zhu-Hong; Rodrigues-Poveda, Carlos A.; Gonzalez-Pacanowska, Dolores; Veiga-Santos, Phercyles; de Carvalho, Tecia Maria Ulisses; de Souza, Wanderley; Urbina, Julio A.; Wang, Andrew H.-J.; Docampo, Roberto; Li, Kai; Liu, Yi-Liang; Oldfield, Eric; Guo, Rey-Ting

2014-01-01

Trypanosomatid parasites are the causative agents of many neglected tropical diseases and there is currently considerable interest in targeting endogenous sterol biosynthesis in these organisms as a route to the development of novel anti-infective drugs. Here, we report the first x-ray crystallographic structures of the enzyme squalene synthase (SQS) from a trypanosomatid parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. We obtained five structures of T. cruzi SQS and eight structures of human SQS with four classes of inhibitors: the substrate-analog S-thiolo-farnesyl diphosphate, the quinuclidines E5700 and ER119884, several lipophilic bisphosphonates, and the thiocyanate WC-9, with the structures of the two very potent quinuclidines suggesting strategies for selective inhibitor development. We also show that the lipophilic bisphosphonates have low nM activity against T. cruzi and inhibit endogenous sterol biosynthesis and that E5700 acts synergistically with the azole drug, posaconazole. The determination of the structures of trypanosomatid and human SQS enzymes with a diverse set of inhibitors active in cells provides insights into SQS inhibition, of interest in the context of the development of drugs against Chagas disease. PMID:24789335

Mass mortality in ornamental fish, Cyprinus carpio koi caused by a bacterial pathogen, Proteus hauseri.

PubMed

Kumar, Raj; Swaminathan, T Raja; Kumar, Rahul G; Dharmaratnam, Arathi; Basheer, V S; Jena, J K

2015-09-01

Moribund koi carp, Cyprinus carpio koi, from a farm with 50% cumulative mortality were sampled with the aim of isolating and detecting the causative agent. Three bacterial species viz., Citrobacter freundii (NSCF-1), Klebsiella pneumoniae (NSKP-1) and Proteus hauseri [genomospecies 3 of Proteus vulgaris Bio group 3] (NSPH-1) were isolated, identified and characterized on the basis of biochemical tests and sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene using universal bacterial primers. Challenge experiments with these isolates using healthy koi carp showed that P. hauseri induced identical clinical and pathological states within 3 d of intramuscular injection. The results suggest P. hauseri (NSPH-1) was the causative agent. In phylogenetic analysis, strain NSPH-1 formed a distinct cluster with other P. hauseri reference strains with ≥99% sequence similarity. P. hauseri isolates were found sensitive to Ampicillin, Cefalexin, Ciprofloxacin and Cefixime and resistant to Gentamycin, Oxytetracycline, Chloramphenicol, and Kanamycin. The affected fish recovered from the infection after ciprofloxacin treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular detection of Borrelia bissettii DNA in serum samples from patients in the Czech Republic with suspected borreliosis.

PubMed

Rudenko, Nataliia; Golovchenko, Maryna; Růzek, Daniel; Piskunova, Natalja; Mallátová, Nadja; Grubhoffer, Libor

2009-03-01

Until recently, three spirochete genospecies were considered to be the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis (LB) in Europe: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii. However, the DNA of Borrelia valaisiana, Borrelia lusitaniae, Borrelia spielmanii and Borrelia bissettii has already been detected in samples of human origin, or the spirochetes were isolated from the patients with symptoms of LB. Molecular analysis of 12 selected serum samples collected in the regional hospital confirmed the presence of B. bissettii DNA in cases of single and multiple infection in patients with symptomatic borreliosis or chronic borrelial infection. The presence of B. bissettii as a single strain in patients provides strong support of the fact that B. bissettii might be a causative agent of the disease. After the first isolation of B. bissettii from the samples of human origin in Slovenia, following the detection of this species in cardiac valve tissue of the patient with endocarditis and aortic valve stenosis in the Czech Republic, here we present additional molecular data supporting the involvement of B. bissettii in LB in Europe.

Echovirus 15 and autumn meningitis outbreak among children, Patras, Greece, 2005.

PubMed

Frantzidou, Filanthi; Dumaidi, Kamal; Spiliopoulou, Adamantia; Antoniadis, Antonis; Papa, Anna

2007-09-01

Enteroviruses are the most common cause of aseptic meningitis, presenting in epidemic or endemic form. To determine the causative agent of an aseptic meningitis outbreak in autumn, 2005 in Patras, Greece. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples taken during May 2005-February 2006 from children admitted to the Children Hospital of Patras with signs of aseptic meningitis were tested for the presence of enteroviral RNA. Typing was performed by nucleotide analysis. Enteroviruses were detected in 11 (57.9%) of 19 tested CSF samples. In a 12-day period (27 October-7 November 2005) five aseptic meningitis cases were observed. Echovirus 15 was detected in all five cases, and differed from the prototype strain by 27.6%. Enteroviruses before and after this cluster of cases were of different serotypes (Echovirus 9, Echovirus 6). All patients with Echovirus 15 infection were male with a mean age of 7.7 years (2 months-13 years), all recovered successfully. This is the first report of a cluster of aseptic meningitis cases caused by Echovirus 15. The causative agent was a new variant of Echovirus 15.

Cloning the Antibody Response in Humans with Chronic Inflammatory Disease: Immunopanning of Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE) Brain Sections with Antibody Phage Libraries Prepared from SSPE Brain Enriches for Antibody Recognizing Measles Virus Antigens In Situ

PubMed Central

Owens, Gregory P.; Williamson, R. Anthony; Burgoon, Mark P.; Ghausi, Omar; Burton, Dennis R.; Gilden, Donald H.

2000-01-01

In central nervous system (CNS) infectious and inflammatory diseases of known cause, oligoclonal bands represent antibody directed against the causative agent. To determine whether disease-relevant antibodies can be cloned from diseased brain, we prepared an antibody phage display library from the brain of a human with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a chronic encephalitis caused by measles virus, and selected the library against SSPE brain sections. Antibodies that were retrieved reacted strongly with measles virus cell extracts by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and were specific for the measles virus nucleocapsid protein. These antibodies immunostained cells in different SSPE brains but not in control brain. Our data provide the first demonstration that diseased brain can be used to select in situ for antibodies directed against the causative agent of disease and point to the potential usefulness of this approach in identifying relevant antibodies in chronic CNS or systemic inflammatory diseases of unknown cause. PMID:10627565

[The comparison of patients with hospitalized health-care-associated pneumonia to community-acquired pneumonia].

PubMed

Taşbakan, Mehmet Sezai; Bacakoğlu, Feza; Başoğlu, Ozen Kaçmaz; Gürgün, Alev; Başarik, Burcu; Citim Tuncel, Senay; Sayiner, Abdullah

2011-01-01

Health-care-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is defined as pneumonia that develops in patients with a history of recent hospitalization, hemodialysis as an outpatient, residence in a nursing home, outpatient intravenous therapy and home wound care. We aimed to compare the initial demographic characteristics, causative agents and prognosis between hospitalized HCAP and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients. HCAP and CAP patients hospitalized between 01 September 2008-01 September 2009 were evaluated retrospectively. Out of 187 patients (131 males, mean age 66.3 ± 14.3 years) who were hospitalized during one-year period, 98 were diagnosed as HCAP and 89 as CAP. Among HCAP patients, 64 (65.3%) had a history of hospitalization in the last 90 days, 26 (26.5%) received outpatient intravenous therapy, 17 (17.3%) had home wound care, 6 (6.1%) were on hemodialysis program in the last 30 days and 4 (4.1%) lived in a nursing home. The causative pathogen was detected in 39 (39.8%) HCAP and 8 (9.0%) CAP patients. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii in HCAP, and Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in CAP patients. Inappropriate empiric antibiotic treatment was documented in 8 (25.8%) of 39 HCAP patients, in whom a causative agent was isolated whereas the antibiotic treatment was appropriate in all CAP patients. The duration of hospitalization (14.4 ± 11.4 vs. 10.7 ± 7.9 days, p= 0.011) and mortality rate (34.7% vs. 9.0%, p< 0.001) were higher in HCAP compared with CAP patients. As HCAP is different than CAP in terms of patients' characteristics, causative microorganisms and prognosis, it should be considered in all patients hospitalized as CAP. Potentially drug-resistant microorganisms should be taken into consideration in the empirical antibiotic treatment of these patients.

A Virus-like disease of chinook salmon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ross, A.J.; Pelnar, J.; Rucker, R.R.

1960-01-01

Consideration is given to a recurring disease of early feeding chinook salmon fingerlings at the Coleman, California, Federal Fish Cultural Station. The infection becomes manifest in the early spring months at low water temperatures and abates as the water temperature rises. Bacteriological studies have failed to yield the presence of a disease agent, either by cultural or staining procedures. The disease has been successfully transmitted from infected fish to healthy fish by the injection of bacteria-free filtrates prepared from diseased fish tissue. The causative agent is therefore believed to be a virus-like entity.

Reservoirs and alternate hosts for pathogens of commercially important crustaceans: a review.

PubMed

Small, Hamish J; Pagenkopp, Katrina M

2011-01-01

There is a considerable body of literature describing the causative agents of many diseases of crustaceans. Given that many of these crustaceans support commercially important fisheries, it is somewhat surprising that comparatively little information is available regarding the natural transmission pathways and reservoirs of many of the disease-causing agents. In this paper we review what is known about reservoirs and alternate hosts for several important diseases of commercially important crustaceans and provide recommendations on future areas of research. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Antibiotic Susceptibilities of Burkholderia mallei (Causative Agent of Glanders) Determined by Broth Microdilution and E-Test

PubMed Central

Heine, Henry S.; England, Marilyn J.; Waag, David M.; Byrne, W. Russell

2001-01-01

In vitro susceptibilities to 28 antibiotics were determined for 11 strains of Burkholderia mallei by the broth microdilution method. The B. mallei strains demonstrated susceptibility to aminoglycosides, macrolides, quinolones, doxycycline, piperacillin, ceftazidime, and imipenem. For comparison and evaluation, 17 antibiotic susceptibilities were also determined by the E-test. E-test values were always lower than the broth dilution values. Establishing and comparing antibiotic susceptibilities of specific B. mallei strains will provide reference information for assessing new antibiotic agents. PMID:11408233

Blood culture-negative endocarditis

PubMed Central

Fournier, Pierre-Edouard; Gouriet, Frédérique; Casalta, Jean-Paul; Lepidi, Hubert; Chaudet, Hervé; Thuny, Franck; Collart, Frédéric; Habib, Gilbert; Raoult, Didier

2017-01-01

Abstract Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) may represent up to 70% of all endocarditis cases, depending on series. From 2001 to 2009, we implemented in our laboratory a multimodal diagnostic strategy for BCNE that included systematized testing of blood, and when available, valvular biopsy specimens using serological, broad range molecular, and histopathological assays. A causative microorganism was identified in 62.7% of patients. In this study from January 2010 to December 2015, in an effort to increase the number of identified causative microorganisms, we prospectively added to our diagnostic protocol specific real-time (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting various endocarditis agents, and applied them to all patients with BCNE admitted to the 4 public hospitals in Marseille, France. A total of 283 patients with BCNE were included in the study. Of these, 177 were classified as having definite endocarditis. Using our new multimodal diagnostic strategy, we identified an etiology in 138 patients (78.0% of cases). Of these, 3 were not infective (2.2%) and 1 was diagnosed as having Mycobacterium bovis BCG endocarditis. By adding specific PCR assays from blood and valvular biopsies, which exhibited a significantly greater sensitivity (P < 10−2) than other methods, causative agents, mostly enterococci, streptococci, and zoonotic microorganisms, were identified in an additional 27 patients (14 from valves only, 11 from blood only, and 2 from both). Finally, in another 107 patients, a pathogen was detected using serology in 37, valve culture in 8, broad spectrum PCR from valvular biopsies and blood in 19 and 2, respectively, immunohistochemistry from valves in 3, and a combination of several assays in 38. By adding specific RT-PCR assays to our systematic PCR testing of patients with BCNE, we increased the diagnostic efficiency by 24.3%, mostly by detecting enterococci and streptococci that had not been detected by other diagnostic methods, but also agents requiring specific management such as Mycoplasma hominis and Tropheryma whipplei. PMID:29381916

PCR detection of psychrophilic Clostridium spp. causing 'blown pack' spoilage of vacuum-packed chilled meats.

PubMed

Broda, D M; Boerema, J A; Bell, R G

2003-01-01

To develop a practical molecular procedure that directly, without isolation, and specifically detects the presence of clostridia which cause 'blown pack' spoilage of vacuum-packed meat. Primer sets and PCR amplification procedures were developed that detect the presence of 16S rDNA gene and/or 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer fragments of 'blown pack' causing clostridia in meat. The specificity of the developed procedures was evaluated with DNA obtained from close phylogenetic neighbours of 'blown pack' causing clostridia, food clostridia and common meat spoilage microorganisms. The sensitivity of detection was assessed in non-enriched and low-temperature-enriched beef mince inoculated with serially diluted pure cultures of Clostridium estertheticum DSMZ 8809T and Cl. gasigenes DB1AT. The efficacy of detection procedures was evaluated for naturally contaminated vacuum-packed meat samples. Three primer sets, 16SE, 16SDB and EISR, produced amplicons of the expected size with DNA templates from target clostridia, but failed to yield PCR products with DNAs from any other microorganisms tested. With 16SE and 16SDB primers, minimum levels of detection were 104 CFU g(-1) for non-enriched, and 102 CFU g(-1) for enriched meat samples. Based on the established specificity of these primers, as well as DNA sequencing of amplicons, Cl. gasigenes was confirmed as the causative agent of 'blown pack' spoilage in two packs, and Cl. estertheticum as the causative agent in the third. The developed method can be used for rapid detection of 'blown pack' causing clostridia in commercial blown packs, or following low temperature enrichment, for detection of these microorganisms in meat containing as few as 100 clostridial cells per gram. The paper reports practical procedures that can be used for rapid confirmation of the causative agents of clostridial 'blown pack' spoilage in commercial spoiled packs, or for detection of psychrophilic clostridia in epidemiological trace back of 'blown pack' spoilage incidents in meat processing plants.

Prevalence of tinea capitis and the causative agent among school children in Gondar, North West Ethiopia.

PubMed

Ali, Jemal; Yifru, Sisay; Woldeamanuel, Yimtubezinash

2009-10-01

Tinea capitis is a worldwide public health problem that poses specific therapeutic challenge. This dermatophytosis of the scalp is characteristically a fungal infection affecting children between 5 and 15 years of age. A decision on treatment of tinea capitis requires identification of the specific causative fungal agent or at least establishment of the prevalence of a given dermatophyte in a given community. to estimate the prevalence of tinea capitis, assess predisposing risk factors and identify the causative fungal agent in school children in north Gonder zone, Northwest Ethiopia. This was a cross sectional study conducted in two elementary schools in Gondar town. Clinico-dermatological data and questionnaire on socio-demographic information, living and hygienic conditions were collected. Mycological investigation was done by microscopic examination culture. A total of 372 students were screened for Tinea capitis infection, 262 from Meseret elementary school and 110 from Chechela elementary school. Among these, 61% (n = 227) were female and 39% (n = 145) were male. The median age was 10 years old, 98% of the study subjects were within the age range of 5 to 15. From the screened 372 children 47.5% (n = 177) were clinically suspected for Tinea capitis and 174 scalp samples were collected Microscopic examination in KOH (10%)-wet-mount preparation revealed 65.5% (n = 14) had fungal elements (hyphae and/or arthroconidia) in their clinical samples. Out of 174 specimen 50.0% (87) were culture positive. 33.9% (59) were contaminated and in 16.0% (28) were culture negative. From the positive samples 86.2% (75) were identified as Trichophyton violaceum. The rest 13.8% (12) were further sub-cultured at 37 degrees C and studied morphologically, and identified as Trichophyton verrucosum. A high prevalence of Tinea capitis caused by T. violaceum was found in school children in Gondar. Ethiopia. Provisions for prevention and control should be set in the schools focused on hygiene control and health education.

Geochemical and isotopic evidences from groundwater and surface water for understanding of natural contamination in chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) endemic zones in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Edirisinghe, E A N V; Manthrithilake, H; Pitawala, H M T G A; Dharmagunawardhane, H A; Wijayawardane, R L

2018-06-01

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) is the main health issue in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Despite many studies carried out, causative factors have not been identified yet clearly. According to the multidisciplinary researches carried out so far, potable water is considered as the main causative factor for CKDu. Hence, the present study was carried out with combined isotopic and chemical methods to understand possible relationships between groundwater; the main drinking water source, and CKDu in four endemic areas in the dry zone. Different water sources were evaluated isotopically ( 2 H, 3 H and 18 O) and chemically from 2013 to 2015. Results revealed that prevalence of CKDu is significantly low with the groundwater replenished by surface water inputs. It is significantly high with the groundwater stagnated as well as groundwater recharged from regional flow paths. Thus, the origin, recharge mechanism and flow pattern of groundwater, as well as geological conditions which would be responsible for natural contamination of groundwater appear as the main causative factors for CKDu. Therefore, detailed investigations should be made in order to identify the element(s) in groundwater contributing to CKDu. The study recommends providing drinking water to the affected zones using water sources associated with surface waters.

Mycobacterium leprae in six-banded (Euphractus sexcinctus) and nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in Northeast Brazil.

PubMed

Frota, Cristiane Cunha; Lima, Luana Nepomuceno Costa; Rocha, Adalgiza da Silva; Suffys, Philip Noel; Rolim, Benedito Neilson; Rodrigues, Laura Cunha; Barreto, Maurício Lima; Kendall, Carl; Kerr, Ligia Regina Sansigolo

2012-12-01

Human beings are the main reservoir of the causative agent of leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae. In the Americas, nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) also act as a reservoir for the bacillus. In the state of Ceará (CE), which is located in Northeast Brazil and is an endemic area of leprosy, there are several species of armadillos, including D. novemcinctus and Euphractus sexcinctus (six-banded armadillo). Contact between humans and armadillos occur mainly through hunting, cleaning, preparing, cooking and eating. This study identified M. leprae DNA in the two main species of armadillos found in Northeast Brazil. A total of 29 wild armadillos (27 D. novemcinctus and 2 E. sexcinctus) were captured in different environments of CE countryside. Samples from the ear, nose, liver and spleen from each of these animals were tested by a nested M. leprae-specific repetitive element polymerase chain reaction assay. The samples that tested positive were confirmed by DNA sequencing. M. leprae was detected in 21% (6/29) of the animals, including five D. novemcinctus and one E. sexcinctus. This is the first Brazilian study to identify the presence of a biomarker of M. leprae in wild armadillos (D. novemcinctus and E. sexcinctus) in a leprosy hyperendemic area where there is continuous contact between humans and armadillos.

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Introduction In the last two decades, chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has emerged as a significant contributor to the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in rural Sri Lanka. It is characterized by the absence of identified causes for CKD. The prevalence of CKDu is 15.1–22.9% in some Sri Lankan districts, and previous research has found an association with farming occupations. Methods A systematic literature review in Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, and Lilacs databases identified 46 eligible peer-reviewed articles and one conference abstract. Results Geographical mapping indicates a relationship between CKDu and agricultural irrigation water sources. Health mapping studies, human biological studies, and environment-based studies have explored possible causative agents. Most studies focused on likely causative agents related to agricultural practices, geographical distribution based on the prevalence and incidence of CKDu, and contaminants identified in drinking water. Nonetheless, the link between agrochemicals or heavy metals and CKDu remains to be established. No definitive cause for CKDu has been identified. Discussion Evidence to date suggests that the disease is related to one or more environmental agents, however pinpointing a definite cause for CKDu is challenging. It is plausible that CKDu is multifactorial. No specific guidelines or recommendations exist for treatment of CKDu, and standard management protocols for CKD apply. Changes in agricultural practices, provision of safe drinking water, and occupational safety precautions are recommended by the World Health Organization. PMID:27399161

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Rajapakse, Senaka; Shivanthan, Mitrakrishnan Chrishan; Selvarajah, Mathu

2016-07-01

In the last two decades, chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has emerged as a significant contributor to the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in rural Sri Lanka. It is characterized by the absence of identified causes for CKD. The prevalence of CKDu is 15.1-22.9% in some Sri Lankan districts, and previous research has found an association with farming occupations. A systematic literature review in Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, and Lilacs databases identified 46 eligible peer-reviewed articles and one conference abstract. Geographical mapping indicates a relationship between CKDu and agricultural irrigation water sources. Health mapping studies, human biological studies, and environment-based studies have explored possible causative agents. Most studies focused on likely causative agents related to agricultural practices, geographical distribution based on the prevalence and incidence of CKDu, and contaminants identified in drinking water. Nonetheless, the link between agrochemicals or heavy metals and CKDu remains to be established. No definitive cause for CKDu has been identified. Evidence to date suggests that the disease is related to one or more environmental agents, however pinpointing a definite cause for CKDu is challenging. It is plausible that CKDu is multifactorial. No specific guidelines or recommendations exist for treatment of CKDu, and standard management protocols for CKD apply. Changes in agricultural practices, provision of safe drinking water, and occupational safety precautions are recommended by the World Health Organization.

Are Aβ and Its Derivatives Causative Agents or Innocent Bystanders in AD?

PubMed Central

Robakis, Nikolaos K.

2010-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neurodegeneration in neocortical regions of the brain. Currently, Aβ-based theories, including amyloid depositions and soluble Aβ, form the basis of most therapeutic approaches to AD. It remains unclear, however, whether Aβ and its derivatives are the primary causative agents of neuronal loss in AD. Reported studies show no significant correlations between brain amyloid depositions and either degree of dementia or loss of neurons, and brain amyloid loads similar to AD are often found in normal individuals. Furthermore, behavioral abnormalities in animal models overexpressing amyloid precursor protein seem independent of amyloid depositions. Soluble Aβ theories propose toxic Aβ42 or its oligomers as the agents that promote cell death in AD. Aβ peptides, however, are normal components of human serum and CSF, and it is unclear under what conditions these peptides become toxic. Presently, there is little evidence of disease-associated abnormalities in soluble Aβ and no toxic oligomers specific to AD have been found. That familial AD mutations of amyloid precursor protein, PS1 and PS2 promote neurodegeneration suggests the biological functions of these proteins play critical roles in neuronal survival. Evidence shows that the PS/γ-secretase system promotes production of peptides involved in cell surface-to-nucleus signaling and gene expression, providing support for the hypothesis that familial AD mutations may contribute to neurodegeneration by inhibiting PS-dependent signaling pathways. PMID:20160455

Anticancer and antibacterial secondary metabolites from the endophytic fungus Penicillium sp. CAM64 against multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

PubMed

Jouda, Jean-Bosco; Tamokou, Jean-de-Dieu; Mbazoa, Céline Djama; Sarkar, Prodipta; Bag, Prasanta Kumar; Wandji, Jean

2016-09-01

The emergence of multiple-drug resistance bacteria has become a major threat and thus calls for an urgent need to search for new effective and safe anti-bacterial agents. This study aims to evaluate the anticancer and antibacterial activities of secondary metabolites from Penicillium sp., an endophytic fungus associated with leaves of Garcinia nobilis. The culture filtrate from the fermentation of Penicillium sp. was extracted and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the major metabolites were isolated and identified by spectroscopic analyses and by comparison with published data. The antibacterial activity of the compounds was assessed by broth microdilution method while the anticancer activity was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The fractionation of the crude extract afforded penialidin A-C (1-3), citromycetin (4), p-hydroxyphenylglyoxalaldoxime (5) and brefelfin A (6). All of the compounds tested here showed antibacterial activity (MIC = 0.50 - 128 µg/mL) against Gramnegative multi-drug resistance bacteria, Vibrio cholerae (causative agent of dreadful disease cholera) and Shigella flexneri (causative agent of shigellosis), as well as the significant anticancer activity (LC 50 = 0.88 - 9.21 µg/mL) against HeLa cells. The results obtained indicate that compounds 1-6 showed good antibacterial and anticancer activities with no toxicity to human red blood cells and normal Vero cells.

A single-center experience of antimicrobial resistance patterns in pediatric urinary tract infection.

PubMed

Senel, Saliha; Karacan, Candemir; Erkek, Nilgun; Gol, Nese

2010-01-01

To assess the prevalence of urinary tract pathogens and their resistance patterns against antimicrobial agents in a single center. In children <16 years of age admitted for urinary tract infection (UTI) to the Dr. Sami Ulus Teaching and Training Hospital from January 2004 to December 2008, positive urine cultures were reviewed. A total of 3,485 positive urine cultures were identified, of which 2,379 (68%) were from females and 106 (32%) from males. Their mean age was 63.5 +/- 40.7 months. Escherichia coli was the most common causative agent both in total and among different age groups. Ampicillin had the highest resistance rate from all the pathogens isolated (63.8%), followed by piperacillin (51.8%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX; 48.6%). Cephalotin also had a high resistance rate (32.7%). The least resistance was for imipenem, amikacin, netilmicin and ciprofloxacin (0.13, 1.7, 2.4 and 7.5%, respectively). None of the Klebsiella and Pseudomonas isolates were resistant to imipenem. None of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates were resistant to teicoplanin and vancomycin. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. were isolated from two cultures. E. coli was the most common causative agent of UTI in children. Ampicillin, TMP-SMX or cephalothin and piperacillin had the highest resistance rates against urinary tract pathogens in our center. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Alzheimer’s and ABC transporters - new opportunities for diagnostics and treatment

PubMed Central

Pahnke, Jens; Langer, Oliver; Krohn, Markus

2014-01-01

Much has been said about the increasing number of demented patients and the main risk factor ‘age’. Frustratingly, we do not know the precise pattern and all modulating factors that provoke the pathologic changes in the brains of affected elderly. We have to diagnose early to be able to stop the progression of diseases that irreversibly destroy brain substance. Familiar AD cases have mislead some researchers for almost 20 years, which has unfortunately narrowed the scientific understanding and has, thus, lead to insufficient funding of independent approaches. Therefore, basic researchers hardly have been able to develop causative treatments and clinicians still do not have access to prognostic and early diagnostic tools. During the recent years it became clear that insufficient Aβ export, physiologically facilitated by the ABC transporter superfamily at the brain’s barriers, plays a fundamental role in disease initiation and progression. Furthermore, export mechanisms that are deficient in affected elderly are new targets for activation and, thus, treatment, but ideally also for prevention. In sporadic AD disturbed clearance of β-amyloid from the brain is so far the most important factor for its accumulation in the parenchyma and vessel walls. Here, we review findings about the contribution of ABC transporters and of the perivascular drainage/glymphatic system on β-amyloid clearance. We highlight their potential value for innovative early diagnostics using PET and describe recently described, effective ABC transporter-targeting agents as potential causative treatment for neurodegenerative proteopathies/dementias. PMID:24746857

Alzheimer's and ABC transporters--new opportunities for diagnostics and treatment.

PubMed

Pahnke, Jens; Langer, Oliver; Krohn, Markus

2014-12-01

Much has been said about the increasing number of demented patients and the main risk factor 'age'. Frustratingly, we do not know the precise pattern and all modulating factors that provoke the pathologic changes in the brains of affected elderly. We have to diagnose early to be able to stop the progression of diseases that irreversibly destroy brain substance. Familiar AD cases have mislead some researchers for almost 20 years, which has unfortunately narrowed the scientific understanding and has, thus, lead to insufficient funding of independent approaches. Therefore, basic researchers hardly have been able to develop causative treatments and clinicians still do not have access to prognostic and early diagnostic tools. During the recent years it became clear that insufficient Aβ export, physiologically facilitated by the ABC transporter superfamily at the brain's barriers, plays a fundamental role in disease initiation and progression. Furthermore, export mechanisms that are deficient in affected elderly are new targets for activation and, thus, treatment, but ideally also for prevention. In sporadic AD disturbed clearance of β-amyloid from the brain is so far the most important factor for its accumulation in the parenchyma and vessel walls. Here, we review findings about the contribution of ABC transporters and of the perivascular drainage/glymphatic system on β-amyloid clearance. We highlight their potential value for innovative early diagnostics using PET and describe recently described, effective ABC transporter-targeting agents as potential causative treatment for neurodegenerative proteopathies/dementias. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Complete Genome Sequence of the Avian-Pathogenic Escherichia coli Strain APEC O18

PubMed Central

Nicholson, Bryon A.; Wannemuehler, Yvonne M.; Logue, Catherine M.; Li, Ganwu

2016-01-01

Avian-pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is the causative agent of colibacillosis, a disease that affects all facets of poultry production worldwide, resulting in multimillion dollar losses annually. Here, we report the genome sequence of an APEC O18 sequence type 95 (ST95) strain associated with disease in a chicken. PMID:27811098

Presence of hantavirus in small mammals of the Ouachita Mountains

Treesearch

Roger W. Perry; Ronald E. Thill; Philip A. Tappe; M. Anthony Melchiors

1997-01-01

In 1993, an outbreak of human hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) occurred in the southwestern United States causing severe pulmonary dysfunction and death among most of those infected. Shortly after the outbreak, the causative agent was identified as the Sin Nombre virus (SNV), a virus of the genus Hantavirus. Several hantaviruses have since been identified in North...

LANDSCAPE CHARACTERIZATION & NON-POINT SOURCE NITROGEN MODELING IN SUPPORT OF TMDL DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEUSE RIVER BASIN, NC

EPA Science Inventory

Pfesteria-like toxic- blooms have been implicated as the causative agent responsible for numerous outbreaks of fish lesions and fish kills in the Mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S. An increase in frequency, intensity, and severity of toxic blooms in recent years is though...

Streptobacillus moniliformis as the causative agent in spondylodiscitis and psoas abscess after rooster scratches.

PubMed

Dubois, Damien; Robin, Frédéric; Bouvier, Damien; Delmas, Julien; Bonnet, Richard; Lesens, Olivier; Hennequin, Claire

2008-08-01

We report a case of Streptobacillus moniliformis spondylodiscitis accompanied by a psoas abscess in an 80-year-old man scratched by a rooster. S. moniliformis was identified from abscess fluid by use of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. After 18 weeks of antimicrobial therapy, the clinical condition of the patient improved.

Seroconversions for Coxiella and Rickettsial Pathogens among US Marines Deployed to Afghanistan, 2001-2010.

PubMed

Farris, Christina M; Pho, Nhien; Myers, Todd E; Richards, Allen L

2016-08-01

We assessed serum samples from 1,000 US Marines deployed to Afghanistan during 2001-2010 to find evidence of 4 rickettsial pathogens. Analysis of predeployment and postdeployment samples showed that 3.4% and 0.5% of the Marines seroconverted for the causative agents of Q fever and spotted fever group rickettsiosis, respectively.

Inactivation of human norovirus in contaminated oysters and clams by high-hydrostatic pressure

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Human norovirus (NoV) is the most frequent causative agent of foodborne disease associated with shellfish consumption. In this study, the effect of high-hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on inactivation of NoV was determined. Genogroup I.1 (GI.1) or Genogroup II.4 (GII.4) NoV were inoculated into oyster ho...

Characterization of the common bean host and Pseudocercospora griseola the causative agent of angular leaf spot disease in Tanzania

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Angular leaf spot (ALS) caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora griseola is one of the most important diseases of common bean in Tanzania. Breeding for resistance to this disease is complicated by the variable nature of the pathogen. In Tanzania no thorough analysis of the variability of this pathogen...

Genome Sequences of Four Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Bovine Mastitis

PubMed Central

Taponen, Suvi; Koort, Joanna; Paulin, Lars; Åvall-Jääskeläinen, Silja

2015-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a major causative agent of mastitis in dairy cows. The pathogenicity of S. aureus may vary; it is able to cause severe clinical mastitis, but most often it is associated with chronic subclinical mastitis. Here, we present the genome assemblies of four S. aureus strains from bovine mastitis. PMID:25908141

Methyltransferase-defective avian metapneumovirus vaccines provide complete protection against challenge with the homologous Colorado strain and the heterologous Minnesota strain

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), also known as avian pneumovirus or turkey rhinotracheitis virus, is the causative agent of turkey rhinotracheitis, and is associated with swollen head syndrome in chickens. Since its discovery in the 1970s, aMPV has been recognized as an economically important pathogen ...

Genome Sequence of the Rice-Pathogenic Bacterium Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae RS-1 ▿

PubMed Central

Xie, Guan-Lin; Zhang, Guo-Qing; Liu, He; Lou, Miao-Miao; Tian, Wen-Xiao; Li, Bin; Zhou, Xue-Ping; Zhu, Bo; Jin, Gu-Lei

2011-01-01

Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae is a phytobacterium which is the causative agent of several plant diseases with economic significance. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain RS-1, which was isolated from rice shoots in a rice field in China. This strain can cause bacterial stripe of rice. PMID:21742879

Lymphogranuloma venereum in men screened for pharyngeal and rectal infection, Germany.

PubMed

Haar, Karin; Dudareva-Vizule, Sandra; Wisplinghoff, Hilmar; Wisplinghoff, Fabian; Sailer, Andrea; Jansen, Klaus; Henrich, Birgit; Marcus, Ulrich

2013-03-01

To determine prevalence of lymphogranuloma venereum among men who have sex with men in Germany, we conducted a multicenter study during 2009-2010 and found high rates of rectal and pharyngeal infection in men positive for the causative agent, Chlamydia trachomatis. Many infections were asymptomatic. An adjusted C. trachomatis screening policy is justified in Germany.

Forty-Five Years of Marburg Virus Research

PubMed Central

Brauburger, Kristina; Hume, Adam J.; Mühlberger, Elke; Olejnik, Judith

2012-01-01

In 1967, the first reported filovirus hemorrhagic fever outbreak took place in Germany and the former Yugoslavia. The causative agent that was identified during this outbreak, Marburg virus, is one of the most deadly human pathogens. This article provides a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge about Marburg virus disease ranging from ecology to pathogenesis and molecular biology. PMID:23202446

Forty-five years of Marburg virus research.

PubMed

Brauburger, Kristina; Hume, Adam J; Mühlberger, Elke; Olejnik, Judith

2012-10-01

In 1967, the first reported filovirus hemorrhagic fever outbreak took place in Germany and the former Yugoslavia. The causative agent that was identified during this outbreak, Marburg virus, is one of the most deadly human pathogens. This article provides a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge about Marburg virus disease ranging from ecology to pathogenesis and molecular biology.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Host Immune Response in the Skin of Chickens Infected with Marek's Disease Virus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease virus, a highly cell-associated oncogenic 'alpha-herpesvirus, is the causative agent of a T cell lymphoma and neuropathic disease called Marek’s disease. The skin is the only anatomical site where infectious enveloped cell-free virions are produced and shed into the environment. Stud...

Impact of oral and waterborne administration of rhamnolipids on the susceptibility of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) to Flavobacterium columnare infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare is the causative agent of columnaris disease and causes tremendous morbidity and mortality of farmed fish globally. Previously, we identified a potential lectin-mediator (a rhamnose-binding lectin; RBL1a) of F. columnare adhesion and showed higher RBL1a expression in suscept...

Targeting Mucosal Dendritic Cells with Microbial Antigens from Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

Lactoba- cillus gasseri, Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus delbreuckii, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus salivarius and Lactobacillus ... Lactobacillus plantarum Helicobacter pylori UreB Mouse [105] S. pneumoniae PsaA Mouse [104] Lactococcus lactis C. tetani TTFC Mouse [81...anthracis (the causative agent of anthrax). An antigen-specific immune response can be elicited using specific strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus

Emergence of Bordetella holmesii as a Causative Agent of Whooping Cough, Barcelona, Spain

PubMed Central

Mir-Cros, Alba; Codina, Gema; Martín-Gómez, M. Teresa; Martínez, Xavier; Jané, Mireia; Van Esso, Diego; Cornejo, Thais; Rodrigo, Carlos; Campins, Magda; Pumarola, Tomàs

2017-01-01

We describe the detection of Bordetella holmesii as a cause of whooping cough in Spain. Prevalence was 3.9% in 2015, doubling to 8.8% in 2016. This emergence raises concern regarding the contribution of B. holmesii to the reemergence of whooping cough and the effectiveness of the pertussis vaccine. PMID:29052540

Inactivation of avirulent Yersinia pestis on food and food contact surfaces by ultraviolet light and freezing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, can occasionally be contracted as a naso-pharangeal or gastrointestinal illness through consumption of contaminated meat. In this study, the use of 254 nm ultraviolet light (UV-C) to inactivate a multi-isolate cocktail of avirulent Y. pestis on food an...

Severe diarrhoea caused by Aeromonas veronii biovar sobria in a patient with metastasised GIST.

PubMed

Gröbner, Sabine; Bissinger, Alfred L; Raible, Armin; Heeg, Peter; Autenrieth, Ingo B; Schmidt, Susanne M

2007-01-01

This report describes the isolation of Aeromonas veronii biovar sobria as the causative enteropathogen of diarrhoea in an oncological patient after failure of detection of other infectious agents. The case points out the severe and long course of the infection, the diagnostic dilemma, and the prompt recovery after antibiotic treatment.

Convergent evolution in peptidoglycan cut sites of phage endolysins protecting mice from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus septicemia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Staphylococcus S. aureus is a Gram-positive pathogen relevant for both human and animal health. It is one of the most common causes of nosocomial infections and associated with a wide range of life-threatening human diseases. As the major causative agent of bovine mastitis, it also has significant ...

Isolation of Dobrava Virus from Apodemus flavicollis in Greece

PubMed Central

Papa, Anna; Nemirov, Kirill; Henttonen, Heikki; Niemimaa, Jukka; Antoniadis, Antonis; Vaheri, Antti; Plyusnin, Alexander; Vapalahti, Olli

2001-01-01

Dobrava virus (DOBV) carried by Apodemus flavicollis is the causative agent of severe hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). DOBV was isolated from an A. flavicollis mouse trapped in northeastern Greece. This is the third DOBV cell culture isolate in the world, clustering together with other Greek DOBV sequences from HFRS patients and rodents. PMID:11376073

Genome-wide search of stem rust resistance loci at the seedling stage in durum wheat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, the causative agent of stem rust in wheat, is known to rapidly evolve new virulence to resistance genes. While more than 50 stem rust resistance (Sr) loci have been identified in wheat, only a few remain effective, particularly against the highly virulent race Ug99 ...

Frequency of hypersensitive-like reaction and stem infections in a large full-sib family of Pinus monticola

Treesearch

Robert S. Danchok; R.A. Sniezko; S. Long; A. Kegley; D. Savin; J.B. Mayo; J.J. Liu; J. Hill

2012-01-01

Western white pine (WWP) (Pinus monticola Douglas ex D. Don) is a long-lived forest tree species with a large native range in western North America. The tree species is highly susceptible to the non-native fungal pathogen, Cronartium ribicola, the causative agent of white pine blister rust (WPBR)....

WEAPONS-GRADE ANTHRAX: DETERMINING THE ID-50 (INHALATION) IN RHESUS MONKEYS USING A BIOLOGICALLY-BASED MODEL FOR USE IN HUMAN RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

One of the significant discoveries following the bioterrorist attacks of October 2001 was that a modified form of Bacillus anthracis (Ames strain) was the causative agent. Physical alteration of the inoculum had occurred; the electrostatic charge had been altered and the resultin...

A Novel Cell Wall Lipopeptide Is Important for Biofilm Formation and Pathogenicity of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biofilm formation by pathogenic bacteria plays a key role in their pathogenesis. Previously, the pstA gene was shown to be involved in the virulence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (M. ap), the causative agent of Johne's disease in cattle and a potential risk factor for Crohn's d...

Prevention of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in Balb/c mice by feeding probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NP-51

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to examine effects of feeding Lactobacillus acidophilus strain NP51 to mice challenged with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the causative agent of Johne’s disease. We hypothesized that feeding NP51 would increase Th-1 responses and decrease prog...

Prevention of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) Infection in Balb/c Mice by Feeding Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NP-51

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to examine effects of feeding Lactobacillus acidophilus strain NP51 to mice challenged with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the causative agent of Johne’s disease. We hypothesized that feeding NP51 would increase Th-1 responses and decrease prog...

Investigations of the relationship betw een disease and airborne (1→3)-β-D-glucan in buildings

PubMed Central

Rylander, Ragnar

1997-01-01

Studies on the relationship between symptoms in indoor air and the amount of airborne (1→3)-β-D-glucan were reviewed. Relationships were found for symptoms and objective tests of airways inflammation. The data suggest that (1→3)-β-D-glucan could be a causative agent. PMID:18472858

High copy number of ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 DNA associated with malignant catarrhal fever-like syndrome in a lamb

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Domestic and wild sheep are the natural reservoirs for ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2), the causative agent of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever (SA-MCF). Virtually all domestic sheep are infected with OvHV-2 and infection is normally subclinical. MCF-like clinical signs and typical histo...

Multiple mutations in the para-sodium channel gene are associated with pyrethroid resistance in Rhipicephalus microplus from the United States and Mexico

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rhipicephalus microplus is an invasive tick vector that transmits the protozoan parasites Babesia bovis and B. bigemina, the causative agents of bovine babesiosis (cattle fever). Acaricide resistant R. microplus populations have become a major problem for many cattle producing areas of the world. Py...

Echinococcus multilocularis: An Emerging Pathogen in Hungary and Central Eastern Europe?

PubMed Central

Sréter, Tamás; Széll, Zoltán; Egyed, Zsuzsa

2003-01-01

Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, is reported for the first time in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary. This parasite may be spreading eastward because the population of foxes has increased because of human interventions, and this spread may result in the emergence of alveolar echinococcosis in Central Eastern Europe. PMID:12643838

Isolation and Phylogenetic Analysis of Sindbis Viruses from Mosquitoes in Germany ▿

PubMed Central

Jöst, Hanna; Bialonski, Alexandra; Storch, Volker; Günther, Stephan; Becker, Norbert; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas

2010-01-01

A molecular survey of 16,057 mosquitoes captured in Southwest Germany during the summer of 2009 demonstrated the presence of Sindbis virus (SINV) in Culex spp. and Anopheles maculipennis sensu lato. Phylogenetic analysis of the German SINV strains linked them with Swedish SINV strains, the causative agent of Ockelbo disease in humans. PMID:20335414

Functional, thermodynamics, structural and biological studies of in silico-identified inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl-ACP(CoA) reductase enzyme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinelli, Leonardo K. B.; Rotta, Mariane; Villela, Anne D.; Rodrigues-Junior, Valnês S.; Abbadi, Bruno L.; Trindade, Rogério V.; Petersen, Guilherme O.; Danesi, Giuliano M.; Nery, Laura R.; Pauli, Ivani; Campos, Maria M.; Bonan, Carla D.; de Souza, Osmar Norberto; Basso, Luiz A.; Santos, Diogenes S.

2017-04-01

Novel chemotherapeutics agents are needed to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the main causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). The M. tuberculosis 2-trans-enoyl-ACP(CoA) reductase enzyme (MtInhA) is the druggable bona fide target of isoniazid. New chemotypes were previously identified by two in silico approaches as potential ligands to MtInhA. The inhibition mode was determined by steady-state kinetics for seven compounds that inhibited MtInhA activity. Dissociation constant values at different temperatures were determined by protein fluorescence spectroscopy. van’t Hoff analyses of ligand binding to MtInhA:NADH provided the thermodynamic signatures of non-covalent interactions (ΔH°, ΔS°, ΔG°). Phenotypic screening showed that five compounds inhibited in vitro growth of M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain. Labio_16 and Labio_17 compounds also inhibited the in vitro growth of PE-003 multidrug-resistant strain. Cytotoxic effects on Hacat, Vero and RAW 264.7 cell lines were assessed for the latter two compounds. The Labio_16 was bacteriostatic and Labio_17 bactericidal in an M. tuberculosis-infected macrophage model. In Zebrafish model, Labio_16 showed no cardiotoxicity whereas Labio_17 showed dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. Accordingly, a model was built for the MtInhA:NADH:Labio_16 ternary complex. The results show that the Labio_16 compound is a direct inhibitor of MtInhA, and it may represent a hit for the development of chemotherapeutic agents to treat TB.

Infections and systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Esposito, S; Bosis, S; Semino, M; Rigante, D

2014-09-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that presents a protean spectrum of clinical manifestations, and may affect any organ. The typical course of SLE is insidious, slow, and progressive, with potential exacerbations and remissions, and even dramatically acute and rapidly fatal outcomes. Recently, infections have been shown to be highly associated with the onset and/or exacerbations of SLE, and their possible causative and/or protective role has been largely emphasized in the medical literature. However, the etiopathogenesis of SLE is still obscure and far from being completely elucidated. Among infections, particularly Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), parvovirus B19, retrovirus, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections might play a pivotal pathogenetic role. The multifaceted interactions between infections and autoimmunity reveal many possibilities for either causative or protective associations. Indeed, some infections, primarily protozoan infections, might confer protection from autoimmune processes, depending on the unique interaction between the microorganism and host. Further studies are needed in order to demonstrate that infectious agents might, indeed, be causative of SLE, and to address the potential clinical sequelae of infections in the field of autoimmunity.

Evaluation of the onset of failure under mechanical and thermal stresses on luting agent for metal–ceramic and metal crowns by finite element analysis

PubMed Central

Agnihotri, Hema; Bhatnagar, Naresh; Rao, G. Venugopal; Jain, Veena; Parkash, Hari; Kar, Aswini Kumar

2010-01-01

Long-term clinical failures of cemented prosthesis depend, to a large extent, on the integrity of the luting agent. The causative factors that lead to microfracture and, hence, failure of the luting agents are the stresses acting inside the oral cavity. Therefore, the present study was designed to develop an understanding of the relationship between stresses in the tooth and the failure potential of the luting agent. Two-dimensional finite element stress analysis was performed on the mandibular second premolar. The behavior of zinc-phosphate and glass-ionomer were studied under different crowns (metal–ceramic and metal crown) and loading conditions (mechanical force of 450 N acting vertically over the occlusal surface, thermal loads of 60° and 0°C). It was observed from the study that failure threshold of the luting agent was influenced both by the elastic modulus of the luting agent and by the type of the crown. PMID:22114426

Vector independent transmission of the vector-borne bluetongue virus.

PubMed

van der Sluijs, Mirjam Tineke Willemijn; de Smit, Abraham J; Moormann, Rob J M

2016-01-01

Bluetongue is an economically important disease of ruminants. The causative agent, Bluetongue virus (BTV), is mainly transmitted by insect vectors. This review focuses on vector-free BTV transmission, and its epizootic and economic consequences. Vector-free transmission can either be vertical, from dam to fetus, or horizontal via direct contract. For several BTV-serotypes, vertical (transplacental) transmission has been described, resulting in severe congenital malformations. Transplacental transmission had been mainly associated with live vaccine strains. Yet, the European BTV-8 strain demonstrated a high incidence of transplacental transmission in natural circumstances. The relevance of transplacental transmission for the epizootiology is considered limited, especially in enzootic areas. However, transplacental transmission can have a substantial economic impact due to the loss of progeny. Inactivated vaccines have demonstrated to prevent transplacental transmission. Vector-free horizontal transmission has also been demonstrated. Since direct horizontal transmission requires close contact of animals, it is considered only relevant for within-farm spreading of BTV. The genetic determinants which enable vector-free transmission are present in virus strains circulating in the field. More research into the genetic changes which enable vector-free transmission is essential to better evaluate the risks associated with outbreaks of new BTV serotypes and to design more appropriate control measures.

[Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: basics for general practitioners].

PubMed

Flusin, O; Iseni, F; Rodrigues, R; Paranhos-Baccalà, G; Crance, J M; Marianneau, P; Bouloy, M; Peyrefitte, C N

2010-12-01

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease described in more than 30 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. The causative agent is the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) that is a member of the genus Nairovirus of the family Bunyaviridae. CCHFV that is characterized by a high genetic variability is transmitted to humans by tick bites or contact with fluids from an infected individual or animal. The initial symptoms of CCHF are nonspecific and gradually progress to a hemorrhagic phase that can be lethal (case-fatality rate: 10 to 50%). Characteristic laboratory findings of CCHF are thrombocytopenia, elevated liver and muscle enzymes, and coagulation defects. The pathogenesis of CCHF remains unclear but might involve excessive pro-inflammatory cytokine production and dysfunction of the innate immune response. Diagnosis of CCHF is based mainly on isolation of the virus, identification of the viral genome by molecular techniques (RT-PCR), and serological detection of anti-CCHFV antibodies. There is currently no specific treatment for CCHFV infection and the efficacy of ribavirin is controversial. In absence of an effective vaccine, prevention is based mainly on vector control, protection measures, and information to increase the awareness of the population and of healthcare workers.

Reconsidering the Current Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes Antibiotic Prophylactic Protocol.

PubMed

Wolf, Maya Frank; Miron, Dan; Peleg, David; Rechnitzer, Hagai; Portnov, Igor; Salim, Raed; Keness, Yoram; Reich, Dan; Ami, Moshe Ben; Peretz, Avi; Koshnir, Amir; Shachar, Inbar Ben

2015-11-01

The purpose of our study was to determine whether the current antibiotic regimen for preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is adequate for covering the current causative agents and sensitivities of chorioamnionitis and early-onset neonatal sepsis. During a 3-year period, we retrieved the results from placental and amniotic membrane cultures obtained at delivery in cases of maternal fever, chorioamnionitis, and PPROM, and from blood cultures obtained from neonates with early-onset sepsis (EOS) in three participating hospitals. Sensitivity of pathogens to antimicrobial agents was performed using routine microbiologic techniques. There were 1,133 positive placental or amniotic cultures, 740 (65.3%) were from gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae. There were 27 neonates diagnosed with EOS with positive blood cultures. Aerobic Enterobacteriaceae accounted for 14 cases (52%) and group B streptococcus for 7 cases (26%). Of the Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp., only 38% were sensitive to ampicillin. Local pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivity profiles should be explored every few years and an effective antibiotic protocol chosen to cover the main pathogens causing chorioamnionitis and EOS. Consideration should be made for changing ampicillin in women with PPROM to a regimen with better coverage of gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

[A study of otitis externa associated with Malassezia].

PubMed

Shiota, Ryoko; Kaneko, Takamasa; Yano, Hiroaki; Takeshita, Kimiko; Nishioka, Keiko; Makimura, Koichi

2009-01-01

Malassezia-positive smears can be recognized from otitis externa, however, there are few references in the literature to the relation between Malassezia and otitis externa. Therefore, the bacterial and clinical characteristics of 72 cases (63 patients) with otitis externa were investigated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Takinomiya General Hospital to analyze this. Thirty-seven cases were bacterial otitis externa, 20 cases were fungal otitis externa, and 15 cases were etiological agents unknown in this study. The causative organisms in fungal otitis externa were the genera Aspergillus (10 cases), Malassezia (5) and Candida (5), respectively. We suspected that 5 cases were caused by Malassezia because Malassezia cell counts were greater than 10 per field (x 400), and a large number of Malassezia were isolated from all cases. In these cases, many squamous epithelial cells were observed by direct examination, and cells from the middle or basal layer of the ear canal were also recognized in three cases. Therefore, accelerated turnover of epidermal cells of the ear canal was suggested. The main symptoms were itching and fullness in the ear, with observations of redness and erosion in objective deterioration, and we felt that these conditions were similar to seborrheic dermatitis (SD). In addition, these five cases were confirmed as fungus-related otitis externa by their improvement with antifungal agents.

Current knowledge on the laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection.

PubMed

Martínez-Meléndez, Adrián; Camacho-Ortiz, Adrián; Morfin-Otero, Rayo; Maldonado-Garza, Héctor Jesús; Villarreal-Treviño, Licet; Garza-González, Elvira

2017-03-07

Clostridium difficile ( C. difficile ) is a spore-forming, toxin-producing, gram-positive anaerobic bacterium that is the principal etiologic agent of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Infection with C. difficile (CDI) is characterized by diarrhea in clinical syndromes that vary from self-limited to mild or severe. Since its initial recognition as the causative agent of pseudomembranous colitis, C. difficile has spread around the world. CDI is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among older adult hospitalized patients. Due to extensive antibiotic usage, the number of CDIs has increased. Diagnosis of CDI is often difficult and has a substantial impact on the management of patients with the disease, mainly with regards to antibiotic management. The diagnosis of CDI is primarily based on the clinical signs and symptoms and is only confirmed by laboratory testing. Despite the high burden of CDI and the increasing interest in the disease, episodes of CDI are often misdiagnosed. The reasons for misdiagnosis are the lack of clinical suspicion or the use of inappropriate tests. The proper diagnosis of CDI reduces transmission, prevents inadequate or unnecessary treatments, and assures best antibiotic treatment. We review the options for the laboratory diagnosis of CDI within the settings of the most accepted guidelines for CDI diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of CDI.

The Story of Equine Atypical Myopathy: A Review from the Beginning to a Possible End

PubMed Central

Votion, Dominique-Marie

2012-01-01

Atypical myopathy (AM) is a frequently fatal seasonal pasture myopathy that emerges in Europe. Outbreaks are of an acute and unexpected nature and practitioners should be prepared to handle these critically ill patients. This review retraces the history of AM and describes results of epidemiological investigations that were conducted to raise hypotheses concerning the etiology of this devastating disease as well as to be able to suggest potential preventive measures. Also, clinical studies have contributed to a better definition and recognition of the syndrome, whereas elucidation of the pathological process, identified as a multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD), was a great step forward improving medical management of AM and guiding the search for the etiological agent towards toxins that reproduce the identified defect. Treatment plans can be extrapolated from the described clinical signs and metabolic problems, but they remain limited to supportive care until the causative agent has been identified with certainty. Since treatment is still unsuccessful in the majority of cases, the main emphasis is currently still on prevention. This paper aims at being a practical support for equine clinicians dealing with AM and is based on discussion and comparison of the currently available scientific data. PMID:23762581

High density of Leishmania major and rarity of other mammals' Leishmania in zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis foci, Iran.

PubMed

Bordbar, Ali; Parvizi, Parviz

2014-03-01

Only Leishmania major is well known as a causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in Iran. Our objective was to find Leishmania parasites circulating in reservoir hosts, sand flies and human simultaneously. Sand flies, rodents and prepared smears of humans were sampled. DNA of Leishmania parasites was extracted, and two fragments of ITS-rDNA gene amplified by PCR. RFLP and sequencing were employed to identify Leishmania parasites. Leishmania major and L. turanica were identified unequivocally by targeting and sequencing ITS-rDNA from humans, rodents and sand flies. The new Leishmania species close to gerbilli (GenBank Accession Nos. EF413076; EF413087) was discovered only in sand flies. Based on parasite detection of ITS-rDNA in main and potential reservoir hosts and vectors and humans, we conclude that at least two Leishmania species are common in the Turkmen Sahra ZCL focus. Phylogenetic analysis proved that the new Leishmania is closely related to Leishmania mammal parasites (Leishmania major, Leishmania turanica, Leishmania gerbilli). Its role as a principal agent of ZCL is unknown because it was found only in sand flies. Our findings shed new light on the transmission cycles of several Leishmania parasites in sand flies, reservoir hosts and humans. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Occupational asthma in a highly industrialized region of UK: report from a local surveillance scheme.

PubMed

Di Stefano, Fabio; Siriruttanapruk, Somkiat; McCoach, Jennifer; Di Gioacchino, Mario; Burge, Peter Sherwood

2004-02-01

Estimates of the incidence of occupational asthma may be derived from surveillance schemes established in several countries. SHIELD is a voluntary surveillance scheme for occupational asthma in the West Midlands, a highly industrialized region of UK. The aim of this study was to estimate the general and specific incidence of occupational asthma in the West Midlands in 1990-97. The annual incidence was 41.2/million. There was a two fold difference in the incidence by sex (male 59.6/million/yr; female 27.4/million/yr). The highest annual incidence (53.2/million) was observed in the age group 45-64 yr (male) and 45-59 yr (female). Spray painters were the occupation at the highest risk of developing occupational asthma, followed by electroplaters, rubber and plastic workers, bakery workers and moulders. Although the percentage of reported cases was low among healthcare workers, there was a raising trend. Isocyanates still remained the most common causative agents with 190 (17.3%) out of the total 1097 cases reported to the surveillance scheme in seven years. There was a decrease in the reported cases due to colophony (9.5% to 4.6%), flour & wheat (8.9% to 4.9%). There was an increase of reported cases due to latex (0.4% to 4.9%) and glutaraldehyde (1.3% to 5.6%). The serial mesurement of peak expiratory flow at and away from work was the most used method of diagnosis to confirm the occupational cause of asthma. Specific bronchial challenge test with the occupational agents were used when the serial measurement of peak expiratory flow was not able to confirm undoubtdely the diagnostic suspicion or when it was difficult to identify the possible causative agent due to multiple exposures in the workplace. Following diagnosis, 24% of the patients were moved away from exposure within the same workplace in 1997, compared to 15.8% in the previous years. Those remaining exposed to the causative agent in the same workplace decreased from 28.3% to 17.7% between 1990-97. The surveillance of occupational asthma trough this voluntary scheme has allowed to monitor the incidence of the disease in the region and to identify clusters of cases, where control measures are a priority.

Upper secondary and first-year university students' explanations of animal behaviour: to what extent are Tinbergen's four questions about causation, ontogeny, function and evolution, represented?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinxten, Rianne; Desclée, Mathieu; Eens, Marcel

2016-09-01

In 1963, the Nobel Prize-winning ethologist Niko Tinbergen proposed a framework for the scientific study of animal behaviour by outlining four questions that should be answered to have a complete understanding: causation, ontogeny, function and evolution. At present, Tinbergen's framework is still considered the best way to guide animal behavioural research. Given the importance in science instruction of demonstrating how scientists work and ask questions, we investigated to what extent Tinbergen's questions are addressed in biology textbooks in secondary education in Flanders, Belgium, and represented in upper-secondary and first-year university students' explanations of behaviour in general and of specific animal behaviours. Our results revealed that teaching of animal behaviour mainly addresses ontogeny and causation, and that Tinbergen's framework is not explicitly referred to. Students typically addressed only one or two questions, with the majority addressing causation or both causation and ontogeny when explaining behaviour in general, but function or causation and function when explaining specific animal behaviours. This high prevalence of function may be due to teleological thinking. Evolution was completely neglected, even in university students who had recently completed an evolution course. Our results revealed that transfer of the concepts of ontogeny and evolution was (almost) absent. We argue why Tinbergen's framework should be an integral part of any biology curriculum.

Using an in vitro system for maintaining Varroa destructor mites on Apis mellifera hosts: Studies of mite longevity and feeding behavior

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Varroa destructor mites (Vd) are ectoparasites of Apis mellifera honey bees, and the damage they inflict on hosts is a likely causative factor of recent poor honey bee colony performance. Much research has produced an arsenal of control agents against Vd, which have become resistant to many chemical...

Use of multiple sequencing technologies to produce a high-quality genome of the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of bat White-Nose syndrome

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drees, Kevin P.; Palmer, Jonathan M.; Sebra, Robert; Lorch, Jeffrey M.; Chen, Cynthia; Wu, ChengCang; Bok, Jin Woo; Keller, Nancy F.; Blehert, David; Cuomo, Christina A.; Linder, Daniel L.; Foster, Jeffrey T.

2016-01-01

White-Nose syndrome has recently emerged as one of the most devastating wildlife diseases recorded, causing widespread mortality in numerous bat species throughout eastern North America. Here, we present an improvised reference genome of the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans for use in comparative genomic studies.

Streptobacillus moniliformis as the Causative Agent in Spondylodiscitis and Psoas Abscess after Rooster Scratches▿

PubMed Central

Dubois, Damien; Robin, Frédéric; Bouvier, Damien; Delmas, Julien; Bonnet, Richard; Lesens, Olivier; Hennequin, Claire

2008-01-01

We report a case of Streptobacillus moniliformis spondylodiscitis accompanied by a psoas abscess in an 80-year-old man scratched by a rooster. S. moniliformis was identified from abscess fluid by use of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. After 18 weeks of antimicrobial therapy, the clinical condition of the patient improved. PMID:18562588

Complete Genome Sequence of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis Biovar Intermedius, Isolated from the Prepuce of a Bull

PubMed Central

Iraola, Gregorio; Pérez, Ruben; Naya, Hugo; Paolicchi, Fernando; Harris, David; Lawley, Trevor D.; Rego, Natalia; Hernández, Martín; Calleros, Lucía; Carretto, Luis; Velilla, Alejandra; Morsella, Claudia; Méndez, Alejandra

2013-01-01

Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis is the causative agent of bovine genital campylobacteriosis, a sexually transmitted disease distributed worldwide. Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis biovar Intermedius strains differ in their biochemical behavior and are prevalent in some countries. We report the first genome sequence for this biovar, isolated from bull prepuce. PMID:23908278

Carbon costs of constitutive and expressed resistance to a non-native pathogen in limber pine

Treesearch

Patrick J. Vogan; Anna W. Schoettle

2016-01-01

Increasing the frequency of resistance to the non-native fungus Cronartium ribicola (causative agent of white pine blister rust, WPBR) in limber pine populations is a primary management objective to sustain high-elevation forest communities. However, it is not known to what extent genetic disease resistance is costly to plant growth or carbon economy. In this...

Triatominae Biochemistry Goes to School: Evaluation of a Novel Tool for Teaching Basic Biochemical Concepts of Chagas Disease Vectors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunha, Leonardo Rodrigues; de Oliveria Cudischevitch, Cecília; Carneiro, Alan Brito; Macedo, Gustavo Bartholomeu; Lannes, Denise; da Silva-Neto, Mário Alberto Cardoso

2014-01-01

We evaluate a new approach to teaching the basic biochemistry mechanisms that regulate the biology of Triatominae, major vectors of "Trypanosoma cruzi," the causative agent of Chagas disease. We have designed and used a comic book, "Carlos Chagas: 100 years after a hero's discovery" containing scientific information obtained by…

Lymphogranuloma Venereum in Men Screened for Pharyngeal and Rectal Infection, Germany

PubMed Central

Dudareva-Vizule, Sandra; Wisplinghoff, Hilmar; Wisplinghoff, Fabian; Sailer, Andrea; Jansen, Klaus; Henrich, Birgit; Marcus, Ulrich

2013-01-01

To determine prevalence of lymphogranuloma venereum among men who have sex with men in Germany, we conducted a multicenter study during 2009–2010 and found high rates of rectal and pharyngeal infection in men positive for the causative agent, Chlamydia trachomatis. Many infections were asymptomatic. An adjusted C. trachomatis screening policy is justified in Germany. PMID:23621949

Progress on Identifying Specific Genetic Changes in the Marek's Disease Virus Genome Associated With Attenuation Induced by Repeated In Vitro Passages

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease (MD) vaccines have been successfully used for decades to control tumor formation induced by Marek’s disease virus (MDV), the causative agent and an oncogenic alphaherpesvirus. However, there is still a need for improved MD vaccines as none are sterilizing, and unpredictable vaccine b...

Deletion of Marek’s disease virus large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RR) impairs virus growth in vitro and in vivo

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease virus (MDV), a highly cell-associated lymphotropic alphaherpesvirus, is the causative agent of a neoplastic disease in domestic chickens, called Marek’s disease (MD). In the unique long region of the MDV genome, open reading frames UL39 and UL40 encode the large and small subunits o...

Direct fluorescent antibody technique for the detection of bacterial kidney disease in paraffin-embedded tissues

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ochiai, T.; Yasutake, W.T.; Gould, R.W.

1985-01-01

The direct fluorescent antibody technique (FAT) was successfully used to detect the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease (BKD), Renibacterium salmoninarum, in Bouin's solution flexed and paraffinembedded egg and tissue sections. This method is superior to gram stain and may be particularly useful in detecting the BKD organism in fish with low-grade infection.

Bacteremia caused by Arcobacter butzleri in an immunocompromised host.

PubMed

Arguello, Esther; Otto, Caitlin C; Mead, Peter; Babady, N Esther

2015-04-01

Arcobacter butzleri is an emerging pathogen that has been implicated as the causative agent of persistent watery diarrhea. We describe a case involving a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who developed invasive A. butzleri bacteremia. This case illustrates the unique challenges involved in diagnosing infections caused by emerging gastrointestinal pathogens. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Identification of an atypical strain of Toxoplasma gondii as the cause of a waterborne outbreak of toxoplasmosis in Santa IsabeldoIvai, Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We have identified an atypical strain of Toxoplasmagondii as the causative agent of the 2001 outbreak of toxoplasmosis in Santa Isabel do Ivai, Brazil, which resulted in approximately 426 human infections. The epidemic clone was isolated from multiple water filters collected from a cistern linked ep...

Use of Multiple Sequencing Technologies To Produce a High-Quality Genome of the Fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Causative Agent of Bat White-Nose Syndrome

PubMed Central

Sebra, Robert; Lorch, Jeffrey M.; Chen, Cynthia; Wu, Cheng-Cang; Bok, Jin Woo; Keller, Nancy P.; Blehert, David S.; Lindner, Daniel L.

2016-01-01

White-nose syndrome has recently emerged as one of the most devastating wildlife diseases recorded, causing widespread mortality in numerous bat species throughout eastern North America. Here, we present an improved reference genome of the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans for use in comparative genomic studies. PMID:27365344

Genetic diversity and mutation of avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (Newcastle disease virus) in wild birds and evidence for intercontinental spread

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1), or Newcastle disease virus, is the causative agent of Newcastle disease (ND), one of the most economically important diseases for poultry production worldwide and a cause of periodic epornitics in wild birds in North America. In this study, we explored the ge...

Causal Perception of Action-and-Reaction Sequences in 8- to 10-Month-Olds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlottmann, Anne; Surian, Luca; Ray, Elizabeth D.

2009-01-01

Four experiments with 202 8- to 10-month-old infants studied their sensitivity to causation-at-a-distance in schematic events seen as goal-directed action and reaction by adults and whether this depends on attributes associated with animate agents. In Experiment 1, a red square moved toward a blue square without making contact; in "reaction"…

Influence of Marek’s disease virus on the core-gut microbiome of chickens resistant or susceptible to Marek’s disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is an a-herpesvirus and the causative agent for the lymphoproliferative disease of chickens known as Marek’s disease (MD). Worldwide poultry industry losses due to MD amount to $1-2 billion per year. Presently, there is limited knowledge on the potential influence of MDV ...

First identification of the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in Djibouti: Leishmania donovani.

PubMed

Pratlong, F; Debord, T; Garnotel, E; Garrabé, E; Marty, P; Raphenon, G; Dedet, J P

2005-01-01

The first identification of the Leishmania species responsible for visceral leishmaniasis in Djibouti is described. Four strains, obtained from three autochthonous cases, were identified by starch-gel electrophoresis and iso-enzyme analysis of 15 enzymatic systems. The strains were found to belong to two newly recognized zymodemes of L. donovani: MON-268 and MON-287.

A High-Throughput Pipeline for the Design of Real-Time PCR Signatures

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-23

evolutionary relationships among the causative agents of melioidosis and glanders , Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei . J Clin Microbiol... Burkholderia mallei with respect to Burkholderia pseudomallei. B. mallei and B. pseudomallei are closely related pathogens that cause different diseases... glanders and melioidosis, respectively [16]. B. mallei is believed to have been clonally evolved from B. pseudomallei [17], with a significantly

Comparative genome analysis of an avirulent and two virulent strains of avian Pasteurella multocida reveals candidate genes involved in fitness and pathogenicity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fowl cholera is a highly contagious systemic disease affecting wild and domestic birds, frequently resulting in high morbidity and mortality. The causative agent is Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida). The completed genome of P. multocida strain Pm70 has been available for over eleven years and has...

Vibrio parahaemolyticus ToxRS regulator is required for stress tolerance and colonization in a novel orogastric streptomycin-induced adult murine model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a marine bacterium, is the causative agent of gastroenteritis associated with the consumption of seafood. It contains a homologue of the toxRS operon that in V. cholerae is the key regulator of virulence gene expression. We examined a non-polar mutation in toxRS to determi...

A multiplex PCR assay for determination of mating type in isolates of the honey bee fungal pathogen, Ascosphaera apis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study we developed a multiplex PCR for identification of mating type idiomorphs in the filamentous fungus, Ascosphaera apis, the causative agent of chalkbrood disease in the honey bee (Apis melliffera). A combination of gene-specific primers was designed to amplify Mat1-1 and Mat1-2 gene fra...

Identifying Molecular Culprits of Cervical Cancer Progression | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA is found in 99.7% of invasive cervical carcinomas, providing strong evidence that the virus is a causative agent in the development of this disease. However, most women who become infected with HPV do not develop invasive cervical lesions, indicating that additional exogenous or genetic factors may determine whether HPV preclinical lesions will

White pine blister rust resistance of 12 western white pine families at three field sites in the Pacific Northwest

Treesearch

Richard A. Sniezko; Robert Danchok; Jim Hamlin; Angelia Kegley; Sally Long; James Mayo

2012-01-01

Western white pine (Pinus monticola Douglas ex D. Don) is highly susceptible to the non-native, invasive pathogen Cronartium ribicola, the causative agent of white pine blister rust. The susceptibility of western white pine to blister rust has limited its use in restoration and reforestation throughout much of western North...

Use of multiple sequencing technologies to produce a high-quality genome of the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of bat white-nose syndrome

Treesearch

Kevin P. Drees; Jonathan M. Palmer; Robert Sebra; Jeffrey M. Lorch; Cynthia Chen; Cheng-Cang Wu; Jin Woo Bok; Nancy P. Keller; David S. Blehert; Christina A. Cuomo; Daniel L. Lindner; Jeffrey T. Foster

2016-01-01

White-nose syndrome has recently emerged as one of the most devastating wildlife diseases recorded, causing widespread mortality in numerous bat species throughout eastern North America. Here, we present an improved reference genome of the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans for use in comparative genomic studies.

Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis (Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis) Caused by Sphingobacterium spiritivorum from the Water Reservoir of a Steam Iron

PubMed Central

Kämpfer, Peter; Engelhart, S.; Rolke, M.; Sennekamp, J.

2005-01-01

A case of extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) caused by Sphingobacterium spiritivorum is described. The symptoms were associated with the use of a steam iron. The water reservoir was heavily contaminated with S. spiritivorum (106 CFU ml−1). This is the first report of S. spiritivorum as a causative agent of EAA. PMID:16145174

Detection of Puumala virus in the tissue of infected naturally rodent hosts in the area of central Dinarides.

PubMed

Dervović, Edina; Hukić, Mirsada

2016-04-01

Hantaviruses are the causative agents of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Euroasia and of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the North, Central and South America. HFRS is endemic in the Balkan Peninsula, where sporadic cases or outbreaks have been reported. Puumala virus (PUUV) is the causative agent of nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of HFRS. PUUV is carried by the bank voles (Myodes glareolus). In this study, we investigated viral RNA from 76 tissues samples (lung n=30, heart n=6, liver n=18 and kidney n=22) of infected naturally rodent hosts in the area of Central Dinarides caught in live traps. Puumala virus was extracted from 34,7% (16/46) rodents by nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR. Overall, 18 (21,4%) specimens of internal organs (kidney n=8, liver n=6, heart n=2 and lung n=2) were positive for PUUV. It was shown a high rodent infestation rate in a relatively low number of rodent and their organs, although mice were not caught during the time of high density population of host rodents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mycobacterium ulcerans low infectious dose and mechanical transmission support insect bites and puncturing injuries in the spread of Buruli ulcer.

PubMed

Wallace, John R; Mangas, Kirstie M; Porter, Jessica L; Marcsisin, Renee; Pidot, Sacha J; Howden, Brian; Omansen, Till F; Zeng, Weiguang; Axford, Jason K; Johnson, Paul D R; Stinear, Timothy P

2017-04-01

Addressing the transmission enigma of the neglected disease Buruli ulcer (BU) is a World Health Organization priority. In Australia, we have observed an association between mosquitoes harboring the causative agent, Mycobacterium ulcerans, and BU. Here we tested a contaminated skin model of BU transmission by dipping the tails from healthy mice in cultures of the causative agent, Mycobacterium ulcerans. Tails were exposed to mosquito (Aedes notoscriptus and Aedes aegypti) blood feeding or punctured with sterile needles. Two of 12 of mice with M. ulcerans contaminated tails exposed to feeding A. notoscriptus mosquitoes developed BU. There were no mice exposed to A. aegypti that developed BU. Eighty-eight percent of mice (21/24) subjected to contaminated tail needle puncture developed BU. Mouse tails coated only in bacteria did not develop disease. A median incubation time of 12 weeks, consistent with data from human infections, was noted. We then specifically tested the M. ulcerans infectious dose-50 (ID50) in this contaminated skin surface infection model with needle puncture and observed an ID50 of 2.6 colony-forming units. We have uncovered a biologically plausible mechanical transmission mode of BU via natural or anthropogenic skin punctures.

[Anglo-Saxon guidelines for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia applicable in The Netherlands as well].

PubMed

Hoepelman, I M; Sachs, A P; Visser, M R; Lammers, J W

1997-08-16

There are three Anglo-Saxon guidelines for the management of patients with a community-acquired pneumonia: an American, a British and a Canadian one. The guidelines correspond fairly well. There is a subdivision into categories according to whether the patients are treated at home (formerly healthy patients younger than 60 years versus patients with pre-existent disease or aged 60 years and more) or in the hospital (patients not needing intensive care versus those who do need it). For each category the most common causative micro-organisms are listed together with recommended antibiotic treatment. The Canadian guidelines have nursing home patients as a separate category because of slightly different causative organisms due to frequent microaspiration. The guidelines are applicable to the situation in the Netherlands, with a few exceptions: antibiotic resistance is not a major problem in the Netherlands (as yet), and contrary to what the guidelines state an agent with activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa is not necessary; the same agents as in category III can be prescribed in these patients. A macrolide or azalide antibiotic is advisable for intensive care patients in view of the possibility of infection with Legionella pneumophila or Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

The Human Ureaplasma Species as Causative Agents of Chorioamnionitis.

PubMed

Sweeney, Emma L; Dando, Samantha J; Kallapur, Suhas G; Knox, Christine L

2017-01-01

The human Ureaplasma species are the most frequently isolated microorganisms from the amniotic fluid and placentae of women who deliver preterm and are also associated with spontaneous abortions or miscarriages, neonatal respiratory diseases, and chorioamnionitis. Despite the fact that these microorganisms have been habitually found within placentae of pregnancies with chorioamnionitis, the role of Ureaplasma species as a causative agent has not been satisfactorily explained. There is also controversy surrounding their role in disease, particularly as not all women infected with Ureaplasma spp. develop chorioamnionitis. In this review, we provide evidence that Ureaplasma spp. are associated with diseases of pregnancy and discuss recent findings which demonstrate that Ureaplasma spp. are associated with chorioamnionitis, regardless of gestational age at the time of delivery. Here, we also discuss the proposed major virulence factors of Ureaplasma spp., with a focus on the multiple-banded antigen (MBA), which may facilitate modulation/alteration of the host immune response and potentially explain why only subpopulations of infected women experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. The information presented within this review confirms that Ureaplasma spp. are not simply "innocent bystanders" in disease and highlights that these microorganisms are an often underestimated pathogen of pregnancy. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.

The Human Ureaplasma Species as Causative Agents of Chorioamnionitis

PubMed Central

Sweeney, Emma L.; Kallapur, Suhas G.; Knox, Christine L.

2016-01-01

SUMMARY The human Ureaplasma species are the most frequently isolated microorganisms from the amniotic fluid and placentae of women who deliver preterm and are also associated with spontaneous abortions or miscarriages, neonatal respiratory diseases, and chorioamnionitis. Despite the fact that these microorganisms have been habitually found within placentae of pregnancies with chorioamnionitis, the role of Ureaplasma species as a causative agent has not been satisfactorily explained. There is also controversy surrounding their role in disease, particularly as not all women infected with Ureaplasma spp. develop chorioamnionitis. In this review, we provide evidence that Ureaplasma spp. are associated with diseases of pregnancy and discuss recent findings which demonstrate that Ureaplasma spp. are associated with chorioamnionitis, regardless of gestational age at the time of delivery. Here, we also discuss the proposed major virulence factors of Ureaplasma spp., with a focus on the multiple-banded antigen (MBA), which may facilitate modulation/alteration of the host immune response and potentially explain why only subpopulations of infected women experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. The information presented within this review confirms that Ureaplasma spp. are not simply “innocent bystanders” in disease and highlights that these microorganisms are an often underestimated pathogen of pregnancy. PMID:27974410

Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Qatar: A Hospital-Based Study from 2009 to 2013.

PubMed

Khan, Fahmi Yousef; Abu-Khattab, Mohammed; Almaslamani, Eman Abdulrahman; Hassan, Abubaker Ahmed; Mohamed, Shehab Fareed; Elbuzdi, Abdurrahman Ali; Elmaki, Nada Yagoub; Anand, Deshmukh; Sanjay, Doiphode

2017-01-01

Bacterial meningitis is a common medical condition in Qatar. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of bacterial meningitis, the frequency of each pathogen, and its sensitivity to antibiotics and risk factors for death. This retrospective study was conducted at Hamad General Hospital between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2013. We identified 117 episodes of acute bacterial meningitis in 110 patients. Their mean age was 26.4 ± 22.3 years (range: 2-74) and 81 (69.2%) of them were male patients. Fifty-nine episodes (50.4%) were community-acquired infection and fever was the most frequent symptom (94%), whereas neurosurgery is the most common underlying condition. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most common causative agent, of which 95% were oxacillin-resistant, while 63.3% of Acinetobacter spp. showed resistance to meropenem. The in-hospital mortality was 14 (12%). Only the presence of underlying diseases, hypotension, and inappropriate treatment were found to be independent predictors of mortality. Acute bacterial meningitis predominantly affected adults and coagulase-negative staphylococci species were the common causative agent in Qatar with majority of infections occurring nosocomially. More than 90% of all implicated coagulase-negative staphylococci strains were oxacillin-resistant.

Salmonellosis associated with mass catering: a survey of European Union cases over a 15-year period.

PubMed

Osimani, A; Aquilanti, L; Clementi, F

2016-10-01

Salmonella spp. is the causative agent of a foodborne disease called salmonellosis, which is the second most commonly reported gastrointestinal infection in the European Union (EU). Although over the years the annual number of cases of foodborne salmonellosis within the EU has decreased markedly, in 2014, a total of 88 715 confirmed cases were still reported by 28 EU Member States. The European Food Safety Authority reported that, after the household environment, the most frequent settings for the transmission of infection were catering services. As evidenced by the reviewed literature, which was published over the last 15 years (2000-2014), the most frequently reported causative agents were Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium serovars. These studies on outbreaks indicated the involvement of various facilities, including hospital restaurants, takeaways, ethnic restaurants, hotels, in-flight catering, one fast-food outlet and the restaurant of an amusement park. The most commonly reported sources of infection were eggs and/or egg-containing foods, followed by meat- and vegetable-based preparations. Epidemiological and microbiological studies allowed common risk factors to be identified, including the occurrence of cross-contamination between heat-treated foods and raw materials or improperly cleaned food-contact surfaces.

Inhibitors incorporating zinc-binding groups target the GlcNAc-PI de-N-acetylase in Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness.

PubMed

Abdelwahab, Nuha Z; Crossman, Arthur T; Sullivan, Lauren; Ferguson, Michael A J; Urbaniak, Michael D

2012-03-01

Disruption of glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis is genetically and chemically validated as a drug target against the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness. The N-acetylglucosamine-phosphatidylinositol de-N-acetylase (deNAc) is a zinc metalloenzyme responsible for the second step of glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis. We recently reported the synthesis of eight deoxy-2-C-branched monosaccharides containing carboxylic acid, hydroxamic acid, or N-hydroxyurea substituents at the C2 position that may act as zinc-binding groups. Here, we describe the synthesis of a glucocyclitol-phospholipid incorporating a hydroxamic acid moiety and report the biochemical evaluation of the monosaccharides and the glucocyclitol-phospholipid as inhibitors of the trypanosome deNAc in the cell-free system and against recombinant enzyme. Monosaccharides with carboxylic acid or hydroxamic acid substituents were found to be the inhibitors of the trypanosome deNAc with IC(50) values 0.1-1.5mM and the glucocyclitol-phospholipid was found to be a dual inhibitor of the deNAc and the α1-4-mannose transferase with an apparent IC(50)= 19±0.5μm. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Tuberculosis: Is the landscape changing?

PubMed

Khatua, Sutapa; Geltemeyer, Abby M; Gourishankar, Anand

2017-01-01

Robert Heinrich Herman Koch, a German physician and microbiologist, received Nobel Prize in 1905 for identifying the specific causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). During his time it was believed that TB was an inherited disease. However he was convinced that the disease was caused by a bacterium and was infectious, tested his postulates using guinea pigs, and found the causative agent to be slow growing mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is the second most common cause of death from infectious diseases after HIV/AIDS. Drug-resistant TB poses serious challenge to effective management of TB worldwide. Multidrug-resistant TB accounted for about half a million new cases and over 200,000 deaths in 2013. Whole-genome sequencing (first done in 1998) technologies have provided new insight into the mechanism of drug resistance. For the first time in 50 y, new anti TB drugs have been developed. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently revised their treatment guidelines based on 32 studies. In United States, latent TB affects between 10 and 15 million people, 10% of whom may develop active TB disease. QuantiFERON TB Gold and T-SPOT.TB test are used for diagnosis. Further research will look into the importance of newly discovered gene mutations in causing drug resistance.

Epidemiological status of dermatophytosis in Guilan, north of Iran

PubMed Central

Fallahi, AA; Rezaei-Matehkolaei, A; Rezaei, S

2017-01-01

Background and Purpose: The epidemiological features of dermatophytoses have been characterized in many geographical locations of Iran, but not in Guilan, North of Iran. This study was carried out to determine the distribution pattern of dermatophytoses and their relevant agents in Guilan, North of Iran, over a period of one year, from April 2010 to April 2011. Materials and Methods: The clinical samples of skin, hair, and nail from 889 outpatients (317 men vs. 572 women) were used for direct microscopy and culture. All the culture-positive samples were then subjected to amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the nuclear rDNA followed by a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay to verify the causative agents. Results: The infection was confirmed in 90 (44.3%) males and 113 (55.7%) females. The most common type of dermatophytoses was tinea cruris (42.9%), followed by tinea pedis (20.2%), tinea corporis (11.3%), tinea unguium (7.4%), tinea faciei (6.9%), tinea manuum (6.4%), and tinea capitis (4.9%). ITS-RFLP based of the identification of isolates, showed that the infections were significantly associated with anthropophilic species, of Trichophyton rubrum (41.9%), Epidermophyton floccosum (19.7%), T. tonsurans (5.4%), and T. violaceum (2%). Other causative agents were T. interdigitale (22.6%), Microsporum canis (4.9%), T. verrucosum (2.5%), and M. gypseum (1%). Conclusion: The higher prevalence of T. rubrum, as the agent of dermatophytoses, than other species has never been reported from Iran and is of public health concern because of the chronic nature of infections with anthropophilic species. To thoroughly investigate the epidemiological trend of dermatophytoses in Iran, further periodical and molecular-based studies are necessary. PMID:29302626

Burn-associated bloodstream infections in pediatric burn patients: Time distribution of etiologic agents.

PubMed

Devrim, İlker; Kara, Ahu; Düzgöl, Mine; Karkıner, Aytaç; Bayram, Nuri; Temir, Günyüz; Şencan, Arzu; Sorguç, Yelda; Gülfidan, Gamze; Hoşgör, Münevver

2017-02-01

Infections are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with burns in burn units. Bloodstream infections (BSIs) in patients with burns may result from burn wound infection, use of invasive devices such as central venous catheters, and translocation of the gastrointestinal flora. In this study, we investigated the distribution and antimicrobial drug resistance of causative pathogens in children with burns and the durational changes of microorganisms in the distribution of BSIs in children. This study was conducted at the Pediatric Burn Unit (PBU) of Dr. Behçet Uz Children Research and Training Hospital during the period of November 2008-April 2015. The study subjects were all the patients admitted to the PBU, in whom microorganisms were isolated at least from one of the cultures, including blood and catheter cultures. Gram-positive bacteria were the most common causative agents of BSI in patients with burns (66.4%), followed by gram-negative bacteria (22.1%) and fungi (11.5%). The median duration of development of BSIs caused by gram-positive bacteria from the time of burn was 5 days (ranging from 2 to 54 days of burn), which was significantly shorter than that of BSIs caused by gram-negative bacteria (12 days) and fungal pathogens (13 days). The etiologic agents of BSIs in children may differ from those in adults. Gram-negative drug-resistant bacteria such as multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii were important agents of BSI in patients with burns, especially in the long term; however, gram-positive bacteria should also be considered while deciding the antimicrobial therapy, especially in the early periods of burn. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Respiratory and Allergic Health Effects of Dampness, Mold, and Dampness-Related Agents: A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence

PubMed Central

Mendell, Mark J.; Mirer, Anna G.; Cheung, Kerry; Tong, My; Douwes, Jeroen

2011-01-01

Objectives Many studies have shown consistent associations between evident indoor dampness or mold and respiratory or allergic health effects, but causal links remain unclear. Findings on measured microbiologic factors have received little review. We conducted an updated, comprehensive review on these topics. Data sources We reviewed eligible peer-reviewed epidemiologic studies or quantitative meta-analyses, up to late 2009, on dampness, mold, or other microbiologic agents and respiratory or allergic effects. Data extraction We evaluated evidence for causation or association between qualitative/subjective assessments of dampness or mold (considered together) and specific health outcomes. We separately considered evidence for associations between specific quantitative measurements of microbiologic factors and each health outcome. Data synthesis Evidence from epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses showed indoor dampness or mold to be associated consistently with increased asthma development and exacerbation, current and ever diagnosis of asthma, dyspnea, wheeze, cough, respiratory infections, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and upper respiratory tract symptoms. Associations were found in allergic and nonallergic individuals. Evidence strongly suggested causation of asthma exacerbation in children. Suggestive evidence was available for only a few specific measured microbiologic factors and was in part equivocal, suggesting both adverse and protective associations with health. Conclusions Evident dampness or mold had consistent positive associations with multiple allergic and respiratory effects. Measured microbiologic agents in dust had limited suggestive associations, including both positive and negative associations for some agents. Thus, prevention and remediation of indoor dampness and mold are likely to reduce health risks, but current evidence does not support measuring specific indoor microbiologic factors to guide health-protective actions. PMID:21269928

Are Abeta and its derivatives causative agents or innocent bystanders in AD?

PubMed

Robakis, Nikolaos K

2010-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neurodegeneration in neocortical regions of the brain. Currently, Abeta-based theories, including amyloid depositions and soluble Abeta, form the basis of most therapeutic approaches to AD. It remains unclear, however, whether Abeta and its derivatives are the primary causative agents of neuronal loss in AD. Reported studies show no significant correlations between brain amyloid depositions and either degree of dementia or loss of neurons, and brain amyloid loads similar to AD are often found in normal individuals. Furthermore, behavioral abnormalities in animal models overexpressing amyloid precursor protein seem independent of amyloid depositions. Soluble Abeta theories propose toxic Abeta42 or its oligomers as the agents that promote cell death in AD. Abeta peptides, however, are normal components of human serum and CSF, and it is unclear under what conditions these peptides become toxic. Presently, there is little evidence of disease-associated abnormalities in soluble Abeta and no toxic oligomers specific to AD have been found. That familial AD mutations of amyloid precursor protein, PS1 and PS2 promote neurodegeneration suggests the biological functions of these proteins play critical roles in neuronal survival. Evidence shows that the PS/gamma-secretase system promotes production of peptides involved in cell surface-to-nucleus signaling and gene expression, providing support for the hypothesis that familial AD mutations may contribute to neurodegeneration by inhibiting PS-dependent signaling pathways. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

DNA Damage Reduces the Quality, but Not the Quantity of Human Papillomavirus 16 E1 and E2 DNA Replication.

PubMed

Bristol, Molly L; Wang, Xu; Smith, Nathan W; Son, Minkyeong P; Evans, Michael R; Morgan, Iain M

2016-06-22

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are causative agents in almost all cervical carcinomas. HPVs are also causative agents in head and neck cancer, the cases of which are increasing rapidly. Viral replication activates the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway; associated proteins are recruited to replication foci, and this pathway may serve to allow for viral genome amplification. Likewise, HPV genome double-strand breaks (DSBs) could be produced during replication and could lead to linearization and viral integration. Many studies have shown that viral integration into the host genome results in unregulated expression of the viral oncogenes, E6 and E7, promoting HPV-induced carcinogenesis. Previously, we have demonstrated that DNA-damaging agents, such as etoposide, or knocking down viral replication partner proteins, such as topoisomerase II β binding protein I (TopBP1), does not reduce the level of DNA replication. Here, we investigated whether these treatments alter the quality of DNA replication by HPV16 E1 and E2. We confirm that knockdown of TopBP1 or treatment with etoposide does not reduce total levels of E1/E2-mediated DNA replication; however, the quality of replication is significantly reduced. The results demonstrate that E1 and E2 continue to replicate under genomically-stressed conditions and that this replication is mutagenic. This mutagenesis would promote the formation of substrates for integration of the viral genome into that of the host, a hallmark of cervical cancer.

[Imported mycosis: a review of paracoccidioidomycosis].

PubMed

Bousquet, A; Dussart, C; Drouillard, I; Charbel, E C; Boiron, P

2007-12-01

Population migration is increasing the number of systemic mycosis cases, a condition little or not present in Metropolitan France, thus often weakly documented for medical teams. Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic mycosis geographically confined to Latin America. The causative agent is Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, a dimorphic fungus present at ground level. Discovering that the armadillo was a new host allowed documenting the ideal conditions for this fungus development. The mortality rate is currently 1.45 for one million people and the disease affects mainly farmers. The mode of infection is respiratory and all organs and mucous membranes can be affected by lymphatic dissemination. The chronic form with pulmonary, cutaneous and oral lesions is the most important. The diagnosis can be carried out by direct examination of samples revealing the presence of budding yeasts, as well as culture at 25 and 37 degrees C. Antifungals like the sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprime combination, amphotericin B, but especially azole derivatives are use in the therapeutic management of patients. Detection and gp 43 antigen assay is useful for the patient's follow-up.

Molecular prevalence and genetic diversity of bovine Theileria orientalis in Myanmar.

PubMed

Bawm, Saw; Shimizu, Kohei; Hirota, Jun-Ichi; Tosa, Yusuke; Htun, Lat Lat; Maw, Ni Ni; Thein, Myint; Kato, Hirotomo; Sakurai, Tatsuya; Katakura, Ken

2014-08-01

Theileria orientalis is a causative agent of benign theileriosis in cattle and distributed in mainly Asian countries. In the present study, we examined the prevalence of T. orientalis infection by PCR based on the major piroplasm surface protein gene (MPSP) sequences in cattle in Myanmar, followed by phylogenetic analysis of the MPSP genes. The MPSP gene was amplified in 258 of 713 (36.2%) cattle blood DNA samples collected from five cities in different geographical regions of Myanmar. Phylogenetic analysis of MPSP sequences from 54 T. orientalis-positive DNA samples revealed the presence of six allelic genotypes, including Types 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and N-3. Types 5 and 7 were the predominant types detected. Sequences of the MPSP genes detected in Myanmar were closely related to those from Thailand, Vietnam or Mongolia. These findings suggest that movement of animals carrying T. orientalis parasites between Southeast Asian countries could be a reason for the similar genotype distribution of the parasites in Myanmar. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food to some, poison to others - honeybee royal jelly and its growth inhibiting effect on European Foulbrood bacteria.

PubMed

Vezeteu, Thomas V; Bobiş, Otilia; Moritz, Robin F A; Buttstedt, Anja

2017-02-01

Honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera) serve as attractive hosts for a variety of pathogens providing optimal temperatures, humidity, and an abundance of food. Thus, honeybees have to deal with pathogens throughout their lives and, even as larvae they are affected by severe brood diseases like the European Foulbrood caused by Melissococcus plutonius. Accordingly, it is highly adaptive that larval food jelly contains antibiotic compounds. However, although food jelly is primarily consumed by bee larvae, studies investigating the antibiotic effects of this jelly have largely concentrated on bacterial human diseases. In this study, we show that royal jelly fed to queen larvae and added to the jelly of drone and worker larvae, inhibits not only the growth of European Foulbrood-associated bacteria but also its causative agent M. plutonius. This effect is shown to be caused by the main protein (major royal jelly protein 1) of royal jelly. © 2016 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cell-wall preparation containing poly-γ-D-glutamate covalently linked to peptidoglycan, a straightforward extractable molecule, protects mice against experimental anthrax infection.

PubMed

Candela, Thomas; Dumetz, Fabien; Tosi-Couture, Evelyne; Mock, Michèle; Goossens, Pierre L; Fouet, Agnès

2012-12-17

Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax that is characterized by septicemia and toxemia. Many vaccine strategies were described to counteract anthrax infection. In contrast with veterinary live vaccines, currently human vaccines are acellular with the protective antigen, a toxin component, as the main constituent. However, in animal models this vaccine is less efficient than the live vaccine. In this study, we analyzed the protection afforded by a single extractable surface element. The poly-γ-D-glutamate capsule is covalently linked to the peptidoglycan. A preparation of peptidoglycan-linked poly-γ-D-glutamate (GluPG) was tested for its immunogenicity and its protective effect. GluPG injection, in mice, elicited the production of specific antibodies directed against poly-glutamate and partially protected the animals against lethal challenges with a non-toxinogenic strain. When combined to protective antigen, GluPG immunization conferred full protection against cutaneous anthrax induced with a fully virulent strain. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feet sunk in molten aluminium: The burn and its prevention.

PubMed

Alonso-Peña, David; Arnáiz-García, María Elena; Valero-Gasalla, Javier Luis; Arnáiz-García, Ana María; Campillo-Campaña, Ramón; Alonso-Peña, Javier; González-Santos, Jose María; Fernández-Díaz, Alaska Leonor; Arnáiz, Javier

2015-08-01

Nowadays, despite improvements in safety rules and inspections in the metal industry, foundry workers are not free from burn accidents. Injuries caused by molten metals include burns secondary to molten iron, aluminium, zinc, copper, brass, bronze, manganese, lead and steel. Molten aluminium is one of the most common causative agents of burns (60%); however, only a few publications exist concerning injuries from molten aluminium. The main mechanisms of lesion from molten aluminium include direct contact of the molten metal with the skin or through safety apparel, or when the metal splash burns through the pants and rolls downward along the leg. Herein, we report three cases of deep dermal burns after 'soaking' the foot in liquid aluminium and its evolutive features. This paper aims to show our experience in the management of burns due to molten aluminium. We describe the current management principles and the key features of injury prevention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Legionella pneumophila: The Paradox of a Highly Sensitive Opportunistic Waterborne Pathogen Able to Persist in the Environment

PubMed Central

Berjeaud, Jean-Marc; Chevalier, Sylvie; Schlusselhuber, Margot; Portier, Emilie; Loiseau, Clémence; Aucher, Willy; Lesouhaitier, Olivier; Verdon, Julien

2016-01-01

Legionella pneumophila, the major causative agent of Legionnaires’ disease, is found in freshwater environments in close association with free-living amoebae and multispecies biofilms, leading to persistence, spread, biocide resistance, and elevated virulence of the bacterium. Indeed, legionellosis outbreaks are mainly due to the ability of this bacterium to colonize and persist in water facilities, despite harsh physical and chemical treatments. However, these treatments are not totally efficient and, after a lag period, L. pneumophila may be able to quickly re-colonize these systems. Several natural compounds (biosurfactants, antimicrobial peptides…) with anti-Legionella properties have recently been described in the literature, highlighting their specific activities against this pathogen. In this review, we first consider this hallmark of Legionella to resist killing, in regard to its biofilm or host-associated life style. Then, we focus more accurately on natural anti-Legionella molecules described so far, which could provide new eco-friendly and alternative ways to struggle against this important pathogen in plumbing. PMID:27092135

Ecology and genetic structure of zoonotic Anisakis spp. from adriatic commercial fish species.

PubMed

Mladineo, Ivona; Poljak, Vedran

2014-02-01

Consumption of raw or thermally inadequately treated fishery products represents a public health risk, with the possibility of propagation of live Anisakis larvae, the causative agent of the zoonotic disease anisakidosis, or anisakiasis. We investigated the population dynamics of Anisakis spp. in commercially important fish-anchovies (Anisakis), sardines (Sardina pilchardus), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), whiting (Merlangius merlangus), chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), and Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)-captured in the main Adriatic Sea fishing ground. We observed a significant difference in the numbers of parasite larvae (1 to 32) in individual hosts and between species, with most fish showing high or very high Anisakis population indices. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that commercial fish in the Adriatic Sea are parasitized by Anisakis pegreffii (95.95%) and Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (4.05%). The genetic structure of A. pegreffii in demersal, pelagic, and top predator hosts was unstructured, and the highest frequency of haplotype sharing (n = 10) was between demersal and pelagic fish.

Application of a multiplex PCR assay for Campylobacter fetus detection and subspecies differentiation in uncultured samples of aborted bovine fetuses.

PubMed

Iraola, Gregorio; Hernández, Martín; Calleros, Lucía; Paolicchi, Fernando; Silveyra, Silvia; Velilla, Alejandra; Carretto, Luis; Rodríguez, Eliana; Pérez, Ruben

2012-12-01

Campylobacter (C.) fetus (epsilonproteobacteria) is an important veterinary pathogen. This species is currently divided into C. fetus subspecies (subsp.) fetus (Cff) and C. fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv). Cfv is the causative agent of bovine genital Campylobacteriosis, an infectious disease that leads to severe reproductive problems in cattle worldwide. Cff is a more general pathogen that causes reproductive problems mainly in sheep although cattle can also be affected. Here we describe a multiplex PCR method to detect C. fetus and differentiate between subspecies in a single step. The assay was standardized using cultured strains and successfully used to analyze the abomasal liquid of aborted bovine fetuses without any pre-enrichment step. Results of our assay were completely consistent with those of traditional bacteriological diagnostic methods. Furthermore, the multiplex PCR technique we developed may be easily adopted by any molecular diagnostic laboratory as a complementary tool for detecting C. fetus subspecies and obtaining epidemiological information about abortion events in cattle.

House-level risk factors for Triatoma dimidiata infestation in Colombia.

PubMed

Parra-Henao, Gabriel; Cardona, Ángela Segura; Quirós-Gómez, Oscar; Angulo, Víctor; Alexander, Neal

2015-01-01

In Colombia, the main vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, are Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma dimidiata. T. dimidiata is present in the east region of Colombia as domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic populations, resulting in difficulties for its control. A cost-effective way to prioritize houses for treatment is to stratify houses based on risk factors. In this study, risk factors were evaluated for potential associations with domicile infestation of T. dimidiata. There was an increased likelihood of domestic infestation associated with the presence of mixed roofs (odds ratio [OR] = 36.14, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 12.21-106.97), cats (OR = 3.94, 95% CI = 1.36-11.38), rock piles (OR = 5.28, 95% CI = 1.64-16.98), and bushes with height above 10 m (OR = 11.21, 95% CI = 2.08-60.45). These factors could be used to target surveillance and control of T. dimidiata to houses with an increased risk of being infested. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

House-Level Risk Factors for Triatoma dimidiata Infestation in Colombia

PubMed Central

Parra-Henao, Gabriel; Cardona, Ángela Segura; Quirós-Gómez, Oscar; Angulo, Víctor; Alexander, Neal

2015-01-01

In Colombia, the main vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, are Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma dimidiata. T. dimidiata is present in the east region of Colombia as domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic populations, resulting in difficulties for its control. A cost-effective way to prioritize houses for treatment is to stratify houses based on risk factors. In this study, risk factors were evaluated for potential associations with domicile infestation of T. dimidiata. There was an increased likelihood of domestic infestation associated with the presence of mixed roofs (odds ratio [OR] = 36.14, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 12.21–106.97), cats (OR = 3.94, 95% CI = 1.36–11.38), rock piles (OR = 5.28, 95% CI = 1.64–16.98), and bushes with height above 10 m (OR = 11.21, 95% CI = 2.08–60.45). These factors could be used to target surveillance and control of T. dimidiata to houses with an increased risk of being infested. PMID:25349372

[Researches on virology at the Tohoku University Research Center in the Philippines].

PubMed

Oshitani, Hitoshi; Saito, Mariko; Okamoto, Michiko; Tamaki, Raita; Kamigaki, Taro; Suzuki, Akira

2013-01-01

Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine has established the Tohoku-RITM Collaborative Research Center on Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases at Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in the Philippines in 2008. Our aim of the center is to conduct operational researches, which can contribute to control of infectious diseases in the Philippines. Therefore most of our researches in the Philippines are being conducted in the fields. Main research themes include severe acute respiratory infections in children, influenza disease burden study, molecular epidemiology of rabies, and viral etiology of acute diarrhea. The study on severe acute respiratory infections in children in Leyte Island has recruited hospitalized cases with severe pneumonia. We showed that enterovirus 68 was one of important causative agents in severe pneumonia cases. We also conducted other analyses including molecular epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and pathogenesis of human rhinoviruses (HRV). Based on these studies, we initiated more comprehensive researches in the Philippines since 2010.

Pesticides exposure as etiological factors of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases--a mechanistic approach.

PubMed

Baltazar, Maria Teresa; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge; de Lourdes Bastos, Maria; Tsatsakis, Aristidis M; Duarte, José Alberto; Carvalho, Félix

2014-10-15

The etiology of most neurodegenerative disorders is multifactorial and consists of an interaction between environmental factors and genetic predisposition. The role of pesticide exposure in neurodegenerative disease has long been suspected, but the specific causative agents and the mechanisms underlying are not fully understood. For the main neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis there are evidences linking their etiology with long-term/low-dose exposure to pesticides such as paraquat, maneb, dieldrin, pyrethroids and organophosphates. Most of these pesticides share common features, namely the ability to induce oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, α-synuclein fibrillization and neuronal cell loss. This review aims to clarify the role of pesticides as environmental risk factors in genesis of idiopathic PD and other neurological syndromes. For this purpose, the most relevant epidemiological and experimental data is highlighted in order to discuss the molecular mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shigella entry unveils a calcium/calpain-dependent mechanism for inhibiting sumoylation

PubMed Central

Lhocine, Nouara; Andrieux, Alexandra; Nigro, Giulia; Mounier, Joëlle

2017-01-01

Disruption of the sumoylation/desumoylation equilibrium is associated with several disease states such as cancer and infections, however the mechanisms regulating the global SUMO balance remain poorly defined. Here, we show that infection by Shigella flexneri, the causative agent of human bacillary dysentery, switches off host sumoylation during epithelial cell infection in vitro and in vivo and that this effect is mainly mediated by a calcium/calpain-induced cleavage of the SUMO E1 enzyme SAE2, thus leading to sumoylation inhibition. Furthermore, we describe a mechanism by which Shigella promotes its own invasion by altering the sumoylation state of RhoGDIα, a master negative regulator of RhoGTPase activity and actin polymerization. Together, our data suggest that SUMO modification is essential to restrain pathogenic bacterial entry by limiting cytoskeletal rearrangement induced by bacterial effectors. Moreover, these findings identify calcium-activated calpains as powerful modulators of cellular sumoylation levels with potentially broad implications in several physiological and pathological situations. PMID:29231810

cipC is important for Aspergillus fumigatus virulence.

PubMed

Canela, Heliara Maria Spina; Takami, Luciano Akira; da Silva Ferreira, Márcia Eliana

2017-02-01

Aspergillus fumigatus is the main causative agent of invasive aspergillosis, a disease that affects immunocompromised patients and has a high mortality rate. We previously observed that the transcription of a cipC-like gene was increased when A. fumigatus encountered an increased CO 2 concentration, as occurs during the infection process. CipC is a protein of unknown function that might be associated with fungal pathogenicity. In this study, the cipC gene was disrupted in A. fumigatus to evaluate its importance for fungal pathogenicity. The gene was replaced, and the germination, growth phenotype, stress responses, and virulence of the resultant mutant were assessed. Although cipC was not essential, its deletion attenuated A. fumigatus virulence in a low-dose murine infection model, suggesting the involvement of the cipC gene in the virulence of this fungus. This study is the first to disrupt the cipC gene in A. fumigatus. © 2017 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

INFECTION BY Rickettsia felis IN OPOSSUMS (Didelphis sp.) FROM YUCATAN, MEXICO

PubMed Central

PENICHE-LARA, Gaspar; RUIZ-PIÑA, Hugo A.; REYES-NOVELO, Enrique; DZUL-ROSADO, Karla; ZAVALA-CASTRO, Jorge

2016-01-01

Rickettsia felis is an emergent pathogen and the causative agent of a typhus-like rickettsiosis in the Americas. Its transmission cycle involves fleas as biological vectors (mainly Ctenocephalides felis) and multiple domestic and synanthropic mammal hosts. Nonetheless, the role of mammals in the cycle of R. felis is not well understood and many efforts are ongoing in different countries of America to clarify it. The present study describes for the first time in Mexico the infection of two species of opossum (Didelphis virginiana and D. marsupialis) by R. felis. A diagnosis was carried out from blood samples by molecular methods through the gltAand 17 kDa genes and sequence determination. Eighty-seven opossum samples were analyzed and 28 were found to be infected (32.1%) from five out of the six studied localities of Yucatan. These findings enable recognition of the potential epidemiological implications for public health of the presence of infected synanthropic Didelphis in households. PMID:27074326

INFECTION BY Rickettsia felis IN OPOSSUMS (Didelphis sp.) FROM YUCATAN, MEXICO.

PubMed

Peniche-Lara, Gaspar; Ruiz-Piña, Hugo A; Reyes-Novelo, Enrique; Dzul-Rosado, Karla; Zavala-Castro, Jorge

2016-01-01

Rickettsia felis is an emergent pathogen and the causative agent of a typhus-like rickettsiosis in the Americas. Its transmission cycle involves fleas as biological vectors (mainly Ctenocephalides felis) and multiple domestic and synanthropic mammal hosts. Nonetheless, the role of mammals in the cycle of R. felis is not well understood and many efforts are ongoing in different countries of America to clarify it. The present study describes for the first time in Mexico the infection of two species of opossum (Didelphis virginiana and D. marsupialis) by R. felis. A diagnosis was carried out from blood samples by molecular methods through the gltA and 17 kDa genes and sequence determination. Eighty-seven opossum samples were analyzed and 28 were found to be infected (32.1%) from five out of the six studied localities of Yucatan. These findings enable recognition of the potential epidemiological implications for public health of the presence of infected synanthropic Didelphis in households.

Detection of single bacteria - causative agents of meningitis using raman microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baikova, T. V.; Minaeva, S. A.; Sundukov, A. V.; Svistunova, T. S.; Bagratashvili, V. N.; Alushin, M. V.; Gonchukov, S. A.

2015-03-01

Early diagnostics of meningitis is a very topical problem as it is a fulminant disease with a high level of mortality. The progress of this disease is, as a rule, accompanied by the appearance of bacteria in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition. The examination of the CSF is well known to be the only reliable approach to the identification of meningitis. However, the traditional biochemical analyses are time consuming and not always reliable, simple, and inexpensive, whereas the optical methods are poorly developed. This work is devoted to the study of Raman spectra of several bacterial cultures which are mainly present during meningitis. Raman microscopy is a prompt and noninvasive technique capable of providing reliable information about molecular-level alterations of biological objects at their minimal quantity and size. It was shown that there are characteristic lines in Raman spectra which can be the reliable markers for determination of bacterial form of meningitis at a level of a single bacterium.

The Impact of Routine HTLV-III Antibody Testing on Public Health. National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference Statement, Vol. 6, No. 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Institutes of Health (DHHS), Bethesda, MD.

A policy statement by a group of experts on screening blood donations for contamination by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is presented in this document. This document provides policy recommendations formed by a consensus conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health…

Genotype Diversity and Distribution of Orientia tsutsugamushi Causing Scrub Typhus in Thailand

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

typhus assay and vaccine development. Orientia tsutsugamushi, formerly known as Rickettsia tsutsug- amushi, is the causative agent of scrub typhus, a...Sunderland, MA. 13. Horinoucbi, H., et al. 1996. Genotypic identification of Rickettsia tsutsuga- mushi by restriction fragment length polymorphism... Rickettsia tsutsu· gamushi. Sequence and comparative analyses of the genes encoding TSA homologues from four antigenic variants. J. Bioi. Chern. 267:12728

Visualizing High-Efficiency HIV Transfer | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the causative agent of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), infects and eventually kills CD4 receptor-expressing T cells, which are critical for proper immune system function. The gp120 protein on the surface of HIV particles is known to bind CD4 and a co-receptor, either CCR5 or CXCR4, leading to fusion of the virus and T cell

Draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas sp. strain M47T1, carried by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus isolated from Pinus pinaster.

PubMed

Proença, Diogo Neves; Espírito Santo, Christophe; Grass, Gregor; Morais, Paula V

2012-09-01

The draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas sp. strain M47T1, carried by the Bursaphelenchus xylophilus pinewood nematode, the causative agent of pine wilt disease, is presented. In Pseudomonas sp. strain M47T1, genes that make this a plant growth-promoting bacterium, as well as genes potentially involved in nematotoxicity, were identified.

Genotyping of Global Yersinia Pestis Isolates by Using IS285

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

clones and to detect their geographical/ animal origin. 1. INTRODUCTION Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague circulating in natural...foci among about 200 species of rodents and lagomorphs. Humans usually become infected from animals via fleabites and display the bubonic form of...philogenetic relationships between Y. pestis strains, their potential geographical and animal origin. 2. GENOTYPING OF Y. PESTIS – CLUSTERING

Antileukemia activity in the Osillatoriaceae: isolation of Debromoaplysiatoxin from Lyngbya.

PubMed

Mynderse, J S; Moore, R E; Kashiwagi, M; Norton, T R

1977-04-29

Chloroform extracts of several seaweeds, of the family Oscillatoriaceae, from Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands, display activity against P-388 lymphocytic mouse leukemia. A P-388 active compound, debromoaplysiatoxin, has been isolated from Lyngbya gracilis and characterized. This compound also has dermonecrotic activity and may be the dermatitis-producing substance in L. majuscula, the causative agent of "swimmers' itch" outbreaks in Hawaiian waters.

Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis Due to Oral Use of Blue Dyes

PubMed Central

Sener, Osman; Kose, Ösman; Safali, Mukerrem

2011-01-01

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis is a rare severe pustular cutaneous adverse reaction characterized by a rapid clinical course with typical histological findings. It is accompanied by fever and acute eruption of non-follicular pustules overlying erythrodermic skin. The causative agents are most frequently antibacterial drugs. We present a patient with acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis caused by methylene blue and indigotin dyes. PMID:22016599

First report of Rickettsia raoultii in field collected Dermacentor reticulatus ticks from Austria.

PubMed

Duscher, Georg G; Hodžić, Adnan; Weiler, Martin; Vaux, Alexander G C; Rudolf, Ivo; Sixl, Wolfdieter; Medlock, Jolyon M; Versteirt, Veerle; Hubálek, Zdenek

2016-07-01

In a set of pooled field collected Dermacentor reticulatus ticks, Rickettsia raoultii, the causative agent of Tick-borne lymphadenopathy/Dermacentor-borne necrosis erythema and lymphadenopathy, was found for the first time in Austria. The coordinates of the positive locations for tick and pathogen abundance are given and shown in a map. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Use of Multiple Sequencing Technologies To Produce a High-Quality Genome of the Fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Causative Agent of Bat White-Nose Syndrome.

PubMed

Drees, Kevin P; Palmer, Jonathan M; Sebra, Robert; Lorch, Jeffrey M; Chen, Cynthia; Wu, Cheng-Cang; Bok, Jin Woo; Keller, Nancy P; Blehert, David S; Cuomo, Christina A; Lindner, Daniel L; Foster, Jeffrey T

2016-06-30

White-nose syndrome has recently emerged as one of the most devastating wildlife diseases recorded, causing widespread mortality in numerous bat species throughout eastern North America. Here, we present an improved reference genome of the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans for use in comparative genomic studies. Copyright © 2016 Drees et al.

Modeling the impact of global warming on vector-borne infections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massad, Eduardo; Coutinho, Francisco Antonio Bezerra; Lopez, Luis Fernandez; da Silva, Daniel Rodrigues

2011-06-01

Global warming will certainly affect the abundance and distribution of disease vectors. The effect of global warming, however, depends on the complex interaction between the human host population and the causative infectious agent. In this work we review some mathematical models that were proposed to study the impact of the increase in ambient temperature on the spread and gravity of some insect-transmitted diseases.

A century of typhus, lice and Rickettsia.

PubMed

Andersson, J O; Andersson, S G

2000-03-01

At the beginning of the 20th century, it was discovered at the Pasteur Institute in Tunis that epidemic typhus is transmitted by the human body louse. The complete genome sequence of its causative agent, Rickettsia prowazekii, was determined at Uppsala University in Sweden at the end of the century. In this mini-review, we discuss insights gained from the genome sequence of this fascinating and deadly organism.

Francisella tularensis Molecular Typing Using Differential Insertion Sequence Amplification

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

16 May 2011 Tularemia is a potentially fatal disease that is caused by the highly infectious and zoonotic pathogen Francisella tularensis. Despite...and characterizations of tularemia source outbreaks. Francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of the...zoonotic disease tularemia ( 10). This Gram-negative microbe is highly infectious, with as few as 10 organisms being capable of causing disease in

Toward a Psychology of Human Agency: Pathways and Reflections.

PubMed

Bandura, Albert

2018-03-01

Social cognitive theory is founded on an agentic perspective. This article reviews the core features of human agency and the individual, proxy, and collective forms in which it is exercised. Agency operates through a triadic codetermination process of causation. Knowledge from this line of theorizing is widely applied to effect individual and social change, including worldwide applications that address some of the most urgent global problems.

Isolation, cloning and expression mapping of a gene encoding an anti-diuretic hormone and other CAPA-related peptides in the disease vector, Rhodnius prolixus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Following a blood meal, Rhodnius prolixus undergoes a rapid diuresis in order to eliminate excess water and salts. During the voiding of this primary urine, R. prolixus acts as a vector of Chagas’ disease, with the causative agent, Trypanosoma cruzi, infecting the human host via the urine. Diuresi...

Effect of acute exposure to ergot alkaloids on short-chain fatty acid absorption and barrier function of isolated bovine ruminal epithelium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ergot alkaloids present in endophyte-infected tall fescue are the causative agents for fescue toxicosis in cattle. Ergot alkaloids have been shown to cause a reduction in blood flow to the rumen epithelium as well as a decrease in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) absorption from the washed rumen of ste...

North American soft ticks (Ornithodoros spp.): biology and feral swine parasitism as risks for the emergence of African swine fever in the U.S.A.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

African Swine Fever (ASF) is an emerging arboviral disease that affects pigs. The causative agent is the double-stranded DNA African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV). Several soft tick species in the genus Ornithodoros are known arthropod vectors of ASFV. Infection with ASFV can result in a hemorrhagic synd...

Rapid and efficient differentiation of Yersinia species using high-resolution melting analysis.

PubMed

Souza, Roberto A; Frazão, Miliane R; Almeida, Alzira M P; Falcão, Juliana P

2015-08-01

The primary goal of clinical microbiology is the accurate identification of the causative agent of the disease. Here, we describe a method for differentiation between Yersinia species using PCR-HRMA. The results revealed species-specific melting profiles. The herein developed assay can be used as an effective method to differentiate Yersinia species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vitro comparison of nitroethane, 2-nitro-1-propanol, lauric acid, Lauricidin(R), and the Hawaiian marine algae, Chaetoceros, activity against anaerobically grown Staphylococcus aureus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The gastrointestinal tract of bovines often contains bacteria that contribute to disorders of the rumen and may also contain foodborne or opportunistic human pathogens as well as causative agents of mastitis in cows. Thus, there is a need to develop broad-spectrum therapies that are effective while...

Blood culture-negative endocarditis: Improving the diagnostic yield using new diagnostic tools.

PubMed

Fournier, Pierre-Edouard; Gouriet, Frédérique; Casalta, Jean-Paul; Lepidi, Hubert; Chaudet, Hervé; Thuny, Franck; Collart, Frédéric; Habib, Gilbert; Raoult, Didier

2017-11-01

Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) may represent up to 70% of all endocarditis cases, depending on series. From 2001 to 2009, we implemented in our laboratory a multimodal diagnostic strategy for BCNE that included systematized testing of blood, and when available, valvular biopsy specimens using serological, broad range molecular, and histopathological assays. A causative microorganism was identified in 62.7% of patients.In this study from January 2010 to December 2015, in an effort to increase the number of identified causative microorganisms, we prospectively added to our diagnostic protocol specific real-time (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting various endocarditis agents, and applied them to all patients with BCNE admitted to the 4 public hospitals in Marseille, France.A total of 283 patients with BCNE were included in the study. Of these, 177 were classified as having definite endocarditis. Using our new multimodal diagnostic strategy, we identified an etiology in 138 patients (78.0% of cases). Of these, 3 were not infective (2.2%) and 1 was diagnosed as having Mycobacterium bovis BCG endocarditis. By adding specific PCR assays from blood and valvular biopsies, which exhibited a significantly greater sensitivity (P < 10) than other methods, causative agents, mostly enterococci, streptococci, and zoonotic microorganisms, were identified in an additional 27 patients (14 from valves only, 11 from blood only, and 2 from both). Finally, in another 107 patients, a pathogen was detected using serology in 37, valve culture in 8, broad spectrum PCR from valvular biopsies and blood in 19 and 2, respectively, immunohistochemistry from valves in 3, and a combination of several assays in 38.By adding specific RT-PCR assays to our systematic PCR testing of patients with BCNE, we increased the diagnostic efficiency by 24.3%, mostly by detecting enterococci and streptococci that had not been detected by other diagnostic methods, but also agents requiring specific management such as Mycoplasma hominis and Tropheryma whipplei. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of childhood leukemia in New Zealand: studies of infectious hypotheses.

PubMed

Dockerty, John D

2009-01-01

The etiology of childhood leukemia remains an enigma despite decades of research. Hypotheses of an infectious etiology have been around for a long time, and in the last 20 years there have been two main theoretical contenders. One of these involves the possibility of a specific infectious agent having a causative role, and animal leukemia viruses would be analogous to this. Another theory relates to the possible involvement of unusual patterns of infections in infancy and how they might relate to aberrant immune responses. The first of these is easier to test. In New Zealand, since the early 1990s we have embarked on a program of research on the epidemiology of childhood leukemia. One of the goals has been to test hypotheses about the role of infection in causation. A variety of study designs have been employed, including descriptive, clustering, case-control and contributions to pooled international analyses. Some of the more interesting findings include: there has been a marked increase in the incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia among young children in New Zealand since the mid 1960s, poorer families are at greater risk, and there is no clear support for hypotheses of an infectious cause from the New Zealand data. However because of our small total population (4 million people) we cannot produce clear results on our own. Hence our current international collaborations, for example in CLIC (the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium) represent an important step forward. As countries work together across international boundaries we have a renewed hope that the causes of the childhood leukemias will be unlocked in the foreseeable future.

Facts, myths and hypotheses on the zoonotic nature of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.

PubMed

Atreya, Raja; Bülte, Michael; Gerlach, Gerald-F; Goethe, Ralph; Hornef, Mathias W; Köhler, Heike; Meens, Jochen; Möbius, Petra; Roeb, Elke; Weiss, Siegfried

2014-10-01

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of paratuberculosis (Johne's disease [JD]), a chronic granulomatous enteritis in ruminants. JD is one of the most widespread bacterial diseases of domestic animals with significant economic impact. The histopathological picture of JD resembles that of Crohn's disease (CD), a human chronic inflammatory bowel disease of still unresolved aetiology. An aetiological relevance of MAP for CD has been proposed. This and the ambiguity of other published epidemiological findings raise the question whether MAP represents a zoonotic agent. In this review, we will discuss evidence that MAP has zoonotic capacity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Human agency in social cognitive theory.

PubMed

Bandura, A

1989-09-01

The present article examines the nature and function of human agency within the conceptual model of triadic reciprocal causation. In analyzing the operation of human agency in this interactional causal structure, social cognitive theory accords a central role to cognitive, vicarious, self-reflective, and self-regulatory processes. The issues addressed concern the psychological mechanisms through which personal agency is exercised, the hierarchical structure of self-regulatory systems, eschewal of the dichotomous construal of self as agent and self as object, and the properties of a nondualistic but nonreductional conception of human agency. The relation of agent causality to the fundamental issues of freedom and determinism is also analyzed.

The Role of Cytokines and Chemokines in Filovirus Infection.

PubMed

Bixler, Sandra L; Goff, Arthur J

2015-10-23

Ebola- and marburgviruses are highly pathogenic filoviruses and causative agents of viral hemorrhagic fever. Filovirus disease is characterized by a dysregulated immune response, severe organ damage, and coagulation abnormalities. This includes modulation of cytokines, signaling mediators that regulate various components of the immune system as well as other biological processes. Here we examine the role of cytokines in filovirus infection, with an emphasis on understanding how these molecules affect development of the antiviral immune response and influence pathology. These proteins may present targets for immune modulation by therapeutic agents and vaccines in an effort to boost the natural immune response to infection and/or reduce immunopathology.

In Vitro Activities of Iboga Alkaloid Congeners Coronaridine and 18-Methoxycoronaridine against Leishmania amazonensis

PubMed Central

Delorenzi, Jan Carlo; Freire-de-Lima, Leonardo; Gattass, Cerli R.; de Andrade Costa, Deise; He, Liwen; Kuehne, Martin E.; Saraiva, Elvira M. B.

2002-01-01

In previous studies, we demonstrated the leishmanicide effect of coronaridine, a natural indole alkaloid isolated from stem bark of Peschiera australis (Delorenzi et al., Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 45:1349-1354, 2001). In this study we show the leishmanicidal effect of the synthetic coronaridine and its racemic 18-methoxylated analog, 18-methoxycoronaridine. Both alkaloids revealed a potent leishmanicide effect against Leishmania amazonensis, a causative agent of cutaneous and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis in the New World. Despite their potent leishmanicide effect, both alkaloids were neither toxic to murine macrophages nor did they modulate their oxidative or cytokine production responses. PMID:12069962

[Onychocola canadensis Sigler in onychomycosis : A new dermatophyte-like mould in Germany].

PubMed

Nenoff, P; Schorlemmer, B; Uhrlaß, S; Baunacke, A; Baunacke, A; Friedrichs, C; Iffländer, J; Syhre, E; Schneider, A; Krüger, C; Maier, T

2016-09-01

Moulds or non-dermatophyte moulds (NDM) are being increasingly isolated as causative agent of onychomycoses. Known causes of a NDM-OM are Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Fusarium, Aspergillus, Acremonium, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, Arthrographis kalrae, and Chaetomium. In this article, 5 patients with suspected nail infection due to Onychocola canadensis are reported for the first time in Germany. Systemic antifungal agents are not considered to be effective in NDM onychomycosis. In individual cases, however, terbinafine seems to be effective in Onychocola canadensis infection of the nails. Treatment of choice represents, however, nontraumatic nail avulsion using 40 % urea ointment followed by antifungal nail lacquer with ciclopirox olamine or amorolfine.

Seroprevalence and risk factors for Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever in the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) population in Algeria.

PubMed

Benaissa, Mohammed H; Ansel, Samir; Mohamed-Cherif, Abdallah; Benfodil, Karima; Khelef, Djamel; Youngs, Curtis R; Kaidi, Rachid; Ait-Oudhia, Khatima

2017-08-31

Query (Q) fever is a globally distributed zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, a bacterial agent for which ruminants are the most prevalent natural reservoir. Data regarding Q fever infection in camels in Algeria are limited. Therefore, a survey to detect seroprevalence of C. burnetii antibodies was conducted among healthy camel populations in a vast area in southeastern Algeria to determine distribution of the Q fever causative organism and to identify risk factors associated with infection. Between January and March 2016, blood samples were collected from 184 camels and serum samples were subsequently analysed using a commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. At the time of blood collection, a questionnaire investigating 13 potential predisposing factors associated with C. burnetii seropositivity was completed for every dromedary camel and herd. Results were analysed by a chi-square (χ2) test and multivariate logistic regression. The seroprevalence of C. burnetii at the animal level was 71.2% (95% CI: 65.2-78.3) and 85.3% (95% CI: 72.8-97.8) at the herd level. At the animal level, differences in seroprevalence were observed because of herd size, animal age, animal sex, presence of ticks and contact with other herds. A multivariable logistic regression model identified three main risk factors associated with individual seropositivity: (1) age class > 11 years (OR = 8.81, 95% CI: 2.55-30.41), (2) herd size > 50 head (OR = 4.46, 95% CI: 1.01-19.59) and (3) infestation with ticks (OR 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). This study of seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection in camels in Algeria revealed a high seroprevalence of Q fever in camel populations in southeastern Algeria and provided strong evidence that Q fever represents an economic, public health and veterinary concern. Appropriate measures should be taken to prevent the spread of C. burnetii and to reduce the risk of Q fever in farm animals and humans in this agro-ecologically and strategically important region of North Africa.

Borrelia persica infection in dogs and cats: clinical manifestations, clinicopathological findings and genetic characterization.

PubMed

Baneth, Gad; Nachum-Biala, Yaarit; Halperin, Tamar; Hershko, Yizhak; Kleinerman, Gabriela; Anug, Yigal; Abdeen, Ziad; Lavy, Eran; Aroch, Itamar; Straubinger, Reinhard K

2016-05-10

Relapsing fever (RF) is an acute infectious disease caused by arthropod-borne spirochetes of the genus Borrelia. The disease is characterized by recurrent episodes of fever that concur with spirochetemia. The RF borrelioses include louse-borne RF caused by Borrelia recurrentis and tick-borne endemic RF transmitted by argasid soft ticks and caused by several Borrelia spp. such as B. crocidurae, B. coriaceae, B. duttoni, B. hermsii, B. hispanica and B. persica. Human infection with B. persica is transmitted by the soft tick Ornithodoros tholozani and has been reported from Iran, Israel, Egypt, India, and Central Asia. During 2003-2015, five cats and five dogs from northern, central and southern Israel were presented for veterinary care and detected with borrelia spirochetemia by blood smear microscopy. The causative infective agent in these animals was identified and characterized by PCR from blood and sequencing of parts of the flagellin (flab), 16S rRNA and glycerophosphodiester phosphodiestrase (GlpQ) genes. All animals were infected with B. persica genetically identical to the causative agent of human RF. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that DNA sequences from these pet carnivores clustered together with B. persica genotypes I and II from humans and O. tholozani ticks and distinctly from other RF Borrelia spp. The main clinical findings in cats included lethargy, anorexia, anemia in 5/5 cats and thrombocytopenia in 4/5. All dogs were lethargic and anorectic, 4/5 were febrile and anemic and 3/5 were thrombocytopenic. Three dogs were co-infected with Babesia spp. The animals were all treated with antibiotics and the survival rate of both dogs and cats was 80 %. The cat and dog that succumbed to disease died one day after the initiation of antibiotic treatment, while survival in the others was followed by the rapid disappearance of spirochetemia. This is the first report of disease due to B. persica infection in cats and the first case series in dogs. Infection was associated with anemia and thrombocytopenia. Fever was more frequently observed in dogs than cats. Domestic canines and felines suffer from clinical disease due to B. persica infection and may also serve as sentinels for human infection.

Beliefs and perception of ill-health causation: a socio-cultural qualitative study in rural North-Eastern Ethiopia.

PubMed

Kahissay, Mesfin H; Fenta, Teferi G; Boon, Heather

2017-01-26

Understanding perceptions of the causes of ill-health common in indigenous communities may help policy makers to design effective integrated primary health care strategies to serve these communities. This study explored the indigenous beliefs of ill-health causation among those living in the Tehuledere Woreda /district/ in North East Ethiopia from a socio-cultural perspective. The study employed a qualitative ethnographic method informed by Murdock's Theory of Illness. Participatory observation, over a total of 5 months during the span of one year, was supplemented by focus group discussions (n = 96 participants in 10 groups) and in-depth interviews (n = 20) conducted with key informants. Data were analyzed thematically using narrative strategies. In these communities, illness is perceived to have supernatural (e.g., almighty God/ Allah, nature spirits, and human agents of the supernatural), natural (e.g., environmental sanitation and personal hygiene, poverty, biological and psychological factors) and societal causes (e.g., social trust, experiences of family support and harmony; and violation of social taboos). Therefore, the explanatory model of illness causation in this community was very similar to that of the Murdock model with one key difference: social elements need to be added to the model. Members of the study community believes that supernatural, natural and social elements are linked to ill-health causation. A successful integrated primary health care strategy should include strategies for supporting patients' needs in all three of these domains.

Acroangiodermatitis mimicking Kaposi's sarcoma in an HIV-positive man.

PubMed

Goorney, B P; Newsham, J; Fitzgerald, D; Motta, L

2018-06-01

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the commonest human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related malignancy with its characteristic cutaneous morphological appearance and histopathological features. However, it can be simulated by other co-morbid opportunistic infections and unrelated dermatological conditions. We describe such a case of acroangiodermatitis in an HIV co-infected man, based on exclusion of KS histologically and the absence of human herpesvirus 8, the causative agent of KS.

Visceral Leishmaniasis Unresponsive to Pentostam Caused by Leishmania tropica in Kenya

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

LARRY HENDRICKS , JOHANNES LEEUWENBURG DAVY KOECH, AND CLIFFORD ROBERTS Biomedical Sciences Research Centre, Clinical Research (entre. Kenya Medical...supplemented with 20% heat-inactivated fetal have implicated L. fropica as a causative agent bovine serum plus penicillin (250 U/ml), strep- of visceral...treatment with pentami- search Institute, Nairobi, Kenya. Larry Hendricks and dine. 7rans R Soc Trop .Lied Jlfpl 79:705-714. Clifford Roberts, U.S. Army

Genomic Patterns of Pathogen Evolution Revealed by Comparison of Burkholderia pseudomallei, the Causative Agent of Melioidosis, to Avirulent Burkholderia thailandensis

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-26

are four polyketide synthase (PKS) and nonribos- omal pepeide synthase (NRPS) clusters involved in the production and regulation of secondary...specific genomic regions, we derived molecular explanations for previously-known metabolic differences, discovered potentially new ones , and found that...Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium

Enteric Disease Surveillance Under the AFHSC-GEIS: Current Efforts, Landscape Analysis and Vision Forward

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Severe diarrhea study at Cairo University • Case-control study of modifiable risk behaviors • Molecular biology and cholera/ rotavirus microbiology...capacity as WHO Rotavirus Reference Laboratory • Norovirus outbreak response support, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey NMRCD-Peru • Cohort study among basic...identified rotavirus as the leading causative agent • Advanced characterization of Campylobacter spp. and Shigella spp. USAMRU-K • Movement of Enteric

Andes Virus M Genome Segment is Not Sufficient to Confer the Virulence Associated With Andres Virus in Syrian Hamsters

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

Hantavirus ; Reassortant; Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome ; HamsterIntroduction Hantaviruses are members of the Bunyaviridae...Andes virus (ANDV), members of the genus Hantavirus , in the family Bunyaviridae, are causative agents of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in North and...in humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) (Lee et al., 1982; Nichol et al., 1993). Almost

Actinomyces urogenitalis bacteremia and tubo-ovarian abscess after an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure.

PubMed

Van Hoecke, Frederik; Beuckelaers, Ellen; Lissens, Peter; Boudewijns, Michael

2013-12-01

We describe the first case of bacteremia due to Actinomyces urogenitalis. Bacteremia was secondary to a tubo-ovarian abscess following transvaginal oocyte retrieval. Identification was established by matrix-assisted desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A. urogenitalis should be considered as a potential causative agent of infection after gynecological procedures.

Posaconazole treatment for Apophysomyces elegans rhino-orbital zygomycosis following trauma for a male with well-controlled diabetes.

PubMed

Ferguson, T D; Schniederjan, S D; Dionne-Odom, J; Brandt, M E; Rinaldi, M G; Nolte, F S; Langston, A; Zimmer, S M

2007-05-01

We report a case of rhino-orbital zygomycosis in a 43-year-old male with well-controlled diabetes mellitus. The patient initially received liposomal amphotericin B, but the infection continued to progress, so posaconazole treatment was begun and eventually led to the cure of his infection. The causative agent was identified as Apophysomyces elegans, an emerging cause of zygomycosis in immunocompetent hosts.

Acute suppurative parotitis in a 33-day-old patient.

PubMed

Avcu, Gulhadiye; Belet, Nursen; Karli, Arzu; Sensoy, Gulnar

2015-06-01

Acute suppurative parotitis is a rare disease in childhood. Its incidence is higher in premature newborns. Parotid swelling and pus drainage from Stenson's duct is pathognomonic, and Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent in most cases. Here, a 33-day-old patient with acute suppurative parotitis is presented. © The Author [2015]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Draft Genome Sequence of Serratia sp. Strain M24T3, Isolated from Pinewood Disease Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

PubMed Central

Proença, Diogo Neves; Espírito Santo, Christophe; Grass, Gregor

2012-01-01

Here we report the draft genome sequence of Serratia sp. strain M24T3, which is associated with pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causative agent of pine wilt disease. Serratia sp. strain M24T3 has been identified as a bionematocide for B. xylophilus in vitro, and multiple genes potentially involved in virulence and nematotoxity were identified. PMID:22740681

Draft genome sequence of Serratia sp. strain M24T3, isolated from pinewood disease nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.

PubMed

Proença, Diogo Neves; Espírito Santo, Christophe; Grass, Gregor; Morais, Paula V

2012-07-01

Here we report the draft genome sequence of Serratia sp. strain M24T3, which is associated with pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causative agent of pine wilt disease. Serratia sp. strain M24T3 has been identified as a bionematocide for B. xylophilus in vitro, and multiple genes potentially involved in virulence and nematotoxity were identified.

The other way around: probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NP51 restrict progression of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in Balb/c mice via activiation of CD8 alpha+ immune cell-mediated immunity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to examine the immune-modulating effects of feeding a novel probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus strain NP51 to specific pathogen-free Balb/c mice challenged with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the causative agent of Johne’s disease (JD) in rumi...