Lymph nodes fine needle cytology in the diagnosis of infectious diseases: clinical settings.

PubMed

Natella, Valentina; Cozzolino, Immacolata; Sosa Fernandez, Laura Virginia; Vigliar, Elena

2012-01-01

Lymph node reactive hyperplasia, caused by specific infectious etiologic factors, represents the most frequent cause of enlarged peripheral lymph nodes. The main infectious agents are viruses, pyogenic bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi and protozoa that may determine unspecific or specific pathological entities, such as cat-scratch disease, toxoplasmosis or infectious mononucleosis. Lymph node fine needle cytology (FNC) is a safe, simple, cost-effective and efficient technique that quickly provides information about the cell population and the nature of the process. FNC can also provide suitable material for ancillary techniques, such as flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, molecular biology and microbiological examinations. This study focuses on the cytological features of benign lymphadenopathy of infectious origin and their possible contribution to the clinical setting definition of corresponding patients.

Who acquires infection from whom and how? Disentangling multi-host and multi-mode transmission dynamics in the ‘elimination’ era

PubMed Central

Borlase, Anna; Rudge, James W.

2017-01-01

Multi-host infectious agents challenge our abilities to understand, predict and manage disease dynamics. Within this, many infectious agents are also able to use, simultaneously or sequentially, multiple modes of transmission. Furthermore, the relative importance of different host species and modes can itself be dynamic, with potential for switches and shifts in host range and/or transmission mode in response to changing selective pressures, such as those imposed by disease control interventions. The epidemiology of such multi-host, multi-mode infectious agents thereby can involve a multi-faceted community of definitive and intermediate/secondary hosts or vectors, often together with infectious stages in the environment, all of which may represent potential targets, as well as specific challenges, particularly where disease elimination is proposed. Here, we explore, focusing on examples from both human and animal pathogen systems, why and how we should aim to disentangle and quantify the relative importance of multi-host multi-mode infectious agent transmission dynamics under contrasting conditions, and ultimately, how this can be used to help achieve efficient and effective disease control. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Opening the black box: re-examining the ecology and evolution of parasite transmission’. PMID:28289259

NONBACTERIAL MYOSITIS

PubMed Central

Crum-Cianflone, Nancy F.

2010-01-01

Infectious myositis is defined as an infection of a skeletal muscle. Infectious myositis is most commonly caused by bacteria; however, a variety of viral, parasitic, and fungal agents may also cause myositis. The pathogenesis of nonbacterial infectious myositis is via direct infection of the musculature or immune mechanisms. Symptoms typically include muscular pain, tenderness, swelling, and/or weakness. The diagnosis of the specific microbe is often suggested by the presence of concordant clinical signs and symptoms, a detailed medical/travel history, and laboratory data. For example, immunocompromised hosts have a heightened risk of fungal myositis, whereas the presence of a travel history to an endemic location and/or eosinophilia may suggest a parasitic cause. Definitive diagnosis requires detecting the organism by specific laboratory testing including serologies, histopathology, and/or cultures. Treatment entails antimicrobial agents against the pathogen, with consideration for surgical drainage for focal purulent collections within the musculature. PMID:21308520

The kuru infectious agent is a unique geographic isolate distinct from Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and scrapie agents

PubMed Central

Manuelidis, Laura; Chakrabarty, Trisha; Miyazawa, Kohtaro; Nduom, Nana-Aba; Emmerling, Kaitlin

2009-01-01

Human sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (sCJD), endemic sheep scrapie, and epidemic bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) are caused by a related group of infectious agents. The new U.K. BSE agent spread to many species, including humans, and clarifying the origin, specificity, virulence, and diversity of these agents is critical, particularly because infected humans do not develop disease for many years. As with viruses, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agents can adapt to new species and become more virulent yet maintain fundamentally unique and stable identities. To make agent differences manifest, one must keep the host genotype constant. Many TSE agents have revealed their independent identities in normal mice. We transmitted primate kuru, a TSE once epidemic in New Guinea, to mice expressing normal and ≈8-fold higher levels of murine prion protein (PrP). High levels of murine PrP did not prevent infection but instead shortened incubation time, as would be expected for a viral receptor. Sporadic CJD and BSE agents and representative scrapie agents were clearly different from kuru in incubation time, brain neuropathology, and lymphoreticular involvement. Many TSE agents can infect monotypic cultured GT1 cells, and unlike sporadic CJD isolates, kuru rapidly and stably infected these cells. The geographic independence of the kuru agent provides additional reasons to explore causal environmental pathogens in these infectious neurodegenerative diseases. PMID:19633190

Screening and Monitoring for Infectious Complications When Immunosuppressive Agents Are Studied in the Treatment of Autoimmune Disorders.

PubMed

Loechelt, Brett J; Green, Michael; Gottlieb, Peter A; Blumberg, Emily; Weinberg, Adriana; Quinlan, Scott; Baden, Lindsey R

2015-09-01

Significant progress has been made in the development, investigation, and clinical application of immunosuppressive agents to treat a variety of autoimmune disorders. The expansion of clinical applications of these new agents requires the performance of large multicenter clinical trials. These large clinical trials are particularly important as one considers these agents for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, which although autoimmune in its pathogenesis, is not classically treated as an autoimmune disorder. Although these agents hold promise for amelioration or cure of this disease, they have the potential to facilitate infectious complications. There are limited data regarding the prospective assessment of infectious risks with these agents in trials of this nature. Pediatric subjects may be at greater risk due to the higher likelihood of primary infection. A subgroup of experts associated with TrialNet (a National Institutes of Health [NIH]-funded Type 1 diabetes mellitus research network) with expertise in infectious diseases, immunology, and diagnostics developed an approach for screening and monitoring of immunosuppression-associated infections for prospective use in clinical trials. The goals of these recommendations are to provide a structured approach to monitor for infections, to identify specific laboratory testing and surveillance methods, and to consider therapies for treatment of these potential complications. Prospective evaluations of these infectious risks allow for greater scientific rigor in the evaluation of risk, which must be balanced with the potential benefits of these therapies. Our experience supports an important role for investigators with expertise in infections in immunocompromised individuals in protocol development of immunosuppressive trials in type 1diabetes and potentially other autoimmune diseases.

Determination of buoyant density and sensitivity to chloroform and freon for the etiological agent of infectious salmonid anaemia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christie, K.E.; Hjeltnes, B.; Uglenes , I.; Winton, J.R.

1993-01-01

Plasma was collected from Atlantic salmon Salrno salar with acute infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) and used to challenge Atlantic salmon parr by intraperitoneal injection. Treatment of plasma with the lipid solvent, chloroform, showed that the etiological agent of ISA contained essential lipids, probably as a viral envelope. Some infectivity remained following treatment with freon. Injection challenges using fractions from equilibrium density gradient centrifugation of plasma from fish with acute ISA revealed a band of infectivity in the range 1.184 to 1.262 g cm-3. The band was believed to conta~n both complete ISA-virus particles and infectious particles lacking a complete envelope, nucleocapsid or genome. Density gradient centrifugation of infectious plasma for enrichment of the putative ISA virus appeared to offer a suitable method for obtaining virus-specific nucleic acid for use in the construction of cDNA libraries. 

Screening and Monitoring for Infectious Complications When Immunosuppressive Agents Are Studied in the Treatment of Autoimmune Disorders

PubMed Central

Loechelt, Brett J.; Green, Michael; Gottlieb, Peter A.; Blumberg, Emily; Weinberg, Adriana; Quinlan, Scott; Baden, Lindsey R.

2015-01-01

Significant progress has been made in the development, investigation, and clinical application of immunosuppressive agents to treat a variety of autoimmune disorders. The expansion of clinical applications of these new agents requires the performance of large multicenter clinical trials. These large clinical trials are particularly important as one considers these agents for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, which although autoimmune in its pathogenesis, is not classically treated as an autoimmune disorder. Although these agents hold promise for amelioration or cure of this disease, they have the potential to facilitate infectious complications. There are limited data regarding the prospective assessment of infectious risks with these agents in trials of this nature. Pediatric subjects may be at greater risk due to the higher likelihood of primary infection. A subgroup of experts associated with TrialNet (a National Institutes of Health [NIH]-funded Type 1 diabetes mellitus research network) with expertise in infectious diseases, immunology, and diagnostics developed an approach for screening and monitoring of immunosuppression-associated infections for prospective use in clinical trials. The goals of these recommendations are to provide a structured approach to monitor for infections, to identify specific laboratory testing and surveillance methods, and to consider therapies for treatment of these potential complications. Prospective evaluations of these infectious risks allow for greater scientific rigor in the evaluation of risk, which must be balanced with the potential benefits of these therapies. Our experience supports an important role for investigators with expertise in infections in immunocompromised individuals in protocol development of immunosuppressive trials in type 1diabetes and potentially other autoimmune diseases. PMID:26336066

Infectious agents and inflammation in donated hearts and dilated cardiomyopathies related to cardiovascular diseases, Chagas' heart disease, primary and secondary dilated cardiomyopathies.

PubMed

Mangini, Sandrigo; Higuchi, Maria de Lourdes; Kawakami, Joyce Tiyeko; Reis, Marcia Martins; Ikegami, Renata Nishiyama; Palomino, Suely Aparecida Pinheiro; Pomerantzeff, Pablo Maria Alberto; Fiorelli, Alfredo Inácio; Marcondes-Braga, Fabiana Goulart; Bacal, Fernando; Ferreira, Sílvia Moreira Ayub; Issa, Victor Sarli; Souza, Germano Emílio Conceição; Chizzola, Paulo Roberto; Bocchi, Edimar Alcides

2015-01-15

Clinical and experimental conflicting data have questioned the relationship between infectious agents, inflammation and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of infectious agents and inflammation in endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) specimens from patients with idiopathic DCM, explanted hearts from different etiologies, including Chagas' disease, compared to donated hearts. From 2008 to 2011, myocardial samples from 29 heart donors and 55 patients with DCMs from different etiologies were studied (32 idiopathic, 9 chagasic, 6 ischemic and 8 other specific etiologies). Inflammation was investigated by immunohistochemistry and infectious agents by immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, in situ hybridization and electron microscopy. There were no differences regarding the presence of macrophages, expression of HLA class II and ICAM-I in donors and DCM. Inflammation in Chagas' disease was predominant. By immunohistochemistry, in donors, there was a higher expression of antigens of enterovirus and Borrelia, hepatitis B and C in DCMs. By molecular biology, in all groups, the positivity was elevated to microorganisms, including co-infections, with a higher positivity to adenovirus and HHV6 in donors towards DCMs. This study was the first to demonstrate the presence of virus in the heart tissue of chagasic DCM. The presence of inflammation and infectious agents is frequent in donated hearts, in the myocardium of patients with idiopathic DCM, myocardial dysfunction related to cardiovascular diseases, and primary and secondary cardiomyopathies, including Chagas' disease. The role of co-infection in Chagas' heart disease physiopathology deserves to be investigated in future studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

National athletic trainers' association position statement: skin diseases.

PubMed

Zinder, Steven M; Basler, Rodney S W; Foley, Jack; Scarlata, Chris; Vasily, David B

2010-01-01

To present recommendations for the prevention, education, and management of skin infections in athletes. Trauma, environmental factors, and infectious agents act together to continually attack the integrity of the skin. Close quarters combined with general poor hygiene practices make athletes particularly vulnerable to contracting skin diseases. An understanding of basic prophylactic measures, clinical features, and swift management of common skin diseases is essential for certified athletic trainers to aid in preventing the spread of infectious agents. These guidelines are intended to provide relevant information on skin infections and to give specific recommendations for certified athletic trainers and others participating in athletic health care.

Cocirculation of infectious diseases on networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Joel C.

2013-06-01

We consider multiple diseases spreading in a static configuration model network. We make standard assumptions that infection transmits from neighbor to neighbor at a disease-specific rate and infected individuals recover at a disease-specific rate. Infection by one disease confers immediate and permanent immunity to infection by any disease. Under these assumptions, we find a simple, low-dimensional ordinary differential equations model which captures the global dynamics of the infection. The dynamics depend strongly on initial conditions. Although we motivate this Rapid Communication with infectious disease, the model may be adapted to the spread of other infectious agents such as competing political beliefs, or adoption of new technologies if these are influenced by contacts. As an example, we demonstrate how to model an infectious disease which can be prevented by a behavior change.

Infectious Agents and Cancer Epidemiology Research Webinar Series

Cancer.gov

Infectious Agents and Cancer Epidemiology Research Webinar Series highlights emerging and cutting-edge research related to infection-associated cancers, shares scientific knowledge about technologies and methods, and fosters cross-disciplinary discussions on infectious agents and cancer epidemiology.

Nano-LISA for in vitro diagnostic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maswadi, Saher; Glickman, Randolph D.; Elliott, Rowe; Barsalou, Norman

2011-03-01

We previously reported the detection of bacterial antigen with immunoaffinity reactions using laser optoacoustic spectroscopy and antibody-coupled gold nanorods (Ab-NR) as a contrast agent specifically targeted to the antigen of interest. The Nano-LISA (Nanoparticle Linked Immunosorbent Assay) method has been adapted to detect three very common blood-borne viral infectious agents, i.e. human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis-B (Hep-B). These agents were used in a model test panel to illustrate the performance of the Nano-LISA technique. A working laboratory prototype of a Nano-LISA microplate reader-sensor was assembled and tested against the panel containing specific antigens of each of the infectious viral agents. Optoacoustic (OA) responses generated by the samples were detected using the probe beam deflection technique, an all-optical, non-contact technique. A LabView graphical user interface was developed for control of the instrument and real-time display of the test results. The detection limit of Nano-LISA is at least 1 ng/ml of viral antigen, and can reach 10 pg/ml, depending on the binding affinity of the specific detection antibody used to synthesize the Ab-NR. The method has sufficient specificity, i.e. the detection reagents do not cross-react with noncomplementary antigens. Thus, the OA microplate reader, incorporating NanoLISA, has adequate detection sensitivity and specificity for use in clinical in vitro diagnostic testing.

Gene Therapy for Infectious Diseases

PubMed Central

Bunnell, Bruce A.; Morgan, Richard A.

1998-01-01

Gene therapy is being investigated as an alternative treatment for a wide range of infectious diseases that are not amenable to standard clinical management. Approaches to gene therapy for infectious diseases can be divided into three broad categories: (i) gene therapies based on nucleic acid moieties, including antisense DNA or RNA, RNA decoys, and catalytic RNA moieties (ribozymes); (ii) protein approaches such as transdominant negative proteins and single-chain antibodies; and (iii) immunotherapeutic approaches involving genetic vaccines or pathogen-specific lymphocytes. It is further possible that combinations of the aforementioned approaches will be used simultaneously to inhibit multiple stages of the life cycle of the infectious agent. PMID:9457428

Clinical and cerebrospinal fluid findings contribute to the early differentiation between infectious and noninfectious encephalitis.

PubMed

Wilken, Miguel; Ameghino, Lucía; Cammarota, Ángel; Nogués, Martín A; Del Castillo, Marcelo; Farez, Mauricio F

2017-01-01

Early recognition and prompt specific treatment are crucial factors influencing the outcome of patients with acute encephalitis. The aim of this study was to determine the main causes of acute encephalitis in our population and to find predictors that may lead to specific diagnosis. Adult patients admitted to our hospital with suspected diagnosis of encephalitis in the period 2006-2013 were included. One hundred and five medical records were analyzed. Eighty-two patients with infectious encephalitis were identified (78% of total cases), 53 (65%) men and 29 (35%) women, mean age 47.8 years. The most common microorganisms identified were: HSV-1 (11%), VZV (10%), HSV-2 (5%) and EBV (5%). Twenty-three patients (22% of the series) had non-infectious encephalitis. Headache (p < 0.0001) and fever (p = 0.008) were more frequent in encephalitis of infectious origin. Protein levels and white blood cell counts in the cerebrospinal fluid were significantly higher in patients affected by infectious encephalitis than in those affected by noninfectious encephalitis (OR 95% CI 12.3 [2.9-51.7] and OR 95% CI 7.4 [2-27], respectively). Identifying specific causal agents of acute encephalitis remains a major challenge. Cerebrospinal fluid markers, as well as specific clinical findings, may however contribute to initial differentiation between infectious and noninfectious causes.

Replication and spread of CJD, kuru and scrapie agents in vivo and in cell culture

PubMed Central

Miyazawa, Kohtaro; Emmerling, Kaitlin

2011-01-01

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) agents are defined by their virulence for particular species, their spread in the population, their incubation time to cause disease, and their neuropathological sequelae. Murine adapted human agents, including sporadic CJD (sCJD), New Guinea kuru, and Japanese CJD agents, display particularly distinct incubation times and maximal infectious brain titers. They also induce agent-specific patterns of neurodegeneration. When these TSE agents are transmitted to cultured hypothalamic GT1 cells they maintain their unique identities. Nevertheless, the human kuru (kCJD) and Japanese FU-CJD agents, as well as the sheep 22L and 263K scrapie agents display doubling times that are 8× to 33× faster in cells than in brain, indicating release from complex innate immune responses. These data are most consistent with a foreign viral structure, rather than an infectious form of host prion protein (PrP-res). Profound agent-specific inhibitory effects are also apparent in GT1 cells, and maximal titer plateau in kCJD and FU-CJD differed by 1,000-fold in a cell-based assay. Remarkably, the lower titer kCJD agent rapidly induced de novo PrP-res in GT1 cells, whereas the high titer FU-CJD agent replicated silently for multiple passages. Although PrP-res is often considered to be toxic, PrP-res instead may be part of a primal defense and/or clearance mechanism against TSE environmental agents. Limited spread of particular TSE agents through nanotubes and cell-to-cell contacts probably underlies the long peripheral phase of human CJD. PMID:21527829

National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Skin Diseases

PubMed Central

Zinder, Steven M.; Basler, Rodney S. W.; Foley, Jack; Scarlata, Chris; Vasily, David B.

2010-01-01

Abstract Objective: To present recommendations for the prevention, education, and management of skin infections in athletes. Background: Trauma, environmental factors, and infectious agents act together to continually attack the integrity of the skin. Close quarters combined with general poor hygiene practices make athletes particularly vulnerable to contracting skin diseases. An understanding of basic prophylactic measures, clinical features, and swift management of common skin diseases is essential for certified athletic trainers to aid in preventing the spread of infectious agents. Recommendations: These guidelines are intended to provide relevant information on skin infections and to give specific recommendations for certified athletic trainers and others participating in athletic health care. PMID:20617918

Mechanisms of infection in the respiratory tract.

PubMed

Baskerville, A

1981-12-01

Related to its potential vulnerability the respiratory tract has a very complex and effective defence apparatus. The interaction between these defence mechanisms and certain characteristics of aetiological agents results in a pattern in which initial infections by these agents tend to occur at specific sites in the tract. Infections in which the primary portal of entry is in the upper respiratory tract include Bordetella bronchiseptica and Haemophilus spp in pigs; Pasteurella spp in cattle, sheep, pigs; Mycoplasma spp in cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry; equine herpesvirus 1 in horses; infectious bovine rhinotracheitis in cattle; parainfluenza 3 in cattle and sheep; infectious laryngo-tracheitis and infectious bronchitis in poultry; feline viral rhinotracheitis and calicivirus in cats; Aujeszky's disease virus and swine influenza in pigs; and equine influenza in horses. Infections in which the primary portal of entry is in the lower respiratory tract include Aspergillus fumigatus in poultry and mammals, respiratory syncytial virus in cattle, distemper virus in dogs and adenovirus in cattle and dogs. A fuller understanding of the interactions between an agent and the host at the point of entry would make it much easier to develop effective vaccines and therapeutic agents.

Infectious Agents Trigger Trophic Cascades.

PubMed

Buck, Julia C; Ripple, William J

2017-09-01

Most demonstrated trophic cascades originate with predators, but infectious agents can also cause top-down indirect effects in ecosystems. Here we synthesize the literature on trophic cascades initiated by infectious agents including parasitoids, pathogens, parasitic castrators, macroparasites, and trophically transmitted parasites. Like predators, infectious agents can cause density-mediated and trait-mediated indirect effects through their direct consumptive and nonconsumptive effects respectively. Unlike most predators, however, infectious agents are not fully and immediately lethal to their victims, so their consumptive effects can also trigger trait-mediated indirect effects. We find that the frequency of trophic cascades reported for different consumer types scales with consumer lethality. Furthermore, we emphasize the value of uniting predator-prey and parasite-host theory under a general consumer-resource framework. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infectious prions and proteinopathies.

PubMed

Barron, Rona M

2017-01-02

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are caused by an infectious agent that is thought to consist of only misfolded and aggregated prion protein (PrP). Unlike conventional micro-organisms, the agent spreads and propagates by binding to and converting normal host PrP into the abnormal conformer, increasing the infectious titre. Synthetic prions, composed of refolded fibrillar forms of recombinant PrP (rec-PrP) have been generated to address whether PrP aggregates alone are indeed infectious prions. In several reports, the development of TSE disease has been described following inoculation and passage of rec-PrP fibrils in transgenic mice and hamsters. However in studies described here we show that inoculation of rec-PrP fibrils does not always cause clinical TSE disease or increased infectious titre, but can seed the formation of PrP amyloid plaques in PrP-P101L knock-in transgenic mice (101LL). These data are reminiscent of the "prion-like" spread of misfolded protein in other models of neurodegenerative disease following inoculation of transgenic mice with pre-formed amyloid seeds. Protein misfolding, even when the protein is PrP, does not inevitably lead to the development of an infectious TSE disease. It is possible that most in vivo and in vitro produced misfolded PrP is not infectious and that only a specific subpopulation is associated with infectivity and neurotoxicity.

ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) Consensus Document on the safety of targeted and biological therapies: an infectious diseases perspective (Agents targeting lymphoid or myeloid cells surface antigens [II]: CD22, CD30, CD33, CD38, CD40, SLAMF-7 and CCR4).

PubMed

Drgona, L; Gudiol, C; Lanini, S; Salzberger, B; Ippolito, G; Mikulska, M

2018-03-20

The present review is part of the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) Consensus Document on the safety of targeted and biological therapies. To review, from an Infectious Diseases perspective, the safety profile of agents targeting CD22, CD30, CD33, CD38, CD40, SLAMF-7 and CCR4 and to suggest preventive recommendations. Computer-based MEDLINE searches with MeSH terms pertaining to each agent or therapeutic family. The risk and spectrum of infections in patients receiving CD22-targeted agents (i.e. inotuzumab ozogamicin) are similar to those observed with anti-CD20 antibodies. Anti-Pneumocystis prophylaxis and monitoring for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is recommended for patients receiving CD30-targeted agents (brentuximab vedotin). Due to the scarcity of data, the risk posed by CD33-targeted agents (gemtuzumab ozogamicin) cannot be assessed. Patients receiving CD38-targeted agents (i.e. daratumumab) face an increased risk of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Therapy with CD40-targeted agents (lucatumumab or dacetuzumab) is associated with opportunistic infections similar to those observed in hyper-IgM syndrome, and prevention strategies (including anti-Pneumocystis prophylaxis and pre-emptive therapy for CMV infection) are warranted. SLAMF-7 (CD319)-targeted agents (elotuzumab) induce lymphopenia and increase the risk of infection (particularly due to VZV). The impact of CCR4-targeted agents (mogamulizumab) on infection susceptibility is difficult to distinguish from the effect of underlying diseases and concomitant therapies. However, anti-Pneumocystis and anti-herpesvirus prophylaxis and screening for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are recommended. Specific management strategies should be put in place to reduce the risk and/or the severity of infectious complications associated to the reviewed agents. Copyright © 2018 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal trends in the discovery of new swine infectious agents.

PubMed

Fournié, Guillaume; Kearsley-Fleet, Lianne; Otte, Joachim; Pfeiffer, Dirk Udo

2015-09-28

A literature review was conducted to assess the spatiotemporal trend and diversity of infectious agents that were newly found in pigs between 1985 and 2010. We identified 173 new variants from 91 species, of which 73 species had not been previously described in pigs. These new species, of which one third was zoonotic, were taxonomically diverse. They were identified throughout the study period, predominantly in the main pork producing countries, with the rate of discovery of new virus variants doubling within the last 10 years of the study period. Whilst infectious agent species newly detected in high-income countries were more likely to be associated with higher virulence, zoonotic agents prevailed in low- and middle-income countries. Although this trend is influenced by factors conditioning infectious agent detection - diagnostic methods, surveillance efforts, research interests -, it may suggest that different scales and types of production systems promote emergence of certain types of infectious agents. Considering the rapid transformation of the swine industry, concerted efforts are needed for improving our understanding of the factors influencing the emergence of infectious agents. This information then needs to inform the design of risk-based surveillance systems and strategies directly mitigating the risk associated with these factors.

Global biogeography of human infectious diseases.

PubMed

Murray, Kris A; Preston, Nicholas; Allen, Toph; Zambrana-Torrelio, Carlos; Hosseini, Parviez R; Daszak, Peter

2015-10-13

The distributions of most infectious agents causing disease in humans are poorly resolved or unknown. However, poorly known and unknown agents contribute to the global burden of disease and will underlie many future disease risks. Existing patterns of infectious disease co-occurrence could thus play a critical role in resolving or anticipating current and future disease threats. We analyzed the global occurrence patterns of 187 human infectious diseases across 225 countries and seven epidemiological classes (human-specific, zoonotic, vector-borne, non-vector-borne, bacterial, viral, and parasitic) to show that human infectious diseases exhibit distinct spatial grouping patterns at a global scale. We demonstrate, using outbreaks of Ebola virus as a test case, that this spatial structuring provides an untapped source of prior information that could be used to tighten the focus of a range of health-related research and management activities at early stages or in data-poor settings, including disease surveillance, outbreak responses, or optimizing pathogen discovery. In examining the correlates of these spatial patterns, among a range of geographic, epidemiological, environmental, and social factors, mammalian biodiversity was the strongest predictor of infectious disease co-occurrence overall and for six of the seven disease classes examined, giving rise to a striking congruence between global pathogeographic and "Wallacean" zoogeographic patterns. This clear biogeographic signal suggests that infectious disease assemblages remain fundamentally constrained in their distributions by ecological barriers to dispersal or establishment, despite the homogenizing forces of globalization. Pathogeography thus provides an overarching context in which other factors promoting infectious disease emergence and spread are set.

[Oxidative stress and infectious pathology].

PubMed

Romero Alvira, D; Guerrero Navarro, L; Gotor Lázaro, M A; Roche Collado, E

1995-03-01

Pathogenic organism can be considered as pro-oxidant agents because they produce cell death and tissue damage. In addition organism can be eliminated by specific cell defense mechanism which utilize in part, reactive oxygen radicals formed by oxidative stress responses. The cause of the necessarily defense process results in cell damage thereby leading to development of inflammation, a characteristic oxidative stress situation. This fact shows the duality of oxidative stress in infections and inflammation: oxygen free radicals protect against microorganism attack and can produce tissue damage during this protection to trigger inflammation. Iron, a transition metal which participates generating oxygen free radicals, displays also this duality in infection. We suggest also that different infectious pathologies, such as sickle cell anemia/malaria and AIDS, may display in part this duality. In addition, it should be noted that oxidative damage observed in infectious diseases is mostly due the inflammatory response than to the oxidative potential of the pathogenic agent, this last point is exemplified in cases of respiratory distress and in glomerulonephritis. This review analyzes these controversial facts of infectious pathology in relation with oxidative stress.

Basic problems of serological laboratory diagnosis.

PubMed

Fierz, Walter

2004-01-01

Serological laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases is inflicted with several kinds of basic problems. One difficulty relates to the fact that the serological diagnosis of infectious diseases is double indirect: The first indirect aim in diagnosing an infectious disease is to identify the microbial agent that caused the disease. The second indirect aim is to identify this infectious agent by measuring the patient's immune response to the potential agent. Thus, the serological test is neither measuring directly disease nor the cause of the disease, but the patient's immune system. The latter poses another type of problem, because each person's immune system is unique. The immune response to an infectious agent is usually of polyclonal nature, and the exact physicochemical properties of antibodies are unique for each clone of antibody. The clonal makeup and composition and, therefore, the way an individual's immune system sees an infectious agent, depends not only on the genetic background of the person but also on the individual experience from former encounters with various infectious agents. In consequence, the reaction of a patient's serum in an analytical system is not precisely predictable. Also, the antigenic makeup of an infectious agent is not always foreseeable. Antigenic variations leading to different serotypes is a quite common phenomenon. Altogether, these biological problems lead to complexities in selecting the appropriate tests and strategies for testing, in interpreting the results, and in standardizing serological test systems. For that reason, a close collaboration of the laboratory with the clinic is mandatory to avoid erroneous conclusions from serological test results, which might lead to wrong decisions in patient care.

Rapid Detection and Identification of a Pathogen's DNA Using Phi29 DNA Polymerase

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Y.; Dunn, J.; Gao, S.

2008-10-31

Zoonotic pathogens including those transmitted by insect vectors are some of the most deadly of all infectious diseases known to mankind. A number of these agents have been further weaponized and are widely recognized as being potentially significant biothreat agents. We describe a novel method based on multiply-primed rolling circle in vitro amplification for profiling genomic DNAs to permit rapid, cultivation-free differential detection and identification of circular plasmids in infectious agents. Using Phi29 DNA polymerase and a two-step priming reaction we could reproducibly detect and characterize by DNA sequencing circular DNA from Borrelia burgdorferi B31 in DNA samples containing asmore » little as 25 pg of Borrelia DNA amongst a vast excess of human DNA. This simple technology can ultimately be adapted as a sensitive method to detect specific DNA from both known and unknown pathogens in a wide variety of complex environments.« less

The hygiene hypothesis: does it function worldwide?

PubMed

Bresciani, Megon; Parisi, Claudio; Menghi, Ginevra; Manghi, Ginevra; Bonini, Sergio

2005-04-01

This article intends to be a systematic review of papers published during 2003-2004 quoted in a Medline search for 'hygiene hypothesis'. The worldwide perspective of the article does not refer just to a geographical concept, but tries also to address the question of whether the consensus on the hypothesis is global or whether it applies to all types of allergic or immunologic disease, to any age sample or infectious agent. Furthermore, the article outlines those clinical and experimental studies which, in the authors' opinion, may represent significant contributions to a better understanding of the hygiene hypothesis and may guide further investigations on the subject. The association between a reduced exposure to infectious agents (as a part of a changed lifestyle) and a higher prevalence of atopy seems now to be confirmed by consistent evidence. Mechanisms underlying this association, however, are not yet completely clear (immune deviation or immune regulation). Further experimental and clinical studies are needed, with special reference to the time, duration and intensity of exposure to any specific infectious agent which is related to well-defined allergy outcomes. The background information for using microbial products in allergy prevention and treatment is still limited.

PCR/LDR/universal array platforms for the diagnosis of infectious disease.

PubMed

Pingle, Maneesh; Rundell, Mark; Das, Sanchita; Golightly, Linnie M; Barany, Francis

2010-01-01

Infectious diseases account for between 14 and 17 million deaths worldwide each year. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections is therefore essential to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. Classical microbiological and serological methods have long served as the gold standard for diagnosis but are increasingly being replaced by molecular diagnostic methods that demonstrate increased sensitivity and specificity and provide an identification of the etiologic agent in a shorter period of time. PCR/LDR coupled with universal array detection provides a highly sensitive and specific platform for the detection and identification of bacterial and viral infections.

PCR/LDR/Universal Array Platforms for the Diagnosis of Infectious Disease

PubMed Central

Pingle, Maneesh; Rundell, Mark; Das, Sanchita; Golightly, Linnie M.; Barany, Francis

2015-01-01

Infectious diseases account for between 14 and 17 million deaths worldwide each year. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections is therefore essential to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. Classical microbiological and serological methods have long served as the gold standard for diagnosis but are increasingly being replaced by molecular diagnostic methods that demonstrate increased sensitivity and specificity and provide an identification of the etiologic agent in a shorter period of time. PCR/LDR coupled with universal array detection provides a highly sensitive and specific platform for the detection and identification of bacterial and viral infections. PMID:20217576

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

Chronic disease mortality associated with infectious agents: A comparative cohort study of migrants from the Former Soviet Union in Israel and Germany

PubMed Central

Ott, Jördis J; Paltiel, Ari M; Winkler, Volker; Becher, Heiko

2008-01-01

Background Prevalence of infectious diseases in migrant populations has been addressed in numerous studies. However, information is sparse on their mortality due to chronic diseases that are aetiologically associated with an infectious agent. This study investigates mortality related to infectious diseases with a specific focus on cancers of possibly infectious origin in voluntary migrants from the Former Soviet Union residing in Israel and in Germany. Methods Both groups of migrants arrived from the Former Soviet Union in their destination countries between 1990 and 2001. Population-based data on migrants in Israel were obtained from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Data for migrants in Germany were obtained from a representative sample of all migrants from the Former Soviet Union in Germany. Cause of death information was available until 2003 for the Israeli cohort and until 2005 for the German cohort. Standardized mortality ratios were calculated relative to the destination country for selected causes of death for which infectious agents may be causally involved. Multivariate Poisson regression was applied to assess differences in mortality by length of residence in the host country. Results Both in Israel and in Germany these migrants have lower overall mortality than the population in their destination countries. However, they have significantly elevated mortality from viral hepatitis and from stomach and liver cancer when compared to the destination populations. Regression analysis shows that in Israel stomach cancer mortality is significantly higher among migrants at shorter durations of residence when compared to durations of more than nine years. Conclusion Higher mortality from cancers associated with infection and from viral hepatitis among migrants from the Former Soviet Union might result from higher prevalence of infections which were acquired in earlier years of life. The results highlight new challenges posed by diseases of infectious origin in migrants and call attention to the link between communicable and non-communicable diseases. PMID:18400085

Predicting the characteristics of the aetiological agent for Kawasaki disease from other paediatric infectious diseases in Japan.

PubMed

Nagao, Y; Urabe, C; Nakamura, H; Hatano, N

2016-02-01

Although Kawasaki disease (KD), which was first reported in the 1960s, is assumed to be infectious, its aetiological agent(s) remains unknown. We compared the geographical distribution of the force of infection and the super-annual periodicity of KD and seven other paediatric infectious diseases in Japan. The geographical distribution of the force of infection, which was estimated as the inverse of the mean patient age, was similar in KD and other paediatric viral infections. This similarity was due to the fact that the force of infection was determined largely by the total fertility rate. This finding suggests that KD shares a transmission route, i.e. sibling-to-sibling infection, with other paediatric infections. The super-annual periodicity, which is positively associated with the sum of an infectious disease's incubation period and infectious period, was much longer for KD and exanthema subitum than other paediatric infectious diseases. The virus for exanthema subitum is known to persist across the host's lifespan, which suggests that the aetiological agent for KD may also be capable of persistent infection. Taken together, these findings suggest that the aetiological agent for KD is transmitted through close contact and persists asymptomatically in most hosts.

ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) Consensus Document on the safety of targeted and biological therapies: an infectious diseases perspective (Soluble immune effector molecules [II]: agents targeting interleukins, immunoglobulins and complement factors).

PubMed

Winthrop, K L; Mariette, X; Silva, J T; Benamu, E; Calabrese, L H; Dumusc, A; Smolen, J S; Aguado, J M; Fernández-Ruiz, M

2018-06-01

The present review is part of the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) Consensus Document on the safety of targeted and biological therapies. To review, from an Infectious Diseases perspective, the safety profile of agents targeting interleukins, immunoglobulins and complement factors and to suggest preventive recommendations. Computer-based MEDLINE searches with MeSH terms pertaining to each agent or therapeutic family. Patients receiving interleukin-1 (IL-1) -targeted (anakinra, canakinumab or rilonacept) or IL-5-targeted (mepolizumab) agents have a moderate risk of infection and no specific prevention strategies are recommended. The use of IL-6/IL-6 receptor-targeted agents (tocilizumab and siltuximab) is associated with a risk increase similar to that observed with anti-tumour necrosis factor-α agents. IL-12/23-targeted agents (ustekinumab) do not seem to pose a meaningful risk of infection, although screening for latent tuberculosis infection may be considered and antiviral prophylaxis should be given to hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients. Therapy with IL-17-targeted agents (secukinumab, brodalumab and ixekizumab) may result in the development of mild-to-moderate mucocutaneous candidiasis. Pre-treatment screening for Strongyloides stercoralis and other geohelminths should be considered in patients who come from areas where these are endemic who are receiving IgE-targeted agents (omalizumab). C5-targeted agents (eculizumab) are associated with a markedly increased risk of infection due to encapsulated bacteria, particularly Neisseria spp. Meningococcal vaccination and chemoprophylaxis must be administered 2-4 weeks before initiating eculizumab. Patients with high-risk behaviours and their partners should also be screened for gonococcal infection. Preventive strategies are particularly encouraged to minimize the occurrence of neisserial infection associated with eculizumab. Copyright © 2018 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinct seasonal infectious agent profiles in life-history variants of juvenile Fraser River Chinook salmon: An application of high-throughput genomic screening.

PubMed

Tucker, Strahan; Li, Shaorong; Kaukinen, Karia H; Patterson, David A; Miller, Kristina M

2018-01-01

Disease-causing infectious agents are natural components of ecosystems and considered a major selective force driving the evolution of host species. However, knowledge of the presence and abundance of suites of infectious agents in wild populations has been constrained by our ability to easily screen for them. Using salmon as a model, we contrasted seasonal pathogenic infectious agents in life history variants of juvenile Chinook salmon from the Fraser River system (N = 655), British Columbia (BC), through the application of a novel high-throughput quantitative PCR monitoring platform. This included freshwater hatchery origin fish and samples taken at sea between ocean entry in spring and over-winter residence in coastal waters. These variants currently display opposite trends in productivity, with yearling stocks generally in decline and sub-yearling stocks doing comparatively well. We detected the presence of 32 agents, 21 of which were at >1% prevalence. Variants carried a different infectious agent profile in terms of (1) diversity, (2) origin or transmission environment of infectious agents, and (3) prevalence and abundance of individual agents. Differences in profiles tended to reflect differential timing and residence patterns through freshwater, estuarine and marine habitats. Over all seasons, individual salmon carried an average of 3.7 agents. Diversity changed significantly, increasing upon saltwater entrance, increasing through the fall and decreasing slightly in winter. Diversity varied between life history types with yearling individuals carrying 1.3-times more agents on average. Shifts in prevalence and load over time were examined to identify agents with the greatest potential for impact at the stock level; those displaying concurrent decrease in prevalence and load truncation with time. Of those six that had similar patterns in both variants, five reached higher prevalence in yearling fish while only one reached higher prevalence in sub-yearling fish; this pattern was present for an additional five agents in yearling fish only.

Distinct seasonal infectious agent profiles in life-history variants of juvenile Fraser River Chinook salmon: An application of high-throughput genomic screening

PubMed Central

Li, Shaorong; Kaukinen, Karia H.; Patterson, David A.; Miller, Kristina M.

2018-01-01

Disease-causing infectious agents are natural components of ecosystems and considered a major selective force driving the evolution of host species. However, knowledge of the presence and abundance of suites of infectious agents in wild populations has been constrained by our ability to easily screen for them. Using salmon as a model, we contrasted seasonal pathogenic infectious agents in life history variants of juvenile Chinook salmon from the Fraser River system (N = 655), British Columbia (BC), through the application of a novel high-throughput quantitative PCR monitoring platform. This included freshwater hatchery origin fish and samples taken at sea between ocean entry in spring and over-winter residence in coastal waters. These variants currently display opposite trends in productivity, with yearling stocks generally in decline and sub-yearling stocks doing comparatively well. We detected the presence of 32 agents, 21 of which were at >1% prevalence. Variants carried a different infectious agent profile in terms of (1) diversity, (2) origin or transmission environment of infectious agents, and (3) prevalence and abundance of individual agents. Differences in profiles tended to reflect differential timing and residence patterns through freshwater, estuarine and marine habitats. Over all seasons, individual salmon carried an average of 3.7 agents. Diversity changed significantly, increasing upon saltwater entrance, increasing through the fall and decreasing slightly in winter. Diversity varied between life history types with yearling individuals carrying 1.3-times more agents on average. Shifts in prevalence and load over time were examined to identify agents with the greatest potential for impact at the stock level; those displaying concurrent decrease in prevalence and load truncation with time. Of those six that had similar patterns in both variants, five reached higher prevalence in yearling fish while only one reached higher prevalence in sub-yearling fish; this pattern was present for an additional five agents in yearling fish only. PMID:29672620

Recommendations for infectious disease screening in migrants to Western Europe with inflammatory arthropathies before starting biologic agents. Results from a multidisciplinary task force of four European societies (SIR, SER, SIMET, SEMTSI) facing the largest impact of the flow of migrants today.

PubMed

Bartalesi, Filippo; Scirè, Carlo; Requena-Méndez, Ana; Abad, Miguel Angel; Buonfrate, Dora; Caporali, Roberto; Conti, Fabrizio; Diaz-Gonzalez, Federico; Fernández-Espartero, Cruz; Martinez-Fernandez, Carmen; Mascarello, Marta; Generali, Elena; Minisola, Giovanni; Morrone, Aldo; Muñoz, José; Richi, Patricia; Sakellariou, Gariffalia; Salas Coronas, Joaquin; Spinicci, Michele; Castelli, Francesco; Bartoloni, Alessandro; Bisoffi, Zeno; Gimenez-Sanchez, Francisco; Muñoz-Fernandez, Santiago; Matucci-Cerinic, Marco

2017-01-01

Inflammatory arthritis needs infectious disease screening before starting a biologic agent, however, few data are known about migrant patients, who represent a peculiar population which requires a multidisciplinary approach among international health specialists and should also be considered by health authorities. For this reason, the Italian and Spanish Societies of Rheumatology (SIR and SER) and Tropical Medicine (SIMET and SEMTSI) promoted a multidisciplinary task force in order to produce specific recommendations about screening and advices to be considered in migrant patients with inflammatory arthritis candidate to receive biological therapy, according to their geographical origin. The experts provided a prioritised list of research questions and the eligible spectrum of inflammatory arthritis, biologic drugs and infectious disease were defined in order to perform a systematic literature review. A search was made in Medline, Embase and Cochrane library, updated to March 2015. Ubiquitous infections and HBV, HCV, HIV and tuberculosis that are already considered in national and international recommendations, were not included. The strength of each recommendation was determined. The task force members agreed on 7 overarching principles. The risk of reactivation of selected potentially latent infectious disease was addressed in migrants with inflammatory arthritis candidates for biologics was considered and 15 potentially relevant infections were identified. Fifteen disease-specific recommendations were formulated on the basis of high level of agreement among the experts panel.

[Reservation forms of plague infectious agent in Tuva natural focus].

PubMed

Bazanova, L P; Innokent'eva, T I

2012-01-01

Data characterizing the reservation forms of plague infectious agent in Tuva natural focus are presented in the review. Yersinia pestis was shown to persist most of the year in Citellophilus tesquorum altaicus imago --the main carrier, getting into the animal organism only for a short time. An increased ability to aggregate in autumn and accumulate in clumps of C. tesquorum altaicus females that are more adapted to survive the cold season compared with males promote the persistence of the microorganism. The plague infectious agent in the altered form survives in the organism of females not only the winter period but also longer periods of time that is demonstrated by the facts of detection of it after 646 days of staying in the carrier. Moreover Yersinia pestis can persist for more than 400 days in the substrate of the nest of long-tailed ground squirrel infected by excrements and corpses of plague fleas. The substrate of the nest infected in summer-autumn period of the previous year may determine the primary infection of ground squirrels by plague infectious agent in the next epizootic season. On ground squirrels infected during contact with nest substrate, infection of intact fleas may be possible, and so the initiation of a new cycle of transmission of the infectious agent. Adaptation of the plague infectious agent to unfavorable existence conditions in the carrier is expressed in the changes of its morphology and ultrastructure that is evidenced by the facts of isolation of the infectious agent from corpses of fleas situated in the substrate, in the L-form, as well as results of phase-contrast and electron microscopy of the digestive tract of C. tesquorum altaicus.

Antigen detection systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Infectious agents or their constituent parts (antigens or nucleic acids) can be detected in fresh, frozen, or fixed tissues or other specimens, using a variety of direct or indirect assays. The assays can be modified to yield the greatest sensitivity and specificity but in most cases a particular m...

Beyond specific pathogen-free: biology and effect of common viruses in macaques.

PubMed

Lerche, Nicholas W; Simmons, Joe H

2008-02-01

Macaque models have contributed to key advances in our basic knowledge of behavior, anatomy, and physiology as well as to our understanding of a wide variety of human diseases. This issue of Comparative Medicine focuses on several of the viral agents (members of Retroviridae, Herpesviridae and 2 small DNA viruses) that can infect both nonhuman primates and humans as well as confound research studies. Featured articles also address the challenges of developing colonies of macaques and other nonhuman primates that are truly specific pathogen-free for these and other adventitious infectious agents.

Beyond Specific Pathogen-Free: Biology and Effect of Common Viruses in Macaques

PubMed Central

Lerche, Nicholas W; Simmons, Joe H

2008-01-01

Macaque models have contributed to key advances in our basic knowledge of behavior, anatomy, and physiology as well as to our understanding of a wide variety of human diseases. This issue of Comparative Medicine focuses on several of the viral agents (members of Retroviridae, Herpesviridae and 2 small DNA viruses) that can infect both nonhuman primates and humans as well as confound research studies. Featured articles also address the challenges of developing colonies of macaques and other nonhuman primates that are truly specific pathogen-free for these and other adventitious infectious agents. PMID:19793451

Aptamers against pathogenic microorganisms

PubMed Central

Davydova, Anna; Vorobjeva, Maria; Pyshnyi, Dmitrii; Altman, Sidney; Vlassov, Valentin; Venyaminova, Alya

2016-01-01

Abstract An important current issue of modern molecular medicine and biotechnology is the search for new approaches to early diagnostic assays and adequate therapy of infectious diseases. One of the promising solutions to this problem might be a development of nucleic acid aptamers capable of interacting specifically with bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. Such aptamers can be used for the specific recognition of infectious agents as well as for blocking of their functions. The present review summarizes various modern SELEX techniques used in this field, and of several currently identified aptamers against viral particles and unicellular organisms, and their applications. The prospects of applying nucleic acid aptamers for the development of novel detection systems and antibacterial and antiviral drugs are discussed. PMID:26258445

Richard Bradley: a unified, living agent theory of the cause of infectious diseases of plants, animals, and humans in the first decades of the 18th century.

PubMed

Santer, Melvin

2009-01-01

During the years 1714 to 1721, Richard Bradley, who was later to become the first Professor of Botany at Cambridge University, proposed a unified, unique, living agent theory of the cause of infectious diseases of plants and animals and the plague of humans. Bradley's agents included microscopic organisms, revealed by the studies of Robert Hooke and Antony van Leeuwenhoek. His theory derived from his experimental studies of plants and their diseases and from microscopic observation of animalcules in different naturally occurring and artificial environments. He concluded that there was a microscopic world of "insects" that lived and reproduced under the appropriate conditions, and that infectious diseases of plants were caused by such "insects." Since there are structural and functional similarities between plants and animals, Bradley concluded that microscopic organisms caused human and animal infectious diseases as well. However, his living agent cause of infectious diseases was not accepted by the contemporary scientific society.

Evaluation of military field-water quality: Volume 6, Infectious organisms of military concern associated with nonconsumptive exposure: Assessment of health risks and recommendations for establishing related standards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cooper, R.C.; Olivieri, A.W.; Danielson, R.E.

1986-02-01

This study is an assessment of the risk of illness due to exposure to water-related (i.e., water-based, water-washed) infectious organisms. The organisms under consideration are Aeromonas spp., Leptospira spp., Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus spp., non-cholerae Vibrio spp., Acanthamoeba spp., Balantidium coli, Naegleria spp., Ascaris lumbricoides, Dracunculus medinesis, Schistosoma spp., and the agents responsible for cercarial dermatitis (i.e., Trichobilharzia, Gigantobilharzia, and Austrobilharzia). Evaluation of the risk to disease associated with the above pathogens requires information in specific areas such as dose response, concentration of agents in the environment, and environmental persistence. The existing body of knowledge concerning these agents ranges from speculationmore » to established fact. Unfortunately, areas of information critical to risk assessment are frequently unavailable. Because of this lack of data, the risk assessment presented is semiquantitative and limited to the presentation of an environmental classification scheme. 14 refs., 2 figs., 57 tabs.« less

Emerging Infectious Threats to the Blood Supply: Seroepidemiological Studies in Iran – a Review

PubMed Central

Karimi, Gharib; Gharehbaghian, Ahmad; Tafti, Mohammad Fallah; Vafaiyan, Vida

2013-01-01

Summary The risk of transfusion-transmitted infections has been greatly reduced by improvements in donor screening and testing. However, newly recognized blood-borne infectious agents can be threats to blood safety. In order to evaluate the prevalence some of these agents in blood donors, a systematic review was conducted. Data were obtained from published papers related to HGV, Torque Teno virus (TTV), HTLV, West Nile virus (WNV) and SEN virus (SEN-V). Based on these studies, the prevalence of HGV varied from 1 to 8.6% for anti-E2 and from 0 to 4.8% for HGV RNA. The prevalence of TTV DNA and HTLV-I varied from 2.7 to 79.5% and from 0.013 to 2.3%, respectively. The WNV-specific IgM antibody and WNV RNA are negative in blood donors. Prevalence rates of SEN-V in Iranian blood donors range from 23 to 90.8%. Consequences of these infectious agents for blood safety are different. Thus, the need to perform laboratory screening as well as effectiveness and efficiency of laboratory tests depend on pathogenicity level and epidemiological conditions of emerging infections. However, being prepared based on the current level of risk and interventions to reduce the risk can be effective in reducing the potential threat for blood supply. PMID:23922546

Histopathology and immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of bioterrorism agents.

PubMed

Guarner, Jeannette; Zaki, Sherif R

2006-01-01

From October to November 2001, the inhalational and cutaneous anthrax cases that occurred in the U.S. underscored the importance of recognizing the clinical and pathological features of infectious agents that can be used in acts of terrorism. Early confirmation of bio-terrorist acts can only be performed by making organism-specific diagnosis of cases with clinical and pathologic syndromes that could be caused by possible bioterrorism weapons. Recognition and diagnosis of these cases is central to establish adequate responses. This review will examine the events that occurred during the anthrax bio-terrorist attack with specific emphasis on the role of pathology and immunohistochemistry and will describe the histopathologic features of category A bioterrorism agents (anthrax, plague, tularemia, botulism, smallpox, and viral hemorrhagic fevers).

Development of sandwich-form biosensor to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in clinical sputum specimens.

PubMed

Shojaei, Taha Roodbar; Mohd Salleh, Mohamad Amran; Tabatabaei, Meisam; Ekrami, Alireza; Motallebi, Roya; Rahmani-Cherati, Tavoos; Hajalilou, Abdollah; Jorfi, Raheleh

2014-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causing agent of tuberculosis, comes second only after HIV on the list of infectious agents slaughtering many worldwide. Due to the limitations behind the conventional detection methods, it is therefore critical to develop new sensitive sensing systems capable of quick detection of the infectious agent. In the present study, the surface modified cadmium-telluride quantum dots and gold nanoparticles conjunct with two specific oligonucleotides against early secretory antigenic target 6 were used to develop a sandwich-form fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based biosensor to detect M. tuberculosis complex and differentiate M. tuberculosis and M. bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin simultaneously. The sensitivity and specificity of the newly developed biosensor were 94.2% and 86.6%, respectively, while the sensitivity and specificity of polymerase chain reaction and nested polymerase chain reaction were considerably lower, 74.2%, 73.3% and 82.8%, 80%, respectively. The detection limits of the sandwich-form fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based biosensor were far lower (10 fg) than those of the polymerase chain reaction and nested polymerase chain reaction (100 fg). Although the cost of the developed nanobiosensor was slightly higher than those of the polymerase chain reaction-based techniques, its unique advantages in terms of turnaround time, higher sensitivity and specificity, as well as a 10-fold lower detection limit would clearly recommend this test as a more appropriate and cost-effective tool for large scale operations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Sapronosis: a distinctive type of infectious agent

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kuris, Armand M.; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Sokolow, Susanne H.

2014-01-01

Sapronotic disease agents have evolutionary and epidemiological properties unlike other infectious organisms. Their essential saprophagic existence prevents coevolution, and no host–parasite virulence trade-off can evolve. However, the host may evolve defenses. Models of pathogens show that sapronoses, lacking a threshold of transmission, cannot regulate host populations, although they can reduce host abundance and even extirpate their hosts. Immunocompromised hosts are relatively susceptible to sapronoses. Some particularly important sapronoses, such as cholera and anthrax, can sustain an epidemic in a host population. However, these microbes ultimately persist as saprophages. One-third of human infectious disease agents are sapronotic, including nearly all fungal diseases. Recognition that an infectious disease is sapronotic illuminates a need for effective environmental control strategies.

Selected Pathogens of Concern to Industrial Food Processors: Infectious, Toxigenic, Toxico-Infectious, Selected Emerging Pathogenic Bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behling, Robert G.; Eifert, Joseph; Erickson, Marilyn C.; Gurtler, Joshua B.; Kornacki, Jeffrey L.; Line, Erick; Radcliff, Roy; Ryser, Elliot T.; Stawick, Bradley; Yan, Zhinong

This chapter, written by several contributing authors, is devoted to discussing selected microbes of contemporary importance. Microbes from three categories are described by the following: (1) infectious invasive agents like Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter; (2) toxigenic pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium botulinum; and (3) toxico-infectious agents like enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens. In addition, emerging pathogens, like Cronobacter (Enterobacter) sakazakii, Arcobacter spp., and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis are also described.

BioWar: A City-Scale Multi-Agent Network Model of Weaponized Biological Attacks

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

Simplex Encephalitis Hypertensive Heart Disease Hypovolemic Shock Immune Deficiency Syndrome Acquired Aids Infectious Mononucleosis Malaria...mitigation and recovery strategies. Models developed for the spread of infectious diseases in human populations can be harnessed for the predicting the...Restaurant s Eating location University Post secondary education institutions Military Military bases Indiv infectious idual a ) agents each tick

Emerging infectious diseases at the beginning of the 21st century.

PubMed

Lashley, Felissa R

2006-01-31

The emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases involves many interrelated factors. Global interconnectedness continues to increase with international travel and trade; economic, political, and cultural interactions; and human-to-human and animal-to-human interactions. These interactions include the accidental and deliberate sharing of microbial agents and antimicrobial resistance and allow the emergence of new and unrecognized microbial disease agents. As the 21st century begins, already new agents have been identified, and new outbreaks have occurred. Solutions to limiting the spread of emerging infectious diseases will require cooperative efforts among many disciplines and entities worldwide. This article defines emerging infectious diseases, summarizes historical background, and discusses factors that contribute to emergence. Seven agents that have made a significant appearance, particularly in the 21st century, are reviewed, including: Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers, human monkeypox, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), West Nile virus, and avian influenza. The article provides for each agent a brief historical background, case descriptions, and health care implications.

De novo sequencing and resurrection of a human astrovirus-neutralizing antibody

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bogdanoff, Walter A.; Morgenstern, David; Bern, Marshall

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics targeting cancer, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, and infectious diseases are growing exponentially. Although numerous panels of mAbs targeting infectious disease agents have been developed, their progression into clinically useful mAbs is often hindered by the lack of sequence information and/or loss of hybridoma cells that produce them. Here we combine the power of crystallography and mass spectrometry to determine the amino acid sequence and glycosylation modification of the Fab fragment of a potent human astrovirus-neutralizing mAb. We used this information to engineer a recombinant antibody single-chain variable fragment that has the same specificity as the parentmore » monoclonal antibody to bind to the astrovirus capsid protein. Furthermore, this antibody can now potentially be developed as a therapeutic and diagnostic agent.« less

De novo sequencing and resurrection of a human astrovirus-neutralizing antibody

DOE PAGES

Bogdanoff, Walter A.; Morgenstern, David; Bern, Marshall; ...

2016-03-14

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics targeting cancer, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, and infectious diseases are growing exponentially. Although numerous panels of mAbs targeting infectious disease agents have been developed, their progression into clinically useful mAbs is often hindered by the lack of sequence information and/or loss of hybridoma cells that produce them. Here we combine the power of crystallography and mass spectrometry to determine the amino acid sequence and glycosylation modification of the Fab fragment of a potent human astrovirus-neutralizing mAb. We used this information to engineer a recombinant antibody single-chain variable fragment that has the same specificity as the parentmore » monoclonal antibody to bind to the astrovirus capsid protein. Furthermore, this antibody can now potentially be developed as a therapeutic and diagnostic agent.« less

Immunopharmacotherapy of non-infectious uveitis: where do we stand?

PubMed

Agrawal, Rupesh; Lee, Cecilia; Phatak, Sumita; Pavesio, Carlos

2014-12-01

With ever-evolving concept of personalised medicine backed up with specific biomarkers for ocular inflammatory disease, there is a sudden surge of using biologics in non-infectious recalcitrant posterior uveitis. Have we understood these biologic agents enough to embark on this long enduring journey with the patient to optimise control of intraocular inflammation? On the other hand, there is still a strong inhibition of using these novel agents in management of uveitis even at tertiary referral centres. Immunopharmacotherapy of non-infectious uveitis poses a significant conundrum for both physicians and patients as it is like a two-edged sword effective to control inflammation but at the same time potentially toxic, suspected of causing long-term adverse effects. Systemic immunosuppressive therapy is used in a substantial number of most vision-threatening ocular inflammatory diseases. There is lack of randomised control trials establishing the safety of this therapy and our current practice pattern is based on retrospective studies and personal experience in using this treatment modality. This overview will highlight on the current dilemma faced by the clinicians in opting for steroid-sparing immunosuppressive therapy.

[Maternal deaths due to infectious cause, results from the French confidential enquiry into maternal deaths, 2010-2012].

PubMed

Rigouzzo, A; Tessier, V; Zieleskiewicz, L

2017-12-01

Over the period 2010-2012, maternal mortality from infectious causes accounted for 5% of maternal deaths by direct causes and 16% of maternal deaths by indirect causes. Among the 22 deaths caused by infection occurred during this period, 6 deaths were attributed to direct causes from genital tract origin, confirming thus the decrease in direct maternal deaths by infection during the last ten years. On the contrary, indirect maternal deaths by infection, from extragenital origin, doubled during the same period, with 16 deaths in the last triennium, dominated by winter respiratory infections, particularly influenza: the 2009-2010 influenza A (H1N1) virus pandemic was the leading cause of indirect maternal mortality by infection during the studied period. The main infectious agents involved in maternal deaths from direct causes were Streptococcus A, Escherichia Coli and Clostridium perfringens: these bacterias were responsible for toxic shock syndrome, severe sepsis, secondary in some cases to cellulitis or necrotizing fasciitis. Of the 6 deaths due to direct infection, 4 were considered avoidable because of inadequate management: delayed or missed diagnosis, delayed or inadequate initiation of a specific medical and/or surgical treatment. Of the 16 indirect maternal deaths due to infection causes, the most often involved infectious agents were influenza A (H1N1) virus and Streptococcus pneumonia with induced purpura fulminans: the absence of influenza vaccination during pregnancy, delayed diagnosis and emergency initiation of a specific treatment, were the main contributory factors to these deaths and their avoidability in 70% of the cases analyzed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Age-specific infectious period shapes dynamics of pneumonia in bighorn sheep.

PubMed

Plowright, Raina K; Manlove, Kezia R; Besser, Thomas E; Páez, David J; Andrews, Kimberly R; Matthews, Patrick E; Waits, Lisette P; Hudson, Peter J; Cassirer, E Frances

2017-10-01

Superspreading, the phenomenon where a small proportion of individuals contribute disproportionately to new infections, has profound effects on disease dynamics. Superspreading can arise through variation in contacts, infectiousness or infectious periods. The latter has received little attention, yet it drives the dynamics of many diseases of critical public health, livestock health and conservation concern. Here, we present rare evidence of variation in infectious periods underlying a superspreading phenomenon in a free-ranging wildlife system. We detected persistent infections of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, the primary causative agent of pneumonia in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), in a small number of older individuals that were homozygous at an immunologically relevant genetic locus. Interactions among age-structure, genetic composition and infectious periods may drive feedbacks in disease dynamics that determine the magnitude of population response to infection. Accordingly, variation in initial conditions may explain divergent population responses to infection that range from recovery to catastrophic decline and extirpation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

A guide to utilization of the microbiology laboratory for diagnosis of infectious diseases: 2013 recommendations by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM)(a).

PubMed

Baron, Ellen Jo; Miller, J Michael; Weinstein, Melvin P; Richter, Sandra S; Gilligan, Peter H; Thomson, Richard B; Bourbeau, Paul; Carroll, Karen C; Kehl, Sue C; Dunne, W Michael; Robinson-Dunn, Barbara; Schwartzman, Joseph D; Chapin, Kimberle C; Snyder, James W; Forbes, Betty A; Patel, Robin; Rosenblatt, Jon E; Pritt, Bobbi S

2013-08-01

The critical role of the microbiology laboratory in infectious disease diagnosis calls for a close, positive working relationship between the physician and the microbiologists who provide enormous value to the health care team. This document, developed by both laboratory and clinical experts, provides information on which tests are valuable and in which contexts, and on tests that add little or no value for diagnostic decisions. Sections are divided into anatomic systems, including Bloodstream Infections and Infections of the Cardiovascular System, Central Nervous System Infections, Ocular Infections, Soft Tissue Infections of the Head and Neck, Upper Respiratory Infections, Lower Respiratory Tract infections, Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract, Intraabdominal Infections, Bone and Joint Infections, Urinary Tract Infections, Genital Infections, and Skin and Soft Tissue Infections; or into etiologic agent groups, including Tickborne Infections, Viral Syndromes, and Blood and Tissue Parasite Infections. Each section contains introductory concepts, a summary of key points, and detailed tables that list suspected agents; the most reliable tests to order; the samples (and volumes) to collect in order of preference; specimen transport devices, procedures, times, and temperatures; and detailed notes on specific issues regarding the test methods, such as when tests are likely to require a specialized laboratory or have prolonged turnaround times. There is redundancy among the tables and sections, as many agents and assay choices overlap. The document is intended to serve as a reference to guide physicians in choosing tests that will aid them to diagnose infectious diseases in their patients.

Executive summary: a guide to utilization of the microbiology laboratory for diagnosis of infectious diseases: 2013 recommendations by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM)(a).

PubMed

Baron, Ellen Jo; Miller, J Michael; Weinstein, Melvin P; Richter, Sandra S; Gilligan, Peter H; Thomson, Richard B; Bourbeau, Paul; Carroll, Karen C; Kehl, Sue C; Dunne, W Michael; Robinson-Dunn, Barbara; Schwartzman, Joseph D; Chapin, Kimberle C; Snyder, James W; Forbes, Betty A; Patel, Robin; Rosenblatt, Jon E; Pritt, Bobbi S

2013-08-01

The critical role of the microbiology laboratory in infectious disease diagnosis calls for a close, positive working relationship between the physician and the microbiologists who provide enormous value to the health care team. This document, developed by both laboratory and clinical experts, provides information on which tests are valuable and in which contexts, and on tests that add little or no value for diagnostic decisions. Sections are divided into anatomic systems, including Bloodstream Infections and Infections of the Cardiovascular System, Central Nervous System Infections, Ocular Infections, Soft Tissue Infections of the Head and Neck, Upper Respiratory Infections, Lower Respiratory Tract infections, Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract, Intraabdominal Infections, Bone and Joint Infections, Urinary Tract Infections, Genital Infections, and Skin and Soft Tissue Infections; or into etiologic agent groups, including Tickborne Infections, Viral Syndromes, and Blood and Tissue Parasite Infections. Each section contains introductory concepts, a summary of key points, and detailed tables that list suspected agents; the most reliable tests to order; the samples (and volumes) to collect in order of preference; specimen transport devices, procedures, times, and temperatures; and detailed notes on specific issues regarding the test methods, such as when tests are likely to require a specialized laboratory or have prolonged turnaround times. There is redundancy among the tables and sections, as many agents and assay choices overlap. The document is intended to serve as a reference to guide physicians in choosing tests that will aid them to diagnose infectious diseases in their patients.

A Guide to Utilization of the Microbiology Laboratory for Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases: 2013 Recommendations by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM)a

PubMed Central

Baron, Ellen Jo; Miller, J. Michael; Weinstein, Melvin P.; Richter, Sandra S.; Gilligan, Peter H.; Thomson, Richard B.; Bourbeau, Paul; Carroll, Karen C.; Kehl, Sue C.; Dunne, W. Michael; Robinson-Dunn, Barbara; Schwartzman, Joseph D.; Chapin, Kimberle C.; Snyder, James W.; Forbes, Betty A.; Patel, Robin; Rosenblatt, Jon E.; Pritt, Bobbi S.

2013-01-01

The critical role of the microbiology laboratory in infectious disease diagnosis calls for a close, positive working relationship between the physician and the microbiologists who provide enormous value to the health care team. This document, developed by both laboratory and clinical experts, provides information on which tests are valuable and in which contexts, and on tests that add little or no value for diagnostic decisions. Sections are divided into anatomic systems, including Bloodstream Infections and Infections of the Cardiovascular System, Central Nervous System Infections, Ocular Infections, Soft Tissue Infections of the Head and Neck, Upper Respiratory Infections, Lower Respiratory Tract infections, Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract, Intraabdominal Infections, Bone and Joint Infections, Urinary Tract Infections, Genital Infections, and Skin and Soft Tissue Infections; or into etiologic agent groups, including Tickborne Infections, Viral Syndromes, and Blood and Tissue Parasite Infections. Each section contains introductory concepts, a summary of key points, and detailed tables that list suspected agents; the most reliable tests to order; the samples (and volumes) to collect in order of preference; specimen transport devices, procedures, times, and temperatures; and detailed notes on specific issues regarding the test methods, such as when tests are likely to require a specialized laboratory or have prolonged turnaround times. There is redundancy among the tables and sections, as many agents and assay choices overlap. The document is intended to serve as a reference to guide physicians in choosing tests that will aid them to diagnose infectious diseases in their patients. PMID:23845951

Co-infection with cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus in mononucleosis: case report and review of literature.

PubMed

Olson, Douglas; Huntington, Mark K

2009-09-01

A 25-year-old woman presented with infectious mononucleosis. Serological studies demonstrated elevated IgM titres to both cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The role of each of these agents in infectious mononucleosis is reviewed, as are literature reports of co-infection by these two viruses. Both near-simultaneous infections and temporally remote sequential infections with acute CMV triggering an immunoreactivation of EBV are reported in the literature. We believe the current case is most consistent with the latter. Infectious mononucleosis is a common infection of childhood and young adulthood. Although a variety of agents may be associated with infectious mononucleosis, EBV is the most common etiology. We encountered a patient with serological findings that were suggestive of the simultaneous presence of two etiological agents of infectious mononucleosis: EBV and CMV. This prompted an inquiry into how commonly dual infections are encountered and their significance.

Experimental Transmission of Bighorn Sheep Sinus Tumors to Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) and Domestic Sheep.

PubMed

Fox, K A; Wootton, S; Marolf, A; Rouse, N; LeVan, I; Spraker, T; Miller, M; Quackenbush, S

2016-11-01

Bighorn sheep sinus tumors are a recently described disease affecting the paranasal sinuses of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis). Several features of this disease suggest an infectious cause, although a specific etiologic agent has not been identified. To test the hypothesis that bighorn sheep sinus tumors are caused by an infectious agent, we inoculated 4 bighorn sheep lambs and 4 domestic sheep lambs intranasally with a cell-free filtrate derived from a naturally occurring bighorn sheep sinus tumor; we held 1 individual of each species as a control. Within 18 months after inoculation, all 4 inoculated domestic sheep (100%) and 1 of the 4 inoculated bighorn sheep (25%) developed tumors within the ethmoid sinuses or nasal conchae, with features similar to naturally occurring bighorn sheep sinus tumors. Neither of the uninoculated sheep developed tumors. Histologically, the experimentally transmitted tumors were composed of stellate to spindle cells embedded within a myxoid matrix, with marked bone production. Tumor cells stained positively with vimentin, S100, alpha smooth muscle actin, and osteocalcin, suggesting origin from a multipotent mesenchymal cell. A periosteal origin for these tumors is suspected. Immunohistochemical staining for the envelope protein of JSRV (with cross-reactivity to ENTV) was equivocal, and PCR assays specific for these agents were negative. © The Author(s) 2016.

The human immune system's response to carcinogenic and other infectious agents transmitted by mosquito vectors.

PubMed

Johansson, Olle; Ward, Martin

2017-01-01

It has been hypothesised that mosquitoes [Diptera: Culicidae] may play more of a role in certain cancers than is currently appreciated. Research links 33 infectious agents to cancer, 27 of which have a presence in mosquitoes, and that, in addition, mosquito saliva downregulates the immune system. The objective of this paper is to review the literature on the immune system and cancer-causing infectious agents, particularly those present in mosquitoes, with a view to establishing whether such infectious agents can, in the long run, defeat the immune system or be defeated by it. Many of the viruses, bacteria and parasites recognised by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as carcinogenic and suspected by others as being involved in cancer have evolved numerous complex ways of avoiding, suppressing or altering the immune system's responses. These features, coupled with the multiplicity and variety of serious infectious agents carried by some species of mosquitoes and the adverse effects on the immune system of mosquito saliva, suggest that post-mosquito bite the immune system is likely to be overwhelmed. In such a situation, immunisation strategies offer little chance of cancer prevention, unless a single or limited number of critical infectious agents can be isolated from the 'mosquito' cocktail. If that proves to be impossible cancer prevention will, therefore, if the hypothesis proves to be correct, rest on the twin strategies of environmentally controlling the mosquito population and humans avoiding being bitten. The latter strategy will involve determining the factors that demark those being bitten from those that are not.

No association between infections, HLA type and other transplant-related factors and risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in solid organ transplant recipients.

PubMed

Ingvar, Åsa; Ekström Smedby, Karin; Lindelöf, Bernt; Fernberg, Pia; Bellocco, Rino; Tufveson, Gunnar; Höglund, Petter; Adami, Johanna

2012-11-01

Recipients of solid organ transplants are at a markedly increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We investigated potential associations between post-transplant infections, HLA type, and other transplant-related factors and risk of SCC, taking immuno-suppressive treatment into account. A population-based case-control study was conducted. All patients who developed SCC during follow-up (1970-1997) were eligible as cases (n = 207). Controls (n = 189) were individually matched to the cases on age and calendar period of transplantation. Detailed exposure information was collected through an extensive, blinded review of medical records. Odds ratios were computed with conditional logistic regression. There were no significant associations with any infectious agents, or with number and timing of infections, specific HLA-type, donor characteristics, or other transplant characteristics and risk of post-transplant SCC. These results suggest that risk of post-transplant SCC is neither closely related to specific post-transplant infectious disorders, nor to the infectious load or specific HLA types.

Aboriginal and invasive rats of genus Rattus as hosts of infectious agents.

PubMed

Kosoy, Michael; Khlyap, Lyudmila; Cosson, Jean-Francois; Morand, Serge

2015-01-01

From the perspective of ecology of zoonotic pathogens, the role of the Old World rats of the genus Rattus is exceptional. The review analyzes specific characteristics of rats that contribute to their important role in hosting pathogens, such as host-pathogen relations and rates of rat-borne infections, taxonomy, ecology, and essential factors. Specifically the review addresses recent taxonomic revisions within the genus Rattus that resulted from applications of new genetic tools in understanding relationships between the Old World rats and the infectious agents that they carry. Among the numerous species within the genus Rattus, only three species-the Norway rat (R. norvegicus), the black or roof rat (R. rattus), and the Asian black rat (R. tanezumi)-have colonized urban ecosystems globally for a historically long period of time. The fourth invasive species, R. exulans, is limited to tropical Asia-Pacific areas. One of the points highlighted in this review is the necessity to discriminate the roles played by rats as pathogen reservoirs within the land of their original diversification and in regions where only one or few rat species were introduced during the recent human history.

Rapid Detection of Pathogens

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David Perlin

2005-08-14

Pathogen identification is a crucial first defense against bioterrorism. A major emphasis of our national biodefense strategy is to establish fast, accurate and sensitive assays for diagnosis of infectious diseases agents. Such assays will ensure early and appropriate treatment of infected patients. Rapid diagnostics can also support infection control measures, which monitor and limit the spread of infectious diseases agents. Many select agents are highly transmissible in the early stages of disease, and it is critical to identify infected patients and limit the risk to the remainder of the population and to stem potential panic in the general population. Nucleicmore » acid-based molecular approaches for identification overcome many of the deficiencies associated with conventional culture methods by exploiting both large- and small-scale genomic differences between organisms. PCR-based amplification of highly conserved ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, intergenic sequences, and specific toxin genes is currently the most reliable approach for bacterial, fungal and many viral pathogenic agents. When combined with fluorescence-based oligonucleotide detection systems, this approach provides real-time, quantitative, high fidelity analysis capable of single nucleotide allelic discrimination (4). These probe systems offer rapid turn around time (<2 h) and are suitable for high throughput, automated multiplex operations that are critical for clinical diagnostic laboratories. In this pilot program, we have used molecular beacon technology invented at the Public health Research Institute to develop a new generation of molecular probes to rapidly detect important agents of infectious diseases. We have also developed protocols to rapidly extract nucleic acids from a variety of clinical specimen including and blood and tissue to for detection in the molecular assays. This work represented a cooperative research development program between the Kramer-Tyagi/Perlin labs on probe development and the Perlin lab in sample preparation and testing in animal models.« less

IDENTIFICATION, ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS (HEPATITIS A) AGENT

EPA Science Inventory

The research program has the overall objective of combining the techniques of electron microscopy, ultracentrifugation, column chromatography, tissue culture and serology to identify, isolate and characterize the etiologic agent of infectious hepatitis, to propagate it in cell cu...

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

Role of infectious agents in the carcinogenesis of brain and head and neck cancers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

This review concentrates on tumours that are anatomically localised in head and neck regions. Brain cancers and head and neck cancers together account for more than 873,000 cases annually worldwide, with an increasing incidence each year. With poor survival rates at late stages, brain and head and neck cancers represent serious conditions. Carcinogenesis is a multi-step process and the role of infectious agents in this progression has not been fully identified. A major problem with such research is that the role of many infectious agents may be underestimated due to the lack of or inconsistency in experimental data obtained globally. In the case of brain cancer, no infection has been accepted as directly oncogenic, although a number of viruses and parasites are associated with the malignancy. Our analysis of the literature showed the presence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in distinct types of brain tumour, namely glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and medulloblastoma. In particular, there are reports of viral protein in up to 100% of GBM specimens. Several epidemiological studies reported associations of brain cancer and toxoplasmosis seropositivity. In head and neck cancers, there is a distinct correlation between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Considering that almost every undifferentiated NPC is EBV-positive, virus titer levels can be measured to screen high-risk populations. In addition there is an apparent association between human papilloma virus (HPV) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC); specifically, 26% of HNSCCs are positive for HPV. HPV type 16 was the most common type detected in HNSCCs (90%) and its dominance is even greater than that reported in cervical carcinoma. Although there are many studies showing an association of infectious agents with cancer, with various levels of involvement and either a direct or indirect causative effect, there is a scarcity of articles covering the role of infection in carcinogenesis of brain and head and neck cancers. We review recent studies on the infectious origin of these cancers and present our current understanding of carcinogenic mechanisms, thereby providing possible novel approaches to cancer treatment. PMID:23374258

Infectious Agents in Childhood Leukemia.

PubMed

Arellano-Galindo, José; Barrera, Alberto Parra; Jiménez-Hernández, Elva; Zavala-Vega, Sergio; Campos-Valdéz, Guillermina; Xicohtencatl-Cortes, Juan; Ochoa, Sara A; Cruz-Córdova, Ariadnna; Crisóstomo-Vázquez, María Del Pilar; Fernández-Macías, Juan Carlos; Mejía-Aranguré, Juan Manuel

2017-05-01

Acute leukemia is the most common pediatric cancer, representing one-third of all cancers that occurs in under 15 year olds, with a varied incidence worldwide. Although a number of advances have increased the knowledge of leukemia pathophysiology, its etiology remains less well understood. The role of infectious agents, such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites, in the pathogenesis of leukemia has been discussed. To date, several cellular mechanisms involving infectious agents have been proposed to cause leukemia following infections. However, although leukemia can be triggered by contact with such agents, they can also be beneficial in developing immune stimulation and protection despite the risk of leukemic clones. In this review, we analyze the proposed hypotheses concerning how infectious agents may play a role in the origin and development of leukemia, as well as in a possible mechanism of protection following infections. We review reported clinical observations associated with vaccination or breastfeeding, that support hypotheses such as early life exposure and the resulting early immune stimulation that lead to protection. Copyright © 2017 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimation of Cancer Burden Attributable to Infection in Asia

PubMed Central

Huang, He; Hu, Xiao-Feng; Zhao, Fang-Hui; Garland, Suzanne M.; Bhatla, Neerja; Qiao, You-Lin

2015-01-01

Background Some infectious agents have been shown to be human carcinogens. The current study focused on estimation of cancer burden attributable to infection in different regions of Asia. Methods By systematically reviewing previous studies of the infection prevalence data of 13 countries in Asia and relative risks of specific cancers, we calculated the population attributable fraction of carcinogenic infections. Using data from GLOBOCAN 2012, the overall country-specific and gender-specific number of new cancer cases and deaths resulting from infection were estimated. Results Across 13 principal Asian countries, the average prevalence and range was 6.6% (0.5% in Japanese women to 15.0% in Vietnamese men) for hepatitis B virus (HBV), 2.6% (0.3% in Iran to 5.1% in Saudi Arabia) for hepatitis C virus (HCV), 7.9% (2.8% in Pakistan to 17.7% in China) for human papillomavirus (HPV), and 61.8% (12.8% in Indonesia to 91.7% in Bangladesh) for Helicobacter pylori (HP). The estimated total number of cancer cases and deaths caused by infection in these 13 countries were 1 212 026 (19.6% of all new cancer cases) and 908 549 (22.0% of all deaths from cancer). The fractions of cancer incidence attributable to infection were 19.7% and 19.5% in men and women, respectively. The percentages of cancer deaths attributable to infection were 21.9% and 22.1% in men and women, respectively. Among the main infectious agents, HP was responsible for 31.5% of infection-related cancer cases and 32.8% of infection-related cancer deaths, followed by HBV (28.6% of new cases and 23.8% of deaths), HPV (22.0% of new cases and 27.3% of deaths), and HCV (12.2% of new cases and 10.6% of deaths). Conclusions Approximately one quarter of all cancer cases and deaths were infection-associated in Asia, which could be effectively prevented if appropriate long-term controls of infectious agents were applied. PMID:26399446

Shared Bacterial and Viral Respiratory Agents in Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis), Domestic Sheep (Ovis aries), and Goats (Capra hircus) in Montana

PubMed Central

Miller, David S.; Weiser, Glen C.; Aune, Keith; Roeder, Brent; Atkinson, Mark; Anderson, Neil; Roffe, Thomas J.; Keating, Kim A.; Chapman, Phillip L.; Kimberling, Cleon; Rhyan, Jack; Clarke, P. Ryan

2011-01-01

Transmission of infectious agents from livestock reservoirs has been hypothesized to cause respiratory disease outbreaks in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), and land management policies intended to limit this transmission have proven controversial. This cross-sectional study compares the infectious agents present in multiple populations of bighorn sheep near to and distant from their interface with domestic sheep (O. aries) and domestic goat (Capra hircus) and provides critical baseline information needed for interpretations of cross-species transmission risks. Bighorn sheep and livestock shared exposure to Pasteurellaceae, viral, and endoparasite agents. In contrast, although the impact is uncertain, Mycoplasma sp. was isolated from livestock but not bighorn sheep. These results may be the result of historic cross-species transmission of agents that has resulted in a mosaic of endemic and exotic agents. Future work using longitudinal and multiple population comparisons is needed to rigorously establish the risk of outbreaks from cross-species transmission of infectious agents. PMID:22195293

Shared Bacterial and Viral Respiratory Agents in Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis), Domestic Sheep (Ovis aries), and Goats (Capra hircus) in Montana.

PubMed

Miller, David S; Weiser, Glen C; Aune, Keith; Roeder, Brent; Atkinson, Mark; Anderson, Neil; Roffe, Thomas J; Keating, Kim A; Chapman, Phillip L; Kimberling, Cleon; Rhyan, Jack; Clarke, P Ryan

2011-01-01

Transmission of infectious agents from livestock reservoirs has been hypothesized to cause respiratory disease outbreaks in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), and land management policies intended to limit this transmission have proven controversial. This cross-sectional study compares the infectious agents present in multiple populations of bighorn sheep near to and distant from their interface with domestic sheep (O. aries) and domestic goat (Capra hircus) and provides critical baseline information needed for interpretations of cross-species transmission risks. Bighorn sheep and livestock shared exposure to Pasteurellaceae, viral, and endoparasite agents. In contrast, although the impact is uncertain, Mycoplasma sp. was isolated from livestock but not bighorn sheep. These results may be the result of historic cross-species transmission of agents that has resulted in a mosaic of endemic and exotic agents. Future work using longitudinal and multiple population comparisons is needed to rigorously establish the risk of outbreaks from cross-species transmission of infectious agents.

Shared bacterial and viral respiratory agents in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), domestic sheep (Ovis aries), and goats (Capra hircus) in Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, David S.; Weiser, Glen C.; Aune, Keith; Roeder, Brent; Atkinson, Mark; Anderson, Neil; Roffe, Thomas J.; Keating, Kim A.; Chapman, Phillip L.; Kimberling, Cleon; Rhyan, Jack C.; Clarke, P. Ryan

2011-01-01

Transmission of infectious agents from livestock reservoirs has been hypothesized to cause respiratory disease outbreaks in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), and land management policies intended to limit this transmission have proven controversial. This cross-sectional study compares the infectious agents present in multiple populations of bighorn sheep near to and distant from their interface with domestic sheep (O. aries) and domestic goat (Capra hircus) and provides critical baseline information needed for interpretations of cross-species transmission risks. Bighorn sheep and livestock shared exposure to Pasteurellaceae, viral, and endoparasite agents. In contrast, although the impact is uncertain, Mycoplasma sp. was isolated from livestock but not bighorn sheep. These results may be the result of historic cross-species transmission of agents that has resulted in a mosaic of endemic and exotic agents. Future work using longitudinal and multiple population comparisons is needed to rigorously establish the risk of outbreaks from cross-species transmission of infectious agents.

Viral Susceptibility Range of the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Poikilothermic Cell Line 1

PubMed Central

Solis, Juan; Mora, Emilio C.

1970-01-01

The viral susceptibility range of a poikilothermic cell line derived from the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) (FHM) to infection by a number of homoiothermic viruses representing most of the presently recognized viral groups and a member of the psittacosis-lymphogranuloma-trachoma group of agents was studied. All infectious agents, except poliovirus types 1 and 3, infectious bursal agent, and an avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strain, readily multiplied in the FHM cell culture system, producing a detectable cytopathic effect. Although inconclusive evidence was obtained with two other avian IBV strains, these results indicated the ability of the FHM cell culture system to readily support the propagation of a variety of cytopathogenic homoiothermic viral agents. PMID:5461163

The Microbial Rosetta Stone Database: A compilation of global and emerging infectious microorganisms and bioterrorist threat agents

PubMed Central

Ecker, David J; Sampath, Rangarajan; Willett, Paul; Wyatt, Jacqueline R; Samant, Vivek; Massire, Christian; Hall, Thomas A; Hari, Kumar; McNeil, John A; Büchen-Osmond, Cornelia; Budowle, Bruce

2005-01-01

Background Thousands of different microorganisms affect the health, safety, and economic stability of populations. Many different medical and governmental organizations have created lists of the pathogenic microorganisms relevant to their missions; however, the nomenclature for biological agents on these lists and pathogens described in the literature is inexact. This ambiguity can be a significant block to effective communication among the diverse communities that must deal with epidemics or bioterrorist attacks. Results We have developed a database known as the Microbial Rosetta Stone. The database relates microorganism names, taxonomic classifications, diseases, specific detection and treatment protocols, and relevant literature. The database structure facilitates linkage to public genomic databases. This paper focuses on the information in the database for pathogens that impact global public health, emerging infectious organisms, and bioterrorist threat agents. Conclusion The Microbial Rosetta Stone is available at . The database provides public access to up-to-date taxonomic classifications of organisms that cause human diseases, improves the consistency of nomenclature in disease reporting, and provides useful links between different public genomic and public health databases. PMID:15850481

Dendrimer-conjugated peptide vaccine enhances clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection.

PubMed

Ganda, Ingrid S; Zhong, Qian; Hali, Mirabela; Albuquerque, Ricardo L C; Padilha, Francine F; da Rocha, Sandro R P; Whittum-Hudson, Judith A

2017-07-15

Peptide-based vaccines have emerged in recent years as promising candidates in the prevention of infectious diseases. However, there are many challenges to maintaining in vivo peptide stability and enhancement of peptide immunogenicity to generate protective immunity which enhances clearance of infections. Here, a dendrimer-based carrier system is proposed for peptide-based vaccine delivery, and shows its anti-microbial feasibility in a mouse model of Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydiae are the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacteria worldwide, and also the causal agent of trachoma, the leading cause of preventable infectious blindness. In spite of the prevalence of this infectious agent and the many previous vaccine-related studies, there is no vaccine commercially available. The carrier system proposed consists of generation 4, hydroxyl-terminated, polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers (G4OH), to which a peptide mimic of a chlamydial glycolipid antigen-Peptide 4 (Pep4, AFPQFRSATLLL) was conjugated through an ester bond. The ester bond between G4OH and Pep4 is expected to break down mainly in the intracellular environment for antigen presentation. Pep4 conjugated to dendrimer induced Chlamydia-specific serum antibodies after subcutaneous immunizations. Further, this new vaccine formulation significantly protected immunized animals from vaginal challenge with infectious Chlamydia trachomatis, and it reduced infectious loads and tissue (genital tract) damage. Pep4 conjugated to G4OH or only mixed with peptide provided enhanced protection compared to Pep4 and adjuvant (i.e. alum), suggesting a potential adjuvant effect of the PAMAM dendrimer. Combined, these results demonstrate that hydroxyl-terminated PAMAM dendrimer is a promising polymeric nanocarrier platform for the delivery of peptide vaccines and this approach has potential to be expanded to other infectious intracellular bacteria and viruses of public health significance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emerging nanotechnology-based strategies for the identification of microbial pathogenesis.

PubMed

Kaittanis, Charalambos; Santra, Santimukul; Perez, J Manuel

2010-03-18

Infectious diseases are still a major healthcare problem. From food intoxication and contaminated water, to hospital-acquired diseases and pandemics, infectious agents cause disease throughout the world. Despite advancements in pathogens' identification, some of the gold-standard diagnostic methods have limitations, including laborious sample preparation, bulky instrumentation and slow data readout. In addition, new field-deployable diagnostic modalities are urgently needed in first responder and point-of-care applications. Apart from compact, these sensors must be sensitive, specific, robust and fast, in order to facilitate detection of the pathogen even in remote rural areas. Considering these characteristics, researchers have utilized innovative approaches by employing the unique properties of nanomaterials in order to achieve detection of infectious agents, even in complex media like blood. From gold nanoparticles and their plasmonic shifts to iron oxide nanoparticles and changes in magnetic properties, detection of pathogens, toxins, antigens and nucleic acids has been achieved with impressive detection thresholds. Additionally, as bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, nanotechnology has achieved the rapid determination of bacterial drug susceptibility and resistance using novel methods, such as amperometry and magnetic relaxation. Overall, these promising results hint to the adoption of nanotechnology-based diagnostics for the diagnosis of infectious diseases in diverse settings throughout the globe, preventing epidemics and safeguarding human and economic wellness. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In-Vitro Induced Immunosuppression in a Rotary Cell Culture System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grimm, Elizabeth A.

1998-01-01

The function of the innate immune system is to provide a first-line of defense against infectious organisms, via control of bacterial and viral growth using antigen nonspecific means. These nonspecific immune effectors include macrophages and Natural Killing (NK) cells, and certain cytokines elicited in response to "super antigens" on the infectious agents. This innate system usually keeps most infectious agents from rapidly growing while the adaptive immune system is generating a specific response complete with immunologic memory. Compelling evidence suggests that space flight results in various immunosuppressive effects, including reduced innate and adaptive immune responses. We were particularly concerned with reduced NK activity at landing, and have asked whether the microgravity component of space flight could be responsible for the previously observed NK defect. We have conclusively demonstrated that simulated microgravity as provided by the Synthecon bioreactors does not inhibit the NK function nor the IL-2 activation of lymphokine-activated killing (LAK). Interleukin-2 is the key cytokine responsible for activation of NK cells to express LAK, as well as to support differentiation of lymphocytes during adaptive immune responses. Therefore, we have disproved our original hypothesis based on poor NK in many of the astronauts upon landing.

The interaction between anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB autoantibodies and anti-infectious antibodies in a wide spectrum of auto-immune diseases: another angle of the autoimmune mosaic.

PubMed

Agmon-Levin, Nancy; Dagan, Amir; Peri, Yogev; Anaya, Juan-Manuel; Selmi, Carlo; Tincani, Angela; Bizzaro, Nicola; Stojanovich, Ljudmila; Damoiseaux, Jan; Cohen Tervaert, Jan Willem; Mosca, Marta; Cervera, Ricard; Shoenfeld, Yehuda

2017-01-01

The presence of anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB antibodies has been linked with autoimmunity in general and with several autoimmune diseases (AID) in particular. In the current study we evaluated these antibodies in a wide spectrum of AID as well as the links between them and anti-infectious antibodies. We examined 2082 sera from patients with 16 different AID compared to 524 sera from geographically-matched healthy controls, for the presence and titres of anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB. All samples were also tested for a variety of anti-infectious agents' antibodies using the BioPlex 2200-immunoassay (Bio-Rad, USA). Anti-Ro/SSA was more prevalent, with significantly higher titre in 5 autoimmune diseases namely Sjögren's syndrome (SS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) both primary and APS linked to SLE, systemic sclerosis (SSc) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Anti-La/SSB was more prevalent with higher titers in SS, SLE, APS linked to SLE and PBC. Prevalence, but not titers, of both antibodies were higher also in polymyositis (PM). Additionally, we found a correlation between anti-Ro/SSA antibodies and antibodies of the IgM and IgG subtypes directed at cytomegalovirus as well as IgG-antibodies directed at Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and toxoplasma (p<0.001). Anti-La/SSB antibodies correlated with the presence of IgG antibodies against EBV early antigen (p<0.001). In a large cohort of patients with autoimmune diseases we found an association between anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB antibodies and 6 autoimmune diseases, amongst which primary APS and PM. Additionally, we observed linkages between these autoantibodies and anti-infectious antibodies directed at Epstein-Barr virus, toxoplasma and cytomegalovirus. Our findings support the concept of interplay between infectious agents and autoimmunity, such as the plausibility of an infectious agent that trigger the immune system to produce specific antibodies which will later result in a unique group of AID.

Characterization of Wild-type and Temperature Sensitive Mutants of HSV-1 DNA Polymerase

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-15

also been shown that EBV is the cauJative agent of infectious mononucleosis [Evans et al., 1968; Niedl r,an et al., 1968, 1970; University Health...Latent Infections: Lymphoid Tissues Viruses 2 and Their Diseases: Human Herpesvirus 4 (Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)) infectious mononucleosis , Burkitt...for rabies in 1884. During the late 1800s, major advances were made in determini- ng the cause and effect of various infectious agents. It was during

Development of a bacteriophage displayed peptide library and biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chin, Robert C.; Salazar, Noe; Mayo, Michael W.; Villavicencio, Victor I.; Taylor, Richard B.; Chambers, James P.; Valdes, James J.

1996-04-01

A miniaturized, handheld biosensor for identification of hazardous biowarfare agents with high specificity is being developed. An innovative biological recognition system based on bacteriophage displayed peptide receptors will be utilized in conjunction with the miniature biosensor technology being developed. A bacteriophage library has been constructed to provide the artificial receptors. The library can contain millions of bacteriophage with randomly displayed peptide sequences in the phage outer protein coat which act as binding sites for the agents of interest. This library will be used to 'bio-pan' for phages that bind to a number of toxins and infectious agents and can, thus, provide an endless supply of low cost, reliable, specific, and stable artificial receptors. The biosensor instrument will utilize evanescent wave, planar waveguide, far-red dyes, diode laser and miniature circuit technologies for performance and portability.

Heterologous Prime-Boost Immunisation Regimens Against Infectious Diseases

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

of these cells by boosting. DNA vaccines are good priming agents since they are internalised by antigen presenting cells and can induce antigen...presentation via both MHC class I and class II, thereby inducing both cytotoxic T lymphocytes and type 1-helper T lymphocytes. Successful boosting agents ...assessing prime-boost vaccine combinations for protection against infectious agents . • In a number of prime - boost studies, the inclusion of growth

CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES ON INFECTIOUS DISEASE AGENTS IN SEWAGE SLUDGE AND MANURE

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA and the USDA convened a three-day Workshop on Emerging Infectious Disease Agents and Issues Associated with Sewage Sludge, Animal Manures, and Other Organic By-Products on June 4-6, 2001 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The purpose of the workshop was to review and discuss the effe...

Prenatal Exposure to Arsenic and Cadmium Impacts Infectious Disease-Related Genes within the Glucocorticoid Receptor Signal Transduction Pathway

PubMed Central

Rager, Julia E.; Yosim, Andrew; Fry, Rebecca C.

2014-01-01

There is increasing evidence that environmental agents mediate susceptibility to infectious disease. Studies support the impact of prenatal/early life exposure to the environmental metals inorganic arsenic (iAs) and cadmium (Cd) on increased risk for susceptibility to infection. The specific biological mechanisms that underlie such exposure-mediated effects remain understudied. This research aimed to identify key genes/signal transduction pathways that associate prenatal exposure to these toxic metals with changes in infectious disease susceptibility using a Comparative Genomic Enrichment Method (CGEM). Using CGEM an infectious disease gene (IDG) database was developed comprising 1085 genes with known roles in viral, bacterial, and parasitic disease pathways. Subsequently, datasets collected from human pregnancy cohorts exposed to iAs or Cd were examined in relationship to the IDGs, specifically focusing on data representing epigenetic modifications (5-methyl cytosine), genomic perturbations (mRNA expression), and proteomic shifts (protein expression). A set of 82 infection and exposure-related genes was identified and found to be enriched for their role in the glucocorticoid receptor signal transduction pathway. Given their common identification across numerous human cohorts and their known toxicological role in disease, the identified genes within the glucocorticoid signal transduction pathway may underlie altered infectious disease susceptibility associated with prenatal exposures to the toxic metals iAs and Cd in humans. PMID:25479081

Integrating Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data Using Predictive Regulatory Network Models of Host Response to Pathogens

PubMed Central

Chasman, Deborah; Walters, Kevin B.; Lopes, Tiago J. S.; Eisfeld, Amie J.; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro; Roy, Sushmita

2016-01-01

Mammalian host response to pathogenic infections is controlled by a complex regulatory network connecting regulatory proteins such as transcription factors and signaling proteins to target genes. An important challenge in infectious disease research is to understand molecular similarities and differences in mammalian host response to diverse sets of pathogens. Recently, systems biology studies have produced rich collections of omic profiles measuring host response to infectious agents such as influenza viruses at multiple levels. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory network driving host response to multiple infectious agents, we integrated host transcriptomes and proteomes using a network-based approach. Our approach combines expression-based regulatory network inference, structured-sparsity based regression, and network information flow to infer putative physical regulatory programs for expression modules. We applied our approach to identify regulatory networks, modules and subnetworks that drive host response to multiple influenza infections. The inferred regulatory network and modules are significantly enriched for known pathways of immune response and implicate apoptosis, splicing, and interferon signaling processes in the differential response of viral infections of different pathogenicities. We used the learned network to prioritize regulators and study virus and time-point specific networks. RNAi-based knockdown of predicted regulators had significant impact on viral replication and include several previously unknown regulators. Taken together, our integrated analysis identified novel module level patterns that capture strain and pathogenicity-specific patterns of expression and helped identify important regulators of host response to influenza infection. PMID:27403523

Detection, Isolation and Characterization of an Agent from Febrile Patients in Malaysia Serologically Reactive with Rickettsia sennetsu.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

sennetsu by inoculating mice with the blood and bone marrow homogenates of a patient suffering from "Japanese infectious mononucleosis ." Tanaka and...Rickettsia sennetsu in Cell Culture System. Jpn. J. Microbiol. 9:75-86. Misao, T., and Kobayashi, Y. 1954. 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 71:683-686

Pathobiology and management of laboratory rodents administered CDC category A agents.

PubMed

He, Yongqun; Rush, Howard G; Liepman, Rachel S; Xiang, Zuoshuang; Colby, Lesley A

2007-02-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category A infectious agents include Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), Clostridium botulinum toxin (botulism), Yersinia pestis (plague), variola major virus (smallpox), Francisella tularensis (tularemia), and the filoviruses and arenaviruses that induce viral hemorrhagic fevers. These agents are regarded as having the greatest potential for adverse impact on public health and therefore are a focus of renewed attention in infectious disease research. Frequently rodent models are used to study the pathobiology of these agents. Although much is known regarding naturally occurring infections in humans, less is documented on the sources of exposures and potential risks of infection to researchers and animal care personnel after the administration of these hazardous substances to laboratory animals. Failure to appropriately manage the animals can result both in the creation of workplace hazards if human exposures occur and in disruption of the research if unintended animal exposures occur. Here we review representative Category A agents, with a focus on comparing the biologic effects in naturally infected humans and rodent models and on considerations specific to the management of infected rodent subjects. The information reviewed for each agent has been curated manually and stored in a unique Internet-based database system called HazARD (Hazards in Animal Research Database, http://helab.bioinformatics.med.umich.edu/hazard/) that is designed to assist researchers, administrators, safety officials, Institutional Biosafety Committees, and veterinary personnel seeking information on the management of risks associated with animal studies involving hazardous substances.

Implications of climate change on the distribution of the tick vector Ixodes scapularis and risk for Lyme disease in the Texas-Mexico transboundary region

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Disease risk maps are important tools that help ascertain the likelihood of exposure to specific infectious agents. Understanding how climate change may affect the suitability of habitats for ticks will improve the accuracy of risk maps of tick-borne pathogen transmission in humans and domestic anim...

HIGHLIGHTS, INSIGHTS, AND PERSPECTIVES ON INFECTIOUS DISEASE AGENTS IN SEWAGE SLUDGE AND ANIMAL MANURE IN THE U.S.

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this chapter is: 1) Highlight the core principles and findings from the Workshop on Emerging Infectious Disease Agents and Issues Associated With Sewage Sludge, Animal Manures and Other Organic By-Products held June 4-6, 2001, Cincinnati, Ohio, so that all readers,...

WORKSHOP ON EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE AGENTS AND ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ANIMAL MANURES, BIOSOLIDS, AND OTHER SIMILAR BY-PRODUCTS: THE REST OF THE STORY

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will:

Discuss the purpose of the workshop
Discussion publication of "Contemporary Perspectives on Infectious Disease Agents in Sewage Sludge and Manure.
Present Table of Contents
Discuss summary
Discuss synthesis document

Computerized bioterrorism education and training for nurses on bioterrorism attack agents.

PubMed

Nyamathi, Adeline M; Casillas, Adrian; King, Major L; Gresham, Louise; Pierce, Elaine; Farb, Daniel; Wiechmann, Carrie; Weichmann, Carrie

2010-08-01

Biological agents have the ability to cause large-scale mass casualties. For this reason, their likely use in future terrorist attacks is a concern for national security. Recent studies show that nurses are ill prepared to deal with agents used in biological warfare. Achieving a goal for bioterrorism preparedness is directly linked to comprehensive education and training that enables first-line responders such as nurses to diagnose infectious agents rapidly. The study evaluated participants' responses to biological agents using a computerized bioterrorism education and training program versus a standard bioterrorism education and training program. Both programs improved participants' ability to complete and solve case studies involving the identification of specific biological agents. Participants in the computerized bioterrorism education and training program were more likely to solve the cases critically without reliance on expert consultants. However, participants in the standard bioterrorism education and training program reduced the use of unnecessary diagnostic tests.

Infectious Mononucleosis

PubMed Central

Joncas, J.

1967-01-01

A short review of past and recent works pertinent to the etiology and pathogenesis of infectious mononucleosis is presented. Epidemiological studies have led to the elaboration of hypotheses concerning the etiology, the length of the incubation period and the mode of transmission of the disease. An unusual type of infectious mononucleosis of rickettsial origin has been reported by Japanese workers. Studies of accidental and experimental transmission suggest that more than one agent may give rise to the same disease. Isolation attempts in tissue cultures have been unrewarding except for the uncovering of possible agents by interference and immunofluorescence. The atypical lymphocyte is the site of increased RNA and DNA synthesis. It does not seem to be involved in antibody synthesis. The heterophile agglutinins and other mononucleosis-associated antibodies apparently account for only part of the excess 19S antibody material found in mononucleosis sera. The origin and function of these antibodies and of the atypical lymphocyte are the subject of speculation. The final elucidation of the pathogenesis of the disease and the confirmation of the reviewed hypotheses are all dependent on the eventual discovery of the elusive etiological agent(s) of infectious mononucleosis. PMID:5336955

The efficacy of the direct clinical intervention for infectious diseases by a pediatric infectious disease specialist in the pediatric ward of a tertiary medical facility without a pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program.

PubMed

Hoshina, T; Yamamoto, N; Ogawa, M; Nakamoto, T; Kusuhara, K

2017-08-01

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have been introduced in most hospital complexes; however, they are not always useful for pediatric patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of direct clinical intervention for infectious diseases by a pediatric infectious disease specialist in a tertiary medical facility without pediatric ASP. This retrospective study included 1,821 patients who were hospitalized in the pediatric ward of a large metropolitan hospital from 2010 to 2015. The clinical course, the use of intravenous antimicrobial agents and the results of a microbiological analysis were compared between the period after the beginning of direct intervention by the specialist (post-intervention period) and the previous period (pre-intervention period). In the post-intervention period, the proportion of the patients who received intravenous antimicrobial agents, the number of antimicrobial agents used for each episode, and the proportion of episodes in which an antimicrobial agent was re-administrated were significantly lower (P = 0.006, P = 0.004, P = 0.036, respectively), and the duration of antimicrobial treatment was significantly shorter (P < 0.001). In addition, narrower spectrum antimicrobial agents were used, and the incidence of meropenem-sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa significantly increased (P = 0.037) in the post-intervention period. There was no change of mortality between the two periods. Direct clinical intervention by a pediatric infectious diseases specialist is useful for the treatment of infectious diseases in the pediatric ward of a tertiary medical facility without a pediatric ASP. The creation of a pediatric ASP is recommended in hospital complexes.

Infectious Agents as Stimuli of Trained Innate Immunity.

PubMed

Rusek, Paulina; Wala, Mateusz; Druszczyńska, Magdalena; Fol, Marek

2018-02-03

The discoveries made over the past few years have modified the current immunological paradigm. It turns out that innate immunity cells can mount some kind of immunological memory, similar to that observed in the acquired immunity and corresponding to the defense mechanisms of lower organisms, which increases their resistance to reinfection. This phenomenon is termed trained innate immunity. It is based on epigenetic changes in innate immune cells (monocytes/macrophages, NK cells) after their stimulation with various infectious or non-infectious agents. Many infectious stimuli, including bacterial or fungal cells and their components (LPS, β-glucan, chitin) as well as viruses or even parasites are considered potent inducers of innate immune memory. Epigenetic cell reprogramming occurring at the heart of the phenomenon may provide a useful basis for designing novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies to prevent and protect against multiple diseases. In this article, we present the current state of art on trained innate immunity occurring as a result of infectious agent induction. Additionally, we discuss the mechanisms of cell reprogramming and the implications for immune response stimulation/manipulation.

Mad dogs, vampires, and zombie ants: a multidisciplinary approach to teaching neuroscience, behavior, and microbiology.

PubMed

Esteban, David J; Holloway, Kevin S

2015-01-01

Viruses, parasites, and some bacteria use host organisms to complete their lifecycle. These infectious agents are able to hijack host processes to replicate and transmit to the next host. While we tend to think of infections as just making us sick, they are also capable of changing host behavior. In fact, many infectious agents are able to mediate host behavior in ways that can enhance transmission of the disease. In this course we explore the process of host behavior mediation by infectious agents, combining aspects of multiple fields including neurobiology, animal behavior, infectious disease microbiology, and epidemiology. The goals for this course are: 1) To explore the neurological and behavioral effects of infectious organisms on their hosts, in particular pathogen mediation of host behavior to the benefit of the pathogen, 2) to introduce students to primary literature in a multidisciplinary field, and 3) when applicable, to address cultural/historical/mythological perspectives that might alter societal norms and pressures and influence the impact of the biological processes of behavior modification by infections.

Mad Dogs, Vampires, and Zombie Ants: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Teaching Neuroscience, Behavior, and Microbiology

PubMed Central

Esteban, David J.; Holloway, Kevin S.

2015-01-01

Viruses, parasites, and some bacteria use host organisms to complete their lifecycle. These infectious agents are able to hijack host processes to replicate and transmit to the next host. While we tend to think of infections as just making us sick, they are also capable of changing host behavior. In fact, many infectious agents are able to mediate host behavior in ways that can enhance transmission of the disease. In this course we explore the process of host behavior mediation by infectious agents, combining aspects of multiple fields including neurobiology, animal behavior, infectious disease microbiology, and epidemiology. The goals for this course are: 1) To explore the neurological and behavioral effects of infectious organisms on their hosts, in particular pathogen mediation of host behavior to the benefit of the pathogen, 2) to introduce students to primary literature in a multidisciplinary field, and 3) when applicable, to address cultural/historical/mythological perspectives that might alter societal norms and pressures and influence the impact of the biological processes of behavior modification by infections. PMID:25838806

Covalent Chemical Ligation Strategy for Mono- and Polyclonal Immunoglobulins at Their Nucleotide Binding Sites.

PubMed

Lac, Diana; Feng, Chun; Bhardwaj, Gaurav; Le, Huong; Tran, Jimmy; Xing, Li; Fung, Gabriel; Liu, Ruiwu; Cheng, Holland; Lam, Kit S

2016-01-20

Nonspecific ligation methods have been traditionally used to chemically modify immunoglobulins. Site-specific ligation of compounds (toxins or ligands) to antibodies has become increasingly important in the fields of therapeutic antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies. In this present study, we took advantage of the reported nucleotide-binding pocket (NBP) in the Fab arms of immunoglobulins by developing indole-based, 5-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene-derivatized OBOC peptide libraries for the identification of affinity elements that can be used as site-specific derivatization agents against both mono- and polyclonal antibodies. Ligation can occur at any one of the few lysine residues located at the NBP. Immunoconjugates resulting from such affinity elements can be used as therapeutics against cancer or infectious agents.

Understanding Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Analyzing the Peptide Sharing between Infectious Agents and the Language-Associated NMDA 2A Protein.

PubMed

Lucchese, Guglielmo

2016-01-01

Language disorders and infections may occur together and often concur, to a different extent and via different modalities, in characterizing brain pathologies, such as schizophrenia, autism, epilepsies, bipolar disorders, frontotemporal neurodegeneration, and encephalitis, inter alia. The biological mechanism(s) that might channel language dysfunctions and infections into etiological pathways connected to neuropathologic sequelae are unclear. Searching for molecular link(s) between language disorders and infections, the present study explores the language-associated NMDA 2A subunit for peptide sharing with pathogens that have been described in concomitance with neuropsychiatric diseases. It was found that a vast peptide commonality links the human glutamate ionotropic receptor NMDA 2A subunit to infectious agents. Such a link expands to and interfaces with neuropsychiatric disorders in light of the specific allocation of NMDA 2A gene expression in brain areas related to language functions. The data hint at a possible pathologic scenario based on anti-pathogen immune responses cross-reacting with NMDA 2A in the brain.

Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase: An Emerging Key Player in Innate Immunity.

PubMed

Weber, Alexander N R; Bittner, Zsofia; Liu, Xiao; Dang, Truong-Minh; Radsak, Markus Philipp; Brunner, Cornelia

2017-01-01

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) was initially discovered as a critical mediator of B cell receptor signaling in the development and functioning of adaptive immunity. Growing evidence also suggests multiple roles for BTK in mononuclear cells of the innate immune system, especially in dendritic cells and macrophages. For example, BTK has been shown to function in Toll-like receptor-mediated recognition of infectious agents, cellular maturation and recruitment processes, and Fc receptor signaling. Most recently, BTK was additionally identified as a direct regulator of a key innate inflammatory machinery, the NLRP3 inflammasome. BTK has thus attracted interest not only for gaining a more thorough basic understanding of the human innate immune system but also as a target to therapeutically modulate innate immunity. We here review the latest developments on the role of BTK in mononuclear innate immune cells in mouse versus man, with specific emphasis on the sensing of infectious agents and the induction of inflammation. Therapeutic implications for modulating innate immunity and critical open questions are also discussed.

Infectious agents and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: another piece of the puzzle of motor neuron degeneration.

PubMed

Castanedo-Vazquez, David; Bosque-Varela, Pilar; Sainz-Pelayo, Arancha; Riancho, Javier

2018-05-29

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons (MN). This fatal disease is characterized by progressive muscle wasting and lacks an effective treatment. ALS pathogenesis has not been elucidated yet. In a small proportion of ALS patients, the disease has a familial origin, related to mutations in specific genes, which directly result in MN degeneration. By contrast, the vast majority of cases are though to be sporadic, in which genes and environment interact leading to disease in genetically predisposed individuals. Lately, the role of the environment has gained relevance in this field and an extensive list of environmental conditions have been postulated to be involved in ALS. Among them, infectious agents, particularly viruses, have been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. These agents could act by interacting with some crucial pathways in MN degeneration, such as gene processing, oxidative stress or neuroinflammation. In this article, we will review the main studies about the involvement of microorganisms in ALS, subsequently discussing their potential pathogenic effect and integrating them as another piece in the puzzle of ALS pathogenesis.

Immunosuppressive Treatment of Non-infectious Uveitis: History and Current Choices.

PubMed

Zhao, Chan; Zhang, Meifen

2017-04-10

Non-infectious uveitis is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide. Long-term immunosuppressive treatment is generally required to achieve durable control of inflammation in posterior and panuveitis. Although systemic corticosteroids have been the gold standard of immunosup- pressive treatment for uveitis since first introduced in 1950s, its side effects of long-term use often warrant an adjuvant treatment to reduce the dosage/duration of corticosteroids needed to maintain disease control. Conventional immunosuppressive drugs, classified into alkylating agent, antimetabolites and T cell inhibitors, have been widely used as corticosteroid-sparing agents, each with characteristic safety/tolerance profiles on different uveitis entities. Recently, biologic agents, which target specific molecules in immunopathogenesis of uveitis, have gained great interest as alternative treatments for refractory uveitis based on their favorable safety and effectiveness in a variety of uveitis entities. However, lack of large randomized controlled clinical trials, concerns about efficacy and safety of long-term usage, and economic burden are limiting the use of biologics in non-infectious uveitis. Local administration of immunosuppressive drugs (from corticosteroids to biologics) through intraocular drug delivery systems represent another direction for drug development and is now under intense investigation, but more evidences are needed to support their use as regular alternative treatments for uveitis. With the numerous choices belonging to different treatment modalities (conventional immunosuppressive agents, biologics and local drug delivery systems) on hand, the practice patterns have been reported to vary greatly from center to center. Factors influence uveitis specialists' choices of immunosuppressive agents may be complex and may include personal familiarity, treatment availability, safety/tolerability, effectiveness, patient compliance, cost concerns and suggestions from related specialists such as rheumatologists and pediatricians. The focus of this review is to provide an overview of each treatment modality on safety/tolerability and effectiveness, which are believed to be the two most important factors affecting treatment decision making.

A Serosurvey of Greater Sage-Grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) in Nevada, USA.

PubMed

Sinai, Nancy L; Coates, Peter S; Andrle, Katelyn M; Jefferis, Chad; Sentíes-Cué, C Gabriel; Pitesky, Maurice E

2017-01-01

To better understand the potential avian diseases in Greater Sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) in the Great Basin in Nevada, US, we collected 31 blood samples March-April 2014 and tested for antibodies to eight viruses and two bacteria. Specifically, sera were tested for antibodies to avian leukosis virus type A, B, and J (ALV-A, ALV-B, and ALV-J, respectively), infectious bursal disease virus, infectious bronchitis virus, reticuloendothelial virus, avian influenza virus (AIV), West Nile virus, Pasteurella multocida (PM), and Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum. Serum antibodies against ALV-A and -B (1/31, 3%), ALV-J (5/31, 16%), PM (1/31, 3%), and AIV (2/31, 6%) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). While ELISA tests used have only been validated in domestic poultry, the serologic data should be used as a potential indicator of the range of bacterial and viral infectious agents that can infect the Greater Sage-grouse.

A serosurvey of Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Nevada, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sinai, Nancy L; Coates, Peter S.; Andrle, Katelyn M.; Jefferis, Chad; Sentíes–Cué, C. Gabriel; Pitesky, Maurice E.

2017-01-01

To better understand the potential avian diseases in Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Great Basin in Nevada, we collected 31 blood samples March–April 2014 and tested for antibodies to eight viruses and two bacteria. Specifically, sera were tested for antibodies to avian leukosis virus type A, B, and J (ALV-A, ALV-B, and ALV-J, respectively), infectious bursal disease virus, infectious bronchitis virus, reticuloendothelial virus, avian influenza virus (AIV), West Nile virus, Pasteurella multocida (PM), and Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum. Serum antibodies against ALV-A and -B (1/31, 3%), ALV-J (5/31, 16%), PM (1/31, 3%), and AIV (2/31, 6%) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). While ELISA tests used have only been validated in domestic poultry, the serologic data should be used as a potential indicator of the range of bacterial and viral infectious agents that can infect the Greater Sage-grouse.

Social buffering and contact transmission: network connections have beneficial and detrimental effects on Shigella infection risk among captive rhesus macaques

PubMed Central

Beisner, Brianne; Vandeleest, Jessica; Atwill, Edward; McCowan, Brenda

2016-01-01

In social animals, group living may impact the risk of infectious disease acquisition in two ways. On the one hand, social connectedness puts individuals at greater risk or susceptibility for acquiring enteric pathogens via contact-mediated transmission. Yet conversely, in strongly bonded societies like humans and some nonhuman primates, having close connections and strong social ties of support can also socially buffer individuals against susceptibility or transmissibility of infectious agents. Using social network analyses, we assessed the potentially competing roles of contact-mediated transmission and social buffering on the risk of infection from an enteric bacterial pathogen (Shigella flexneri) among captive groups of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Our results indicate that, within two macaque groups, individuals possessing more direct and especially indirect connections in their grooming and huddling social networks were less susceptible to infection. These results are in sharp contrast to several previous studies that indicate that increased (direct) contact-mediated transmission facilitates infectious disease transmission, including our own findings in a third macaque group in which individuals central in their huddling network and/or which initiated more fights were more likely to be infected. In summary, our findings reveal that an individual’s social connections may increase or decrease its chances of acquiring infectious agents. They extend the applicability of the social buffering hypothesis, beyond just stress and immune-function-related health benefits, to the additional health outcome of infectious disease resistance. Finally, we speculate that the circumstances under which social buffering versus contact-mediated transmission may occur could depend on multiple factors, such as living condition, pathogen-specific transmission routes, and/or an overall social context such as a group’s social stability. PMID:27812426

Infectious burden and atherosclerosis: A clinical issue

PubMed Central

Sessa, Rosa; Pietro, Marisa Di; Filardo, Simone; Turriziani, Ombretta

2014-01-01

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases of multifactorial etiology, are the leading cause of death worldwide. In the last decade, more infectious agents, labeled as “infectious burden”, rather than any single pathogen, have been showed to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis through different mechanisms. Some microorganisms, such as Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae), human cytomegalovirus, etc. may act directly on the arterial wall contributing to endothelial dysfunction, foam cell formation, smooth muscle cell proliferation, platelet aggregation as well as cytokine, reactive oxygen specie, growth factor, and cellular adhesion molecule production. Others, such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), influenza virus, etc. may induce a systemic inflammation which in turn may damage the vascular wall (e.g., by cytokines and proteases). Moreover, another indirect mechanism by which some infectious agents (such as H. pylori, C. pneumoniae, periodontal pathogens, etc.) may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is molecular mimicry. Given the complexity of the mechanisms by which each microorganism may contribute to atherosclerosis, defining the interplay of more infectious agents is far more difficult because the pro-atherogenic effect of each pathogen might be amplified. Clearly, continued research and a greater awareness will be helpful to improve our knowledge on the complex interaction between the infectious burden and atherosclerosis. PMID:25032197

Clinical evaluation of CpG oligonucleotides as adjuvants for vaccines targeting infectious diseases and cancer

PubMed Central

Scheiermann, Julia; Klinman, Dennis M.

2014-01-01

Synthetic oligonucleotides (ODN) that express unmethylated “CpG motifs” trigger cells that express Toll-like receptor 9. In humans this includes plasmacytoid dendritic cells and B cells. CpG ODN induce an innate immune response characterized by the production of Th1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Their utility as vaccine adjuvants was evaluated in a number of clinical trials. Results indicate that CpG ODN improve antigen presentation and the generation of vaccine-specific cellular and humoral responses. This work provides an up-to-date overview of the utility of CpG ODN as adjuvants for vaccines targeting infectious agents and cancer. PMID:24975812

Periodontology: past, present, perspectives.

PubMed

Slots, Jørgen

2013-06-01

Periodontitis is an infectious disease that affects the tooth-supporting tissues and exhibits a wide range of clinical, microbiological and immunological manifestations. The disease is associated with and is probably caused by a multifaceted dynamic interaction of specific infectious agents, host immune responses, harmful environmental exposure and genetic susceptibility factors. This volume of Periodontology 2000 covers key subdisciplines of periodontology, ranging from etiopathogeny to therapy, with emphasis on diagnosis, classification, epidemiology, risk factors, microbiology, immunology, systemic complications, anti-infective therapy, reparative treatment, self-care and affordability issues. Learned and unlearned concepts of periodontitis over the past 50 years have shaped our current understanding of the etiology of the disease and of clinical practice. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Incidence of beta hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis in adolescent with infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Collins, M; Fleisher, G R; Fager, S S

1984-04-01

Reports on the incidence of beta-hemolytic group A streptococci (BHGAS) in the pharynx of patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) have varied from 3% to 33%. To ascertain the rate of infection, we prospectively performed serial throat cultures and determined anti-streptococcal antibody titers on 45 students with confirmed IM by Epstein-Barr virus-specific serology. One hundred healthy control students had throat cultures for comparison. The rate of recovery of BHGAS was similar in patients with IM (4%) and controls (3%). No students with IM had a fourfold rise of anti-streptococcal antibodies. We conclude that routine culture for BHGAS and/or treatment with antibiotic agents is not indicated in all patients with IM.

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.

Cell-type-specific, Aptamer-functionalized Agents for Targeted Disease Therapy

PubMed Central

Zhou, Jiehua; Rossi, John J.

2014-01-01

One hundred years ago, Dr. Paul Ehrlich popularized the “magic bullet” concept for cancer therapy in which an ideal therapeutic agent would only kill the specific tumor cells it targeted. Since then, “targeted therapy” that specifically targets the molecular defects responsible for a patient's condition has become a long-standing goal for treating human disease. However, safe and efficient drug delivery during the treatment of cancer and infectious disease remains a major challenge for clinical translation and the development of new therapies. The advent of SELEX technology has inspired many groundbreaking studies that successfully adapted cell-specific aptamers for targeted delivery of active drug substances in both in vitro and in vivo models. By covalently linking or physically functionalizing the cell-specific aptamers with therapeutic agents, such as siRNA, microRNA, chemotherapeutics or toxins, or delivery vehicles, such as organic or inorganic nanocarriers, the targeted cells and tissues can be specifically recognized and the therapeutic compounds internalized, thereby improving the local concentration of the drug and its therapeutic efficacy. Currently, many cell-type-specific aptamers have been developed that can target distinct diseases or tissues in a cell-type-specific manner. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the use of cell-specific aptamers for targeted disease therapy, as well as conjugation strategies and challenges. PMID:24936916

Vulnerability of animal trade networks to the spread of infectious diseases: a methodological approach applied to evaluation and emergency control strategies in cattle, France, 2005.

PubMed

Rautureau, S; Dufour, B; Durand, B

2011-04-01

Besides farming, trade of livestock is a major component of agricultural economy. However, the networks generated by live animal movements are the major support for the propagation of infectious agents between farms, and their structure strongly affects how fast a disease may spread. Structural characteristics may thus be indicators of network vulnerability to the spread of infectious disease. The method proposed here is based upon the analysis of specific subnetworks: the giant strongly connected components (GSCs). Their existence, size and geographic extent are used to assess network vulnerability. Their disappearance when targeted nodes are removed allows studying how network vulnerability may be controlled under emergency conditions. The method was applied to the cattle trade network in France, 2005. Giant strongly connected components were present and widely spread all over the country in yearly, monthly and weekly networks. Among several tested approaches, the most efficient way to make GSCs disappear was based on the ranking of nodes by decreasing betweenness centrality (the proportion of shortest paths between nodes on which a specific node lies). Giant strongly connected components disappearance was obtained after removal of <1% of network nodes. Under emergency conditions, suspending animal trade activities in a small subset of holdings may thus allow to control the spread of an infectious disease through the animal trade network. Nodes representing markets and dealers were widely affected by these simulated control measures. This confirms their importance as 'hubs' for infectious diseases spread. Besides emergency conditions, specific sensitization and preventive measures should be dedicated to this population. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Particulate delivery systems for vaccination against bioterrorism agents and emerging infectious pathogens

PubMed Central

Fan, Yuchen; Moon, James J.

2016-01-01

Bioterrorism agents that can be easily transmitted with high mortality rates and cause debilitating diseases pose major threats to national security and public health. The recent Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa and ongoing Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, now spreading throughout Latin America, are case examples of emerging infectious pathogens that have incited widespread fear and economic and social disruption on a global scale. Prophylactic vaccines would provide effective countermeasures against infectious pathogens and biological warfare agents. However, traditional approaches relying on attenuated or inactivated vaccines have been hampered by their unacceptable levels of reactogenicity and safety issues, whereas subunit antigen-based vaccines suffer from suboptimal immunogenicity and efficacy. In contrast, particulate vaccine delivery systems offer key advantages, including efficient and stable delivery of subunit antigens, co-delivery of adjuvant molecules to bolster immune responses, low reactogenicity due to the use of biocompatible biomaterials, and robust efficiency to elicit humoral and cellular immunity in systemic and mucosal tissues. Thus, vaccine nanoparticles and microparticles are promising platforms for clinical development of biodefense vaccines. In this review, we summarize the current status of research efforts to develop particulate vaccine delivery systems against bioterrorism agents and emerging infectious pathogens. PMID:27038091

Laboratory-associated infections and biosafety.

PubMed Central

Sewell, D L

1995-01-01

An estimated 500,000 laboratory workers in the United States are at risk of exposure to infectious agents that cause disease ranging from inapparent to life-threatening infections, but the precise risk to a given worker unknown. The emergence of human immunodeficiency virus and hantavirus, the continuing problem of hepatitis B virus, and the reemergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have renewed interest in biosafety for the employees of laboratories and health care facilities. This review examines the history, the causes, and the methods for prevention of laboratory-associated infections. The initial step in a biosafety program is the assessment of risk to the employee. Risk assessment guidelines include the pathogenicity of the infectious agent, the method of transmission, worker-related risk factors, the source and route of infection, and the design of the laboratory facility. Strategies for the prevention and management of laboratory-associated infections are based on the containment of the infectious agent by physical separation from the laboratory worker and the environment, employee education about the occupational risks, and availability of an employee health program. Adherence to the biosafety guidelines mandated or proposed by various governmental and accrediting agencies reduces the risk of an occupational exposure to infectious agents handled in the workplace. PMID:7553572

Microbial origins of chronic diseases.

PubMed

Gargano, Lisa M; Hughes, James M

2014-01-01

Chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer are among the leading causes of death worldwide and have been on the rise over the past decade. Associations between microbial agents and development of chronic diseases have been made in the past, and new connections are currently being assessed. Investigators are examining the relationship between infectious agents and chronic disease using new technologies with more rigor and specificity. This review examines microbial agents' links to and associations with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, renal diseases, psychiatric disorders, and obesity and addresses the important role of the human microbiome in maintenance of health and its potential role in chronic diseases. These associations and relationships will impact future research priorities, surveillance approaches, treatment strategies, and prevention programs for chronic diseases.

Infectious diseases affect marine fisheries and aquaculture economics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lafferty, Kevin D.; Harvell, C. Drew; Conrad, Jonathan M.; Friedman, Carolyn S.; Kent, Michael L.; Kuris, Armand M.; Powell, Eric N.; Rondeau, Daniel; Saksida, Sonja M.

2015-01-01

Seafood is a growing part of the economy, but its economic value is diminished by marine diseases. Infectious diseases are common in the ocean, and here we tabulate 67 examples that can reduce commercial species' growth and survivorship or decrease seafood quality. These impacts seem most problematic in the stressful and crowded conditions of aquaculture, which increasingly dominates seafood production as wild fishery production plateaus. For instance, marine diseases of farmed oysters, shrimp, abalone, and various fishes, particularly Atlantic salmon, cost billions of dollars each year. In comparison, it is often difficult to accurately estimate disease impacts on wild populations, especially those of pelagic and subtidal species. Farmed species often receive infectious diseases from wild species and can, in turn, export infectious agents to wild species. However, the impact of disease export on wild fisheries is controversial because there are few quantitative data demonstrating that wild species near farms suffer more from infectious diseases than those in other areas. The movement of exotic infectious agents to new areas continues to be the greatest concern.

Infectious Diseases Affect Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture Economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lafferty, Kevin D.; Harvell, C. Drew; Conrad, Jon M.; Friedman, Carolyn S.; Kent, Michael L.; Kuris, Armand M.; Powell, Eric N.; Rondeau, Daniel; Saksida, Sonja M.

2015-01-01

Seafood is a growing part of the economy, but its economic value is diminished by marine diseases. Infectious diseases are common in the ocean, and here we tabulate 67 examples that can reduce commercial species' growth and survivorship or decrease seafood quality. These impacts seem most problematic in the stressful and crowded conditions of aquaculture, which increasingly dominates seafood production as wild fishery production plateaus. For instance, marine diseases of farmed oysters, shrimp, abalone, and various fishes, particularly Atlantic salmon, cost billions of dollars each year. In comparison, it is often difficult to accurately estimate disease impacts on wild populations, especially those of pelagic and subtidal species. Farmed species often receive infectious diseases from wild species and can, in turn, export infectious agents to wild species. However, the impact of disease export on wild fisheries is controversial because there are few quantitative data demonstrating that wild species near farms suffer more from infectious diseases than those in other areas. The movement of exotic infectious agents to new areas continues to be the greatest concern.

Infectious diseases affect marine fisheries and aquaculture economics.

PubMed

Lafferty, Kevin D; Harvell, C Drew; Conrad, Jon M; Friedman, Carolyn S; Kent, Michael L; Kuris, Armand M; Powell, Eric N; Rondeau, Daniel; Saksida, Sonja M

2015-01-01

Seafood is a growing part of the economy, but its economic value is diminished by marine diseases. Infectious diseases are common in the ocean, and here we tabulate 67 examples that can reduce commercial species' growth and survivorship or decrease seafood quality. These impacts seem most problematic in the stressful and crowded conditions of aquaculture, which increasingly dominates seafood production as wild fishery production plateaus. For instance, marine diseases of farmed oysters, shrimp, abalone, and various fishes, particularly Atlantic salmon, cost billions of dollars each year. In comparison, it is often difficult to accurately estimate disease impacts on wild populations, especially those of pelagic and subtidal species. Farmed species often receive infectious diseases from wild species and can, in turn, export infectious agents to wild species. However, the impact of disease export on wild fisheries is controversial because there are few quantitative data demonstrating that wild species near farms suffer more from infectious diseases than those in other areas. The movement of exotic infectious agents to new areas continues to be the greatest concern.

Infectious particles, stress, and induced prion amyloids

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Transmissible encephalopathies (TSEs) are believed by many to arise by spontaneous conversion of host prion protein (PrP) into an infectious amyloid (PrP-res, PrPSc) without nucleic acid. Many TSE agents reside in the environment, with infection controlled by public health measures. These include the disappearance of kuru with the cessation of ritual cannibalism, the dramatic reduction of epidemic bovine encephalopathy (BSE) by removal of contaminated feed, and the lack of endemic scrapie in geographically isolated Australian sheep with susceptible PrP genotypes. While prion protein modeling has engendered an intense focus on common types of protein misfolding and amyloid formation in diverse organisms and diseases, the biological characteristics of infectious TSE agents, and their recognition by the host as foreign entities, raises several fundamental new directions for fruitful investigation such as: (1) unrecognized microbial agents in the environmental metagenome that may cause latent neurodegenerative disease, (2) the evolutionary social and protective functions of different amyloid proteins in diverse organisms from bacteria to mammals, and (3) amyloid formation as a beneficial innate immune response to stress (infectious and non-infectious). This innate process however, once initiated, can become unstoppable in accelerated neuronal aging. PMID:23633671

Gryphon: A Hybrid Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation Platform for Infectious Diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Bin; Wang, Jijun; McGowan, Michael; Vaidyanathan, Ganesh; Younger, Kristofer

In this paper we present Gryphon, a hybrid agent-based stochastic modeling and simulation platform developed for characterizing the geographic spread of infectious diseases and the effects of interventions. We study both local and non-local transmission dynamics of stochastic simulations based on the published parameters and data for SARS. The results suggest that the expected numbers of infections and the timeline of control strategies predicted by our stochastic model are in reasonably good agreement with previous studies. These preliminary results indicate that Gryphon is able to characterize other future infectious diseases and identify endangered regions in advance.

Infectious agents identified in aborted swine fetuses in a high-density breeding area: a three-year study.

PubMed

Salogni, Cristian; Lazzaro, Massimiliano; Giacomini, Enrico; Giovannini, Stefano; Zanoni, Mariagrazia; Giuliani, Matteo; Ruggeri, Jessica; Pozzi, Paolo; Pasquali, Paolo; Boniotti, Maria Beatrice; Alborali, Giovanni Loris

2016-09-01

Reproductive failure in sows is one of the most important factors affecting pig breeding. Many reproductive disorders are linked to both environmental factors and infectious agents. The goal of our study was to determine the presence of pathogens that are known to cause abortion, considering a set of conditioning factors, such as seasonality and pregnancy period. A large number of aborted fetuses (1,625 fetuses from 140 farms) from a high-density breeding area in northern Italy was analyzed for a period of 3 years. The pigs were diagnosed based on direct (culture, PCR) or indirect (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) evidence. An infectious etiologic agent was found in 323 of 549 cases of abortion (58.8%). These included viral agents (Porcine circovirus-2, 138/323; Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, 108/323; porcine parvovirus, 20/323; pseudorabies virus, 6/323; and Encephalomyocarditis virus, 3/323) and bacteria (Escherichia coli, 64/323; Streptococcus sp., 63/323; Staphylococcus sp., 5/323; Pasteurella sp., 3/323; Shigella sp., 1/323; and Yersinia sp., 1/323). This study describes the prevalence of infectious agents involved in reproductive failure in a high-density swine population. The data can be useful to swine breeders, practitioners, and medical specialists in monitoring animal health and in supervising the breeding process. © 2016 The Author(s).

7 CFR 319.37-5 - Special foreign inspection and certification requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... necrosis agent. (xxxiv) Flavescence-doree agent. (xxxv) Black wood agent (bois-noir). (xxxvi) Grapevine infectious necrosis bacterium. (xxxvii) Grapevine yellows disease bacterium. (xxxviii) Xanthomonas ampelina...

7 CFR 319.37-5 - Special foreign inspection and certification requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... necrosis agent. (xxxiv) Flavescence-doree agent. (xxxv) Black wood agent (bois-noir). (xxxvi) Grapevine infectious necrosis bacterium. (xxxvii) Grapevine yellows disease bacterium. (xxxviii) Xanthomonas ampelina...

7 CFR 319.37-5 - Special foreign inspection and certification requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... necrosis agent. (xxxiv) Flavescence-doree agent. (xxxv) Black wood agent (bois-noir). (xxxvi) Grapevine infectious necrosis bacterium. (xxxvii) Grapevine yellows disease bacterium. (xxxviii) Xanthomonas ampelina...

Defining the Antigenic Structure of the Henipavirus Attachment (G) Glycoprotein: Implications for the Fusion Mechanism

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

and therapeutic modalities resulting in significant global decreases in the health burden of infectious agents . As early as the mid 1940s widespread...of rapid development in prophylactic and therapeutic modalities resulting in significant global decreases in the health burden of infectious agents ...Human herpesvirus 8 pathogen detection/ identification Human metapneumovirus technology Group A Streptococcus (toxic shock syndrome

INFECTIOUS MYXOMATOSIS OF RABBITS

PubMed Central

Rivers, Thomas M.; Ward, S. M.

1937-01-01

From the results of the experiments described in this paper it is obvious that large amounts of elementary bodies of myxoma can be obtained in a relatively pure state by means of the methods used. Furthermore, it is evident that infectious myxomatosis is a viral disease in which elementary bodies of the same order of magnitude as vaccinal elementary bodies play a conspicuous rô1e in that they either represent the etiological agent or are intimately associated with it. The bodies are specifically agglutinated by antimyxoma serum and are agglutinated to a less extent by serum from rabbits convalescing from fibroma, a disease closely related to myxoma. In virus-free filtrates of emulsions prepared from infected skin there is a soluble precipitinogen or precipitinogens specific for the malady. Moreover, a specific precipitinogen or precipitinogens are demonstrable in virus-free serum of animals acutely ill as a result of extensive infection with myxoma virus. It is believed that this is the second viral disease, yellow fever (14) being the first, in which a specific soluble antigen free from virus has been found in the serum of ill animals. PMID:19870643

Anti-rubella, Mumps and Measles IgG Antibodies in Medical Students of Tehran University.

PubMed

Keshavarz, Maryam; Nicknam, Mohammad Hossein; Tebyanian, Majid; Shahkarami, Mohammad Kazem; Izad, Maryam

2016-06-01

Measles, mumps and rubella are viral infectious diseases that may result in serious complications. Since the production of vaccines, the number of cases of these diseases has been dropped. Nevertheless, these infectious diseases are still one of the major health problems in developing countries. In this study, in order to evaluate the protective responses against measles, mumps and rubella, the level and avidity of virus-specific IgG antibodies were measured in 53 medical students of Tehran University, aged between 20-30 years. Except for mumps vaccine, all the students had been vaccinated against measles and rubella according to Iran's nationwide mass vaccination protocol for all persons aged 5-25 in 2003. Our results showed that 96.2% of the volunteers had a protective level (>15 IU/ml) of IgG against rubella, 79.2% had a protective level (>11 IU/ml) of IgG against measles and 64.16% had a protective level (>11 IU/ml) of IgG against mumps. Over ten years after nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign, most young adults aged 20-30 had protective levels of humoral immunity against measles and rubella. However, Iranian young population is still unvaccinated against mumps, and therefore relatively large number of young adults had no protective level of IgG against it. This finding may be due to reduction in circulating of wild strain. We recommend screening of medical students for immunity against infectious agents such as measles, mumps, rubella, because they are at a high risk of these infectious agents.

75 FR 24835 - Infectious Diseases

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-06

...., severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza], compliance with routine... infectious agents, radiation and chemicals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that for 2008, the...

Microbiology and Epidemiology of Infectious Spinal Disease

PubMed Central

Jeong, Se-Jin; Youm, Jin-Young; Kim, Hyun-Woo; Ha, Ho-Gyun; Yi, Jin-Seok

2014-01-01

Objective Infectious spinal disease is regarded as an infection by a specific organism that affects the vertebral body, intervertebral disc and adjacent perivertebral soft tissue. Its incidence seems to be increasing as a result of larger proportion of the older patients with chronic debilitating disease, the rise of intravenous drug abuser, and the increase in spinal procedure and surgery. In Korea, studies assessing infectious spinal disease are rare and have not been addressed in recent times. The objectives of this study are to describe the epidemiology of all kind of spinal infectious disease and their clinical and microbiological characteristics as well as to assess the diagnostic methodology and the parameters related to the outcomes. Methods A retrospective study was performed in all infectious spinal disease cases presenting from January 2005 to April 2010 to three tertiary teaching hospitals within a city of 1.5 million in Korea. Patient demographics, risk factors, clinical features, and outcomes were assessed. Risk factors entailed the presence of diabetes, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis, immunosuppressants, remote infection, underlying malignancy and previous spinal surgery or procedure. We comparatively analyzed the results between the groups of pyogenic and tuberculous spinal infection. SPSS version 14 statistical software was used to perform the analyses of the data. The threshold for statistical significance was established at p<0.05. Results Ninety-two cases fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Overall, patients of tuberculous spinal infection (TSI) and pyogenic spinal infection (PSI) entailed 20 (21.7%) and 72 (78.3%) cases, respectively. A previous spinal surgery or procedure was the most commonly noted risk factor (39.1%), followed by diabetes (15.2%). The occurrence of both pyogenic and tuberculous spondylitis was predominant in the lumbar spine. Discs are more easily invaded in PSI. At initial presentation, white cell blood count and C-reactive protein levels were higher in PSI compared to TSI (p<0.05). Etiological agents were identified in 53.3%, and the most effective method for identification of etiological agents was tissue culture (50.0%). Staphyococcus aureus was the most commonly isolated infective agent associated with pyogenic spondylitis, followed by E. coli. Surgical treatment was performed in 31.5% of pyogenic spondylitis and in 35.0% of tuberculous spondylitis cases. Conclusion Many previous studies in Korea usually reported that tuberculous spondylitis is the predominant infection. However, in our study, the number of pyogenic infection was 3 times greater than that of tuberculous spinal disease. Etiological agents were identified in a half of all infectious spinal disease. For better outcomes, we should try to identify the causative microorganism before antibiotic therapy and make every effort to improve the result of culture and biopsy. PMID:25289121

Current and future molecular diagnostics for prion diseases.

PubMed

Lehto, Marty T; Peery, Harry E; Cashman, Neil R

2006-07-01

It is now widely held that the infectious agents underlying the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are prions, which are primarily composed of a misfolded, protease-resistant isoform of the host prion protein. Untreatable prion disorders include some human diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and diseases of economically important animals, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (cattle) and chronic wasting disease (deer and elk). Detection and diagnosis of prion disease (and presymptomatic incubation) is contingent upon developing novel assays, which exploit properties uniquely possessed by this misfolded protein complex, rather than targeting an agent-specific nucleic acid. This review highlights some of the conventional and disruptive technologies developed to respond to this challenge.

Altered Antibody Profiles against Common Infectious Agents in Chronic Disease

PubMed Central

Burbelo, Peter D.; Ching, Kathryn H.; Morse, Caryn G.; Alevizos, Ilias; Bayat, Ahmad; Cohen, Jeffrey I.; Ali, Mir A.; Kapoor, Amit; Browne, Sarah K.; Holland, Steven M.; Kovacs, Joseph A.; Iadarola, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Despite the important diagnostic value of evaluating antibody responses to individual human pathogens, antibody profiles against multiple infectious agents have not been used to explore health and disease mainly for technical reasons.  We hypothesized that the interplay between infection and chronic disease might be revealed by profiling antibodies against multiple agents. Here, the levels of antibodies against a panel of 13 common infectious agents were evaluated with the quantitative Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems (LIPS) in patients from three disease cohorts including those with pathogenic anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies (IFN-γ AAB), HIV and Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS) to determine if their antibody profiles differed from control subjects.  The IFN-γ AAB patients compared to controls demonstrated statistically higher levels of antibodies against VZV (p=0.0003), EBV (p=0.002), CMV (p=0.003), and C. albicans (p=0.03), but lower antibody levels against poliovirus (p=0.04). Comparison of HIV patients with blood donor controls revealed that the patients had higher levels of antibodies against CMV (p=0.0008), HSV-2 (p=0.0008), EBV (p=0.001), and C. albicans (p=0.01), but showed decreased levels of antibodies against coxsackievirus B4 (p=0.0008), poliovirus (p=0.0005),   and HHV-6B (p=0.002). Lastly, SjS patients had higher levels of anti-EBV antibodies (p=0.03), but lower antibody levels against several enteroviruses including a newly identified picornavirus, HCoSV-A (p=0.004), coxsackievirus B4 (p=0.04), and poliovirus (p=0.02). For the IFN-γ AAB and HIV cohorts, principal component analysis revealed unique antibody clusters that showed the potential to discriminate patients from controls.  The results suggest that antibody profiles against these and likely other common infectious agents may yield insight into the interplay between exposure to infectious agents, dysbiosis, adaptive immunity and disease activity. PMID:24312567

Recent advances in rapid and ultrasensitive biosensors for infectious agents: lesson from Bacillus anthracis diagnostic sensors.

PubMed

Kim, Joungmok; Yoon, Moon-Young

2010-06-01

Here, we review the cumulative efforts to develop rapid and ultrasensitive diagnostic systems, especially for the infectious agent, Bacillus anthracis, as a model system. This Minireview focuses on demonstrating the features of various probes for target molecule detection and recent methods of signal generation within the biosensors. Also, we discuss the possibility of using peptides as next-generation probe molecules.

Use of experimental airborne infections for monitoring altered host defenses.

PubMed Central

Gardner, D E

1982-01-01

The success or failure of the respiratory system to defend itself against airborne infectious agents largely depends upon the efficiency of the pulmonary defenses to maintain sterility and to dispose of unwanted substances. Both specific and nonspecific host defenses cooperate in the removal and inactivation of such agents. Several studies have shown that these defenses are vulnerable to a wide range of environmental agents and that there is a good relationship between exposure to pollutant and the impaired resistance to pulmonary disease. There are numerous immunological, biochemical and physiological techniques that are routinely used to identify and to characterize individual impairments of these defenses. Based on these effects, various hypotheses are proposed as to what health consequences could be expected from these effects. The ultimate test is whether the host, with its compromised defense mechanisms, is still capable of sustaining the total injury and continuing to defend itself against opportunistic pathogens. This paper describes the use of an experimental airborne infectious disease model capable of predicting subtle changes in host defenses at concentrations below which there are any other overt toxicological effects. Such sensitivity is possible because the model measure not just a single "health" parameter, but instead is capable of reflecting the total responses caused by the test chemical. Images FIGURE 3. PMID:7060549

Fish Viruses: Buffers and Methods for Plaquing Eight Agents Under Normal Atmosphere

PubMed Central

Wolf, Ken; Quimby, M. C.

1973-01-01

A universal procedure was sought for plaque assay of eight fish viruses (bluegill myxovirus, channel catfish virus, eel virus, Egtved virus, infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus, infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, lymphocystis virus, and the agent of spring viremia of carp (Rhabdovirus carpio), in dish cultures of various fish cells. Eagle minimal essential medium with sodium bicarbonate-CO2 buffer (Earle’s salt solution) was compared with minimal essential medium buffered principally with tris (hydroxymethyl)aminomethane or N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2′-ethanesulfonic acid at a pH or in the range of 7.6 to 8.0 depending upon temperature. Five fish cell lines collectively capable of replicating all fish viruses thus far isolated were tested and quantitatively found to grow comparably well in the three media. Two-phase (gel-liquid) media incorporating the various buffer systems allowed plaquing at 15 to 33 C either in partial pressures of CO2 or in normal atmosphere, but greater efficiency and sensitivity were obtained with the organic buffers, and, overall, the best results were obtained with tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane. Epizootiological data, specific fish cell line response, and plaque morphology permit presumptive identification of most of the agents. At proper pH, use of organic buffers obviates the need for CO2 incubators. Images PMID:4349252

History and Practice: Antibodies in Infectious Diseases.

PubMed

Hey, Adam

2015-04-01

Antibodies and passive antibody therapy in the treatment of infectious diseases is the story of a treatment concept which dates back more than 120 years, to the 1890s, when the use of serum from immunized animals provided the first effective treatment options against infections with Clostridium tetani and Corynebacterium diphtheriae. However, after the discovery of penicillin by Fleming in 1928, and the subsequent introduction of the much cheaper and safer antibiotics in the 1930s, serum therapy was largely abandoned. However, the broad and general use of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine has resulted in the development of multi-resistant strains of bacteria with limited to no response to existing treatments and the need for alternative treatment options. The combined specificity and flexibility of antibody-based treatments makes them very valuable tools for designing specific antibody treatments to infectious agents. These attributes have already caused a revolution in new antibody-based treatments in oncology and inflammatory diseases, with many approved products. However, only one monoclonal antibody, palivizumab, for the prevention and treatment of respiratory syncytial virus, is approved for infectious diseases. The high cost of monoclonal antibody therapies, the need for parallel development of diagnostics, and the relatively small markets are major barriers for their development in the presence of cheap antibiotics. It is time to take a new and revised look into the future to find appropriate niches in infectious diseases where new antibody-based treatments or combinations with existing antibiotics, could prove their value and serve as stepping stones for broader acceptance of the potential for and value of these treatments.

Exposure of free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) to infectious and parasitic disease agents in the Noël Kempff Mercado National Park, Bolivia.

PubMed

Deem, Sharon L; Emmons, Louise H

2005-06-01

Maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) are neotropic mammals, listed as a CITES Appendix II species, with a distribution south of the Amazon forest from Bolivia, through northern Argentina and Paraguay and into eastern Brazil and northern Uruguay. Primary threats to the survival of free-ranging maned wolves include habitat loss, road kills, and shooting by farmers. An additional threat to the conservation of maned wolves is the risk of morbidity and mortality due to infectious and parasitic diseases. Captive maned wolves are susceptible to, and die from, common infectious diseases of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) including canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV), rabies virus, and canine adenovirus (CAV). Results from this study show that free-ranging maned wolves in a remote area of Bolivia have been exposed to multiple infectious and parasitic agents of domestic carnivores, including CAV, CDV, CPV, canine coronavirus, rabies virus, Leptospira interrogans spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Dirofilaria immitis, and may be at increased risk for disease due to these agents.

Disaster Preparedness: Biological Threats and Treatment Options.

PubMed

Narayanan, Navaneeth; Lacy, Clifton R; Cruz, Joseph E; Nahass, Meghan; Karp, Jonathan; Barone, Joseph A; Hermes-DeSantis, Evelyn R

2018-02-01

Biological disasters can be natural, accidental, or intentional. Biological threats have made a lasting impact on civilization. This review focuses on agents of clinical significance, bioterrorism, and national security, specifically Category A agents (anthrax, botulism, plague, tularemia, and smallpox), as well as briefly discusses other naturally emerging infections of public health significance, Ebola virus (also a Category A agent) and Zika virus. The role of pharmacists in disaster preparedness and disaster response is multifaceted and important. Their expertise includes clinical knowledge, which can aid in drug information consultation, patient-specific treatment decision making, and development of local treatment plans. To fulfill this role, pharmacists must have a comprehensive understanding of medical countermeasures for these significant biological threats across all health care settings. New and reemerging infectious disease threats will continue to challenge the world. Pharmacists will be at the forefront of preparedness and response, sharing knowledge and clinical expertise with responders, official decision makers, and the general public. © 2017 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Aptamers as the Agent in Decontamination Assays (Apta-Decontamination Assays): From the Environment to the Potential Application In Vivo

PubMed Central

Bilibana, Mawethu Pascoe; Yeoh, Tzi Shien; Tang, Thean-Hock

2017-01-01

The binding specificity and affinity of aptamers have long been harnessed as the key elements in the development of aptamer-based assays, particularly aptasensing application. One promising avenue that is currently explored based on the specificity and affinity of aptamers is the application of aptamers in the decontamination assays. Aptamers have been successfully harnessed as the decontamination agents to remove contaminants from the environment and to decontaminate infectious elements. The reversible denaturation property inherent in aptamers enables the repeated usage of aptamers, which can immensely save the cost of decontamination. Analogous to the point-of-care diagnostics, there is no doubt that aptamers can also be deployed in the point-of-care aptamer-based decontamination assay, whereby decontamination can be performed anywhere and anytime for instantaneous decision-making. It is also prophesied that aptamers can also serve more than as a decontaminant, probably as a tool to capture and kill hazardous elements, particularly pathogenic agents. PMID:29225967

Microbiological Monitoring for the Constellation Program: Current Requirements and Future Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, C. Mark

2007-01-01

Microbiological requirements for spaceflight are based on assessments of infectious disease risk which could impact crew health or mission success. The determination of risk from infectious disease is composed of several factors including (1) crew susceptibility, (2) crew exposure to the infectious disease agent, (3) the concentration of the infectious agent, and (4) the characteristics of the infectious agent. As a result of the Health Stabilization Program, stringent monitoring, and cleaning protocols, in-flight environmental microbial monitoring is not necessary for short-duration spaceflights. However, risk factors change for long-duration missions, as exemplified by the presence of medically significant organisms in the environments of both the Mir and International Space Station (ISS). Based upon this historical evidence, requirements for short duration usage aboard the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and Lunar Lander Vehicle will not require in-flight monitoring; however, as mission duration increases with a Lunar Outpost, an ability to detect microbial hazard will be necessary. The nature of the detection requirements will depend on the maturity of technology in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Regardless, the hardware will still need to maximize information to discipline experts and the crew, while minimizing the size, mass, power consumption, and crew time usage. The refinement of these monitors will be a major goal in our efforts to travel successfully to Mars.

Association between Helicobacter pylori and intestinal parasites in an Añu indigenous community of Venezuela.

PubMed

Fuenmayor-Boscán, Alisbeth D; Hernández, Ileana M; Valero, Kutchynskaya J; Paz, América M; Sandrea, Lisette B; Rivero, Zulbey

2016-03-01

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and enteroparasite infections are highly prevalent in populations with poor living conditions, like the Amerindian communities. Identifying associations between both types of infectious agents could help to detect shared risk factors or transmission routes in these minority ethnic groups. Therefore, the prevalence and association between Hp and enteroparasites were investigated in an indigenous community whose living conditions favor such infectious diseases. Seropositivity (anti-Hp-specific IgG) and active infection (stool antigen test), intestinal parasitosis (direct and concentrated coproparasitological test, methylene blue, and Kinyoun stains), and risk factors for fecal-oral transmission were determined in 167 children and 151 adults of the Añu indigenous community living at the Sinamaica Lagoon, in Venezuela. A high rate of Hp infection (seropositivity and active infection) and enteroparasitosis was evidenced, as expected. Some significant associations were detected: direct associations between Hp and polyparasitic infection, helminths, and protozoan (particularly in children); inverse association between Hp and Giardia lamblia. No shared epidemiological factors were identified for Hp and the detected intestinal parasites, probably due to overlapping factors. Direct associations detected support the participation of the fecal-oral route in the transmission of the involved infectious agents. Inverse relationship (Hp) and G. lamblia may suggest the existence of antagonistic interactions between them. Further research is required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these associations.

Virus-like infectious agent (VLIA) is a novel pathogenic mycoplasma: Mycoplasma incognitus.

PubMed

Lo, S C; Shih, J W; Newton, P B; Wong, D M; Hayes, M M; Benish, J R; Wear, D J; Wang, R Y

1989-11-01

The newly recognized pathogenic virus-like infectious agent (VLIA), originally reported in patients with AIDS but also known to be pathogenic in previously healthy non-AIDS patients and in non-human primates, was cultured in cell-free conditions using a modified SP-4 medium and classified as a member of the order Mycoplasmatales, class Mollicutes. The infectious microorganism is tentatively referred to as Mycoplasma incognitus. M. incognitus has the unique biochemical properties of utilizing glucose both aerobically and anaerobically, as well as having the ability to metabolize arginine. Among all known human mycoplasmas, these specific biochemical characteristics were found previously only in a rarely isolated species, M. fermentans. In comparison with M. fermentans, M. incognitus appears to be even more fastidious in cultivation requirements and fails to grow in all tested mycoplasma media other than modified SP-4 medium. In addition, M. incognitus grows much more slowly, has a smaller spherical particle size and occasional filamentous morphology, and forms only irregular and very small colonies with diffuse edges on agar plates. Antigenic analysis using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies and DNA analysis of sequence homology and restriction enzyme mappings in M. incognitus, M. orale, M. hyorhinis, M. hominis, M. pneumoniae, M. fermentans, M. arginini, M. genitalium, M. salivarium, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Acholeplasma laidlawii revealed that M. incognitus is distinct from other mycoplasmas, but is most closely related to M. fermentans.

Adapting High-Throughput Screening Methods and Assays for Biocontainment Laboratories

PubMed Central

Tigabu, Bersabeh; White, E. Lucile; Bostwick, Robert; Tower, Nichole; Bukreyev, Alexander; Rockx, Barry; LeDuc, James W.; Noah, James W.

2015-01-01

Abstract High-throughput screening (HTS) has been integrated into the drug discovery process, and multiple assay formats have been widely used in many different disease areas but with limited focus on infectious agents. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of HTS campaigns using infectious wild-type pathogens rather than surrogates or biochemical pathogen-derived targets. Concurrently, enhanced emerging pathogen surveillance and increased human mobility have resulted in an increase in the emergence and dissemination of infectious human pathogens with serious public health, economic, and social implications at global levels. Adapting the HTS drug discovery process to biocontainment laboratories to develop new drugs for these previously uncharacterized and highly pathogenic agents is now feasible, but HTS at higher biosafety levels (BSL) presents a number of unique challenges. HTS has been conducted with multiple bacterial and viral pathogens at both BSL-2 and BSL-3, and pilot screens have recently been extended to BSL-4 environments for both Nipah and Ebola viruses. These recent successful efforts demonstrate that HTS can be safely conducted at the highest levels of biological containment. This review outlines the specific issues that must be considered in the execution of an HTS drug discovery program for high-containment pathogens. We present an overview of the requirements for HTS in high-level biocontainment laboratories. PMID:25710545

Application of nanotechnologies for improved immune response against infectious diseases in the developing world

PubMed Central

Look, Michael; Bandyopadhyay, Arunima; Blum, Jeremy S.; Fahmy, Tarek M.

2010-01-01

There is an urgent need for new strategies to combat infectious diseases in developing countries. Many pathogens have evolved to elude immunity and this has limited the utility of current therapies. Additionally, the emergence of co-infections and drug resistant pathogens has increased the need for advanced therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. These challenges can be addressed with therapies that boost the quality and magnitude of an immune response in a predictable, designable fashion that can be applied for wide-spread use. Here, we discuss how biomaterials and specifically nanoscale delivery vehicles can be used to modify and improve the immune system response against infectious diseases. Immunotherapy of infectious disease is the enhancement or modulation of the immune system response to more effectively prevent or clear pathogen infection. Nanoscale vehicles are particularly adept at facilitating immunotherapeutic approaches because they can be engineered to have different physical properties, encapsulated agents, and surface ligands. Additionally, nanoscaled point-of-care diagnostics offer new alternatives for portable and sensitive health monitoring that can guide the use of nanoscale immunotherapies. By exploiting the unique tunability of nanoscale biomaterials to activate, shape, and detect immune system effector function, it may be possible in the near future to generate practical strategies for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in the developing world. PMID:19922750

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and mad cows: lessons learnt from yeast cells.

PubMed

Hofmann, J; Wolf, H; Grassmann, A; Arndt, V; Graham, J; Vorberg, I

2012-01-24

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are fatal neurodegenerative diseases that affect mammals including humans. The proteinaceous nature of the infectious agent, the prion, and its propagation, challenge established dogmas in biology. It is now widely accepted that prion diseases are caused by unconventional agents principally composed of a misfolded host-encoded protein, PrP. Surprisingly, major break-throughs in prion research came from studies on functionally unrelated proteins in yeast and filamentous fungi. Aggregates composed of these proteins act as epigenetic elements of inheritance that can propagate their alternative states by a conformational switch into an ordered ß-sheet rich polymer just like mammalian prions. Since their discovery prions of lower eukaryotes have provided invaluable insights into all aspects of prion biogenesis. Importantly, yeast prions provide proof-of-principle that distinct protein conformers can be infectious and can serve as genetic elements that have the capacity to encipher strain specific information. As a powerful and tractable model system, yeast prions will continue to increase our understanding of prion-host cell interaction and potential mechanisms of protein-based epigenetic inheritance.

Antibacterial resistance in sub-Saharan Africa: an underestimated emergency

PubMed Central

Kariuki, Samuel; Dougan, Gordon

2014-01-01

Antibacterial resistance–associated infections are known to increase morbidity and mortality and cost of treatment and to potentially put others in the community at higher risk of infections. In high-income countries, where the burden of infectious diseases is relatively modest, resistance to first-line antibacterial agents is usually overcome by use of second- and third-line agents. However, in developing countries where the burden of infectious diseases is high, patients with antibacterial-resistant infections may be unable to obtain or afford effective second-line treatments. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the situation is aggravated by poor hygiene, unreliable water supplies, civil conflicts, and increasing numbers of immunocompromised people, such as those with HIV, which facilitate both the evolution of resistant pathogens and their rapid spread in the community. Due to limited capacity for disease detection and surveillance, the burden of illnesses due to treatable bacterial infections, their specific etiologies, and the awareness of antibacterial resistance is less well established in most of SSA, and therefore the ability to mitigate their consequences is significantly limited. PMID:24628272

Are herpes virus associated to aggressive periodontitis? A review of literature

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Patrícia Maria de Sousa; Teixeira, Ana Luísa; Kustner, Eduardo Chimenos; Medeiros, Rui

2015-01-01

Periodontal Disease includes a wide variety of infectious entities with various clinical manifestations in the oral cavity and responses to treatment. The determinants of clinical manifestations of periodontal disease include the type of infectious agent, the host immune response and environmental factors. Aggressive periodontitis (AP) is defined as a type of inflammation with specific clinical and laboratory features, which distinguish it from other types of periodontitis, with high incidence rates in a sub-group of individuals. Bacteria have been frequently mentioned as the agent inciting gingival inflammation and tissue destruction that underlies the pathogenesis of periodontitis. However, recent studies, with some controversial results, have suggested that the herpes family of viruses, including CMV and EBV-1 as well as papillomaviruses, HIV, Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1, Torquetenovirus and hepatitis B and C occur with high frequency in active periodontal lesions. There is a lack of information about this disease and the role of herpesviruses in its pathophysiology. This review provides a critical analysis of the scientific evidence linking bacteria and viruses with AP and their potential impact on clinical characteristics, prognosis and therapy. PMID:26980964

Epidemic spreading induced by diversity of agents' mobility.

PubMed

Zhou, Jie; Chung, Ning Ning; Chew, Lock Yue; Lai, Choy Heng

2012-08-01

In this paper, we study the impact of the preference of an individual for public transport on the spread of infectious disease, through a quantity known as the public mobility. Our theoretical and numerical results based on a constructed model reveal that if the average public mobility of the agents is fixed, an increase in the diversity of the agents' public mobility reduces the epidemic threshold, beyond which an enhancement in the rate of infection is observed. Our findings provide an approach to improve the resistance of a society against infectious disease, while preserving the utilization rate of the public transportation system.

Ticks and Tick-Borne Infections: Complex Ecology, Agents, and Host Interactions.

PubMed

Wikel, Stephen K

2018-06-20

Ticks transmit the most diverse array of infectious agents of any arthropod vector. Both ticks and the microbes they transmit are recognized as significant threats to human and veterinary public health. This article examines the potential impacts of climate change on the distribution of ticks and the infections they transmit; the emergence of novel tick-borne pathogens, increasing geographic range and incidence of tick-borne infections; and advances in the characterization of tick saliva mediated modulation of host defenses and the implications of those interactions for transmission, establishment, and control of tick infestation and tick-borne infectious agents.

Recent advances in diagnostic microbiology.

PubMed

Bravo, Lulette Tricia C; Procop, Gary W

2009-07-01

The past decade has seen a surge in the development of a variety of molecular diagnostics designed to rapidly identify or characterize medically important microorganisms. We briefly review important advances in molecular microbiology, and then discuss specific assays that have been implemented in clinical microbiology laboratories throughout the country. We also discuss emerging methods and technologies that will soon be more widely used for the prompt and accurate detection of the agents of infectious diseases.

42 CFR 73.3 - HHS select agents and toxins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... been genetically modified. (d) HHS select agents or toxins that meet any of the following criteria are... Recombinant Organisms: (1) Nucleic acids that can produce infectious forms of any of the select agent viruses...

Epidemiology of infectious diseases transmitted by drinking water in developed countries.

PubMed

Hartemann, P; Newman, R; Foliguet, J M

1986-01-01

Research on the epidemiology of infectious diseases attributable to drinking water, common in the US during the past 20 years at least, is not yet really widespread in France. The role played by water in the transmission of certain infectious agents was important in European countries during past centuries but at present the incidence of waterborne diseases can be considered as very low. The absence of well-established data is due to the difficulty in reporting correctly a few minor outbreaks in a situation of very low endemicity. After a survey of the reported outbreaks, this paper deals with risk assessment of waterborne diseases in developed countries as well as special problems linked with proving transmission via water and with the nature of the infectious agents, and the development of monitoring methods for increasing our knowledge of this epidemiology.

Does biodiversity protect humans against infectious disease?

PubMed

Wood, Chelsea L; Lafferty, Kevin D; DeLeo, Giulio; Young, Hillary S; Hudson, Peter J; Kuris, Armand M

2014-04-01

Control of human infectious disease has been promoted as a valuable ecosystem service arising from the conservation of biodiversity. There are two commonly discussed mechanisms by which biodiversity loss could increase rates of infectious disease in a landscape. First, loss of competitors or predators could facilitate an increase in the abundance of competent reservoir hosts. Second, biodiversity loss could disproportionately affect non-competent, or less competent reservoir hosts, which would otherwise interfere with pathogen transmission to human populations by, for example, wasting the bites of infected vectors. A negative association between biodiversity and disease risk, sometimes called the "dilution effect hypothesis," has been supported for a few disease agents, suggests an exciting win-win outcome for the environment and society, and has become a pervasive topic in the disease ecology literature. Case studies have been assembled to argue that the dilution effect is general across disease agents. Less touted are examples in which elevated biodiversity does not affect or increases infectious disease risk for pathogens of public health concern. In order to assess the likely generality of the dilution effect, we review the association between biodiversity and public health across a broad variety of human disease agents. Overall, we hypothesize that conditions for the dilution effect are unlikely to be met for most important diseases of humans. Biodiversity probably has little net effect on most human infectious diseases but, when it does have an effect, observation and basic logic suggest that biodiversity will be more likely to increase than to decrease infectious disease risk.

Infectious diseases in competitive sports.

PubMed

Goodman, R A; Thacker, S B; Solomon, S L; Osterholm, M T; Hughes, J M

1994-03-16

Participation in competitive sports is popular and widely encouraged throughout the United States. Reports of infectious disease outbreaks among competitive athletes and recent publicity regarding infectious disease concerns in sports underscore the need to better characterize the occurrence of these problems. To identify reports of infectious diseases in sports, we performed a comprehensive search of the medical literature (MEDLINE) and newspaper databases in two on-line services (NEXIS and DIALOG PAPERS). Articles selected from the literature review included those describing cases or outbreaks of disease in which exposure to an infectious agent was likely to have occurred during training for competitive sports or during actual competition. Articles from the newspaper review included reports of outbreaks, exposures, or preventive measures that directly or indirectly involved teams or spectators. The literature review identified 38 reports of infectious disease outbreaks or other instances of transmission through person-to-person (24 reports), common-source (nine reports), or airborne (five reports) routes; the newspaper search identified 28 reports. Infectious agents included predominantly viruses but also a variety of fungi and gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Our findings indicate that strategies to prevent transmission of infectious diseases in sports must recognize risks at three levels: the individual athlete, the team, and spectators or others who may become exposed to infectious diseases as a result of sports-related activities. Team physicians and others who are responsible for the health of athletes should be especially familiar with the features of infectious diseases that occur in sports and measures for the prevention of these problems.

Limited yield of diagnoses of intrahepatic infectious causes of canine granulomatous hepatitis from archival liver tissue.

PubMed

Hutchins, Rae G; Breitschwerdt, Edward B; Cullen, John M; Bissett, Sally A; Gookin, Jody L

2012-09-01

Canine granulomatous hepatitis is an uncommon morphologic diagnosis that has been associated with a variety of diseases, including a number of systemic infectious etiologies. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues are typically the only source of liver tissue remaining for additional testing for the presence of infectious disease within granulomas. It is unclear if the more common infectious culprits of granulomatous hepatitis can be identified from such specimens. The aim of the current study was to retrospectively investigate archival FFPE liver tissue from dogs with granulomatous hepatitis for the presence of infectious agents. Semiquantitative analysis of copper accumulation in liver specimens was also performed. Medical records were examined for recorded evidence of systemic infectious disease diagnosis. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver was prospectively evaluated for infectious agents via differential staining techniques (n = 13), eubacterial fluorescent in situ hybridization (n = 11), and Bartonella polymerase chain reaction assays (n = 15). An infectious cause of granulomatous hepatitis was not identified within liver tissue from any dog using these diagnostic methodologies. Six out of 25 (24%) dogs were diagnosed with concurrent systemic or localized bacterial infections at the time of presentation. Nine out of 17 (53%) dogs had excessive hepatic copper accumulation when evaluated by a semiquantitative histologic grading scheme or quantitative copper analysis. As definitive infectious causes of granulomatous hepatitis were not identified within archival liver biopsy samples, it was concluded that investigation of infectious etiologies within FFPE liver specimens using these diagnostic approaches may be of low yield.

Meta-Analysis of Infectious Agents and Depression

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiao; Zhang, Liang; Lei, Yang; Liu, Xia; Zhou, Xinyu; Liu, Yiyun; Wang, Mingju; Yang, Liu; Zhang, Lujun; Fan, Songhua; Xie, Peng

2014-01-01

Depression is a debilitating psychiatric disorder and a growing global public health issue. However, the relationships between microbial infections and depression remains uncertain. A computerized literature search of Medline, ISI Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library was conducted up to May 2013, and 6362 studies were initially identified for screening. Case-control studies detected biomarker of microorganism were included. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 28 studies were finally included to compare the detection of 16 infectious agents in unipolar depressed patients and healthy controls with a positive incident being defined as a positive biochemical marker of microbial infection. A customized form was used for data extraction. Pooled analysis revealed that the majority of the 16 infectious agents were not significantly associated with depression. However, there were statistically significant associations between depression and infection with Borna disease virus, herpes simplex virus-1, varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and Chlamydophila trachomatis. PMID:24681753

[Standard algorithm of molecular typing of Yersinia pestis strains].

PubMed

Eroshenko, G A; Odinokov, G N; Kukleva, L M; Pavlova, A I; Krasnov, Ia M; Shavina, N Iu; Guseva, N P; Vinogradova, N A; Kutyrev, V V

2012-01-01

Development of the standard algorithm of molecular typing of Yersinia pestis that ensures establishing of subspecies, biovar and focus membership of the studied isolate. Determination of the characteristic strain genotypes of plague infectious agent of main and nonmain subspecies from various natural foci of plague of the Russian Federation and the near abroad. Genotyping of 192 natural Y. pestis strains of main and nonmain subspecies was performed by using PCR methods, multilocus sequencing and multilocus analysis of variable tandem repeat number. A standard algorithm of molecular typing of plague infectious agent including several stages of Yersinia pestis differentiation by membership: in main and nonmain subspecies, various biovars of the main subspecies, specific subspecies; natural foci and geographic territories was developed. The algorithm is based on 3 typing methods--PCR, multilocus sequence typing and multilocus analysis of variable tandem repeat number using standard DNA targets--life support genes (terC, ilvN, inv, glpD, napA, rhaS and araC) and 7 loci of variable tandem repeats (ms01, ms04, ms06, ms07, ms46, ms62, ms70). The effectiveness of the developed algorithm is shown on the large number of natural Y. pestis strains. Characteristic sequence types of Y. pestis strains of various subspecies and biovars as well as MLVA7 genotypes of strains from natural foci of plague of the Russian Federation and the near abroad were established. The application of the developed algorithm will increase the effectiveness of epidemiologic monitoring of plague infectious agent, and analysis of epidemics and outbreaks of plague with establishing the source of origin of the strain and routes of introduction of the infection.

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

Adjuvant role of vitamin B analogue (sulbutiamine) with anti-infective treatment in infection associated asthenia.

PubMed

Shah, Siddharth N

2003-09-01

Asthenic symptoms such as weakness accompany illness. This study investigates whether the centrally acting cholinergic agent, vitamin B analogue (sulbutiamine), is effective and acceptable in relieving these symptoms in infectious disease when combined with specific anti-infective treatment. In a prospective uncontrolled, non-randomised, commercial, observational study, 1772 patients with an infectious disease and asthenic symptoms, drawn from the practice of 350 randomly selected physicians throughout India, received vitamin B analogue (sulbutiamine) in addition to specific anti-infective treatment for 15 days. The primary outcome variable was complete resolution of asthenic symptoms with treatment. The number (%, 95% confidence interval) of patients with complete resolution of all asthenic symptoms was 916 (51.7, 49.4-54). In the remaining patients, severe asthenia was reduced but persisted in 11 (0.6, 0-26); and moderate asthenia in 94 (5.3, 0-17.6). The response was greater in patients with acute infection and symptoms more related to cerebral function. Side effects occurred in 10 (0.6%), patients and well being improved significantly. Vitamin B analogue (sulbutiamine) may be a useful adjunct to specific anti-infective treatment.

Prions: Beyond a Single Protein

PubMed Central

Das, Alvin S.

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Since the term protein was first coined in 1838 and protein was discovered to be the essential component of fibrin and albumin, all cellular proteins were presumed to play beneficial roles in plants and mammals. However, in 1967, Griffith proposed that proteins could be infectious pathogens and postulated their involvement in scrapie, a universally fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in goats and sheep. Nevertheless, this novel hypothesis had not been evidenced until 1982, when Prusiner and coworkers purified infectious particles from scrapie-infected hamster brains and demonstrated that they consisted of a specific protein that he called a “prion.” Unprecedentedly, the infectious prion pathogen is actually derived from its endogenous cellular form in the central nervous system. Unlike other infectious agents, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, prions do not contain genetic materials such as DNA or RNA. The unique traits and genetic information of prions are believed to be encoded within the conformational structure and posttranslational modifications of the proteins. Remarkably, prion-like behavior has been recently observed in other cellular proteins—not only in pathogenic roles but also serving physiological functions. The significance of these fascinating developments in prion biology is far beyond the scope of a single cellular protein and its related disease. PMID:27226089

Pathomics: Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Turteltaub, K W; Ascher, M; Langlois, R

Pathomics is a research project to explore the feasibility for developing biosignatures for early infectious disease detection in humans, particularly those that represent a threat from bioterrorism. Our goal is to use a science-based approach to better understand the underlying molecular basis of disease and to find sensitive, robust, and specific combinations of biological molecules (biosignatures) in the host that will indicate the presence of developing infection prior to overt symptoms (pre-syndromic). The ultimate goal is develop a national surveillance system for monitoring for the release and managing the consequences of a biothreat agent or an emerging disease. Developing themore » science for a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis of infectious disease and the development of biosignature-based diagnostics could help detect both emerging and engineered treats to humans.« less

Giant scrotal elephantiasis: an idiopathic case.

PubMed

Dianzani, C; Gaspardini, F; Persichetti, P; Brunetti, B; Pizzuti, A; Margiotti, K; Degener, A M

2010-01-01

Scrotal elephantiasis is very rare disease in industrialized countries, where it is mainly due to surgery, irradiation or malignancies. It can be defined as idiopathic only when the possible congenital, infectious and compressive causes are excluded. We report a case of massive scrotal lymphoedema in an adult Caucasian patient, in Italy. He presented an extremely voluminous scrotal mass measuring 50 x 47 x 13 cm (weight 18 kg), which extended below his knees, invalidating all his daily activities. The patient was hospitalized in order to undergo to surgical treatment. Although genetic causes were searched and the possible role of infectious agents and compressive factors was evaluated, no etiology was ascertained. Histopathologic examination showed non-specific chronic inflammation, confirming the diagnosis of idiopathic elephantiasis. One year after surgical treatment, the patient is healthy without recurrence signs.

Endemic infectious diseases and biological warfare during the Gulf War: a decade of analysis and final concerns.

PubMed

Hyams, K C; Riddle, J; Trump, D H; Graham, J T

2001-11-01

Infectious diseases were one of the first health threats confronted by Coalition troops deployed to the Arabian desert in August 1990. On the basis of experiences in World War II, the major endemic infectious disease risks were thought to be sandfly fever, cutaneous leishmaniasis, diarrheal disease, and malaria. Although there was active surveillance, no case of sandfly fever and few other endemic infectious diseases were identified among over 500,000 U.S., British, and Canadian ground troops. In addition, there was no diagnosis of biological warfare (BW) exposure, and BW agents were not detected in clinical, environmental, or veterinary samples. The most common infectious disease problems were those associated with crowding (acute upper respiratory infections) and reduced levels of sanitation (travelers-type diarrhea). Only one endemic infectious disease has been confirmed as causing chronic health problems: visceral Leishmania tropica infection (viscerotropic leishmaniasis). However, this protozoan infection was diagnosed in only 12 U.S. veterans, and no new cases have been identified during the last 8 years. Infectious diseases were not a serious problem for Gulf War troops because of extensive preventive medicine efforts and favorable weather and geographic factors. Moreover, it is unlikely that an endemic infectious disease or a BW agent could cause chronic health problems and remain undetected over a 10-year period.

Hypertrophic Cranial Pachymeningitis and Skull Base Osteomyelitis by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa: Case Report and Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Caldas, Ana Rita; Brandao, Mariana; Paula, Filipe Seguro; Castro, Elsa; Farinha, Fatima; Marinho, Antonio

2012-01-01

Hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis (HCP) is an uncommon disorder characterized by localized or diffuse thickening of the dura mater, and it usually presents with multiple cranial neurophaties. It has been associated with a variety of inflammatory, infectious, traumatic, toxic and neoplasic diseases, when no specific cause is found the process is called idiopathic. The infectious cases occur in patients under systemic immunosuppression, which have an evident contiguous source or those who have undergone neurosurgical procedures. We describe a case of a 62-year-old immunosuppressed woman with diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, which had HCP and osteomyelitis of the skull base caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa, presenting with headache and diplopia. We believe this is the second documented case of pachymeningitis secondary to this microorganism. As a multifactorial disease, it is essencial to determine the specific causative agent of HCP before making treatment decisions, and great care is needed with immunocompromised patients. Keywords Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Hypertrophic pachymeningitis; Ophtalmoplegia, optical neuropathy; Osteomyelitis; Skull base PMID:22505989

Vaccine Therapy for HIV: A Historical Review of the Treatment of Infectious Diseases by Active Specific Immunization with Microbe-Derived Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

with tuberculosis induced an inflammatory response in affected tissues, and advocated "tuberculin therapy". Sir Almoth Wright in the early 20th...inoculation of tuberculin into patients with tuberculosis Other research groups have recently tried similar induced an inflammatory response in...THERAPY FOR TUBERCULOSIS (1890-191t) smallpox prompted searches for vaccines against other diseases. In 1850 the quixotic French physician While Pasteur

[Morphology, biology and life-cycle of Plasmodium parasites].

PubMed

Hommel, Marcel

2007-10-01

Laveran first discovered that an infectious agent was responsible for malaria by using a simple microscope, without the assistance of specific stains. Our knowledge of the Plasmodium life cycle and cellular biology has progressed with each technological advance, from Romanovsky staining and histology to electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry, molecular methods and modern imaging techniques. The use of bird, primate and rodent models also made a major contribution, notably in the development of antimalarial drugs that are still in use today.

[Human transmissible subacute spongiform encephalopathy].

PubMed

Dormont, D

1994-05-01

Human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) are rare chronic subacute degenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) which include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Kuru, Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS), and Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI). CJD can be either inherited or sporadic. All these diseases are always fatal. Neuropathological features are mainly constituted of neuronal vacuolisation, neuronal death, gliosis with hyperastrocytosis; plaques might be evidenced in kuru and GSS. Neither inflammatory syndrome nor demyelination is detectable. No virus like structure could be identified reproducibly. Human TSE are transmissible to non human primates and rodents. Iatrogenic CJD have been described after tissue grafting (cornea, dura mater), neurosurgery, electrophysiology investigation, and treatment with pituitary derived gonadotrophins and growth hormone. Molecular biochemistry of the CNS investigation revealed that a host encoded protein, the prion protein (PrP), accumulates proportionally to the infectious titer: this abnormality is the only detectable hallmark in TSE. Infectious fractions contain no detectable specific nucleic acid, and are mainly constituted of PrP under an isoform which resists to proteinase K digestion (PrP-res). The PrP gene (PRNP) is located on chromosome 20 in humans. Several mutations of this gene have been described in all inherited TSE (CJD, GSS, and IFF). No treatment is available today. Agents inducing TSE (TSA) are not known: several authors claim that TSA are only constituted of PrP-res; others support the hypothesis of a conventional agent with a specific genetic information.

Detecting specific infections in children through host responses: a paradigm shift.

PubMed

Mejias, Asuncion; Suarez, Nicolas M; Ramilo, Octavio

2014-06-01

There is a need for improved diagnosis and for optimal classification of patients with infectious diseases. An alternative approach to the pathogen-detection strategy is based on a comprehensive analysis of the host response to the infection. This review focuses on the value of transcriptome analyses of blood leukocytes for the diagnosis and management of patients with infectious diseases. Initial studies showed that RNA from blood leukocytes of children with acute viral and bacterial infections carried pathogen-specific transcriptional signatures. Subsequently, transcriptional signatures for several other infections have been described and validated in humans with malaria, dengue, salmonella, melioidosis, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, tuberculosis, and HIV. In addition, transcriptome analyses represent an invaluable tool to understand disease pathogenesis and to objectively classify patients according to the clinical severity. Microarray studies have been shown to be highly reproducible using different platforms, and in different patient populations, confirming the value of blood transcriptome analyses to study pathogen-specific host immune responses in the clinical setting. Combining the detection of the pathogen with a comprehensive assessment of the host immune response will provide a new understanding of the correlations between specific causative agents, the host response, and the clinical manifestations of the disease.

Mortality Surveillance for Infectious Diseases in the U.S. Department of Defense (1998-2013).

PubMed

Potter, Robert N; Tremaine, Ladd A; Gaydos, Joel C

2017-03-01

The Mortality Surveillance Division (MSD) of the U.S. Armed Forces Medical Examiner System was established in 1998 to improve surveillance for all military deaths although emphasizing deaths from infectious diseases. Establishment of the MSD was part of the 1997 Department of Defense initiative to improve surveillance and response for emerging infectious diseases. Before 1998, mortality surveillance was limited to compiling information from death certificates, a system that provided limited useful information and lacked the timeliness needed to take meaningful action to address emerging infectious disease threats. The MSD was tasked to quickly identify all infectious disease deaths and the infecting agents. The system developed by the MSD staff identified deaths in near real-time and immediately notified military Public Health authorities of situations that warranted an investigation. Autopsy, medical, and investigative reports were collected. Testing specimens for agent identification was encouraged. The data and information collected were archived in the MSD-developed Medical Mortality Registry (MMR), a database that included all active duty Service Member deaths and contained manner and cause of death with medical, demographic, circumstantial, and diagnostic information. The MMR was the only comprehensive, autopsy-based source for mortality information on active duty military deaths. During 1998-2013, 217 (1.3%) infectious disease deaths were identified among 16,192 noncombat deaths. Of the 217 deaths, 29.5% were classified as respiratory, 18.0% cardiac, 15.2% blood borne, 12.9% nervous system, and 12.4% sepsis. A pathogen was identified for 64.5%. Agents of military interest identified included Neisseria meningitidis, influenza viruses, adenoviruses, and malaria. Neisseria meningitidis was identified in 10 fatal cases; grouping of the agent was done for eight cases. Four were group B, two were C, and two were Y. All eight had been immunized with a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine. The most commonly detected respiratory agent was influenza virus (nine deaths), three of which were the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus. Adenoviruses were identified as the infectious agents in a total of nine deaths. Two deaths resulted from Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections acquired in Africa during military deployments. An important but unexplained finding was that Black Service Members made up only16.3% of all military personnel but accounted for 28.6% of all infectious disease deaths. The time lag between death and notification of the MSD at the start of this surveillance program was 24 to 48 hours. The lag at the end of the reported surveillance period was 8 to 24 hours. The MSD surveillance system identified an agent in 140 of 217 (64.5%) uniformed deaths. In a similar program by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 122 cases with specimens, an agent could be identified in 34 (28%). MMR data and information provided strong support for re-establishing the military recruit adenovirus vaccination program, which ceased in 1999 and was finally re-established in 2011. MMR data and information also assisted in monitoring the military meningococcal vaccine program, helped to describe the virulence of circulating influenza viruses, and identified areas where deadly malaria infections were not being prevented. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Impact of climate change on human infectious diseases: Empirical evidence and human adaptation.

PubMed

Wu, Xiaoxu; Lu, Yongmei; Zhou, Sen; Chen, Lifan; Xu, Bing

2016-01-01

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in weather conditions and patterns of extreme weather events. It may lead to changes in health threat to human beings, multiplying existing health problems. This review examines the scientific evidences on the impact of climate change on human infectious diseases. It identifies research progress and gaps on how human society may respond to, adapt to, and prepare for the related changes. Based on a survey of related publications between 1990 and 2015, the terms used for literature selection reflect three aspects--the components of infectious diseases, climate variables, and selected infectious diseases. Humans' vulnerability to the potential health impacts by climate change is evident in literature. As an active agent, human beings may control the related health effects that may be effectively controlled through adopting proactive measures, including better understanding of the climate change patterns and of the compound disease-specific health effects, and effective allocation of technologies and resources to promote healthy lifestyles and public awareness. The following adaptation measures are recommended: 1) to go beyond empirical observations of the association between climate change and infectious diseases and develop more scientific explanations, 2) to improve the prediction of spatial-temporal process of climate change and the associated shifts in infectious diseases at various spatial and temporal scales, and 3) to establish locally effective early warning systems for the health effects of predicated climate change. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Transmission and dose–response experiments for social animals: a reappraisal of the colonization biology of Campylobacter jejuni in chickens

PubMed Central

Conlan, Andrew J. K.; Line, John E.; Hiett, Kelli; Coward, Chris; Van Diemen, Pauline M.; Stevens, Mark P.; Jones, Michael A.; Gog, Julia R.; Maskell, Duncan J.

2011-01-01

Dose–response experiments characterize the relationship between infectious agents and their hosts. These experiments are routinely used to estimate the minimum effective infectious dose for an infectious agent, which is most commonly characterized by the dose at which 50 per cent of challenged hosts become infected—the ID50. In turn, the ID50 is often used to compare between different agents and quantify the effect of treatment regimes. The statistical analysis of dose–response data typically makes the assumption that hosts within a given dose group are independent. For social animals, in particular avian species, hosts are routinely housed together in groups during experimental studies. For experiments with non-infectious agents, this poses no practical or theoretical problems. However, transmission of infectious agents between co-housed animals will modify the observed dose–response relationship with implications for the estimation of the ID50 and the comparison between different agents and treatments. We derive a simple correction to the likelihood for standard dose–response models that allows us to estimate dose–response and transmission parameters simultaneously. We use this model to show that: transmission between co-housed animals reduces the apparent value of the ID50 and increases the variability between replicates leading to a distinctive all-or-nothing response; in terms of the total number of animals used, individual housing is always the most efficient experimental design for ascertaining dose–response relationships; estimates of transmission from previously published experimental data for Campylobacter spp. in chickens suggest that considerable transmission occurred, greatly increasing the uncertainty in the estimates of dose–response parameters reported in the literature. Furthermore, we demonstrate that accounting for transmission in the analysis of dose–response data for Campylobacter spp. challenges our current understanding of the differing response of chickens with respect to host-age and in vivo passage of bacteria. Our findings suggest that the age-dependence of transmissibility between hosts—rather than their susceptibility to colonization—is the mechanism behind the ‘lag-phase’ reported in commercial flocks, which are typically found to be Campylobacter free for the first 14–21 days of life. PMID:21593028

Clover-Tagged Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Infectious Clones for Rapid Detection of Virus Neutralizing Antibodies.

PubMed

Huang, Baicheng; Xiao, Xia; Xue, Biyun; Zhou, En-Min

2018-06-24

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), caused by the PRRS virus (PRRSV), is a widespread disease that affects domestic pigs of all ages. Accurate and rapid detection of PRRSV specific neutralizing antibodies levels in a pig herd is beneficial for the evaluation of the herd's immunity to combat the specific viral infection. However, the current methods for viral detection, including fluorescent focus neutralization (FFN) and cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction neutralizing assays, are subjective and time-consuming. Therefore, a Clover-tagged PRRSV virus neutralization assay were developed that instrumentally measures the fluorescence signal of Clover stably expressing by a PRRSV infectious clone for at least 10 passages. Herein, the results showed that the proposed Clover-tagged PRRSV neutralization assay is reliable using instrumental measurements of the fluorescence signal of Clover and allows for rapid detection of neutralizing antibodies against PRRSV. The assay was evaluated by testing swine sera from experimental and field samples, and comparisons were made with the traditional FFN and CPE reduction assays. These results suggest that the Clover-tagged PRRSV infectious clone offers a fast and reliable testing method for neutralizing antibodies and could permit high-throughput screening of new antiviral agents. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Multiplex PCR/LDR Assay for the Simultaneous Identification of Category A Infectious Pathogens: Agents of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever and Variola Virus

PubMed Central

Das, Sanchita; Rundell, Mark S.; Mirza, Aashiq H.; Pingle, Maneesh R.; Shigyo, Kristi; Garrison, Aura R.; Paragas, Jason; Smith, Scott K.; Olson, Victoria A.; Larone, Davise H.; Spitzer, Eric D.; Barany, Francis; Golightly, Linnie M.

2015-01-01

CDC designated category A infectious agents pose a major risk to national security and require special action for public health preparedness. They include viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) syndrome as well as variola virus, the agent of smallpox. VHF is characterized by hemorrhage and fever with multi-organ failure leading to high morbidity and mortality. Smallpox, a prior scourge, has been eradicated for decades, making it a particularly serious threat if released nefariously in the essentially non-immune world population. Early detection of the causative agents, and the ability to distinguish them from other pathogens, is essential to contain outbreaks, implement proper control measures, and prevent morbidity and mortality. We have developed a multiplex detection assay that uses several species-specific PCR primers to generate amplicons from multiple pathogens; these are then targeted in a ligase detection reaction (LDR). The resultant fluorescently-labeled ligation products are detected on a universal array enabling simultaneous identification of the pathogens. The assay was evaluated on 32 different isolates associated with VHF (ebolavirus, marburgvirus, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Lassa fever virus, Rift Valley fever virus, Dengue virus, and Yellow fever virus) as well as variola virus and vaccinia virus (the agent of smallpox and its vaccine strain, respectively). The assay was able to detect all viruses tested, including 8 sequences representative of different variola virus strains from the CDC repository. It does not cross react with other emerging zoonoses such as monkeypox virus or cowpox virus, or six flaviviruses tested (St. Louis encephalitis virus, Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Powassan virus, Tick-borne encephalitis virus, West Nile virus and Japanese encephalitis virus). PMID:26381398

A Multiplex PCR/LDR Assay for the Simultaneous Identification of Category A Infectious Pathogens: Agents of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever and Variola Virus.

PubMed

Das, Sanchita; Rundell, Mark S; Mirza, Aashiq H; Pingle, Maneesh R; Shigyo, Kristi; Garrison, Aura R; Paragas, Jason; Smith, Scott K; Olson, Victoria A; Larone, Davise H; Spitzer, Eric D; Barany, Francis; Golightly, Linnie M

2015-01-01

CDC designated category A infectious agents pose a major risk to national security and require special action for public health preparedness. They include viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) syndrome as well as variola virus, the agent of smallpox. VHF is characterized by hemorrhage and fever with multi-organ failure leading to high morbidity and mortality. Smallpox, a prior scourge, has been eradicated for decades, making it a particularly serious threat if released nefariously in the essentially non-immune world population. Early detection of the causative agents, and the ability to distinguish them from other pathogens, is essential to contain outbreaks, implement proper control measures, and prevent morbidity and mortality. We have developed a multiplex detection assay that uses several species-specific PCR primers to generate amplicons from multiple pathogens; these are then targeted in a ligase detection reaction (LDR). The resultant fluorescently-labeled ligation products are detected on a universal array enabling simultaneous identification of the pathogens. The assay was evaluated on 32 different isolates associated with VHF (ebolavirus, marburgvirus, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Lassa fever virus, Rift Valley fever virus, Dengue virus, and Yellow fever virus) as well as variola virus and vaccinia virus (the agent of smallpox and its vaccine strain, respectively). The assay was able to detect all viruses tested, including 8 sequences representative of different variola virus strains from the CDC repository. It does not cross react with other emerging zoonoses such as monkeypox virus or cowpox virus, or six flaviviruses tested (St. Louis encephalitis virus, Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Powassan virus, Tick-borne encephalitis virus, West Nile virus and Japanese encephalitis virus).

Viruses Infecting Reptiles

PubMed Central

Marschang, Rachel E.

2011-01-01

A large number of viruses have been described in many different reptiles. These viruses include arboviruses that primarily infect mammals or birds as well as viruses that are specific for reptiles. Interest in arboviruses infecting reptiles has mainly focused on the role reptiles may play in the epidemiology of these viruses, especially over winter. Interest in reptile specific viruses has concentrated on both their importance for reptile medicine as well as virus taxonomy and evolution. The impact of many viral infections on reptile health is not known. Koch’s postulates have only been fulfilled for a limited number of reptilian viruses. As diagnostic testing becomes more sensitive, multiple infections with various viruses and other infectious agents are also being detected. In most cases the interactions between these different agents are not known. This review provides an update on viruses described in reptiles, the animal species in which they have been detected, and what is known about their taxonomic positions. PMID:22163336

Viruses infecting reptiles.

PubMed

Marschang, Rachel E

2011-11-01

A large number of viruses have been described in many different reptiles. These viruses include arboviruses that primarily infect mammals or birds as well as viruses that are specific for reptiles. Interest in arboviruses infecting reptiles has mainly focused on the role reptiles may play in the epidemiology of these viruses, especially over winter. Interest in reptile specific viruses has concentrated on both their importance for reptile medicine as well as virus taxonomy and evolution. The impact of many viral infections on reptile health is not known. Koch's postulates have only been fulfilled for a limited number of reptilian viruses. As diagnostic testing becomes more sensitive, multiple infections with various viruses and other infectious agents are also being detected. In most cases the interactions between these different agents are not known. This review provides an update on viruses described in reptiles, the animal species in which they have been detected, and what is known about their taxonomic positions.

Molecular diagnostics for the detection and characterization of microbial pathogens.

PubMed

Procop, Gary W

2007-09-01

New and advanced methods of molecular diagnostics are changing the way we practice clinical microbiology, which affects the practice of medicine. Signal amplification and real-time nucleic acid amplification technologies offer a sensitive and specific result with a more rapid turnaround time than has ever before been possible. Numerous methods of postamplification analysis afford the simultaneous detection and differentiation of numerous microbial pathogens, their mechanisms of resistance, and the construction of disease-specific assays. The technical feasibility of these assays has already been demonstrated. How these new, often more expensive tests will be incorporated into routine practice and the impact they will have on patient care remain to be determined. One of the most attractive uses for such techniques is to achieve a more rapid characterization of the infectious agent so that a narrower-spectrum antimicrobial agent may be used, which should have an impact on resistance patterns.

Borna disease: a possible emerging zoonosis.

PubMed

Boucher, J M; Barbillon, E; Cliquet, F

1999-01-01

The Borna disease virus (BDV) causes a disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in several vertebrate species. The progress made over the last 30 years in molecular biology has allowed us to identify the unique characteristics of the virus, such as its persistence in the CNS and the way it is expressed. This has allowed scientists to classify this pathogenic agent in a new family of RNA viruses. BDV affects a very large spectrum of hosts and is responsible for a disease characterised by behavioural anomalies. The large range of intra- or inter-specific symptoms of this disease (from persistence of the virus without clinical symptoms to CNS destruction) make epidemiological studies very difficult. Different diagnostic tools have allowed the detection of this infectious agent in different species around the world (central Europe, USA, UK, Japan, Iran, etc.). The disease can be fatal for sheep and horses (its primary natural hosts) and can infect other species such as rats, cattle, dogs, cats or pigeons. In human beings, BDV could be responsible for certain psychiatric disorders. In France, the limited number of epidemiological studies that have been conducted up until now (in veterinary and medical fields) does not allow scientists to ascertain whether the disease is present in France or not. Due to the suspected large geographical distribution of this infectious agent, however, we could expect the presence of BDV in France.

Differential MicroRNA Analyses of Burkholderia pseudomallei- and Francisella tularensis-Exposed hPBMCs Reveal Potential Biomarkers.

PubMed

Cer, Regina Z; Herrera-Galeano, J Enrique; Frey, Kenneth G; Schully, Kevin L; Luu, Truong V; Pesce, John; Mokashi, Vishwesh P; Keane-Myers, Andrea M; Bishop-Lilly, Kimberly A

2017-01-01

Increasing evidence that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the immune response against infectious agents suggests that miRNA might be exploitable as signatures of exposure to specific infectious agents. In order to identify potential early miRNA biomarkers of bacterial infections, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) were exposed to two select agents, Burkholderia pseudomallei K96243 and Francisella tularensis SHU S4, as well as to the nonpathogenic control Escherichia coli DH5 α . RNA samples were harvested at three early time points, 30, 60, and 120 minutes postexposure, then sequenced. RNAseq analyses identified 87 miRNAs to be differentially expressed (DE) in a linear fashion. Of these, 31 miRNAs were tested using the miScript miRNA qPCR assay. Through RNAseq identification and qPCR validation, we identified differentially expressed miRNA species that may be involved in the early response to bacterial infections. Based upon its upregulation at early time points postexposure in two different individuals, hsa-mir-30c-5p is a miRNA species that could be studied further as a potential biomarker for exposure to these gram-negative intracellular pathogens. Gene ontology functional analyses demonstrated that programmed cell death is the first ranking biological process associated with miRNAs that are upregulated in F. tularensis -exposed hPBMCs.

Differential MicroRNA Analyses of Burkholderia pseudomallei- and Francisella tularensis-Exposed hPBMCs Reveal Potential Biomarkers

PubMed Central

Herrera-Galeano, J. Enrique; Frey, Kenneth G.; Schully, Kevin L.; Luu, Truong V.; Pesce, John; Mokashi, Vishwesh P.; Keane-Myers, Andrea M.; Bishop-Lilly, Kimberly A.

2017-01-01

Increasing evidence that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the immune response against infectious agents suggests that miRNA might be exploitable as signatures of exposure to specific infectious agents. In order to identify potential early miRNA biomarkers of bacterial infections, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) were exposed to two select agents, Burkholderia pseudomallei K96243 and Francisella tularensis SHU S4, as well as to the nonpathogenic control Escherichia coli DH5α. RNA samples were harvested at three early time points, 30, 60, and 120 minutes postexposure, then sequenced. RNAseq analyses identified 87 miRNAs to be differentially expressed (DE) in a linear fashion. Of these, 31 miRNAs were tested using the miScript miRNA qPCR assay. Through RNAseq identification and qPCR validation, we identified differentially expressed miRNA species that may be involved in the early response to bacterial infections. Based upon its upregulation at early time points postexposure in two different individuals, hsa-mir-30c-5p is a miRNA species that could be studied further as a potential biomarker for exposure to these gram-negative intracellular pathogens. Gene ontology functional analyses demonstrated that programmed cell death is the first ranking biological process associated with miRNAs that are upregulated in F. tularensis-exposed hPBMCs. PMID:28791299

"Nanoantibiotics": a new paradigm for treating infectious diseases using nanomaterials in the antibiotics resistant era.

PubMed

Huh, Ae Jung; Kwon, Young Jik

2011-12-10

Despite the fact that we live in an era of advanced and innovative technologies for elucidating underlying mechanisms of diseases and molecularly designing new drugs, infectious diseases continue to be one of the greatest health challenges worldwide. The main drawbacks for conventional antimicrobial agents are the development of multiple drug resistance and adverse side effects. Drug resistance enforces high dose administration of antibiotics, often generating intolerable toxicity, development of new antibiotics, and requests for significant economic, labor, and time investments. Recently, nontraditional antibiotic agents have been of tremendous interest in overcoming resistance that is developed by several pathogenic microorganisms against most of the commonly used antibiotics. Especially, several classes of antimicrobial nanoparticles (NPs) and nanosized carriers for antibiotics delivery have proven their effectiveness for treating infectious diseases, including antibiotics resistant ones, in vitro as well as in animal models. This review summarizes emerging efforts in combating against infectious diseases, particularly using antimicrobial NPs and antibiotics delivery systems as new tools to tackle the current challenges in treating infectious diseases. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Infectious disease prevalence in a feral cat population on Prince Edward Island, Canada

PubMed Central

Stojanovic, Vladimir; Foley, Peter

2011-01-01

Ninety-six feral cats from Prince Edward Island were used to determine the prevalence of selected infectious agents. The prevalence rates were 5.2% for feline immunodeficiency virus, 3.1% for feline leukemia virus, 3.1% for Mycoplasma haemofelis, 8.4% for Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum, 2.1% for Bartonella spp. and 29.8% for exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. Oocysts of T. gondii were detected in 1.3% of the fecal samples that were collected. Gender and retroviral status of the cats were significantly correlated with hemoplasma infections. Use of a flea comb showed that 9.6% of the cats had fleas; however, flea infestation was not associated with any of the infectious agents. PMID:22379197

Particularities in diagnosis and treatment for infectious endocarditis in children.

PubMed

Luca, Alina Costina; Begezsan, Isabela Ioana; Iordache, C

2012-01-01

Infectious endocarditis (IE) represents a rare pathology in children, but with lethal potential. The goal of the therapy is fast and total eradication of the infection. To study particularities in diagnosis and treatment for infectious endocarditis in children. Children with infectious endocarditis hospitalized between January 2007 - February 2012 in the Cardiology Department of the ,,Sfânta Maria" Children Emergency Hospital of lasi have been included in the study. The patients are aged between 23 days and 16 years, the average age being 4 years old. At approximately 88% of the patients (14 cases), the endocardial damage appeared in the pre-existent valvular lesions, specially mitral and aortal. As associated congenital malformations, the patients prevailingly presented ventricular septal defect, mitral valve prolapse, arterial canal persistence, aortic stenosis, coarctation of the aorta. Blood cultures were collected and the most frequent identified etiological agents were: Staphylococcus coagulase-positive, Streptococcus mitis, Staphylococcus speciae coagulase-negative, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Streptococcus bovis, Escherichia coli, for which the antibiogram showed sensitivity for beta-lactam, cephalosporins, glycopeptides, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, rifampicin, quinolone, lincosamides, oxazolidinones, and thus specific treatment was set up according to the antibiogram. The infectious endocarditis is a serious disease that affects young age too, leading towards exitus in some cases. Diagnostic imaging and early blood cultures are of relevance in order to intervene promptly. The treatment must be targeted and applied as fast as possible.

Disclosing respiratory co-infections: a broad-range panel assay for avian respiratory pathogens on a nanofluidic PCR platform.

PubMed

Croville, Guillaume; Foret, Charlotte; Heuillard, Pauline; Senet, Alexis; Delpont, Mattias; Mouahid, Mohammed; Ducatez, Mariette F; Kichou, Faouzi; Guerin, Jean-Luc

2018-06-01

Respiratory syndromes (RS) are among the most significant pathological conditions in edible birds and are caused by complex coactions of pathogens and environmental factors. In poultry, low pathogenic avian influenza A viruses, metapneumoviruses, infectious bronchitis virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, Mycoplasma spp. Escherichia coli and/or Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale in turkeys are considered as key co-infectious agents of RS. Aspergillus sp., Pasteurella multocida, Avibacterium paragallinarum or Chlamydia psittaci may also be involved in respiratory outbreaks. An innovative quantitative PCR method, based on a nanofluidic technology, has the ability to screen up to 96 samples with 96 pathogen-specific PCR primers, at the same time, in one run of real-time quantitative PCR. This platform was used for the screening of avian respiratory pathogens: 15 respiratory agents, including viruses, bacteria and fungi potentially associated with respiratory infections of poultry, were targeted. Primers were designed and validated for SYBR green real-time quantitative PCR and subsequently validated on the Biomark high throughput PCR nanofluidic platform (Fluidigm©, San Francisco, CA, USA). As a clinical assessment, tracheal swabs were sampled from turkeys showing RS and submitted to this panel assay. Beside systematic detection of E. coli, avian metapneumovirus, Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae were frequently detected, with distinctive co-infection patterns between French and Moroccan flocks. This proof-of-concept study illustrates the potential of such panel assays for unveiling respiratory co-infection profiles in poultry.

Genomic characterization of recent chicken anemia virus isolates in China

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chicken infectious anemiavirus (CIAV) causes diseases in young chickens, which include increased pathogenicity of secondary infectious agents, generalized lymphoid depletion, and immune-repression. In the present study, we have identified 22 CIAV strains isolated from several commercial chicken farm...

Critical Factors for Parameterisation of Disease Diagnosis Modelling for Anthrax, Plague and Smallpox

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

infectious mononucleosis , cat-scratch fever, and other cause of acute lymphadenopathy. The primary pneumonic form cannot be easily distinguished from...of an infectious disease. The major objective of this review is to describe the epidemiological and clinical parameters for three biological agents...means of detecting dangerous epidemic outbreaks [1]. There are different approaches to track the propagation of an infectious disease. Information

A review of infectious agents in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and their long-term ecological relevance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fagre, Anna C.; Patyk, Kelly A.; Nol, Pauline; Atwood, Todd C.; Hueffer, Karsten; Duncan, Colleen G.

2015-01-01

Disease was a listing criterion for the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2008; it is therefore important to evaluate the current state of knowledge and identify any information gaps pertaining to diseases in polar bears. We conducted a systematic literature review focused on infectious agents and associated health impacts identified in polar bears. Overall, the majority of reports in free-ranging bears concerned serosurveys or fecal examinations with little to no information on associated health effects. In contrast, most reports documenting illness or pathology referenced captive animals and diseases caused by etiologic agents not representative of exposure opportunities in wild bears. As such, most of the available infectious disease literature has limited utility as a basis for development of future health assessment and management plans. Given that ecological change is a considerable risk facing polar bear populations, future work should focus on cumulative effects of multiple stressors that could impact polar bear population dynamics.

A Review of Infectious Agents in Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) and Their Long-Term Ecological Relevance.

PubMed

Fagre, Anna C; Patyk, Kelly A; Nol, Pauline; Atwood, Todd; Hueffer, Karsten; Duncan, Colleen

2015-09-01

Disease was a listing criterion for the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2008; it is therefore important to evaluate the current state of knowledge and identify any information gaps pertaining to diseases in polar bears. We conducted a systematic literature review focused on infectious agents and associated health impacts identified in polar bears. Overall, the majority of reports in free-ranging bears concerned serosurveys or fecal examinations with little to no information on associated health effects. In contrast, most reports documenting illness or pathology referenced captive animals and diseases caused by etiologic agents not representative of exposure opportunities in wild bears. As such, most of the available infectious disease literature has limited utility as a basis for development of future health assessment and management plans. Given that ecological change is a considerable risk facing polar bear populations, future work should focus on cumulative effects of multiple stressors that could impact polar bear population dynamics.

Consensus summary of aerosolized antimicrobial agents: application of guideline criteria. Insights from the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.

PubMed

Le, Jennifer; Ashley, Elizabeth Dodds; Neuhauser, Melinda M; Brown, Jack; Gentry, Chris; Klepser, Michael E; Marr, Ann Marie; Schiller, Daryl; Schwiesow, Joshua N; Tice, Sally; VandenBussche, Heather L; Wood, G Christopher

2010-06-01

Aerosolized delivery of antimicrobial agents is an attractive option for management of pulmonary infections, as this is an ideal method of providing high local drug concentrations while minimizing systemic exposure. With the paucity of consensus regarding the safety, efficacy, and means with which to use aerosolized antimicrobials, a task force was created by the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists to critically review and evaluate the literature on the use of aerosolized antiinfective agents. This article summarizes key findings and statements for preventing or treating a variety of infectious diseases, including cystic fibrosis, bronchiecstasis, hospital-acquired pneumonia, fungal infections, nontuberculosis mycobacterial infection, and Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia. Our intention was to provide guidance for clinicians on the use of aerosolized antibiotics through evidence-based pharmacotherapy. Further research with well-designed clinical trials is necessary to elucidate the optimal dosage and duration of therapy and, of equal importance, to appreciate the true risks associated with the use of aerosolized delivery systems.

[The role of the biological damaging factor in the explosive injury].

PubMed

Popov, V L; Kadochnikov, D S; Minaeva, P V

2015-01-01

This article describes the specific features of the action of the biological damaging factors on the human organism associated with the explosive injury. Both the direct action of the damaging agents contained in the biological weapons and their secondary effects in the form of systemic and local infectious complications of the inflicted wounds are considered. The criteria for the evaluation of the degree of harm to the health of the victims of explosion attributable to the action of the biological damaging factor are proposed.

[Microorganism test systems and antibiograms useful for the proper use of antibacterial agents].

PubMed

Takahashi, Shunji

2010-07-01

Antimicrobial agents are used for the accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases and effective implementation of antibacterial chemotherapy. The role of microbiological technologists is to provide data from microorganism tests useful for rapid infection treatment. Gram strain can be used to observe microorganisms and neutrophils from specimens of a patient. It is also possible to estimate the kinds of microorganism. If bacterial infectious disease is negative, there is no need for antibacterial chemotherapy. The applied dose of antibacterial agents is different in every hospital. Also, there is a difference in the percentage antibacterial agent susceptibility of isolates. Antibiograms must be created to investigate local factors. For empiric therapy, antibiograms are useful when choosing antibacterial agents showing marked efficacy against the clinical isolate. Microorganism test systems which are useful for the proper use of antibacterial agents are necessary to facilitate safe antibacterial chemotherapy and prevent the development of resistant bacteria. We report a microorganism test system employed at the Sapporo City General Hospital.

Infectious Agents As Markers of Human Migration toward the Amazon Region of Brazil

PubMed Central

Ishak, Ricardo; Machado, Luiz F. A.; Cayres-Vallinoto, Izaura; Guimarães Ishak, Marluísa de O.; Vallinoto, Antonio C. R.

2017-01-01

Infectious agents are common companions of humans and since ancient times they follow human migration on their search for a better place to live. The study of paleomicrobiology was significantly improved in its accuracy of measurement with the constant development of better methods to detect and analyze nucleic acids. Human tissues are constantly used to trace ancient infections and the association of anthropological evidences are important to confirm the microbiological information. Infectious agents which establish human persistent infections are particularly useful to trace human migrations. In the present article, the evidence of infection by viral agents such as human T-lymphotropic virus 1, human T-lymphotropic virus 2, human herpes virus-8, JC virus, and a bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, was described using different methodologies for their detection. Their presence was further used as biomarkers associated with anthropological and other relevant information to trace human migration into the Amazon region of Brazil. The approach also evidenced their microbiological origin, emergence, evolution, and spreading. The information obtained confirms much of the archeological information available tracing ancient and more recent human migration into this particular geographical region. In this article, the paleomicrobiological information on the subject was summarized and reviewed. PMID:28912770

Including the Group Quarters Population in the US Synthesized Population Database

PubMed Central

Chasteen, Bernadette M.; Wheaton, William D.; Cooley, Philip C.; Ganapathi, Laxminarayana; Wagener, Diane K.

2011-01-01

In 2005, RTI International researchers developed methods to generate synthesized population data on US households for the US Synthesized Population Database. These data are used in agent-based modeling, which simulates large-scale social networks to test how changes in the behaviors of individuals affect the overall network. Group quarters are residences where individuals live in close proximity and interact frequently. Although the Synthesized Population Database represents the population living in households, data for the nation’s group quarters residents are not easily quantified because of US Census Bureau reporting methods designed to protect individuals’ privacy. Including group quarters population data can be an important factor in agent-based modeling because the number of residents and the frequency of their interactions are variables that directly affect modeling results. Particularly with infectious disease modeling, the increased frequency of agent interaction may increase the probability of infectious disease transmission between individuals and the probability of disease outbreaks. This report reviews our methods to synthesize data on group quarters residents to match US Census Bureau data. Our goal in developing the Group Quarters Population Database was to enable its use with RTI’s US Synthesized Population Database in the Modeling of Infectious Diseases Agent Study. PMID:21841972

Infectious Agents in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases through Oxidative Stress

PubMed Central

Di Pietro, Marisa; Filardo, Simone; Falasca, Francesca; Turriziani, Ombretta; Sessa, Rosa

2017-01-01

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that vascular oxidative stress is a critical feature of atherosclerotic process, potentially triggered by several infectious agents that are considered as risk co-factors for the atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). C. pneumoniae has been shown to upregulate multiple enzymatic systems capable of producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as NADPH oxidase (NOX) and cyclooxygenase in vascular endothelial cells, NOX and cytochrome c oxidase in macrophages as well as nitric oxide synthase and lipoxygenase in platelets contributing to both early and late stages of atherosclerosis. P. gingivalis seems to be markedly involved in the atherosclerotic process as compared to A. actinomycetemcomitans contributing to LDL oxidation and foam cell formation. Particularly interesting is the evidence describing the NLRP3 inflammasome activation as a new molecular mechanism underlying P. gingivalis-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. Amongst viral agents, immunodeficiency virus-1 and hepatitis C virus seem to have a major role in promoting ROS production, contributing, hence, to the early stages of atherosclerosis including endothelial dysfunction and LDL oxidation. In conclusion, oxidative mechanisms activated by several infectious agents during the atherosclerotic process underlying CVDs are very complex and not well-known, remaining, thus, an attractive target for future research. PMID:29156574

Infectious Agents in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases through Oxidative Stress.

PubMed

Di Pietro, Marisa; Filardo, Simone; Falasca, Francesca; Turriziani, Ombretta; Sessa, Rosa

2017-11-18

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that vascular oxidative stress is a critical feature of atherosclerotic process, potentially triggered by several infectious agents that are considered as risk co-factors for the atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). C. pneumoniae has been shown to upregulate multiple enzymatic systems capable of producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as NADPH oxidase (NOX) and cyclooxygenase in vascular endothelial cells, NOX and cytochrome c oxidase in macrophages as well as nitric oxide synthase and lipoxygenase in platelets contributing to both early and late stages of atherosclerosis. P. gingivalis seems to be markedly involved in the atherosclerotic process as compared to A. actinomycetemcomitans contributing to LDL oxidation and foam cell formation. Particularly interesting is the evidence describing the NLRP3 inflammasome activation as a new molecular mechanism underlying P. gingivalis -induced oxidative stress and inflammation. Amongst viral agents, immunodeficiency virus-1 and hepatitis C virus seem to have a major role in promoting ROS production, contributing, hence, to the early stages of atherosclerosis including endothelial dysfunction and LDL oxidation. In conclusion, oxidative mechanisms activated by several infectious agents during the atherosclerotic process underlying CVDs are very complex and not well-known, remaining, thus, an attractive target for future research.

Infections in MS: An innate immunity perspective.

PubMed

Hänninen, A

2017-11-01

Multiple sclerosis is a multifaceted inflammatory-autoimmune disease, which shows remarkable heterogeneity in its clinical presentation, disease progression and in tissue lesions in the CNS. Focal lesions in white matter consist of immune effector cells, antibodies, and complement deposits in varying combinations, suggesting that immune mechanisms related to CNS pathology are multiple. Although adaptive immunity to myelin antigens is essential in MS pathogenesis, innate immune mechanisms are likely involved in its initiation and perpetuation. One key question is if recognition of infectious agents and microbial products by innate immune mechanisms impacts on MS and if so, how and where? This short review aims at conceptualizing how interactions between microbes and innate immune mechanisms could contribute to MS pathogenesis. Consideration is given to initiation of local inflammation and to myelin-specific immune responses, and how innate immunity and microbes may contribute to these. Recent advances in our understanding of lymphatic drainage of CNS, its immune surveillance and effects of gut microbiota and obesity on systemic endotoxin levels and T-cell priming may open new perspectives to understanding the roles that infectious agents and microbes may have in MS. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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.

Obesity and infection: reciprocal causality.

PubMed

Hainer, V; Zamrazilová, H; Kunešová, M; Bendlová, B; Aldhoon-Hainerová, I

2015-01-01

Associations between different infectious agents and obesity have been reported in humans for over thirty years. In many cases, as in nosocomial infections, this relationship reflects the greater susceptibility of obese individuals to infection due to impaired immunity. In such cases, the infection is not related to obesity as a causal factor but represents a complication of obesity. In contrast, several infections have been suggested as potential causal factors in human obesity. However, evidence of a causal linkage to human obesity has only been provided for adenovirus 36 (Adv36). This virus activates lipogenic and proinflammatory pathways in adipose tissue, improves insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and hepatic steatosis. The E4orf1 gene of Adv36 exerts insulin senzitizing effects, but is devoid of its pro-inflammatory modalities. The development of a vaccine to prevent Adv36-induced obesity or the use of E4orf1 as a ligand for novel antidiabetic drugs could open new horizons in the prophylaxis and treatment of obesity and diabetes. More experimental and clinical studies are needed to elucidate the mutual relations between infection and obesity, identify additional infectious agents causing human obesity, as well as define the conditions that predispose obese individuals to specific infections.

Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Pohl, Daniela

2009-11-15

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human DNA herpesvirus infecting more than 90% of the world's population. EBV is the etiological agent of infectious mononucleosis (Pfeiffer's disease). Furthermore, diverse malignancies such as Burkitt and Hodgkin lymphoma have been associated with EBV. More recently, a possible role for EBV has been suggested in chronic inflammatory/autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus as well as in multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is currently regarded as a disease with multifactorial etiology, EBV being one possible factor in MS manifestation: Infectious mononucleosis has been shown to increase the risk of developing MS later in life. EBV seroprevalence rates are higher in MS as compared to controls, in adult as well as in pediatric MS patients. Moreover, EBV antibody titres and EBV specific T-cells are increased in MS patients as compared to healthy individuals. Recently, CNS B-cells of MS patients have been reported to harbour EBV. However, there is still controversy whether EBV could be a causative agent as opposed to an innocent bystander in the pathogenesis of MS. This review summarizes current knowledge on the association of EBV and MS including a critical discussion of equivocal findings.

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.

Viruses and Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Owens, Gregory P.; Gilden, Don; Burgoon, Mark P.; Yu, Xiaoli; Bennett, Jeffrey L.

2012-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disorder of unknown etiology, possibly caused by a virus or virus-triggered immunopathology. The virus might reactivate after years of latency and lyse oligodendrocytes, as in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or initiate immunopathological demyelination, as in animals infected with Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus or coronaviruses. The argument for a viral cause of MS is supported by epidemiological analyses and studies of MS in identical twins, indicating that disease is acquired. However, the most important evidence is the presence of bands of oligoclonal IgG (OCBs) in MS brain and CSF that persist throughout the lifetime of the patient. OCBs are found almost exclusively in infectious CNS disorders, and antigenic targets of OCBs represent the agent that causes disease. Here, the authors review past attempts to identify an infectious agent in MS brain cells and discuss the promise of using recombinant antibodies generated from clonally expanded plasma cells in brain and CSF to identify disease-relevant antigens. They show how this strategy has been used successfully to analyze antigen specificity in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a chronic encephalitis caused by measles virus, and in neuromyelitis optica, a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease produced by antibodies directed against the aquaporin-4 water channel. PMID:22130640

Prophylaxis of post-ERC infectious complications in patients with biliary obstruction by adding antimicrobial agents into ERC contrast media- a single center retrospective study.

PubMed

Wobser, Hella; Gunesch, Agnetha; Klebl, Frank

2017-01-13

Patients with biliary obstruction are at high risk to develop septic complications after endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC). We evaluated the benefits of local application of antimicrobial agents into ERC contrast media in preventing post-ERC infectious complications in a high-risk study population. Patients undergoing ERC at our tertiary referral center were retrospectively included. Addition of vancomycin, gentamicin and fluconazol into ERC contrast media was evaluated in a case-control design. Outcomes comprised infectious complications within 3 days after ERC. In total, 84 ERC cases were analyzed. Primarily indications for ERC were sclerosing cholangitis (75%) and malignant stenosis (9.5%). Microbial testing of collected bile fluid in the treatment group was positive in 91.4%. Detected organisms were sensitive to the administered antimicrobials in 93%. The use of antimicrobials in contrast media was associated with a significant decrease in post-ERC infectious complications compared to non-use (14.3% vs. 33.3%; odds ratio [OR]: 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.114-0.978). After adjusting for the variables acute cholangitis prior to ERC and incomplete biliary drainage, the beneficial effect of intraductal antibiotic prophylaxis was even more evident (OR = 0.153; 95% CI: 0.039-0.598, p = 0.007). Patients profiting most obviously from intraductal antimicrobials were those with secondary sclerosing cholangitis. Local application of a combination of antibiotic and antimycotic agents to ERC contrast media efficiently reduced post-ERC infectious events in patients with biliary obstruction. This is the first study that evaluates ERC-related infectious complications in patients with secondary sclerosing cholangitis. Our first clinical results should now be prospectively evaluated in a larger patient cohort to improve the safety of ERC, especially in patients with secondary sclerosing cholangitis.

The role of feral mammals on wildlife infectious disease prevalence in two nature reserves within Mexico City limits.

PubMed

Suzán, Gerardo; Ceballos, Gerardo

2005-09-01

Wild and feral medium-sized mammals were live trapped at two natural protected areas within the Mexico City limits to determine antibody prevalence for the most common infectious diseases (rabies, toxoplasmosis, and canine parvovirus) in dogs and cats. Mammals were trapped during the dry (March-April) and rainy seasons (July-August) of 1996 and 1997. A total of 68 individuals were captured, representing 8 species: opossums (Didelphis virginiana), ringtails (Bassariscus astutus), spotted skunks (Spilogale gracilis), weasels (Mustela frenata), rock squirrels (Spermophilus variegatus), Mexican gray squirrels (Sciurus aureogaster), feral cats (Felis catus), and feral dogs (Canis familiaris). There was marked seroprevalence for parvovirus (86.6%) and lower seroprevalences for both toxoplasma (23.9%) and rabies (17.9%). There were no significant prevalence differences among mammals in both protected areas, which were of contrasting size and isolation (i.e., small and isolated versus large and nonisolated). We suggest that high seroprevalence of these three infectious agents in wild mammals is a result of the high densities of feral dogs and cats in the two areas sampled. Feral dogs are able to maintain the infectious agents in these localities regardless of the protected area size and isolation. However, the native mammals of the small and isolated reserve are more vulnerable to infectious diseases because of small population size and genetic bottlenecks. Our results indicate that natural areas in and around Mexico City are a refugium for latent infectious agents, several of which are zoonotic. These findings suggest that conservation measures, such as eradication of feral mammals and vaccination programs, in the protected areas and surrounding areas could be beneficial.

Antibiofilm agents: A new perspective for antimicrobial strategy.

PubMed

Li, Xi-Hui; Lee, Joon-Hee

2017-10-01

Biofilms are complex microbial architectures that attach to surfaces and encase microorganisms in a matrix composed of self-produced hydrated extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs). In biofilms, microorganisms become much more resistant to antimicrobial treatments, harsh environmental conditions, and host immunity. Biofilm formation by microbial pathogens greatly enhances survival in hosts and causes chronic infections that result in persistent inflammation and tissue damages. Currently, it is believed over 80% of chronic infectious diseases are mediated by biofilms, and it is known that conventional antibiotic medications are inadequate at eradicating these biofilm-mediated infections. This situation demands new strategies for biofilm-associated infections, and currently, researchers focus on the development of antibiofilm agents that are specific to biofilms, but are nontoxic, because it is believed that this prevents the development of drug resistance. Here, we review the most promising antibiofilm agents undergoing intensive research and development.

Preparing a Community Hospital to Manage Work-related Exposures to Infectious Agents in BioSafety Level 3 and 4 Laboratories

PubMed Central

Bloom, Marshall E.; Hoe, Nancy P.; Arminio, Thomas; Carlson, Paul; Powers, Tamara; Feldmann, Heinz; Wilson, Deborah

2010-01-01

Construction of new BioSafety Level (BSL) 3 and 4 laboratories has raised concerns regarding provision of care to exposed workers because of healthcare worker (HCW) unfamiliarity with precautions required. When the National Institutes of Health began construction of a new BSL-4 laboratory in Hamilton, Montana, USA, in 2005, they contracted with St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana, for care of those exposed. A care and isolation unit is described. We developed a training program for HCWs that emphasized the optimal use of barrier precautions and used pathogen-specific modules and simulations with mannequins and fluorescent liquids that represented infectious body fluids. The facility and training led to increased willingness among HCWs to care for patients with all types of communicable diseases. This model may be useful for other hospitals, whether they support a BSL-4 facility, are in the proximity of a BSL-3 facility, or are interested in upgrading their facilities to prepare for exotic and novel infectious diseases. PMID:20202409

Exploitation of microbial forensics and nanotechnology for the monitoring of emerging pathogens.

PubMed

Bokhari, Habib

2018-03-07

Emerging infectious diseases remain among the leading causes of global mortality. Traditional laboratory diagnostic approaches designed to detect and track infectious disease agents provide a framework for surveillance of bio threats. However, surveillance and outbreak investigations using such time-consuming approaches for early detection of pathogens remain the major pitfall. Hence, reasonable real-time surveillance systems to anticipate threats to public health and environment are critical for identifying specific aetiologies and preventing the global spread of infectious disease. The current review discusses the growing need for monitoring and surveillance of pathogens with the same zeal and approach as adopted by microbial forensics laboratories, and further strengthening it by integrating with the innovative nanotechnology for rapid detection of microbial pathogens. Such innovative diagnostics platforms will help to track pathogens from high risk areas and environment by pre-emptive approach that will minimize damages. The various scenarios with the examples are discussed where the high risk associated human pathogens in particular were successfully detected using various nanotechnology approaches with potential future prospects in the field of microbial forensics.

Helicobacter Pylori Transmission and Risk Factors for Infection in Rural China

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-12-08

of infectious mononucleosis , a common infection that is transmitted by the oral-oral route) share a common mode of transmission.93 Several...development of strategies for controlling and eventual eradication of this infectious disease. Epidemiology Because acute infection with H. pylori is...stressful home or work environments, poor nutrition, or exposure to other infectious agents that may increase the likelihood of an individual being exposed

Exposure to infectious agents in dogs in remote coastal British Columbia: Possible sentinels of diseases in wildlife and humans

PubMed Central

Bryan, Heather M.; Darimont, Chris T.; Paquet, Paul C.; Ellis, John A.; Goji, Noriko; Gouix, Maëlle; Smits, Judit E.

2011-01-01

Ranked among the top threats to conservation worldwide, infectious disease is of particular concern for wild canids because domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) may serve as sources and reservoirs of infection. On British Columbia’s largely undeveloped but rapidly changing central and north coasts, little is known about diseases in wolves (Canis lupus) or other wildlife. However, several threats exist for transfer of diseases among unvaccinated dogs and wolves. To gain baseline data on infectious agents in this area, including those with zoonotic potential, we collected blood and stool samples from 107 dogs in 5 remote communities in May and September 2007. Serology revealed that the dogs had been exposed to canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine respiratory coronavirus, and Leptospira interrogans. No dogs showed evidence of exposure to Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, Dirofilaria immitis, or Cryptococcus gattii. Of 75 stool samples, 31 contained at least 1 parasitic infection, including Taeniid tapeworms, the nematodes Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina, and the protozoans Isospora sp., Giardia sp., Cryptosporidium sp., and Sarcocystis sp. This work provides a sound baseline for future monitoring of infectious agents that could affect dogs, sympatric wild canids, other wildlife, and humans. PMID:21461190

Detection of Protozoa in Surface and Finished Waters

EPA Science Inventory

Humans are known to be the host to approximately 1500 infectious agents, out of which 66 are protozoa and 287 are helminths. Therefore, from a global perspective helminths and protozoan parasites account for approximately one fourth of the total infectious diseases of humans. A s...

Atypical infectious mononucleosis in a patient receiving tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitory treatment.

PubMed

Sari, Ismail; Birlik, Merih; Akar, Servet; Onen, Fatos; Kargi, Aydanur; Akkoc, Nurullah

2009-05-01

The objective is to report a case of atypical acute infectious mononucleosis in a juvenile ankylosing spondylitis patient who was treated with infliximab. A 20-year-old man was hospitalized for the evaluation of lymphadenopathy and systemic symptoms. His symptoms developed at the eighth week of the infliximab treatment and he required hospitalization. Lymph node biopsy was performed and he was diagnosed as atypical infectious mononucleosis (absence of fever, pharyngitis, lymphocytosis and negative atypical lymphocytosis on blood smear). Infections have become major concerns in patients treated with TNF-blocking agents. In theoretical base, it is not surprising as TNF-alpha has a crucial role in the body's defense against both bacterial and viral invasion. Blocking the action of TNF may also change the course of the disease and could lead to a delay in the diagnosis. TNF-alpha-blocking treatment may mask the typical symptoms of infectious mononucleosis and atypical cases should be included in the differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathy in patients receiving anti-TNF-alpha agents.

Frequency and causes of infectious abortion in a dairy herd in Queretaro, Mexico.

PubMed

Escamilla, H Patricia; Martínez, M José Juan; Medina, C Mario; Morales, S Elizabeth

2007-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of infectious bovine abortion and to identify some of its causes, specifically brucellosis, leptospirosis, bovine viral diarrhea, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, and neosporosis. The study was carried out in a dairy herd in the state of Queretaro, Mexico, between September 2002 and March 2003. At the beginning of the study, blood samples were taken from a random 33% of the 300 lactating or pregnant cows; antibodies against Leptospira interrogans were the most commonly identified, in 91% of the 99 samples. Blood samples were also taken 14 to 28 d after the 26 subsequent abortions in the herd in the 6-mo study period, as well as from 22 cows that had not aborted within 5 d after the abortions in the other group. Seroconversion was most frequent for L. hardjo, occurring in 8 (67%) of the 12 dams that aborted after the initial serologic sampling and for which paired serum samples were therefore available. Of the 16 collected fetuses, 10 had histologic lesions suggesting infection in various organs, the features correlating with the serologic results for the dams in 7 cases. Thus, the abortions may have been caused by more than 1 infectious agent.

Frequency and causes of infectious abortion in a dairy herd in Queretaro, Mexico

PubMed Central

Escamilla, H. Patricia; Martínez, M. José Juan; Medina, C. Mario; Morales, S. Elizabeth

2007-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of infectious bovine abortion and to identify some of its causes, specifically brucellosis, leptospirosis, bovine viral diarrhea, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, and neosporosis. The study was carried out in a dairy herd in the state of Queretaro, Mexico, between September 2002 and March 2003. At the beginning of the study, blood samples were taken from a random 33% of the 300 lactating or pregnant cows; antibodies against Leptospira interrogans were the most commonly identified, in 91% of the 99 samples. Blood samples were also taken 14 to 28 d after the 26 subsequent abortions in the herd in the 6-mo study period, as well as from 22 cows that had not aborted within 5 d after the abortions in the other group. Seroconversion was most frequent for L. hardjo, occurring in 8 (67%) of the 12 dams that aborted after the initial serologic sampling and for which paired serum samples were therefore available. Of the 16 collected fetuses, 10 had histologic lesions suggesting infection in various organs, the features correlating with the serologic results for the dams in 7 cases. Thus, the abortions may have been caused by more than 1 infectious agent. PMID:17955907

Inhibition of Hepatitis C Virus Production by Aptamers against the Core Protein

PubMed Central

Shi, Shali; Yu, Xiaoyan; Gao, Yimin; Xue, Binbin; Wu, Xinjiao; Wang, Xiaohong; Yang, Darong

2014-01-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is essential for virus assembly. HCV core protein was expressed and purified. Aptamers against core protein were raised through the selective evolution of ligands by the exponential enrichment approach. Detection of HCV infection by core aptamers and the antiviral activities of aptamers were characterized. The mechanism of their anti-HCV activity was determined. The data showed that selected aptamers against core specifically recognize the recombinant core protein but also can detect serum samples from hepatitis C patients. Aptamers have no effect on HCV RNA replication in the infectious cell culture system. However, the aptamers inhibit the production of infectious virus particles. Beta interferon (IFN-β) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) are not induced in virally infected hepatocytes by aptamers. Domains I and II of core protein are involved in the inhibition of infectious virus production by the aptamers. V31A within core is the major resistance mutation identified. Further study shows that the aptamers disrupt the localization of core with lipid droplets and NS5A and perturb the association of core protein with viral RNA. The data suggest that aptamers against HCV core protein inhibit infectious virus production by disrupting the localization of core with lipid droplets and NS5A and preventing the association of core protein with viral RNA. The aptamers for core protein may be used to understand the mechanisms of virus assembly. Core-specific aptamers may hold promise for development as early diagnostic reagents and potential therapeutic agents for chronic hepatitis C. PMID:24307579

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in non-domestic animals: origin, transmission and risk factors.

PubMed

Williams, E S; Miller, M W

2003-04-01

The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), are serious diseases of domestic animals. Although not as significant in terms of numbers of animals affected or geographical distribution, TSEs also affect non-domestic animals. Transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) was the first TSE to be identified in non-domestic animals. This disease of captive mink (Mustela vison) is very rare and is associated with exposure through feed contaminated by a TSE agent. The second TSE to be identified in non-domestic animals was chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk. This disease is not known to be associated with feedstuffs contaminated with the agent of CWD, but the natural route of exposure appears to be oral, possibly through direct interaction between animals or through environmental contamination. Over the last five years, the known distribution of CWD across North America has expanded, increasing concerns over the impact of this disease on populations of free-ranging cervids and the viability of game farming industries. Concurrent with the epidemic of BSE, a variety of non-domestic ruminants and felid species were also affected in the United Kingdom, presumably through exposure to the agent in contaminated feed. These examples illustrate that when non-domestic animals are held in captivity, they depend upon feeds supplied by their caretakers and may show degrees of susceptibility to infectious agents in feeds which vary from those of domestic species. Although humans have less influence over exposure of free-ranging species to infectious agents, monitoring these populations for diseases may be important for managing the health of these animals. It is important to institute or continue surveillance for an entire range of infectious diseases, including TSEs, in free-ranging and captive non-domestic species. Study of diseases in these species may provide important information about infectious agents of concern for domestic animals and humans.

Electrochemical magnetic microbeads-based biosensor for point-of-care serodiagnosis of infectious diseases.

PubMed

Cortina, María E; Melli, Luciano J; Roberti, Mariano; Mass, Mijal; Longinotti, Gloria; Tropea, Salvador; Lloret, Paulina; Serantes, Diego A Rey; Salomón, Francisco; Lloret, Matías; Caillava, Ana J; Restuccia, Sabrina; Altcheh, Jaime; Buscaglia, Carlos A; Malatto, Laura; Ugalde, Juan E; Fraigi, Liliana; Moina, Carlos; Ybarra, Gabriel; Ciocchini, Andrés E; Comerci, Diego J

2016-06-15

Access to appropriate diagnostic tools is an essential component in the evaluation and improvement of global health. Additionally, timely detection of infectious agents is critical in early diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Conventional pathogen detection methods such as culturing, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) require long assay times, and complex and expensive instruments making them not adaptable to point-of-care (PoC) needs at resource-constrained places and primary care settings. Therefore, there is an unmet need to develop portable, simple, rapid, and accurate methods for PoC detection of infections. Here, we present the development and validation of a portable, robust and inexpensive electrochemical magnetic microbeads-based biosensor (EMBIA) platform for PoC serodiagnosis of infectious diseases caused by different types of microorganisms (parasitic protozoa, bacteria and viruses). We demonstrate the potential use of the EMBIA platform for in situ diagnosis of human (Chagas disease and human brucellosis) and animal (bovine brucellosis and foot-and-mouth disease) infections clearly differentiating infected from non-infected individuals or animals. For Chagas disease, a more extensive validation of the test was performed showing that the EMBIA platform displayed an excellent diagnostic performance almost indistinguishable, in terms of specificity and sensitivity, from a fluorescent immunomagnetic assay and the conventional ELISA using the same combination of antigens. This platform technology could potentially be applicable to diagnose other infectious and non-infectious diseases as well as detection and/or quantification of biomarkers at the POC and primary care settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microbiological survey of mice (Mus musculus) purchased from commercial pet shops in Kanagawa and Tokyo, Japan.

PubMed

Hayashimoto, Nobuhito; Morita, Hanako; Ishida, Tomoko; Uchida, Ritsuki; Tanaka, Mai; Ozawa, Midori; Yasuda, Masahiko; Itoh, Toshio

2015-01-01

Information regarding the prevalence of infectious agents in mice in pet shops in Japan is scarce. This information is particularly useful for minimizing the risk of potential transmission of infections to laboratory mice. Therefore, we surveyed infectious agents in mice from pet shops in Kanagawa and Tokyo, Japan. The survey was conducted in 28 mice from 5 pet shops to screen for 47 items (17 viruses, 22 bacteria and fungi, 10 parasites) using culture tests, serology, PCR, and microscopy. The most common viral agent detected was murine norovirus (17 mice; 60.7%), followed by Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (13 mice; 46.4%), and mouse hepatitis virus (12 mice; 42.8%). The most common agent amongst the bacteria and fungi was Pasteurella pneumotropica (10 mice; 35.7%), followed by Helicobacter ganmani and Pneumocystis murina (8 mice; 28.5%, for both). Tritrichomonas muris was the most common parasite (19 mice; 67.8%), followed by Spironucleus muris (13 mice; 46.4%), Aspiculuris tetraptera, and Syphacia obvelata (8 mice each; 28.5%). Remarkably, a zoonotic agent, Hymenolepis nana, was found in 7 mice (25%). Given these results, we suggest that the workers in laboratory animal facilities should recognize again the potential risks of mice outside of the laboratory animal facilities as an infectious source, and avoid keeping mice as pets or as feed for carnivorous reptiles as much as possible for risk management.

9 CFR 121.3 - VS select agents and toxins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... genetically modified. (d) VS select agents or toxins that meet any of the following criteria are excluded from... AGRICULTURE VIRUSES, SERUMS, TOXINS, AND ANALOGOUS PRODUCTS; ORGANISMS AND VECTORS POSSESSION, USE, AND... recombinant organisms: (1) Nucleic acids that can produce infectious forms of any of the select agent viruses...

7 CFR 331.3 - PPQ select agents and toxins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... (b) of this section that have been genetically modified. (d) Select agents or toxins that meet any of..., and recombinant and/or synthetic organisms: (1) Nucleic acids that can produce infectious forms of any...

7 CFR 331.3 - PPQ select agents and toxins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... (b) of this section that have been genetically modified. (d) Select agents or toxins that meet any of..., and recombinant and/or synthetic organisms: (1) Nucleic acids that can produce infectious forms of any...

Release of a Wound-healing Agent from PLGA Microspheres in a Thermosensitive Gel

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

have been associated with infectious complications due to the nature of wounding, giving rise to significant devitalized tissue, con- tamination of...Command, Military Infectious Dis- eases, and Combat Casualty Care Research Directorates. References [1] C. K. Murray, “ Infectious disease complications...pluronic-based metronidazole in situ gelling formulations for vaginal application,” Acta Pharmaceutica, vol. 62, no. 1, pp. 59–70, 2012. [24] K. D. Thakker

The impact of "omic" and imaging technologies on assessing the host immune response to biodefence agents.

PubMed

Tree, Julia A; Flick-Smith, Helen; Elmore, Michael J; Rowland, Caroline A

2014-01-01

Understanding the interactions between host and pathogen is important for the development and assessment of medical countermeasures to infectious agents, including potential biodefence pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis, Ebola virus, and Francisella tularensis. This review focuses on technological advances which allow this interaction to be studied in much greater detail. Namely, the use of "omic" technologies (next generation sequencing, DNA, and protein microarrays) for dissecting the underlying host response to infection at the molecular level; optical imaging techniques (flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy) for assessing cellular responses to infection; and biophotonic imaging for visualising the infectious disease process. All of these technologies hold great promise for important breakthroughs in the rational development of vaccines and therapeutics for biodefence agents.

Is there any association between Sarcoidosis and infectious agents?: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Esteves, Tiago; Aparicio, Gloria; Garcia-Patos, Vicente

2016-11-28

During the last few years, investigators have debated the role that infectious agents may have in sarcoidosis pathogenesis. With the emergence of new molecular biology techniques, several studies have been conducted; therefore, we performed a meta-analysis in order to better explain this possible association. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement from the Cochrane collaboration guidelines. Four different databases (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Collaboration) were searched for all original articles published from 1980 to 2015. The present meta-analysis included case-control studies that reported the presence of microorganisms in samples of patients with sarcoidosis using culture methods or molecular biology techniques. We used a random effects or a fixed-effect model to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed in order to explore the heterogeneity among studies. Fifty-eight studies qualified for the purpose of this analysis. The present meta-analysis, the first, to our knowledge, in evaluation of all infectious agents proposed to be associated with sarcoidosis and involving more than 6000 patients in several countries, suggests an etiological link between Propionibacterium acnes and sarcoidosis, with an OR of 18.80 (95% CI 12.62, 28.01). We also found a significant association between sarcoidosis and mycobacteria, with an OR of 6.8 (95% CI 3.73, 12.39). Borrelia (OR 4.82; 95% CI 0.98, 23.81), HHV-8 (OR 1.47; 95% CI 0.02, 110.06) as well as Rickettsia helvetica, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Epstein-barr virus and Retrovirus, although suggested by previous investigations, were not associated with sarcoidosis. This meta-analysis suggests that some infectious agents can be associated with sarcoidosis. What seems clear is that more than one infectious agent might be implicated in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis; probably the patient's geographical location might dictate which microorganisms are more involved. Future investigations and more clinical trials are need to bring these evidences to a more global level.

Microbial glycolipoprotein-capped silver nanoparticles as emerging antibacterial agents against cholera.

PubMed

Gahlawat, Geeta; Shikha, Sristy; Chaddha, Baldev Singh; Chaudhuri, Saumya Ray; Mayilraj, Shanmugam; Choudhury, Anirban Roy

2016-02-01

With the increased number of cholera outbreaks and emergence of multidrug resistance in Vibrio cholerae strains it has become necessary for the scientific community to devise and develop novel therapeutic approaches against cholera. Recent studies have indicated plausibility of therapeutic application of metal nano-materials. Among these, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have emerged as a potential antimicrobial agent to combat infectious diseases. At present nanoparticles are mostly produced using physical or chemical techniques which are toxic and hazardous. Thus exploitation of microbial systems could be a green eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of nanoparticles having similar or even better antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility. Hence, it would be worth to explore the possibility of utilization of microbial silver nanoparticles and their conjugates as potential novel therapeutic agent against infectious diseases like cholera. The present study attempted utilization of Ochrobactrum rhizosphaerae for the production of AgNPs and focused on investigating their role as antimicrobial agents against cholera. Later the exopolymer, purified from the culture supernatant, was used for the synthesis of spherical shaped AgNPs of around 10 nm size. Further the exopolymer was characterized as glycolipoprotein (GLP). Antibacterial activity of the novel GLP-AgNPs conjugate was evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration, XTT reduction assay, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and growth curve analysis. SEM studies revealed that AgNPs treatment resulted in intracellular contents leakage and cell lysis. The potential of microbially synthesized nanoparticles, as novel therapeutic agents, is still relatively less explored. In fact, the present study first time demonstrated that a glycolipoprotein secreted by the O. rhizosphaerae strain can be exploited for production of AgNPs which can further be employed to treat infectious diseases. Although this type of polymer has been obtained earlier from marine fungi and bacteria, none of these reports have studied the role of this polymer in AgNPs synthesis and its application in cholera therapy. Interestingly, the microbial GLP-capped AgNPs exhibited antibacterial activity against V. cholerae comparable to ciprofloxacin. Thus the present study may open up new avenues for development of novel therapeutic agents for treatment of infectious diseases. Graphical abstract Development of novel therapeutic agents for treatment of cholera.

Nitric oxide induced by Indian ginseng root extract inhibits Infectious Bursal Disease virus in chicken embryo fibroblasts in vitro.

PubMed

Ganguly, Bhaskar; Umapathi, Vijaypillai; Rastogi, Sunil Kumar

2018-01-01

Infectious Bursal Disease is a severe viral disease of chicken responsible for serious economic losses to poultry farmers. The causative agent, Infectious Bursal Disease virus, is inhibited by nitric oxide. Root extract of the Indian ginseng, Withania somnifera , inhibits Infectious Bursal Disease virus in vitro. Also, Withania somnifera root extract is known to induce nitric oxide production in vitro. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to determine if the inhibitory activity of Withania somnifera against Infectious Bursal Disease virus was based on the production of nitric oxide. We show that besides other mechanisms, the inhibition of Infectious Bursal Disease virus by Withania somnifera involves the production of nitric oxide. Our results also highlight the paradoxical role of nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of Infectious Bursal Disease.

Antibiotic-Induced Rash in Patients With Infectious Mononucleosis.

PubMed

Thompson, Dennis F; Ramos, Carroll L

2017-02-01

To provide an extensive review of case reports, epidemiological data, and the underlying mechanism of antibiotic-induced skin rash in patients with concurrent infectious mononucleosis (IM). A MEDLINE literature search inclusive of the dates 1946 to June 2016 was performed using the search terms anti-bacterial agents and infectious mononucleosis. EMBASE (1980 to June 2016) was searched using the terms mononucleosis and antibiotic agent and drug eruption. References of all relevant articles were reviewed for additional citations and information. We selected English-language, primary literature, review articles, and mechanistic articles that addressed antibiotic-induced skin rash in patients with concurrent IM. We assessed all case reports available for causality utilizing a modified Naranjo nomogram specifically designed for this subject. We assembled the available epidemiological data into tables to identify trends in incidence rates over the years. We identified 17 case reports of antibiotic-associated rash in patients with IM. The median Naranjo score was 6 (range = 1 to 8). The top 3 reported drugs were ampicillin, azithromycin, and amoxicillin. Incidence of this adverse effect was higher in the 1960s (55.6%, 45%, and 33%) than in 2013 (33% and 15%). The mechanism most commonly proposed is a transient virus-mediated immune alteration that sets the stage for loss of antigenic tolerance and the development of a reversible, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction to the antibiotic. A reassessment of the long-held belief of the high incidence (80%-100%) of antibiotic-induced skin rash in patients with IM seems prudent. Additional studies will be necessary to clarify this issue.

Optimizing agent-based transmission models for infectious diseases.

PubMed

Willem, Lander; Stijven, Sean; Tijskens, Engelbert; Beutels, Philippe; Hens, Niel; Broeckhove, Jan

2015-06-02

Infectious disease modeling and computational power have evolved such that large-scale agent-based models (ABMs) have become feasible. However, the increasing hardware complexity requires adapted software designs to achieve the full potential of current high-performance workstations. We have found large performance differences with a discrete-time ABM for close-contact disease transmission due to data locality. Sorting the population according to the social contact clusters reduced simulation time by a factor of two. Data locality and model performance can also be improved by storing person attributes separately instead of using person objects. Next, decreasing the number of operations by sorting people by health status before processing disease transmission has also a large impact on model performance. Depending of the clinical attack rate, target population and computer hardware, the introduction of the sort phase decreased the run time from 26% up to more than 70%. We have investigated the application of parallel programming techniques and found that the speedup is significant but it drops quickly with the number of cores. We observed that the effect of scheduling and workload chunk size is model specific and can make a large difference. Investment in performance optimization of ABM simulator code can lead to significant run time reductions. The key steps are straightforward: the data structure for the population and sorting people on health status before effecting disease propagation. We believe these conclusions to be valid for a wide range of infectious disease ABMs. We recommend that future studies evaluate the impact of data management, algorithmic procedures and parallelization on model performance.

Interventions for post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review of treatment efficacy.

PubMed

Torbicki, Emma; Oh, Justin; Mishra, Sharmistha; Page, Andrea V; Boggild, Andrea K

2015-01-01

Post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) due to traveler's diarrhea is the second most common illness seen in post-travel clinics, yet its optimal management remains unknown. We performed a systematic review to evaluate treatment efficacy in PI-IBS. We searched Medline, EMBASE, LILACS, CINAHL, CAB abstracts, and the Cochrane Library to February 3, 2014 for intervention studies of the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management of PI-IBS and examined the evidence according to a modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) scale. Of 336 records, 9 studies were included. Eight studies of pharmacologic interventions examined 5 agents (mesalazine or mesalamine, ondansetron, prednisolone, cholestyramine, and metronidazole). One study examined the non-pharmacologic intervention of different infant nutritional formulas following acute gastroenteritis. The quality of the evidence to date was low, with small sample size (fewer than 50 participants) and short duration of follow-up. Overall, the efficacy of pharmacological treatment ranged from no benefit (ondansetron and prednisolone) to moderately beneficial (cholestyramine and metronidazole). The evidence for mesalazine was equivocal: one study showed benefit, two others showed none. Heterogeneity in outcome measures and low strength of evidence preclude recommendations on the optimal management of PI-IBS by a specific agent. More comparative intervention research into PI-IBS treatment is needed for consistent best practice in PI-IBS management. Clinicians may elect to pursue therapeutic trials of mesalazine, cholestyramine, or metronidazole in individual patients, but should be aware that data supporting the efficacy of these agents is limited.

To understand coral disease, look at coral cells

USGS Publications Warehouse

Work, Thierry M.; Meteyer, Carol U.

2014-01-01

Diseases threaten corals globally, but 40 years on their causes remain mostly unknown. We hypothesize that inconsistent application of a complete diagnostic approach to coral disease has contributed to this slow progress. We quantified methods used to investigate coral disease in 492 papers published between 1965 and 2013. Field surveys were used in 65% of the papers, followed by biodetection (43%), laboratory trials (20%), microscopic pathology (21%), and field trials (9%). Of the microscopic pathology efforts, 57% involved standard histopathology at the light microscopic level (12% of the total investigations), with the remainder dedicated to electron or fluorescence microscopy. Most (74%) biodetection efforts focused on culture or molecular characterization of bacteria or fungi from corals. Molecular and immunological tools have been used to incriminate infectious agents (mainly bacteria) as the cause of coral diseases without relating the agent to specific changes in cell and tissue pathology. Of 19 papers that declared an infectious agent as a cause of disease in corals, only one (5%) used microscopic pathology, and none fulfilled all of the criteria required to satisfy Koch’s postulates as applied to animal diseases currently. Vertebrate diseases of skin and mucosal surfaces present challenges similar to corals when trying to identify a pathogen from a vast array of environmental microbes, and diagnostic approaches regularly used in these cases might provide a model for investigating coral diseases. We hope this review will encourage specialists of disease in domestic animals, wildlife, fish, shellfish, and humans to contribute to the emerging field of coral disease.

Metal oxide nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents: a promise for the future.

PubMed

Raghunath, Azhwar; Perumal, Ekambaram

2017-02-01

Microbial infectious diseases are a global threat to human health. Excess and improper use of antibiotics has created antimicrobial-resistant microbes that can defy clinical treatment. The hunt for safe and alternate antimicrobial agents is on in order to overcome such resistant micro-organisms, and the birth of nanotechnology offers promise to combat infectious organisms. Over the past two decades, metal oxide nanoparticles (MeO-NPs) have become an attractive alternative source to combat microbes that are highly resistant to various classes of antibiotics. Their vast array of physicochemical properties enables MeO-NPs to act as antimicrobial agents through various mechanisms. Apart from exhibiting antimicrobial properties, MeO-NPs also serve as carriers of drugs, thus barely providing a chance for micro-organisms to develop resistance. These immense multiple properties exhibited by MeO-NPs will have an impact on the treatment of deadly infectious diseases. This review discusses the mechanisms of action of MeO-NPs against micro-organisms, safety concerns, challenges and future perspectives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

The Prion Concept and Synthetic Prions.

PubMed

Legname, Giuseppe; Moda, Fabio

2017-01-01

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies or prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by unconventional infectious agents, known as prions (PrP Sc ). Prions derive from a conformational conversion of the normally folded prion protein (PrP C ), which acquires pathological and infectious features. Moreover, PrP Sc is able to transmit the pathological conformation to PrP C through a mechanism that is still not well understood. The generation of synthetic prions, which behave like natural prions, is of fundamental importance to study the process of PrP C conversion and to assess the efficacy of therapeutic strategies to interfere with this process. Moreover, the ability of synthetic prions to induce pathology in animals confirms that the pathological properties of the prion strains are all enciphered in abnormal conformations, characterizing these infectious agents. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical and biohazardous waste generator`s guide: Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-09-01

This Guide describes the procedures required to comply with all federal and state laws and regulations and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) policy applicable to medical and biohazardous waste. The members of the LBL Biological Safety Subcommittee participated in writing these policies and procedures. The procedures and policies in this Guide apply to LBL personnel who work with infectious agents or potentially infectious agents, publicly perceived infectious items or materials (e.g., medical gloves, culture dishes), and sharps (e.g., needles, syringes, razor blades). If medical or biohazardous waste is contaminated or mixed with a hazardous chemical or material, with a radioactive material,more » or with both, the waste will be handled in accordance with the applicable federal and State of California laws and regulations for hazardous, radioactive, or mixed waste.« less

Molecular modeling of the conformational dynamics of the cellular prion protein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Charles; Colling, Ian; Bartz, Jason; Soto, Patricia

2014-03-01

Prions are infectious agents responsible for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), a type of fatal neurodegenerative disease in mammals. Prions propagate biological information by conversion of the non-pathological version of the prion protein to the infectious conformation, PrPSc. A wealth of knowledge has shed light on the nature and mechanism of prion protein conversion. In spite of the significance of this problem, we are far from fully understanding the conformational dynamics of the cellular isoform. To remedy this situation we employ multiple biomolecular modeling techniques such as docking and molecular dynamics simulations to map the free energy landscape and determine what specific regions of the prion protein are most conductive to binding. The overall goal is to characterize the conformational dynamics of the cell form of the prion protein, PrPc, to gain insight into inhibition pathways against misfolding. NE EPSCoR FIRST Award to Patricia Soto.

[Cytomegalovirus-associated infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome accompanied by transient monoclonal expansion of CD8+ T-cells].

PubMed

Yonezawa, Akihito; Onaka, Takashi; Imada, Kazunori

2009-08-01

Most cases of infectious mononucleosis (IM) are caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Other pathogens have been reported to cause heterophile-negative mononucleosis-like syndrome, including cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). Primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals. In this article, we describe a patient with prolonged fever and fatigue, who developed transient monoclonal CD8+ T-cell lymphocytosis after primary CMV infection. Monoclonal gene rearrangement of T-cell receptor (TCR) beta locus was transiently detected in DNA from peripheral lymphocytes. Monoclonal rearrangement and atypical lymphocytosis disappeared after treatment with anti-viral agents. These observations imply that monoclonal expansion of T-cells could be a reactive phenomenon of primary CMV infection and TCR gene rearrangement is not specific for malignancy. Physicians should carefully follow patients with monoclonal expansion of CD8+ T-cells after CMV-IM in order to rule out T cell malignancy.

More experiences with the Tzanck smear test: cytologic findings in cutaneous granulomatous disorders.

PubMed

Durdu, Murat; Baba, Mete; Seçkin, Deniz

2009-09-01

Granulomatous dermatitis is a distinctive histopathologic cutaneous reaction pattern against various infectious and noninfectious agents. Cytologically, granulomatous dermatitis shows granulomas and multinucleated giant cells. Various etiologic agents of granulomatous diseases can also be identified. We aimed to investigate Tzanck smear findings in granulomatous skin diseases. Patients who had granulomas and/or multinucleated giant cells of Langhans, foreign body- and/or Touton type in Tzanck smear tests were included in the study. In these patients, Tzanck preparations were then further evaluated for additional cytologic findings. Samples stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain were evaluated by the same dermatologist throughout the study. In some patients, methylene blue, Gram and/or Erlich-Ziehl-Nielsen stains were also performed. In all of the study cases, the final diagnosis was established after the evaluation of clinical and laboratory findings (including, when appropriate, potassium hydroxide examination; bacterial, leishmanial, and fungal cultures; histopathology; tuberculosis and leishmania polymerase chain reaction). We also calculated the sensitivity and specificity of the Leishman-Donovan body for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Over a 2-year period, 94 of 950 patients (9.9%) in whom Tzanck smear tests were performed had cytologic findings consistent with a granulomatous reaction. In 74 (78.7%) and 20 (21.3%) patients, the granulomatous reaction was due to infectious and noninfectious causes, respectively. Infectious causes included cutaneous leishmaniasis in 65 patients (87.8%), candidal granuloma in two patients, botyromycosis in two patients, and aspergillosis, blastomycosis, mucormycosis, leprosy, and cutaneous tuberculosis in one patient each. In 58 of 74 patients (78.4%) with infectious granulomatous dermatitis, the causes of the granulomas were identified. Noninfectious granulomatous reactions were due to granuloma annulare in 7 patients, sarcoidosis in 5 patients, a foreign body in 4 patients, necrobiosis lipoidica in 2 patients, and juvenile xanthogranuloma in 2 patients. In 17 of 20 patients (85%) with noninfectious granulomatous reactions, the cytologic findings were characteristic of the final diagnoses. The sensitivity and specificity of Leishman-Donovan bodies for cutaneous leishmaniasis were 76.9% and 100%, respectively. All of the samples were evaluated by the same dermatologist throughout the study; therefore no comment could be made regarding the reliability of the Tzanck smear test. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of Tzanck smear test findings for diseases other than cutaneous leishmaniasis could not be calculated because of an insufficient number of patients. The Tzanck smear test may be a useful diagnostic tool for certain granulomatous skin diseases.

Emerging and Neglected Infectious Diseases: Insights, Advances, and Challenges

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Infectious diseases are a significant burden on public health and economic stability of societies all over the world. They have for centuries been among the leading causes of death and disability and presented growing challenges to health security and human progress. The threat posed by infectious diseases is further deepened by the continued emergence of new, unrecognized, and old infectious disease epidemics of global impact. Over the past three and half decades at least 30 new infectious agents affecting humans have emerged, most of which are zoonotic and their origins have been shown to correlate significantly with socioeconomic, environmental, and ecological factors. As these factors continue to increase, putting people in increased contact with the disease causing pathogens, there is concern that infectious diseases may continue to present a formidable challenge. Constant awareness and pursuance of effective strategies for controlling infectious diseases and disease emergence thus remain crucial. This review presents current updates on emerging and neglected infectious diseases and highlights the scope, dynamics, and advances in infectious disease management with particular focus on WHO top priority emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) and neglected tropical infectious diseases. PMID:28286767

Emerging and Neglected Infectious Diseases: Insights, Advances, and Challenges.

PubMed

Nii-Trebi, Nicholas Israel

2017-01-01

Infectious diseases are a significant burden on public health and economic stability of societies all over the world. They have for centuries been among the leading causes of death and disability and presented growing challenges to health security and human progress. The threat posed by infectious diseases is further deepened by the continued emergence of new, unrecognized, and old infectious disease epidemics of global impact. Over the past three and half decades at least 30 new infectious agents affecting humans have emerged, most of which are zoonotic and their origins have been shown to correlate significantly with socioeconomic, environmental, and ecological factors. As these factors continue to increase, putting people in increased contact with the disease causing pathogens, there is concern that infectious diseases may continue to present a formidable challenge. Constant awareness and pursuance of effective strategies for controlling infectious diseases and disease emergence thus remain crucial. This review presents current updates on emerging and neglected infectious diseases and highlights the scope, dynamics, and advances in infectious disease management with particular focus on WHO top priority emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) and neglected tropical infectious diseases.

Genetic Factors Influence Serological Measures of Common Infections

PubMed Central

Rubicz, Rohina; Leach, Charles T.; Kraig, Ellen; Dhurandhar, Nikhil V.; Duggirala, Ravindranath; Blangero, John; Yolken, Robert; Göring, Harald H.H.

2011-01-01

Background/Aims Antibodies against infectious pathogens provide information on past or present exposure to infectious agents. While host genetic factors are known to affect the immune response, the influence of genetic factors on antibody levels to common infectious agents is largely unknown. Here we test whether antibody levels for 13 common infections are significantly heritable. Methods IgG antibodies to Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, Toxoplasma gondii, adenovirus 36 (Ad36), hepatitis A virus, influenza A and B, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and −2, human herpesvirus-6, and varicella zoster virus were determined for 1,227 Mexican Americans. Both quantitative and dichotomous (seropositive/seronegative) traits were analyzed. Influences of genetic and shared environmental factors were estimated using variance components pedigree analysis, and sharing of underlying genetic factors among traits was investigated using bivariate analyses. Results Serological phenotypes were significantly heritable for most pathogens (h2 = 0.17–0.39), except for Ad36 and HSV-2. Shared environment was significant for several pathogens (c2 = 0.10–0.32). The underlying genetic etiology appears to be largely different for most pathogens. Conclusions Our results demonstrate, for the first time for many of these pathogens, that individual genetic differences of the human host contribute substantially to antibody levels to many common infectious agents, providing impetus for the identification of underlying genetic variants, which may be of clinical importance. PMID:21996708

Molecular survey of infectious agents associated with bovine respiratory disease in a beef cattle feedlot in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Headley, Selwyn A; Okano, Werner; Balbo, Luciana C; Marcasso, Rogério A; Oliveira, Thalita E; Alfieri, Alice F; Negri Filho, Luiz C; Michelazzo, Mariana Z; Rodrigues, Silvio C; Baptista, Anderson L; Saut, João Paulo E; Alfieri, Amauri A

2018-03-01

We investigated the occurrence of infectious pathogens during an outbreak of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in a beef cattle feedlot in southern Brazil that has a high risk of developing BRD. Nasopharyngeal swabs were randomly collected from steers ( n = 23) and assessed for the presence of infectious agents of BRD by PCR and/or RT-PCR assays. These included: Histophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma bovis, bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), and bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3). Pulmonary sections of one steer that died with clinical BRD were submitted for pathology and molecular testing. The frequencies of the pathogens identified from the nasopharyngeal swabs were: H. somni 39% (9 of 23), BRSV 35% (8 of 23), BCoV 22% (5 of 23), and M. haemolytica 13% (3 of 23). PCR or RT-PCR assays did not identify P. multocida, M. bovis, BoHV-1, BVDV, or BPIV-3 from the nasopharyngeal swabs. Single and concomitant associations of infectious agents of BRD were identified. Fibrinous bronchopneumonia was diagnosed in one steer that died; samples were positive for H. somni and M. haemolytica by PCR. H. somni, BRSV, and BCoV are important disease pathogens of BRD in feedlot cattle in Brazil, but H. somni and BCoV are probably under-reported.

Dual-Targeting Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the Staphylococcus aureus FMN Riboswitch Disrupt Riboflavin Homeostasis in an Infectious Setting.

PubMed

Wang, Hao; Mann, Paul A; Xiao, Li; Gill, Charles; Galgoci, Andrew M; Howe, John A; Villafania, Artjohn; Barbieri, Christopher M; Malinverni, Juliana C; Sher, Xinwei; Mayhood, Todd; McCurry, Megan D; Murgolo, Nicholas; Flattery, Amy; Mack, Matthias; Roemer, Terry

2017-05-18

Riboswitches are bacterial-specific, broadly conserved, non-coding RNA structural elements that control gene expression of numerous metabolic pathways and transport functions essential for cell growth. As such, riboswitch inhibitors represent a new class of potential antibacterial agents. Recently, we identified ribocil-C, a highly selective inhibitor of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) riboswitch that controls expression of de novo riboflavin (RF, vitamin B2) biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. Here, we provide a mechanistic characterization of the antibacterial effects of ribocil-C as well as of roseoflavin (RoF), an antimetabolite analog of RF, among medically significant Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus faecalis. We provide genetic, biophysical, computational, biochemical, and pharmacological evidence that ribocil-C and RoF specifically inhibit dual FMN riboswitches, separately controlling RF biosynthesis and uptake processes essential for MRSA growth and pathogenesis. Such a dual-targeting mechanism is specifically required to develop broad-spectrum Gram-positive antibacterial agents targeting RF metabolism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Point detection of bacterial and viral pathogens using oral samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malamud, Daniel

2008-04-01

Oral samples, including saliva, offer an attractive alternative to serum or urine for diagnostic testing. This is particularly true for point-of-use detection systems. The various types of oral samples that have been reported in the literature are presented here along with the wide variety of analytes that have been measured in saliva and other oral samples. The paper focuses on utilizing point-detection of infectious disease agents, and presents work from our group on a rapid test for multiple bacterial and viral pathogens by monitoring a series of targets. It is thus possible in a single oral sample to identify multiple pathogens based on specific antigens, nucleic acids, and host antibodies to those pathogens. The value of such a technology for detecting agents of bioterrorism at remote sites is discussed.

A Carbohydrate Moiety of Secreted Stage-Specific Glycoprotein 4 Participates in Host Cell Invasion by Trypanosoma cruzi Extracellular Amastigotes.

PubMed

Florentino, Pilar T V; Real, Fernando; Orikaza, Cristina M; da Cunha, Julia P C; Vitorino, Francisca N L; Cordero, Esteban M; Sobreira, Tiago J P; Mortara, Renato A

2018-01-01

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas' disease. It is known that amastigotes derived from trypomastigotes in the extracellular milieu are infective in vitro and in vivo . Extracellular amastigotes (EAs) have a stage-specific surface antigen called Ssp-4, a GPI-anchored glycoprotein that is secreted by the parasites. By immunoprecipitation with the Ssp-4-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) 2C2 and 1D9, we isolated the glycoprotein from EAs. By mass spectrometry, we identified the core protein of Ssp-4 and evaluated mRNA expression and the presence of Ssp-4 carbohydrate epitopes recognized by mAb1D9. We demonstrated that the carbohydrate epitope recognized by mAb1D9 could promote host cell invasion by EAs. Although infectious EAs express lower amounts of Ssp-4 compared with less-infectious EAs (at the mRNA and protein levels), it is the glycosylation of Ssp-4 (identified by mAb1D9 staining only in infectious strains and recognized by galectin-3 on host cells) that is the determinant of EA invasion of host cells. Furthermore, Ssp-4 is secreted by EAs, either free or associated with parasite vesicles, and can participate in host-cell interactions. The results presented here describe the possible role of a carbohydrate moiety of T. cruzi surface glycoproteins in host cell invasion by EA forms, highlighting the potential of these moieties as therapeutic and vaccine targets for the treatment of Chagas' disease.

A Carbohydrate Moiety of Secreted Stage-Specific Glycoprotein 4 Participates in Host Cell Invasion by Trypanosoma cruzi Extracellular Amastigotes

PubMed Central

Florentino, Pilar T. V.; Real, Fernando; Orikaza, Cristina M.; da Cunha, Julia P. C.; Vitorino, Francisca N. L.; Cordero, Esteban M.; Sobreira, Tiago J. P.; Mortara, Renato A.

2018-01-01

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas’ disease. It is known that amastigotes derived from trypomastigotes in the extracellular milieu are infective in vitro and in vivo. Extracellular amastigotes (EAs) have a stage-specific surface antigen called Ssp-4, a GPI-anchored glycoprotein that is secreted by the parasites. By immunoprecipitation with the Ssp-4-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) 2C2 and 1D9, we isolated the glycoprotein from EAs. By mass spectrometry, we identified the core protein of Ssp-4 and evaluated mRNA expression and the presence of Ssp-4 carbohydrate epitopes recognized by mAb1D9. We demonstrated that the carbohydrate epitope recognized by mAb1D9 could promote host cell invasion by EAs. Although infectious EAs express lower amounts of Ssp-4 compared with less-infectious EAs (at the mRNA and protein levels), it is the glycosylation of Ssp-4 (identified by mAb1D9 staining only in infectious strains and recognized by galectin-3 on host cells) that is the determinant of EA invasion of host cells. Furthermore, Ssp-4 is secreted by EAs, either free or associated with parasite vesicles, and can participate in host-cell interactions. The results presented here describe the possible role of a carbohydrate moiety of T. cruzi surface glycoproteins in host cell invasion by EA forms, highlighting the potential of these moieties as therapeutic and vaccine targets for the treatment of Chagas’ disease. PMID:29692765

Novel Permissive Cell Lines for Complete Propagation of Hepatitis C Virus

PubMed Central

Shiokawa, Mai; Fukuhara, Takasuke; Ono, Chikako; Yamamoto, Satomi; Okamoto, Toru; Watanabe, Noriyuki; Wakita, Takaji

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major etiologic agent of chronic liver diseases. Although the HCV life cycle has been clarified by studying laboratory strains of HCV derived from the genotype 2a JFH-1 strain (cell culture-adapted HCV [HCVcc]), the mechanisms of particle formation have not been elucidated. Recently, we showed that exogenous expression of a liver-specific microRNA, miR-122, in nonhepatic cell lines facilitates efficient replication but not particle production of HCVcc, suggesting that liver-specific host factors are required for infectious particle formation. In this study, we screened human cancer cell lines for expression of the liver-specific α-fetoprotein by using a cDNA array database and identified liver-derived JHH-4 cells and stomach-derived FU97 cells, which express liver-specific host factors comparable to Huh7 cells. These cell lines permit not only replication of HCV RNA but also particle formation upon infection with HCVcc, suggesting that hepatic differentiation participates in the expression of liver-specific host factors required for HCV propagation. HCV inhibitors targeting host and viral factors exhibited different antiviral efficacies between Huh7 and FU97 cells. Furthermore, FU97 cells exhibited higher susceptibility for propagation of HCVcc derived from the JFH-2 strain than Huh7 cells. These results suggest that hepatic differentiation participates in the expression of liver-specific host factors required for complete propagation of HCV. IMPORTANCE Previous studies have shown that liver-specific host factors are required for efficient replication of HCV RNA and formation of infectious particles. In this study, we screened human cancer cell lines for expression of the liver-specific α-fetoprotein by using a cDNA array database and identified novel permissive cell lines for complete propagation of HCVcc without any artificial manipulation. In particular, gastric cancer-derived FU97 cells exhibited a much higher susceptibility to HCVcc/JFH-2 infection than observed in Huh7 cells, suggesting that FU97 cells would be useful for further investigation of the HCV life cycle, as well as the development of therapeutic agents for chronic hepatitis C. PMID:24599999

Evaluation of an Experimental Re-introduction of Sockeye Salmon into Skaha Lake; Year 2 of 3, 2001 Technical Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fisher, Christopher; Machin, Deanna; Wright, Howie

This report summarizes the findings from YEAR 2 of a three-year disease risk assessment. The Okanagan Nation Fisheries Commission (ONFC) and the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) are investigating the risks involved in re-introducing sockeye salmon into Skaha Lake, part of their historical range (Ernst and Vedan 2000). The disease risk assessment compares the disease and infection status of fish above and below McIntyre Dam (the present limit of sockeye migration). The disease agents identified that are of a particular concern are: infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus type 2 (IHNV type2), erythrocytic inclusion body syndrome virus (EIBSV),more » the whirling disease agent (Myxobolus cerebralis), and the ceratomyxosis agent (Ceratomyxa shasta).« less

Waste Water Management and Infectious Disease. Part II: Impact of Waste Water Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Robert C.

1975-01-01

The ability of various treatment processes, such as oxidation ponds, chemical coagulation and filtration, and the soil mantle, to remove the agents of infectious disease found in waste water is discussed. The literature concerning the efficiency of removal of these organisms by various treatment processes is reviewed. (BT)

Role of Modulator of Inflammation Cyclooxygenase-2 in Gammaherpesvirus Mediated Tumorigenesis

PubMed Central

Gandhi, Jaya; Khera, Lohit; Gaur, Nivedita; Paul, Catherine; Kaul, Rajeev

2017-01-01

Chronic inflammation is recognized as a threat factor for cancer progression. Release of inflammatory molecules generates microenvironment which is highly favorable for development of tumor, cancer progression and metastasis. In cases of latent viral infections, generation of such a microenvironment is one of the major predisposing factors related to virus mediated tumorigenesis. Among various inflammatory mediators implicated in pathological process associated with cancer, the cyclooxygenase (COX) and its downstream effector molecules are of greater significance. Though the role of infectious agents in causing inflammation leading to transformation of cells has been more or less well established, however, the mechanism by which inflammation in itself modulates the events in life cycle of infectious agent is not very much clear. This is specifically important for gammaherpesviruses infections where viral life cycle is characterized by prolonged periods of latency when the virus remains hidden, immunologically undetectable and expresses only a very limited set of genes. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms for role of inflammation in virus life cycle and tumorigenesis. This review is an attempt to summarize the latest findings highlighting the significance of COX-2 and its downstream signaling effectors role in life cycle events of gammaherpesviruses leading to progression of cancer. PMID:28400769

Epidemiology of paediatric meningitis in central Côte d'Ivoire after the implementation of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination.

PubMed

Touré, Fidèle S; Kouame, Samson; Tia, Honoré; Monemo, Pacôme; Cissé, Amadou; Diané, Bamourou; Becker, Sören L; Akoua-Koffi, Chantal

2017-07-01

Infectious meningitis accounts for enormous morbidity worldwide, but there is a paucity of data on its regional epidemiology in resource-constrained settings of sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we present a study on the aetiology of paediatric meningitis in central Côte d'Ivoire. Between June 2012 and December 2013, all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples drawn at the University Teaching Hospital Bouaké were examined for the presence of bacterial and fungal pathogens. A causative agent was detected in 31 out of 833 CSF specimens (3.7%), with the most prevalent pathogens being Streptococcus pneumoniae (n=15) and Neisseria meningitidis (n=5). With the exception of neonates, these two bacteria were the most common agents in all age groups. Of note, only a single case of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis was detected. Hence, this study reports a considerable shift in the epidemiology of paediatric meningitis in central Côte d'Ivoire. Following the implementation of a nation-wide childhood vaccination programme against H. influenzae type b, this pathogen was much less frequently reported than in previous studies. The integration of specific vaccines against S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis into the childhood vaccination programme in Côted'Ivoire holds promise to further reduce the burden due to infectious meningitis.

The nature of selection on the major histocompatibility complex.

PubMed

Apanius, V; Penn, D; Slev, P R; Ruff, L R; Potts, W K

1997-01-01

Only natural selection can account for the extreme genetic diversity of genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Although the structure and function of classic MHC genes is well understood at the molecular and cellular levels, there is controversy about how MHC diversity is selectively maintained. The diversifying selection can be driven by pathogen interactions and inbreeding avoidance mechanisms. Pathogen-driven selection can maintain MHC polymorphism based on heterozygote advantage or frequency-dependent selection due to pathogen evasion of MHC-dependent immune recognition. Empirical evidence demonstrates that specific MHC haplotypes are resistant to certain infectious agents, while susceptible to others. These data are consistent with both heterozygote advantage and frequency-dependent models. Additional research is needed to discriminate between these mechanisms. Infectious agents can precipitate autoimmunity and can potentially contribute to MHC diversity through molecular mimicry and by favoring immunodominance. MHC-dependent abortion and mate choice, based on olfaction, can also maintain MHC diversity and probably functions both to avoid genome-wide inbreeding and produce MHC-heterozygous offspring with increased immune responsiveness. Although this diverse set of hypotheses are often treated as competing alternatives, we believe that they all fit into a coherent, internally consistent thesis. It is likely that at least in some species, all of these mechanisms operate, leading to the extreme diversification found in MHC genes.

76 FR 52328 - Single Source Cooperative Agreement Award for the Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-22

... infectious disease threats including select bio-terrorism agents and novel influenza viruses. The amount of... or actual spread of bio-terrorism agents or a pandemic to the United States, thereby enhancing the...

QUANTITATIVE RISK ASSESSMENT FOR MICROBIAL AGENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Compared to chemical risk assessment, the process for microbial agents and infectious disease is more complex because of host factors and the variety of settings in which disease transmission can occur. While the National Academy of Science has established a paradigm for performi...

Serosurveillance of infectious agents in equines of the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

PubMed

Jiménez, D; Romero-Zuñiga, J J; Dolz, G

2014-01-01

Blood samples from 181 equines from the Central Valley of Costa Rica were collected in the year 2012 to determine the presence of antibodies against selected infectious agents in horses and to determine the risk factors associated with these agents. The presence of antibodies against Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), Equine Herpes Virus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), West Nile Virus (WNV), Influenza A Virus (IAV), Equine Viral Arteritis Virus (EVAV), Babesia caballi, Theileria equi, Neospora caninum and Chlamydia abortus was determined using commercial assays, and risk factors associated with seropositivity to the different infectious agents was established. The most seroprevalent agent detected was EHV-4 (96.7%), followed by WNV (44.2%), and IAV (41.8%). Horses >3 years, used for work or sports, and with access to pastures, had significantly increased probability to be seropositive to WNV, whereas horses used for breeding and recreational purposes, being stabled, and without access to pastures, had significantly greater probability to be seropositive to IAV. Seroprevalence to B. caballi (19.9%) was lower than to T. equi (38.1%). For B. caballi, access to pastures was determined as a risk factor, whereas being older than 3 years was established as a risk factor for T. equi. Low seroprevalences were determined for EHV-1 (5.0%), EVAV (5.0%), C. abortus (4.8%), and N. caninum (4.4%). Mares having history of abortion were more likely to be seropositive to EHV-1, whereas horses >3 years, used for work and sports, and mares having multiple parturitions, were more likely to be seropositive to N. caninum. None of the horses were seropositive to EIAV. Earlier, only diseases caused by EIAV, WNV and piroplasmosis were reported in Costa Rica. The present study however, determined the presence of carriers for EHV-1, EHV-4, and EIAV.

Serosurveillance of infectious agents in equines of the Central Valley of Costa Rica

PubMed Central

Jiménez, D.; Romero-Zuñiga, J.J.; Dolz, G.

2014-01-01

Blood samples from 181 equines from the Central Valley of Costa Rica were collected in the year 2012 to determine the presence of antibodies against selected infectious agents in horses and to determine the risk factors associated with these agents. The presence of antibodies against Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), Equine Herpes Virus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), West Nile Virus (WNV), Influenza A Virus (IAV), Equine Viral Arteritis Virus (EVAV), Babesia caballi, Theileria equi, Neospora caninum and Chlamydia abortus was determined using commercial assays, and risk factors associated with seropositivity to the different infectious agents was established. The most seroprevalent agent detected was EHV-4 (96.7%), followed by WNV (44.2%), and IAV (41.8%). Horses >3 years, used for work or sports, and with access to pastures, had significantly increased probability to be seropositive to WNV, whereas horses used for breeding and recreational purposes, being stabled, and without access to pastures, had significantly greater probability to be seropositive to IAV. Seroprevalence to B. caballi (19.9%) was lower than to T. equi (38.1%). For B. caballi, access to pastures was determined as a risk factor, whereas being older than 3 years was established as a risk factor for T. equi. Low seroprevalences were determined for EHV-1 (5.0%), EVAV (5.0%), C. abortus (4.8%), and N. caninum (4.4%). Mares having history of abortion were more likely to be seropositive to EHV-1, whereas horses >3 years, used for work and sports, and mares having multiple parturitions, were more likely to be seropositive to N. caninum. None of the horses were seropositive to EIAV. Earlier, only diseases caused by EIAV, WNV and piroplasmosis were reported in Costa Rica. The present study however, determined the presence of carriers for EHV-1, EHV-4, and EIAV. PMID:26623349

Isolation of an agent causing bilirubinemia and jaundice in raccoons

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kilham, L.; Herman, C.M.

1954-01-01

An infectious agent, which appears to be a virus (RJV) has been isolated from the liver of a wild raccoon which has led to a highly fatal type of disease characterized by conjunctivitis and an elevated serum bilirubin frequently accompanied by jaundice on inoculation of raccoons. Ferrets also appear to be susceptible to infections with this agent.

Bacteriological Aspects of Hand Washing: A Key for Health Promotion and Infections Control

PubMed Central

Ataee, Ramezan Ali; Ataee, Mohammad Hosein; Mehrabi Tavana, Ali; Salesi, Mahmud

2017-01-01

The aim of this review is to show the historical aspects of hands washing for healthy life and explains how can reduce the transmission of community-acquired infectious agents by healthcare workers and patients. This review article is prepared based on available database. The key words used were hands washing, risk assessment, hands hygiene, bacterial flora, contamination, infection, nosocomial, tap water, sanitizer, bacterial resistance, hands bacterial flora, washing methods, antiseptics, healthcare workers, healthcare personnel, from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Google Scholar. Data were descriptively analyzed. The insistence on hand washing has a history of 1400 years. The research results indicate that the bacteria released from the female washed hands in wet and dry condition was lower than from the male's hands with a significance level (3 CFU vs. 8 CFU; confidence interval 95%, P ≤ 0.001). The valuable results of the study indicated that released amount of bacterial flora from wet hands is more than 10 times in compared to dry hands. In addition, established monitoring systems for washing hands before and after patient's manipulation as well as after toilet were dominant indices to prevent the transfer of infectious agents to the patients. Increasing awareness and belief of the healthcare workers have shown an important role by about 30% reduction in the transfection. Hand washing could reduce the episodes of transmission of infectious agents in both community and healthcare settings. However, hand washing is an important key factor to prevent transmission of infectious agents to patients. There is no standard method for measuring compliance. Thus, permanent monitoring of hand washing to reduce the transmission of infections is crucial. Finally, the personnel must believe that hand washing is an inevitable approach to infection control. PMID:28382192

Model of two infectious diseases in nettle caterpillar population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firdausi, F. Z.; Nuraini, N.

2016-04-01

Palm oil is a vital commodity to the economy of Indonesia. The area of oil palm plantations in Indonesia has increased from year to year. However, the effectiveness of palm oil production is reduced by pest infestation. One of the pest which often infests oil palm plantations is nettle caterpillar. The pest control used in this study is biological control, viz. biological agents given to oil palm trees. This paper describes a mathematical model of two infectious diseases in nettle caterpillar population. The two infectious diseases arise due to two biological agents, namely Bacillus thuringiensis bacterium and parasite which usually attack nettle caterpillars. The derivation of the model constructed in this paper is obtained from ordinary differential equations without time delay. The equilibrium points are analyzed. Two of three equilibrium points are stable if the Routh-Hurwitz criteria are fulfilled. In addition, this paper also presents the numerical simulation of the model which has been constructed.

General principles for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis.

PubMed

Díaz-Llopis, Manuel; Gallego-Pinazo, Roberto; García-Delpech, Salvador; Salom-Alonso, David

2009-09-01

Ocular inflammatory disorders constitute a sight-threatening group of diseases that might be managed according to their severity. Their treatment guidelines experience constant changes with new agents that improve the results obtained with former drugs. Nowadays we can make use of a five step protocol in which topical, periocular and systemic corticosteroids remain as the main therapy for non infectious uveitis. In addition, immunosuppresive drugs can be added in order to enhance the anti-inflammatory effects and to develop the role of corticosteroid-saving agents. These can be organized in four other steps: Cyclosporine and Methotrexate in a second one; Azathioprine, Mycophenolate Mofetil and Tacrolimus in a third step; biological anti-TNF drugs in fourth position; and a theoretical last one with Cyclophosphamide and Chlorambucil. In the present review we go through the main characteristics and complications of all these treatments and make a rational of this five-step treatment protocol for non infectious posterior uveitis.

The Human Microbiota, Infectious Disease, and Global Health: Challenges and Opportunities.

PubMed

Waldman, Abraham J; Balskus, Emily P

2018-01-12

Despite significant advances in treating infectious diseases worldwide, morbidity and mortality associated with pathogen infection remains extraordinarily high and represents a critical scientific and global health challenge. Current strategies to combat these infectious agents include a combination of vaccines, small molecule drugs, increased hygiene standards, and disease-specific interventions. While these approaches have helped to drastically reduce the incidence and number of deaths associated with infection, continued investment in current strategies and the development of novel therapeutic approaches will be required to address these global health threats. Recently, human- and vector-associated microbiotas, the assemblages of microorganisms living on and within their hosts, have emerged as a potentially important factor mediating both infection risk and disease progression. These complex microbial communities are involved in intricate and dynamic interactions with both pathogens as well as the innate and adaptive immune systems of their hosts. Here, we discuss recent findings that have illuminated the importance of resident microbiotas in infectious disease, emphasizing opportunities for novel therapeutic intervention and future challenges for the field. Our discussion will focus on four major global health threats: tuberculosis, malaria, HIV, and enteric/diarrheal diseases. We hope this Perspective will highlight the many opportunities for chemists and chemical biologists in this field as well as inspire efforts to elucidate the mechanisms underlying established disease correlations, identify novel microbiota-based risk factors, and develop new therapeutic interventions.

Evaluation of bovine abortion cases and tissue suitability for identification of infectious agents in California diagnostic laboratory cases from 2007 to 2012.

PubMed

Clothier, K; Anderson, M

2016-03-15

Establishing a definitive cause of bovine abortion is a challenging problem faced by veterinary practitioners and diagnosticians. Detection of an infectious or noninfectious source for abortion may facilitate interventions that mitigate future fetal loss in the herd. The purposes of this study were to identify the most common causes of bovine abortion in cases submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, Davis (CAHFS) from 2007 to 2013 and to determine if detection of infectious pathogens differed with the fetal tissue evaluated. Records of 665 bovine abortion cases of 709 animals were reviewed for pathologic diagnoses, test methods used to identify causative conditions, and which tissues yielded successful identification of infectious agents associated with abortion. Over 58% of abortions were attributed to an infectious cause and 46.9% had an infectious agent identified. The most common infectious conditions were Epizootic Bovine Abortion (EBA) (16.2% of all fetuses), other fetal bacterial infections (14.7% of all fetuses), and Neospora caninum (9.3% of all fetuses.) The bacterium associated with EBA (currently named Pajaroellobacter abortibovis) was most commonly identified by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in lymphoid organs (thymus and spleen); N. caninum IHC was most frequently positive in brain, kidney, and placenta. In cases of pathogenic and opportunistic bacterial infections, abomasal samples yielded a significantly greater proportion of definitive aerobic culture results than lung or liver tissues. Direct fluorescent antibody test results for Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus testing were identical between lung and kidney tissues and nearly identical (96.0%) for Bovine Herpesvirus I. Noninfectious abortive conditions included fetal stress (10.5%), dystocia (3.9%), congenital defects (3.3%), toxicological or mineral problems (1.8%), and death of the cow (1.1%). Just over 20% of the aborted fetuses had no gross or histopathological lesions to explain the abortion. This review highlights the need for submission of critical samples including abomasal contents, lymphoid tissues (thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes), and brain to maximize the diagnosticians' ability to identify causes of abortion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expanding the Hygiene Hypothesis: Early Exposure to Infectious Agents Predicts Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity to Candida among Children in Kilimanjaro

PubMed Central

Wander, Katherine; O'Connor, Kathleen; Shell-Duncan, Bettina

2012-01-01

Background Multiple lines of evidence suggest that infections in early life prevent the development of pathological immune responses to allergens and autoantigens (the hygiene hypothesis). Early infections may also affect later immune responses to pathogen antigen. Methods To evaluate an association between early infections and immune responses to pathogen antigen, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to Candida albicans was evaluated among 283 2- to 7-year-old children in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. A questionnaire and physical examination were used to characterize variables reflecting early exposure to infectious agents (family size, house construction materials, BCG vaccination, hospitalization history). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between early exposure to infectious agents and DTH to C. albicans. Results Triceps skinfold thickness (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.22) and age (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.55) were positively associated with DTH to C. albicans. Adjusted for age and sex, large family size (OR: 2.81; 95% CI: 1.04, 7.61), BCG vaccination scar (OR: 3.10; 95% CI: 1.10, 8.71), and hospitalization during infancy with an infectious disease (OR: 4.67; 95% CI: 1.00, 21.74) were positively associated with DTH to C. albicans. Conclusions Early life infections were positively associated with later DTH to C. albicans. This result supports an expansion of the hygiene hypothesis to explain not only pathological immune responses to allergens, but also appropriate immune responses to pathogens. Immune system development may be responsive to early infections as an adaptive means to tailor reactivity to the local infectious disease ecology. PMID:22616000

[New etiological concepts in uveitis].

PubMed

Bodaghi, B

2005-05-01

Uveitis remains an important cause of visual impairment, particularly in young patients. Idiopathic forms of intraocular inflammation should no longer be regarded as a presumed clinical entity, and the ophthalmologist must reconsider the specific etiology of primary uveitis when the clinical examination does not yield a definitive diagnosis or when the course of the disease on corticosteroids remains atypical. Laboratory tests based on serum analysis have limited value and should not be considered as diagnostic proof in different clinical presentations. The diagnostic management of infectious uveitis has been greatly improved by the use of molecular techniques applied to ocular fluids and tissues. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology is a powerful tool that should be proposed in atypical cases of uveitis or retinitis of unclear but potentially infectious origin. This strategy is a major step before using unconventional and new immunomodulatory agents such as anti-TNF-alpha molecules. Under strict experimental conditions including adequate testing to rule out a possible contamination, PCR and its variants have changed our practical approach to intraocular inflammatory disorders and have provided new details for the understanding of infectious uveitis. The concept of pathogen-induced intraocular inflammation can be revisited in the light of molecular data obtained after anterior chamber paracentesis or diagnostic vitrectomy.

Chimeric vaccine composed of viral peptide and mammalian heat-shock protein 60 peptide protects against West Nile virus challenge

PubMed Central

Gershoni-Yahalom, Orly; Landes, Shimon; Kleiman-Shoval, Smadar; Ben-Nathan, David; Kam, Michal; Lachmi, Bat-El; Khinich, Yevgeny; Simanov, Michael; Samina, Itzhak; Eitan, Anat; Cohen, Irun R; Rager-Zisman, Bracha; Porgador, Angel

2010-01-01

The protective efficacy and immunogenicity of a chimeric peptide against West Nile virus (WNV) was evaluated. This virus is the aetiological agent of West Nile fever, which has recently emerged in the western hemisphere. The rapid spread of WNV throughout North America, as well as the constantly changing epidemiology and transmission of the virus by blood transfusion and transplantation, have raised major public-health concerns. Currently, there are no effective treatments for WNV or vaccine for human use. We previously identified a novel, continuous B-cell epitope from domain III of the WNV envelope protein, termed Ep15. To test whether this epitope can protect against WNV infection, we synthesized a linear chimeric peptide composed of Ep15 and the heat-shock protein 60 peptide, p458. The p458 peptide is an effective carrier peptide for subunit vaccines against other infectious agents. We now report that mice immunized with the chimeric peptide, p458-Ep15, were resistant to lethal challenges with three different WNV strains. Moreover, their brains were free of viral genome and infectious virus. Mice immunized with Ep15 alone or with p431-Ep15, a control conjugate, were not protected. The chimeric p458-Ep15 peptide induced WNV-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies that neutralized the virus and induced the secretion of interferon-γin vitro. Challenge of chimeric peptide-immunized mice considerably enhanced WNV-specific neutralizing antibodies. We conclude that this chimeric peptide can be used for formulation of a human vaccine against WNV. PMID:20331473

Chimeric vaccine composed of viral peptide and mammalian heat-shock protein 60 peptide protects against West Nile virus challenge.

PubMed

Gershoni-Yahalom, Orly; Landes, Shimon; Kleiman-Shoval, Smadar; Ben-Nathan, David; Kam, Michal; Lachmi, Bat-El; Khinich, Yevgeny; Simanov, Michael; Samina, Itzhak; Eitan, Anat; Cohen, Irun R; Rager-Zisman, Bracha; Porgador, Angel

2010-08-01

The protective efficacy and immunogenicity of a chimeric peptide against West Nile virus (WNV) was evaluated. This virus is the aetiological agent of West Nile fever, which has recently emerged in the western hemisphere. The rapid spread of WNV throughout North America, as well as the constantly changing epidemiology and transmission of the virus by blood transfusion and transplantation, have raised major public-health concerns. Currently, there are no effective treatments for WNV or vaccine for human use. We previously identified a novel, continuous B-cell epitope from domain III of the WNV envelope protein, termed Ep15. To test whether this epitope can protect against WNV infection, we synthesized a linear chimeric peptide composed of Ep15 and the heat-shock protein 60 peptide, p458. The p458 peptide is an effective carrier peptide for subunit vaccines against other infectious agents. We now report that mice immunized with the chimeric peptide, p458-Ep15, were resistant to lethal challenges with three different WNV strains. Moreover, their brains were free of viral genome and infectious virus. Mice immunized with Ep15 alone or with p431-Ep15, a control conjugate, were not protected. The chimeric p458-Ep15 peptide induced WNV-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies that neutralized the virus and induced the secretion of interferon-gammain vitro. Challenge of chimeric peptide-immunized mice considerably enhanced WNV-specific neutralizing antibodies. We conclude that this chimeric peptide can be used for formulation of a human vaccine against WNV.

Comparison of Infectious Agents Susceptibility to Photocatalytic Effects of Nanosized Titanium and Zinc Oxides: A Practical Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogdan, Janusz; Zarzyńska, Joanna; Pławińska-Czarnak, Joanna

2015-08-01

Nanotechnology contributes towards a more effective eradication of pathogens that have emerged in hospitals, veterinary clinics, and food processing plants and that are resistant to traditional drugs or disinfectants. Since new methods of pathogens eradication must be invented and implemented, nanotechnology seems to have become the response to that acute need. A remarkable achievement in this field of science was the creation of self-disinfecting surfaces that base on advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Thus, the phenomenon of photocatalysis was practically applied. Among the AOPs that have been most studied in respect of their ability to eradicate viruses, prions, bacteria, yeasts, and molds, there are the processes of TiO2/UV and ZnO/UV. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) act as photocatalysts, after they have been powdered to nanoparticles. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an agent that determines their excitation. Methods using photocatalytic properties of nanosized TiO2 and ZnO prove to be highly efficient in inactivation of infectious agents. Therefore, they are being applied on a growing scale. AOP-based disinfection is regarded as a very promising tool that might help overcome problems in food hygiene and public health protection. The susceptibility of infectious agents to photocatalylic processes can be generally arranged in the following order: viruses > prions > Gram-negative bacteria > Gram-positive bacteria > yeasts > molds.

Inactivation of infectious virus and serological detection of virus antigen in Rift Valley fever virus-exposed mosquitoes fixed with paraformaldehyde.

PubMed

Kading, Rebekah; Crabtree, Mary; Miller, Barry

2013-04-01

Formaldehyde is routinely used to fix tissues in preparation for pathology studies, however concerns remain that treatment of tissues with cellular fixatives may not entirely inactivate infectious virus particles. This concern is of particular regulatory importance for research involving viruses that are classified as select agents such as Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). Therefore, the specific aims of this study were to (1) assay RVFV-exposed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for the presence of infectious RVFV particles at various time points following infection and (2) demonstrate the utility of immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the detection of RVFV antigen in various tissues of paraformaldehyde-fixed mosquitoes. Mosquitoes were administered an infectious blood meal containing one of two strains of RVFV, harvested at various time points following infection, intrathoracically inoculated with 4% paraformaldehyde, and fixed overnight at 4°C. The infection status of a subset of mosquitoes was verified by IFA on leg tissues prior to fixation, and infectivity of RVFV in fixed mosquito carcasses was determined by Vero cell plaque assay. Paraformaldehyde-fixed mosquitoes harvested 14 days post infection were also paraffin-embedded and sectioned for detection of RVFV antigen to particular tissues by IFA. None of the RVFV-exposed mosquitoes tested by Vero cell plaque assay contained infectious RVFV after fixation. Furthermore, incubation of mosquito sections with trypsin prior to antibody staining is recommended for optimal visualization of RVFV antigen in infected mosquito tissues by IFA. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Infectious Etiologies of Childhood Leukemia: Plausibility and Challenges to Proof

PubMed Central

O’Connor, Siobhán M.; Boneva, Roumiana S.

2007-01-01

Infections as well as environmental exposures are proposed determinants of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), particularly common precursor B-cell ALL (cALL). Lines of investigation test hypotheses that cALL is a rarer result of common infection, that it results from uncommon infection, or that it ensues from abnormal immune development; perhaps it requires a preceding prenatal or early childhood insult. Ideally, studies should document that particular infections precede leukemia and induce malignant transformation. However, limited detection studies have not directly linked specific human or nonhuman infectious agents with ALL or cALL. Primarily based on surrogate markers of infectious exposure, indirect evidence from ecologic and epidemiologic studies varies widely, but some suggest that infancy or early childhood infectious exposures might protect against childhood ALL or cALL. Several others suggest that maternal infection during pregnancy might increase risk or that certain breast-feeding practices decrease risk. To date, evidence cannot confirm or refute whether at least one infection induces or is a major co-factor for developing ALL or cALL, or perhaps actually protects against disease. Differences in methodology and populations studied may explain some inconsistencies. Other challenges to proof include the likely time lag between infection and diagnosis, the ubiquity of many infections, the influence of age at infection, and the limitations in laboratory assays; small numbers of cases, inaccurate background leukemia rates, and difficulty tracking mobile populations further affect cluster investigations. Nevertheless, existing evidence partially supports plausibility and warrants further investigation into potential infectious determinants of ALL and cALL, particularly in the context of multifactorial or complex systems. PMID:17366835

78 FR 7674 - Foreign Quarantine; Import Regulations for Infectious Biological Agents, Infectious Substances...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

... potential to pose a risk to public health and safety. Since 2009, we have refined the HHS/CDC import permit... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [Docket No. CDC-2011-0007] 42 CFR Part 71 RIN 0920-AA37... Vectors AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services...

Vocational Options for Those with Sickle Cell Trait: Questions about Hypoxemia and the Industrial Environment,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-01

Infectious mononucleosis associated with rhabdomyolysis and renal failure. South Med J 71:346-348, 1978 31. Schreir RW, Henderson HS, Tisher CC, et...might just as likely have been associated with some infectious agent. Organisms capable of causing DIC and RML are known to be endemic or epidemic in

A universal next generation sequencing protocol to generate non-infectious barcoded cDNA libraries from high containment RNA viruses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several biosafety level (BSL)-3/4 pathogens are high consequence, single-stranded RNA viruses and their genomes, when introduced into permissive cells, are infectious. Moreover many of these viruses are Select Agents (SAs), and their genomes are also considered SAs. For this reason cDNAs and/or th...

42 CFR 71.54 - Import regulations for infectious biological agents, infectious substances, and vectors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... segmented configuration and may be positive sense (same polarity as mRNA), negative sense, or ambisense... material. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or Ribonucleic acid (RNA) comprising the genome or organism's... threat to public health and safety as listed in 42 CFR 73.3 and 73.4. Vector. Any animals (vertebrate or...

42 CFR 71.54 - Import regulations for infectious biological agents, infectious substances, and vectors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... segmented configuration and may be positive sense (same polarity as mRNA), negative sense, or ambisense... material. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or Ribonucleic acid (RNA) comprising the genome or organism's... threat to public health and safety as listed in 42 CFR 73.3 and 73.4. Vector. Any animals (vertebrate or...

Advances in Integrative Nanomedicine for Improving Infectious Disease Treatment in Public Health.

PubMed

Bell, Iris R; Schwartz, Gary E; Boyer, Nancy N; Koithan, Mary; Brooks, Audrey J

2013-04-01

Infectious diseases present public health challenges worldwide. An emerging integrative approach to treating infectious diseases is using nanoparticle (NP) forms of traditional and alternative medicines. Advantages of nanomedicine delivery methods include better disease targeting, especially for intracellular pathogens, ability to cross membranes and enter cells, longer duration drug action, reduced side effects, and cost savings from lower doses. We searched Pubmed articles in English with keywords related to nanoparticles and nanomedicine. Nanotechnology terms were also combined with keywords for drug delivery, infectious diseases, herbs, antioxidants, homeopathy, and adaptation. NPs are very small forms of material substances, measuring 1-100 nanometers along at least one dimension. Compared with bulk forms, NPs' large ratio of surface-area-to-volume confers increased reactivity and adsorptive capacity, with unique electromagnetic, chemical, biological, and quantum properties. Nanotechnology uses natural botanical agents for green manufacturing of less toxic NPs. Nanoparticle herbs and nutriceuticals can treat infections via improved bioavailability and antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. Recent studies demonstrate that homeopathic medicines may contain source and/or silica nanoparticles because of their traditional manufacturing processes. Homeopathy, as a form of nanomedicine, has a promising history of treating epidemic infectious diseases, including malaria, leptospirosis and HIV/AIDS, in addition to acute upper respiratory infections. Adaptive changes in the host's complex networks underlie effects. Nanomedicine is integrative, blending modern technology with natural products to reduce toxicity and support immune function. Nanomedicine using traditional agents from alternative systems of medicine can facilitate progress in integrative public health approaches to infectious diseases.

Biological agents: investigation into leprosy and other infectious diseases before indication*

PubMed Central

Antônio, João Roberto; Soubhia, Rosa Maria Cordeiro; Paschoal, Vania Del Arco; Amarante, Carolina Forte; Travolo, Ana Regina Franchi

2013-01-01

Biological agents are widely used for various immune-mediated diseases, with remarkable effectiveness in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease. However, attention needs to be drawn to the adverse effects of these therapies and the risk of reactivating underlying granulomatous infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy, syphilis, leishmaniasis, among others. The objective of this paper is to describe a case of leprosy in a patient with RA using anti-TNF alfa, demonstrating the need for systematic investigation of skin lesions suggestive of leprosy in patients who require rheumatoid arthritis therapeutic treatment, especially in endemic regions like Brazil. PMID:24346871

An animal model that reflects human disease: the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus).

PubMed

Carrion, Ricardo; Patterson, Jean L

2012-06-01

The common marmoset is a new world primate belonging to the Callitrichidae family weighing between 350 and 400 g. The marmoset has been shown to be an outstanding model for studying aging, reproduction, neuroscience, toxicology, and infectious disease. With regard to their susceptibility to infectious agents, they are exquisite NHP models for viral, protozoan and bacterial agents, as well as prions. The marmoset provides the advantages of a small animal model in high containment coupled with the immunological repertoire of a nonhuman primate and susceptibility to wild type, non-adapted viruses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Infection in systemic lupus erythematosus: friend or foe?

PubMed Central

Francis, Lisa; Perl, Andras

2010-01-01

Infectious agents have long been implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Common viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, transfusion transmitted virus, parvovirus and cytomegalovirus, have an increased prevalence in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. They may contribute to disease pathogenesis through triggering autoimmunity via structural or functional molecular mimicry, encoding proteins that induce cross-reactive immune responses to self antigens or modulate antigen processing, activation, or apoptosis of B and T cells, macrophages or dendritic cells. Alternatively, some infectious agents, such as malaria, Toxoplasma gondii and Helicobacter pylori, may have a protective effect. Vaccinations may play dual roles by protecting against friend and foe alike. PMID:20209114

Dembo polymerase chain reaction technique for detection of bovine abortion, diarrhea, and respiratory disease complex infectious agents in potential vectors and reservoirs.

PubMed

Rahpaya, Sayed Samim; Tsuchiaka, Shinobu; Kishimoto, Mai; Oba, Mami; Katayama, Yukie; Nunomura, Yuka; Kokawa, Saki; Kimura, Takashi; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Kirino, Yumi; Okabayashi, Tamaki; Nonaka, Nariaki; Mekata, Hirohisa; Aoki, Hiroshi; Shiokawa, Mai; Umetsu, Moeko; Morita, Tatsushi; Hasebe, Ayako; Otsu, Keiko; Asai, Tetsuo; Yamaguchi, Tomohiro; Makino, Shinji; Murata, Yoshiteru; Abi, Ahmad Jan; Omatsu, Tsutomu; Mizutani, Tetsuya

2018-05-31

Bovine abortion, diarrhea, and respiratory disease complexes, caused by infectious agents, result in high and significant economic losses for the cattle industry. These pathogens are likely transmitted by various vectors and reservoirs including insects, birds, and rodents. However, experimental data supporting this possibility are scarce. We collected 117 samples and screened them for 44 bovine abortive, diarrheal, and respiratory disease complex pathogens by using Dembo polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is based on TaqMan real-time PCR. Fifty-seven samples were positive for at least one pathogen, including bovine viral diarrhea virus, bovine enterovirus, Salmonella enterica ser. Dublin, Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium, and Neospora caninum ; some samples were positive for multiple pathogens. Bovine viral diarrhea virus and bovine enterovirus were the most frequently detected pathogens, especially in flies, suggesting an important role of flies in the transmission of these viruses. Additionally, we detected the N. caninum genome from a cockroach sample for the first time. Our data suggest that insects (particularly flies), birds, and rodents are potential vectors and reservoirs of abortion, diarrhea, and respiratory infectious agents, and that they may transmit more than one pathogen at the same time.

Recent advances in molecular medicine techniques for the diagnosis, prevention, and control of infectious diseases.

PubMed

França, R F O; da Silva, C C; De Paula, S O

2013-06-01

In recent years we have observed great advances in our ability to combat infectious diseases. Through the development of novel genetic methodologies, including a better understanding of pathogen biology, pathogenic mechanisms, advances in vaccine development, designing new therapeutic drugs, and optimization of diagnostic tools, significant infectious diseases are now better controlled. Here, we briefly describe recent reports in the literature concentrating on infectious disease control. The focus of this review is to describe the molecular methods widely used in the diagnosis, prevention, and control of infectious diseases with regard to the innovation of molecular techniques. Since the list of pathogenic microorganisms is extensive, we emphasize some of the major human infectious diseases (AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, rotavirus, herpes virus, viral hepatitis, and dengue fever). As a consequence of these developments, infectious diseases will be more accurately and effectively treated; safe and effective vaccines are being developed and rapid detection of infectious agents now permits countermeasures to avoid potential outbreaks and epidemics. But, despite considerable progress, infectious diseases remain a strong challenge to human survival.

Epidemics in markets with trade friction and imperfect transactions.

PubMed

Moslonka-Lefebvre, Mathieu; Monod, Hervé; Gilligan, Christopher A; Vergu, Elisabeta; Filipe, João A N

2015-06-07

Market trade-routes can support infectious-disease transmission, impacting biological populations and even disrupting trade that conduces the disease. Epidemiological models increasingly account for reductions in infectious contact, such as risk-aversion behaviour in response to pathogen outbreaks. However, responses in market dynamics clearly differ from simple risk aversion, as are driven by other motivation and conditioned by "friction" constraints (a term we borrow from labour economics). Consequently, the propagation of epidemics in markets of, for example livestock, is frictional due to time and cost limitations in the production and exchange of potentially infectious goods. Here we develop a coupled economic-epidemiological model where transient and long-term market dynamics are determined by trade friction and agent adaptation, and can influence disease transmission. The market model is parameterised from datasets on French cattle and pig exchange networks. We show that, when trade is the dominant route of transmission, market friction can be a significantly stronger determinant of epidemics than risk-aversion behaviour. In particular, there is a critical level of friction above which epidemics do not occur, which suggests some epidemics may not be sustained in highly frictional markets. In addition, friction may allow for greater delay in removal of infected agents that still mitigates the epidemic and its impacts. We suggest that policy for minimising contagion in markets could be adjusted to the level of market friction, by adjusting the urgency of intervention or by increasing friction through incentivisation of larger-volume less-frequent transactions that would have limited effect on overall trade flow. Our results are robust to model specificities and can hold in the presence of non-trade disease-transmission routes. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) Consensus Document on the safety of targeted and biological therapies: an infectious diseases perspective (Intracellular signaling pathways: tyrosine kinase and mTOR inhibitors).

PubMed

Reinwald, M; Silva, J T; Mueller, N J; Fortún, J; Garzoni, C; de Fijter, J W; Fernández-Ruiz, M; Grossi, P; Aguado, J M

2018-06-01

The present review is part of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) Consensus Document on the safety of targeted and biologic therapies. To review, from an infectious diseases perspective, the safety profile of therapies targeting different intracellular signaling pathways and to suggest preventive recommendations. Computer-based Medline searches with MeSH terms pertaining to each agent or therapeutic family. Although BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors modestly increase the overall risk of infection, dasatinib has been associated with cytomegalovirus and hepatitis B virus reactivation. BRAF/MEK kinase inhibitors do not significantly affect infection susceptibility. The effect of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ibrutinib) among patients with B-cell malignancies is difficult to distinguish from that of previous immunosuppression. However, cases of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP), invasive fungal infection and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy have been occasionally reported. Because phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitors (idelalisib) may predispose to opportunistic infections, anti-Pneumocystis prophylaxis and prevention strategies for cytomegalovirus are recommended. No increased rates of infection have been observed with venetoclax (antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 inhibitor). Therapy with Janus kinase inhibitors markedly increases the incidence of infection. Pretreatment screening for chronic hepatitis B virus and latent tuberculosis infection must be performed, and anti-Pneumocystis prophylaxis should be considered for patients with additional risk factors. Cancer patients receiving mTOR inhibitors face an increased incidence of overall infection, especially those with additional risk factors (prior therapies or delayed wound healing). Specific preventive approaches are warranted in view of the increased risk of infection associated with some of the reviewed agents. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Assessment of a fluorescent antibody test for the detection of antibodies against epizootic bovine abortion.

PubMed

Blanchard, Myra T; Anderson, Mark L; Hoar, Bruce R; Pires, Alda F A; Blanchard, Patricia C; Yeargan, Bret V; Teglas, Mike B; Belshaw, Margaret; Stott, Jeffery L

2014-09-01

The current study was directed at developing and validating an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) capable of detecting antibodies specific for the agent of epizootic bovine abortion (aoEBA). Sensitivity and specificity was determined by comparing antibody titers from 114 fetuses infected with aoEBA with 68 fetuses diagnosed with alternate infectious etiologies. Data established specificity at 100% and sensitivity at 94.7% when cutoff criteria for a positive test were assigned at a titer of ≥1,000. Potential cross-reactivity was noted in samples from 3 fetuses with antibody titers of 10 or100; all were infected with Gram-positive organisms. The remaining 65 fetuses infected with microbes other than aoEBA, and an additional 12 negative reference sera, did not have detectable titers. The IFAT-based serology assay is rapid, reproducible, and unaffected by fluid color or opacity. Total fetal immunoglobulin (Ig)G was also evaluated as an aid for diagnosing EBA. Significantly higher concentrations of IgG were identified in fetuses infected with aoEBA as compared to those with alternate infectious etiologies. The presence of IgG is a sensitive indicator of EBA and increases the specificity of FAT-based serologic diagnosis when titers are 10 or 100. Taken together, serology and IgG analyses suggest that the incidence of EBA may be underestimated. © 2014 The Author(s).

Safety and General Considerations for the Use of Antibodies in Infectious Diseases.

PubMed

Hey, Adam Seidelin

2017-01-01

Monocolonal antibodies are valuable potential new tools for meeting unmet needs in treating infectious dieseases and to provide alternatives and supplements to antibiotics in these times of growing resistance. Especially when considering the ability to screen for antibodies reacting to very diverse target antigens and the ability to design and engineer them to work specifically to hit and overcome their strategies, like toxins and their hiding in specific cells to evade the immuneresponse and their special features enabling killing of the infectious agents and or the cells harbouring them. Antibodies are generally very safe and adverse effects of treatments with therapeutic antibodies are usually related to exaggeration of the intended pharmacology. In this chapter general safety considerations for the use of antibodies is reviewed and the general procedures for nonclinical testing to support their clinical development. Special considerations for anti-infective mAb treatments are provided including the special features that makes nonclinical safety programs for anti-infective mAbs much more simple and restricted. However at a cost since only limited information for clinical safety and modeling can be derived from such programs. Then strategies for optimally designing antibodies are discussed including the use of combination of antibodies. Finally ways to facilitate development of more than the currently only three approved mAb based treatments are discussed with a special focus on high costs and high price and how collaboration and new strategies for development in emerging markets can be a driver for this.

42 CFR 71.1 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... disease from foreign countries into the States or possessions of the United States. Regulations pertaining... representative. Disinfection means the killing of infectious agents or inactivation of their toxic products outside the body by direct exposure to chemical or physical agents. Disinfestation means any chemical or...

42 CFR 71.1 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... disease from foreign countries into the States or possessions of the United States. Regulations pertaining... representative. Disinfection means the killing of infectious agents or inactivation of their toxic products outside the body by direct exposure to chemical or physical agents. Disinfestation means any chemical or...

42 CFR 71.1 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... disease from foreign countries into the States or possessions of the United States. Regulations pertaining... representative. Disinfection means the killing of infectious agents or inactivation of their toxic products outside the body by direct exposure to chemical or physical agents. Disinfestation means any chemical or...

Benefits of a European project on diagnostics of highly pathogenic agents and assessment of potential "dual use" issues.

PubMed

Grunow, Roland; Ippolito, G; Jacob, D; Sauer, U; Rohleder, A; Di Caro, A; Iacovino, R

2014-01-01

Quality assurance exercises and networking on the detection of highly infectious pathogens (QUANDHIP) is a joint action initiative set up in 2011 that has successfully unified the primary objectives of the European Network on Highly Pathogenic Bacteria (ENHPB) and of P4-laboratories (ENP4-Lab) both of which aimed to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and response capabilities of laboratories directed at protecting the health of European citizens against high consequence bacteria and viruses of significant public health concern. Both networks have established a common collaborative consortium of 37 nationally and internationally recognized institutions with laboratory facilities from 22 European countries. The specific objectives and achievements include the initiation and establishment of a recognized and acceptable quality assurance scheme, including practical external quality assurance exercises, comprising living agents, that aims to improve laboratory performance, accuracy, and detection capabilities in support of patient management and public health responses; recognized training schemes for diagnostics and handling of highly pathogenic agents; international repositories comprising highly pathogenic bacteria and viruses for the development of standardized reference material; a standardized and transparent Biosafety and Biosecurity strategy protecting healthcare personnel and the community in dealing with high consequence pathogens; the design and organization of response capabilities dealing with cross-border events with highly infectious pathogens including the consideration of diagnostic capabilities of individual European laboratories. The project tackled several sensitive issues regarding Biosafety, Biosecurity and "dual use" concerns. The article will give an overview of the project outcomes and discuss the assessment of potential "dual use" issues.

Benefits of a European Project on Diagnostics of Highly Pathogenic Agents and Assessment of Potential “Dual Use” Issues

PubMed Central

Grunow, Roland; Ippolito, G.; Jacob, D.; Sauer, U.; Rohleder, A.; Di Caro, A.; Iacovino, R.

2014-01-01

Quality assurance exercises and networking on the detection of highly infectious pathogens (QUANDHIP) is a joint action initiative set up in 2011 that has successfully unified the primary objectives of the European Network on Highly Pathogenic Bacteria (ENHPB) and of P4-laboratories (ENP4-Lab) both of which aimed to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and response capabilities of laboratories directed at protecting the health of European citizens against high consequence bacteria and viruses of significant public health concern. Both networks have established a common collaborative consortium of 37 nationally and internationally recognized institutions with laboratory facilities from 22 European countries. The specific objectives and achievements include the initiation and establishment of a recognized and acceptable quality assurance scheme, including practical external quality assurance exercises, comprising living agents, that aims to improve laboratory performance, accuracy, and detection capabilities in support of patient management and public health responses; recognized training schemes for diagnostics and handling of highly pathogenic agents; international repositories comprising highly pathogenic bacteria and viruses for the development of standardized reference material; a standardized and transparent Biosafety and Biosecurity strategy protecting healthcare personnel and the community in dealing with high consequence pathogens; the design and organization of response capabilities dealing with cross-border events with highly infectious pathogens including the consideration of diagnostic capabilities of individual European laboratories. The project tackled several sensitive issues regarding Biosafety, Biosecurity and “dual use” concerns. The article will give an overview of the project outcomes and discuss the assessment of potential “dual use” issues. PMID:25426479

[The real place of infectious pathology in overall population morbidity].

PubMed

Sergiev, V P; Drynov, I D; Malyshev, N A

1999-01-01

The statistical decrease of the proportion of infections in the structure of morbidity of the population reflects the existing classification of diseases when only acute diseases are classified with the group "infectious and parasitic diseases". The proportion of diseases caused by infective agents remains constantly high. According to WHO data, such diseases make up one-third of all diseases in the world. In Moscow the proportion of infectious diseases in all diseases registered among the inhabitants of this big city fluctuated within 36.1% and 49.7% during the period of 1926-1997.

Application of a micro-aerosolized disinfectant to clear Mycoplasma gallisepticum from contaminated facilities

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Infectious agents and their associated diseases can be significant barriers in the production of poultry and zoonotic agents associated with poultry flocks can ultimately endanger consumers. To this end, poultry producers employ a variety of strategies to minimize associated risks. Disinfectants a...

High-Throughput Assay Optimization and Statistical Interpolation of Rubella-Specific Neutralizing Antibody Titers

PubMed Central

Lambert, Nathaniel D.; Pankratz, V. Shane; Larrabee, Beth R.; Ogee-Nwankwo, Adaeze; Chen, Min-hsin; Icenogle, Joseph P.

2014-01-01

Rubella remains a social and economic burden due to the high incidence of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in some countries. For this reason, an accurate and efficient high-throughput measure of antibody response to vaccination is an important tool. In order to measure rubella-specific neutralizing antibodies in a large cohort of vaccinated individuals, a high-throughput immunocolorimetric system was developed. Statistical interpolation models were applied to the resulting titers to refine quantitative estimates of neutralizing antibody titers relative to the assayed neutralizing antibody dilutions. This assay, including the statistical methods developed, can be used to assess the neutralizing humoral immune response to rubella virus and may be adaptable for assessing the response to other viral vaccines and infectious agents. PMID:24391140

Novel aptamer-linked nanoconjugate approach for detection of waterborne bacterial pathogens: an update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Gulshan; Manohar, Murli; Adegoke, Anthony Ayodeji; Stenström, Thor Axel; Shanker, Rishi

2017-01-01

The lack of microbiologically safe water in underdeveloped nations is the prime cause of infectious disease outbreaks. The need for the specific identification and detection of microorganisms encourages the development of advanced, rapid, sensitive and highly specific methods for the monitoring of pathogens and management of potential risk to human health. The rapid molecular assays based on detection of specific molecular signatures offer advantages over conventional methods in terms of specificity and sensitivity but require complex instrumentation and skilled personnel. Nanotechnology is an emerging area and provides a robust approach for the identification of pathogenic microorganism utilizing the peculiar properties of nanomaterials, i.e. small size (1-100 nm) and large surface area. This emerging technology promises to fulfill the urgent need of a novel strategy to enhance the bacterial identification and quantitation in the environment. In this context, the peculiar properties of gold nanoparticles, their plasmonic shifts, and changes in magnetic properties have been utilized for the simple and cost-effective detection of bacterial nucleic acids, antigens and toxins with quite improved sensitivity. One of the promising leads to develop an advance detection method might be the coupling of nucleic acid aptamers (capable of interacting specifically with bacteria, protozoa, and viruses) with nanomaterials. Such aptamer-nano conjugate can be used for the specific recognition of infectious agents in different environmental matrices. This review summarizes the application of nanotechnology in the area of pathogen detection and discusses the prospects of coupling nucleic acid aptamers with nanoparticles for the specific detection of targeted pathogens.

Considerations for setting the specifications of vaccines.

PubMed

Minor, Philip

2012-05-01

The specifications of vaccines are determined by the particular product and its method of manufacture, which raise issues unique to the vaccine in question. However, the general principles are shared, including the need to have sufficient active material to immunize a very high proportion of recipients, an acceptable level of safety, which may require specific testing or may come from the production process, and an acceptable low level of contamination with unwanted materials, which may include infectious agents or materials used in production. These principles apply to the earliest smallpox vaccines and the most recent recombinant vaccines, such as those against HPV. Manufacturing development includes more precise definitions of the product through improved tests and tighter control of the process parameters. Good manufacturing practice plays a major role, which is likely to increase in importance in assuring product quality almost independent of end-product specifications.

Human Monoclonal Antibodies Against a Plethora of Viral Pathogens From Single Combinatorial Libraries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamson, R. Anthony; Burioni, Roberto; Sanna, Pietro P.; Partridge, Lynda J.; Barbas, Carlos F., III; Burton, Dennis R.

1993-05-01

Conventional antibody generation usually requires active immunization with antigen immediately prior to the preparation procedure. Combinatorial antibody library technology offers the possibility of cloning a range of antibody specificities at a single point in time and then accessing these specificities at will. Here we show that human monoclonal antibody Fab fragments against a plethora of infectious agents can be readily derived from a single library. Further examination of a number of libraries shows that whenever antibody against a pathogen can be detected in the serum of the donor, then specific antibodies can be derived from the corresponding library. We describe the generation of human Fab fragments against herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, human cytomegalovirus, varicella zoster virus, rubella, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and respiratory syncytial virus. The antibodies are shown to be highly specific and a number are effective in neutralizing virus in vitro.

Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR). Volume 6, Number 5, May/June 2000

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-06-01

certain infectious agents that have been associated with Bell’s Palsy risk (e.g., Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent that causes Lyme disease) may not be...850 20 21 314 448 Syphilisd UrethritisHepatitis B Varicella Chlamydia Gonorrhea Vaccine Preventable Sexually Transmitted Lyme Disease Malaria Arthropod

Advances in Integrative Nanomedicine for Improving Infectious Disease Treatment in Public Health

PubMed Central

Bell, Iris R.; Schwartz, Gary E.; Boyer, Nancy N.; Koithan, Mary; Brooks, Audrey J.

2012-01-01

Introduction Infectious diseases present public health challenges worldwide. An emerging integrative approach to treating infectious diseases is using nanoparticle (NP) forms of traditional and alternative medicines. Advantages of nanomedicine delivery methods include better disease targeting, especially for intracellular pathogens, ability to cross membranes and enter cells, longer duration drug action, reduced side effects, and cost savings from lower doses. Methods We searched Pubmed articles in English with keywords related to nanoparticles and nanomedicine. Nanotechnology terms were also combined with keywords for drug delivery, infectious diseases, herbs, antioxidants, homeopathy, and adaptation. Results NPs are very small forms of material substances, measuring 1–100 nanometers along at least one dimension. Compared with bulk forms, NPs’ large ratio of surface-area-to-volume confers increased reactivity and adsorptive capacity, with unique electromagnetic, chemical, biological, and quantum properties. Nanotechnology uses natural botanical agents for green manufacturing of less toxic NPs. Discussion Nanoparticle herbs and nutriceuticals can treat infections via improved bioavailability and antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. Recent studies demonstrate that homeopathic medicines may contain source and/or silica nanoparticles because of their traditional manufacturing processes. Homeopathy, as a form of nanomedicine, has a promising history of treating epidemic infectious diseases, including malaria, leptospirosis and HIV/AIDS, in addition to acute upper respiratory infections. Adaptive changes in the host’s complex networks underlie effects. Conclusions Nanomedicine is integrative, blending modern technology with natural products to reduce toxicity and support immune function. Nanomedicine using traditional agents from alternative systems of medicine can facilitate progress in integrative public health approaches to infectious diseases. PMID:23795222

Nucleic acid-based diagnostics for infectious diseases in public health affairs.

PubMed

Yu, Albert Cheung-Hoi; Vatcher, Greg; Yue, Xin; Dong, Yan; Li, Mao Hua; Tam, Patrick H K; Tsang, Parker Y L; Wong, April K Y; Hui, Michael H K; Yang, Bin; Tang, Hao; Lau, Lok-Ting

2012-06-01

Infectious diseases, mostly caused by bacteria and viruses but also a result of fungal and parasitic infection, have been one of the most important public health concerns throughout human history. The first step in combating these pathogens is to get a timely and accurate diagnosis at an affordable cost. Many kinds of diagnostics have been developed, such as pathogen culture, biochemical tests and serological tests, to help detect and fight against the causative agents of diseases. However, these diagnostic tests are generally unsatisfactory because they are not particularly sensitive and specific and are unable to deliver speedy results. Nucleic acid-based diagnostics, detecting pathogens through the identification of their genomic sequences, have shown promise to overcome the above limitations and become more widely adopted in clinical tests. Here we review some of the most popular nucleic acid-based diagnostics and focus on their adaptability and applicability to routine clinical usage. We also compare and contrast the characteristics of different types of nucleic acid-based diagnostics.

Social network community structure and the contact-mediated sharing of commensal E. coli among captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Balasubramaniam, Krishna; Beisner, Brianne; Guan, Jiahui; Vandeleest, Jessica; Fushing, Hsieh; Atwill, Edward; McCowan, Brenda

2018-01-01

In group-living animals, heterogeneity in individuals' social connections may mediate the sharing of microbial infectious agents. In this regard, the genetic relatedness of individuals' commensal gut bacterium Escherichia coli may be ideal to assess the potential for pathogen transmission through animal social networks. Here we use microbial phylogenetics and population genetics approaches, as well as host social network reconstruction, to assess evidence for the contact-mediated sharing of E. coli among three groups of captively housed rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ), at multiple organizational scales. For each group, behavioral data on grooming, huddling, and aggressive interactions collected for a six-week period were used to reconstruct social network communities via the Data Cloud Geometry (DCG) clustering algorithm. Further, an E. coli isolate was biochemically confirmed and genotypically fingerprinted from fecal swabs collected from each macaque. Population genetics approaches revealed that Group Membership, in comparison to intrinsic attributes like age, sex, and/or matriline membership of individuals, accounted for the highest proportion of variance in E. coli genotypic similarity. Social network approaches revealed that such sharing was evident at the community-level rather than the dyadic level. Specifically, although we found no links between dyadic E. coli similarity and social contact frequencies, similarity was significantly greater among macaques within the same social network communities compared to those across different communities. Moreover, tests for one of our study-groups confirmed that E. coli isolated from macaque rectal swabs were more genotypically similar to each other than they were to isolates from environmentally deposited feces. In summary, our results suggest that among frequently interacting, spatially constrained macaques with complex social relationships, microbial sharing via fecal-oral, social contact-mediated routes may depend on both individuals' direct connections and on secondary network pathways that define community structure. They lend support to the hypothesis that social network communities may act as bottlenecks to contain the spread of infectious agents, thereby encouraging disease control strategies to focus on multiple organizational scales. Future directions includeincreasing microbial sampling effort per individual to better-detect dyadic transmission events, and assessments of the co-evolutionary links between sociality, infectious agent risk, and host immune function.

Screening for infectious diseases at international airports: the Frankfurt model.

PubMed

Gaber, Walter; Goetsch, Udo; Diel, Roland; Doerr, Hans W; Gottschalk, René

2009-07-01

Historically, ships brought infectious diseases to the continents of the world, but in this modern era, infectious diseases and pandemics are primarily spread through aviation as a mode of travel. This is a significant issue in the realm of infection control because of the increased potential for the rapid worldwide transmission and spread of disease. Although the transmission of infectious diseases to airline passengers inside an aircraft is a rare occurrence, it is essential to implement entry and exit screening procedures at airports within the context of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in order to slow down the spread of infection, especially during the early phases of a pandemic event. Currently, there are no standardized procedures for health screening at airports, thus allowing individual regional authorities to determine what they deem to be appropriate screening measures for implementation. In this paper, we will discuss a new pragmatic approach for entry and exit screening procedures at international airports, propose a new classification system for contacts within the aircraft, and discuss changing the fixed enforcement of standardized community mitigation measures to the implementation of measures that correspond to specific characteristics of individual pathogenic agents. The proposed catalog of screening measures is aimed at attaining the goals of the IHR, which states that the measures should be reasonable while avoiding inconvenience or harm to passengers and should not be any more disruptive to the smooth handling of passenger traffic than is necessary.

Visible-light-responsive ZnCuO nanoparticles: benign photodynamic killers of infectious protozoans

PubMed Central

Nadhman, Akhtar; Nazir, Samina; Khan, Malik Ihsanullah; Ayub, Attiya; Muhammad, Bakhtiar; Khan, Momin; Shams, Dilawar Farhan; Yasinzai, Masoom

2015-01-01

Human beings suffer from several infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoans. Recently, there has been a great interest in developing biocompatible nanostructures to deal with infectious agents. This study investigated benign ZnCuO nanostructures that were visible-light-responsive due to the resident copper in the lattice. The nanostructures were synthesized through a size-controlled hot-injection process, which was adaptable to the surface ligation processes. The nanostructures were then characterized through transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, diffused reflectance spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering, and photoluminescence analysis to measure crystallite nature, size, luminescence, composition, and band-gap analyses. Antiprotozoal efficiency of the current nanoparticles revealed the photodynamic killing of Leishmania protozoan, thus acting as efficient metal-based photosensitizers. The crystalline nanoparticles showed good biocompatibility when tested for macrophage toxicity and in hemolysis assays. The study opens a wide avenue for using toxic material in resident nontoxic forms as an effective antiprotozoal treatment. PMID:26604755

Onyx embolization for the endovascular treatment of infectious and traumatic aneurysms involving the cranial and cerebral vasculature.

PubMed

Jadhav, Ashutosh P; Pryor, Johnny C; Nogueira, Raul G

2013-11-01

Onyx is a liquid non-adhesive viscous embolic agent ideal for slow targeted injections which is currently approved for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations. We performed a single-center retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who underwent off-label use of Onyx as the single embolic agent for the treatment of traumatic or infectious pseudoaneurysms involving the cerebral or cranial vasculature. A total of nine pseudoaneurysms treated by Onyx embolization were identified. Six of the pseudoaneurysms were post-surgical, one of the pseudoaneurysms was traumatic and two were infectious in nature. The mean pseudoaneurysm size was 5.9 mm (range 2-10 mm). Onyx-34 was used in all cases. Following treatment there was complete exclusion of all pseudoaneurysms including their inflow and outflow zones. Our experience demonstrates the efficacy and applicability of the use of Onyx in the treatment of complex traumatic and mycotic pseudoaneurysms involving the cerebral and cranial vascular tree.

Infectious Causes of Encephalitis and Meningoencephalitis in Thailand, 2003–2005

PubMed Central

Campbell, Angela P.; Supawat, Krongkaew; Liamsuwan, Sahas; Chotpitayasunondh, Tawee; Laptikulthum, Somsak; Viriyavejakul, Akravudh; Tantirittisak, Tasanee; Tunlayadechanont, Supoch; Visudtibhan, Anannit; Vasiknanonte, Punnee; Janjindamai, Supachai; Boonluksiri, Pairoj; Rajborirug, Kiatsak; Watanaveeradej, Veerachai; Khetsuriani, Nino; Dowell, Scott F.

2015-01-01

Acute encephalitis is a severe neurologic syndrome. Determining etiology from among ≈100 possible agents is difficult. To identify infectious etiologies of encephalitis in Thailand, we conducted surveillance in 7 hospitals during July 2003–August 2005 and selected patients with acute onset of brain dysfunction with fever or hypothermia and with abnormalities seen on neuroimages or electroencephalograms or with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid were tested for >30 pathogens. Among 149 case-patients, median age was 12 (range 0–83) years, 84 (56%) were male, and 15 (10%) died. Etiology was confirmed or probable for 54 (36%) and possible or unknown for 95 (64%). Among confirmed or probable etiologies, the leading pathogens were Japanese encephalitis virus, enteroviruses, and Orientia tsutsugamushi. No samples were positive for chikungunya, Nipah, or West Nile viruses; Bartonella henselae; or malaria parasites. Although a broad range of infectious agents was identified, the etiology of most cases remains unknown. PMID:25627940

Tracking zoonotic pathogens using blood-sucking flies as 'flying syringes'

PubMed Central

Bitome-Essono, Paul-Yannick; Ollomo, Benjamin; Arnathau, Céline; Durand, Patrick; Mokoudoum, Nancy Diamella; Yacka-Mouele, Lauriane; Okouga, Alain-Prince; Boundenga, Larson; Mve-Ondo, Bertrand; Obame-Nkoghe, Judicaël; Mbehang-Nguema, Philippe; Njiokou, Flobert; Makanga, Boris; Wattier, Rémi; Ayala, Diego; Ayala, Francisco J; Renaud, Francois; Rougeron, Virginie; Bretagnolle, Francois; Prugnolle, Franck; Paupy, Christophe

2017-01-01

About 60% of emerging infectious diseases in humans are of zoonotic origin. Their increasing number requires the development of new methods for early detection and monitoring of infectious agents in wildlife. Here, we investigated whether blood meals from hematophagous flies could be used to identify the infectious agents circulating in wild vertebrates. To this aim, 1230 blood-engorged flies were caught in the forests of Gabon. Identified blood meals (30%) were from 20 vertebrate species including mammals, birds and reptiles. Among them, 9% were infected by different extant malaria parasites among which some belonged to known parasite species, others to new parasite species or to parasite lineages for which only the vector was known. This study demonstrates that using hematophagous flies as ‘flying syringes’ constitutes an interesting approach to investigate blood-borne pathogen diversity in wild vertebrates and could be used as an early detection tool of zoonotic pathogens. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.22069.001 PMID:28347401

Update on the principles and novel local and systemic therapies for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis.

PubMed

Gallego-Pinazo, Roberto; Dolz-Marco, Rosa; Martínez-Castillo, Sebastián; Arévalo, J Fernando; Díaz-Llopis, Manuel

2013-02-01

Ocular inflammatory disorders constitute a sight-threatening group of diseases that might be managed according to their severity. Their treatment guidelines experience constant changes with new agents that improve the results obtained with former drugs. Nowadays we can make use of a five step protocol in which topical, periocular and systemic corticosteroids remain as the main therapy for non-infectious uveitis. In addition, immunosuppresive drugs can be added in order to enhance the anti-inflammatory effects and to play the role of corticosteroid-sparing agents. These can be organized in four other steps: cyclosporine and methotrexate in a second one; azathioprine, mycophenolate and tacrolimus in a third step; biological anti-TNF drugs in fourth position; and a last one with cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil. In the present review we go through the main characteristics and complications of all these treatments and make a rational of this five-step treatment protocol for non-infectious posterior uveitis.

Physical and chemical properties of the transmissible mink encephalopathy agent.

PubMed

Marsh, R F; Hanson, R P

1969-02-01

The size of the transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) agent is estimated to be less than 50 nm on the basis of its passage through membrane filters. The agent is sensitive to ether, relatively resistant to 10% Formalin, resistant to ultraviolet irradiation, and susceptible to proteolytic digestion with Pronase. Attempts to extract an infectious nucleic acid fraction with hot phenol were unsuccessful. The results of these studies indicate that the TME agent has biochemical properties which are similar to those described for the transmissible agent of scrapie.

Infectious Mononucleosis Hepatitis in Young Adults: Two Case Reports

PubMed Central

Kang, Min-Jung; Kim, Tae-Hun; Shim, Ki-Nam; Jung, Sung-Ae; Cho, Min-Sun; Yoo, Kwon

2009-01-01

Infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection sometimes causes acute hepatitis, which is usually self-limiting with mildly elevated transaminases, but rarely with jaundice. Primary EBV infection in children is usually asymptomatic, but in a small number of healthy individuals, typically young adults, EBV infection results in a clinical syndrome of infectious mononucleosis with hepatitis, with typical symptoms of fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. EBV is rather uncommonly confirmed as an etiologic agent of acute hepatitis in adults. Here, we report two cases: the first case with acute hepatitis secondary to infectious mononucleosis and a second case, with acute hepatitis secondary to infectious mononucleosis concomitantly infected with hepatitis A. Both cases involved young adults presenting with fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and atypical lymphocytosis confirmed by serologic tests, liver biopsy and electron microscopic study. PMID:19949739

Infectious mononucleosis hepatitis in young adults: two case reports.

PubMed

Kang, Min-Jung; Kim, Tae-Hun; Shim, Ki-Nam; Jung, Sung-Ae; Cho, Min-Sun; Yoo, Kwon; Chung, Kyu Won

2009-12-01

Infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection sometimes causes acute hepatitis, which is usually self-limiting with mildly elevated transaminases, but rarely with jaundice. Primary EBV infection in children is usually asymptomatic, but in a small number of healthy individuals, typically young adults, EBV infection results in a clinical syndrome of infectious mononucleosis with hepatitis, with typical symptoms of fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. EBV is rather uncommonly confirmed as an etiologic agent of acute hepatitis in adults. Here, we report two cases: the first case with acute hepatitis secondary to infectious mononucleosis and a second case, with acute hepatitis secondary to infectious mononucleosis concomitantly infected with hepatitis A. Both cases involved young adults presenting with fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and atypical lymphocytosis confirmed by serologic tests, liver biopsy and electron microscopic study.

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

Assessing gut microbiota perturbations during the early phase of infectious diarrhea in Vietnamese children

PubMed Central

Florez de Sessions, Paola; Jie, Song; Pham Thanh, Duy; Thompson, Corinne N.; Nguyen Ngoc Minh, Chau; Chu, Collins Wenhan; Tran, Tuan-Anh; Thomson, Nicholas R.; Thwaites, Guy E.; Rabaa, Maia A.; Hibberd, Martin; Baker, Stephen

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Diarrheal diseases remain the second most common cause of mortality in young children in developing countries. Efforts have been made to explore the impact of diarrhea on bacterial communities in the human gut, but a thorough understanding has been impeded by inadequate resolution in bacterial identification and the examination of only few etiological agents. Here, by profiling an extended region of the 16S rRNA gene in the fecal microbiome, we aimed to elucidate the nature of gut microbiome perturbations during the early phase of infectious diarrhea caused by various etiological agents in Vietnamese children. Fecal samples from 145 diarrheal cases with a confirmed infectious etiology before antimicrobial therapy and 54 control subjects were analyzed. We found that the diarrheal fecal microbiota could be robustly categorized into 4 microbial configurations that either generally resembled or were highly divergent from a healthy state. Factors such as age, nutritional status, breastfeeding, and the etiology of the infection were significantly associated with these microbial community structures. We observed a consistent elevation of Fusobacterium mortiferum, Escherichia, and oral microorganisms in all diarrheal fecal microbiome configurations, proposing similar mechanistic interactions, even in the absence of global dysbiosis. We additionally found that Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum was significantly depleted during dysenteric diarrhea regardless of the etiological agent, suggesting that further investigations into the use of this species as a dysentery-orientated probiotic therapy are warranted. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the complex influence of infectious diarrhea on gut microbiome and identify new opportunities for therapeutic interventions. PMID:28767339

Assessing gut microbiota perturbations during the early phase of infectious diarrhea in Vietnamese children.

PubMed

The, Hao Chung; Florez de Sessions, Paola; Jie, Song; Pham Thanh, Duy; Thompson, Corinne N; Nguyen Ngoc Minh, Chau; Chu, Collins Wenhan; Tran, Tuan-Anh; Thomson, Nicholas R; Thwaites, Guy E; Rabaa, Maia A; Hibberd, Martin; Baker, Stephen

2018-01-02

Diarrheal diseases remain the second most common cause of mortality in young children in developing countries. Efforts have been made to explore the impact of diarrhea on bacterial communities in the human gut, but a thorough understanding has been impeded by inadequate resolution in bacterial identification and the examination of only few etiological agents. Here, by profiling an extended region of the 16S rRNA gene in the fecal microbiome, we aimed to elucidate the nature of gut microbiome perturbations during the early phase of infectious diarrhea caused by various etiological agents in Vietnamese children. Fecal samples from 145 diarrheal cases with a confirmed infectious etiology before antimicrobial therapy and 54 control subjects were analyzed. We found that the diarrheal fecal microbiota could be robustly categorized into 4 microbial configurations that either generally resembled or were highly divergent from a healthy state. Factors such as age, nutritional status, breastfeeding, and the etiology of the infection were significantly associated with these microbial community structures. We observed a consistent elevation of Fusobacterium mortiferum, Escherichia, and oral microorganisms in all diarrheal fecal microbiome configurations, proposing similar mechanistic interactions, even in the absence of global dysbiosis. We additionally found that Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum was significantly depleted during dysenteric diarrhea regardless of the etiological agent, suggesting that further investigations into the use of this species as a dysentery-orientated probiotic therapy are warranted. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the complex influence of infectious diarrhea on gut microbiome and identify new opportunities for therapeutic interventions.

Infectious agents is a risk factor for myxomatous mitral valve degeneration: A case control study.

PubMed

Tiveron, Marcos Gradim; Pomerantzeff, Pablo Maria Alberto; de Lourdes Higuchi, Maria; Reis, Marcia Martins; de Jesus Pereira, Jaqueline; Kawakami, Joyce Tieko; Ikegami, Renata Nishiyama; de Almeida Brandao, Carlos Manuel; Jatene, Fabio Biscegli

2017-04-21

The etiology of myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MVD) is not fully understood and may depend on time or environmental factors for which the interaction of infectious agents has not been documented. The purpose of the study is to analyze the effect of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp), Chlamydophila pneumoniae (Cp) and Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) on myxomatous mitral valve degeneration pathogenesis and establish whether increased in inflammation and collagen degradation in myxomatous mitral valve degeneration etiopathogenesis. An immunohistochemical test was performed to detect the inflammatory cells (CD20, CD45, CD68) and Mp, Bb and MMP9 antigens in two groups. The in situ hybridization was performed to detect Chlamydophila pneumoniae and the bacteria study was performed using transmission electron microscopy. Group 1 (n = 20), surgical specimen composed by myxomatous mitral valve degeneration, and group 2 (n = 20), autopsy specimen composed by normal mitral valve. The data were analyzed using SigmaStat version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The groups were compared using Student's t test, Mann-Whitney test. A correlation analysis was performed using Spearman's correlation test. P values lower than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. By immunohistochemistry, there was a higher inflammatory cells/mm2 for CD20 and CD45 in group 1, and CD68 in group 2. Higher number of Mp and Cp antigens was observed in group 1 and more Bb antigens was detected in group 2. The group 1 exhibited a positive correlation between the Bb and MVD percentage, between CD45 and Mp, and between MMP9 with Mp. These correlations were not observed in the group 2. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of structures compatible with microorganisms that feature Borrelia and Mycoplasma characteristics. The presence of infectious agents, inflammatory cells and collagenases in mitral valves appear to contribute to the pathogenesis of MVD. Mycoplasma pneumoniae was strongly related with myxomatous mitral valve degeneration. Despite of low percentage of Borrelia burgdorferi in MD group, this agent was correlated with myxomatous degeneration and this may occour due synergistic actions between these infectious agents likely contribute to collagen degradation.

Managing the Navy’s Infectious Medical Waste

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-04

pasteur pipetes, broken glass, scalpel blades) which have come into contact with infectious agents during use in patient care or in medical , research...concerned patients with a responsible method of disposal of their syringes. 4.8 Proposed Federal Legislation On June 22, 1992, American Medical News reported...disposal point for non- medically related wastes which required special handling. These wastes included such items as confiscated marijuana , sensitive

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

Ultraviolet-ozone treatment reduces levels of disease-associated prion protein and prion infectivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, C.J.; Gilbert, P.; McKenzie, D.; Pedersen, J.A.; Aiken, Judd M.

2009-01-01

Background. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by novel infectious agents referred to as prions. Prions appear to be composed primarily, if not exclusively, of a misfolded isoform of the cellular prion protein. TSE infectivity is remarkably stable and can resist many aggressive decontamination procedures, increasing human, livestock and wildlife exposure to TSEs. Findings. We tested the hypothesis that UV-ozone treatment reduces levels of the pathogenic prion protein and inactivates the infectious agent. We found that UV-ozone treatment decreased the carbon and prion protein content in infected brain homogenate to levels undetectable by dry-ashing carbon analysis or immunoblotting, respectively. After 8 weeks of ashing, UV-ozone treatment reduced the infectious titer of treated material by a factor of at least 105. A small amount of infectivity, however, persisted despite UV-ozone treatment. When bound to either montmorillonite clay or quartz surfaces, PrPTSE was still susceptible to degradation by UV-ozone. Conclusion. Our findings strongly suggest that UV-ozone treatment can degrade pathogenic prion protein and inactivate prions, even when the agent is associated with surfaces. Using larger UV-ozone doses or combining UV-ozone treatment with other decontaminant methods may allow the sterilization of TSE-contaminated materials. ?? 2009 Aiken et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Assessment of health effects in epidemiologic studies of air pollution.

PubMed Central

Samet, J M; Speizer, F E

1993-01-01

As we increasingly recognize the complexity of the pollutants in indoor and outdoor microenvironments, a broad array of inhaled mixtures has assumed scientific, public health, and regulatory importance. Few adverse effects of environmental pollutants are specific, that is, uniquely associated with a single agent; the adverse effects that might be considered in an investigation of the consequences of exposure to an inhaled complex mixture are generally nonspecific. In the context of this paper, we will refer to binary mixtures as complex, though we realize that a more precise definition of complexity would restrict the term to mixtures of three or more constituents. Their causes potentially include not only pollutant exposures through the medium of inhaled air but other environmental agents, such as infectious organisms and radiation, and inherent characteristics of the exposed persons, such as atopy. We review the outcome measures that have been used in epidemiologic studies of the health effects of single pollutants and complex mixtures. Some of these outcome measures have been carefully standardized, whereas others need similar standardization and modification to improve sensitivity and specificity for investigating the health effects of air pollution. PMID:8206024

Foodborne Salmonella-caused outbreaks in Catalonia (Spain), 1990 to 2003.

PubMed

Domínguez, Angela; Torner, Nuria; Ruiz, Laura; Martínez, Ana; Bartolomé, Rosa; Sulleiro, Elena; Teixidó, Angel; Plasencia, Antoni

2007-01-01

In most developed countries, nontyphoid Salmonella is an important cause of sporadic cases and outbreaks of foodborne gastroenteritis. The aim of this study was to investigate the trend of foodborne Salmonella-caused outbreaks and number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths and compare them with those caused by other infectious agents. The study was carried out in Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain with a population of 6.5 million inhabitants, in 2002. All information on reported outbreaks of foodborne disease from 1990 to 2003 was reviewed. For each outbreak, the following variables were collected: year; setting (household, restaurant, school, hospital, nursing home, and others); number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths; causal agent; and food vehicle involved. Of 1652 reported outbreaks, 1078 had a known causal agent. Among them, 871 (80.8%) were caused by Salmonella, with 14,695 cases, 1534 hospitalizations, and 4 deaths. The rate of hospitalization was higher in outbreaks due to Salmonella than in those caused by other infectious agents (rate ratio, 2.54; 95% confidence interval, 2.20 to 2.94). Forty-eight percent of Salmonella-caused outbreaks were eggborne, compared with 5.3% of those caused by other infectious agents (rate ratio, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.33 to 1.48). The annual number of cases in household outbreaks of eggborne Salmonella rose over time (R2 = 0.82), but the number of outbreaks produced in other settings did not. Eggborne outbreaks caused by Salmonella in households are a major cause of disease, and increased preventive efforts are necessary, especially consumer education and awareness of the risk of eating food containing raw or slightly cooked eggs.

Infectious disease, behavioural flexibility and the evolution of culture in primates.

PubMed

McCabe, Collin M; Reader, Simon M; Nunn, Charles L

2015-01-22

Culturally transmitted traits are observed in a wide array of animal species, yet we understand little about the costs of the behavioural patterns that underlie culture, such as innovation and social learning. We propose that infectious diseases are a significant cost associated with cultural transmission. We investigated two hypotheses that may explain such a connection: that social learning and exploratory behaviours (specifically, innovation and extractive foraging) either compensate for existing infection or increase exposure to infectious agents. We used Bayesian comparative methods, controlling for sampling effort, body mass, group size, geographical range size, terrestriality, latitude and phylogenetic uncertainty. Across 127 primate species, we found a positive association between pathogen richness and rates of innovation, extractive foraging and social learning. This relationship was driven by two independent phenomena: socially contagious diseases were positively associated with rates of social learning, and environmentally transmitted diseases were positively associated with rates of exploration. Because higher pathogen burdens can contribute to morbidity and mortality, we propose that parasitism is a significant cost associated with the behavioural patterns that underpin culture, and that increased pathogen exposure is likely to have played an important role in the evolution of culture in both non-human primates and humans. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Fluorescence molecular probes for sensitive point detection of amyloid fibrils and protofibrils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindgren, Mikael; Jonsson, Per; Sörgjerd, Karin; Hammarström, Per

2005-10-01

Protein based infections such as prion diseases have lately attracted a large amount of interest, primarily due to the Mad Cow Epidemic in Great Britain, and the increase of Alzheimer's disease and related diseases in the ageing Western society. Infective proteins are very stable and almost untraceable prior to infection making them ideal as biological weapons. Particularly if the used agent is of human origin, the immunoresponse can be avoided, leaving no trace of the infectious agent. The transient nature of infectious oligomeric intermediates of misfolded proteins or peptide fragments that later matures into fibrillar aggregates makes them hard to study, and methods to detect and study these species are sparse. There exist a number of fluorescent probes that bind specifically to protein amyloidic structures. Thioflavins (ThT, ThS), Congo and Nile red, 4-(dicyanovinyl)-julolidine (DCVJ), as well as derivatives amino-8-naphtalene sulphonate (ANS, Bis-ANS) which are known to bind to the fibrillar or pre-fibrillar states with dissociation constants of typically 1 - 20 μM. Here, transthyretin (TTR), insulin and lysozyme were used as model proteins to detect different amyloid precursor states for diseases such as senile systemic amyloidosis, familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) and iatrogenic amyloidosis. Specifically, the probes were employed in static assays to characterize protofibrillar and mature amyloid fibrillar states using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques. Particularly, we investigate and report on the possibility to detect protofibrillar states at low concentration levels using modern fluorescence array detector systems in conjunction with lasers operating in the blue or ultraviolett wavelengths as excitation source. Results of ANS, ThT and a ThT analogue (abbreviated ThC) are discussed.

Key considerations on nebulization of antimicrobial agents to mechanically ventilated patients.

PubMed

Rello, J; Rouby, J J; Sole-Lleonart, C; Chastre, J; Blot, S; Luyt, C E; Riera, J; Vos, M C; Monsel, A; Dhanani, J; Roberts, J A

2017-09-01

Nebulized antibiotics have an established role in patients with cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis. Their potential benefit to treat respiratory infections in mechanically ventilated patients is receiving increasing interest. In this consensus statement of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, the body of evidence of the therapeutic utility of aerosolized antibiotics in mechanically ventilated patients was reviewed and resulted in the following recommendations: Vibrating-mesh nebulizers should be preferred to jet or ultrasonic nebulizers. To decrease turbulence and limit circuit and tracheobronchial deposition, we recommend: (a) the use of specifically designed respiratory circuits avoiding sharp angles and characterized by smooth inner surfaces, (b) the use of specific ventilator settings during nebulization including use of a volume controlled mode using constant inspiratory flow, tidal volume 8 mL/kg, respiratory frequency 12 to 15 bpm, inspiratory:expiratory ratio 50%, inspiratory pause 20% and positive end-expiratory pressure 5 to 10 cm H 2 O and (c) the administration of a short-acting sedative agent if coordination between the patient and the ventilator is not obtained, to avoid patient's flow triggering and episodes of peak decelerating inspiratory flow. A filter should be inserted on the expiratory limb to protect the ventilator flow device and changed between each nebulization to avoid expiratory flow obstruction. A heat and moisture exchanger and/or conventional heated humidifier should be stopped during the nebulization period to avoid a massive loss of aerosolized particles through trapping and condensation. If these technical requirements are not followed, there is a high risk of treatment failure and adverse events in mechanically ventilated patients receiving nebulized antibiotics for pneumonia. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling infection transmission in primate networks to predict centrality-based risk.

PubMed

Romano, Valéria; Duboscq, Julie; Sarabian, Cécile; Thomas, Elodie; Sueur, Cédric; MacIntosh, Andrew J J

2016-07-01

Social structure can theoretically regulate disease risk by mediating exposure to pathogens via social proximity and contact. Investigating the role of central individuals within a network may help predict infectious agent transmission as well as implement disease control strategies, but little is known about such dynamics in real primate networks. We combined social network analysis and a modeling approach to better understand transmission of a theoretical infectious agent in wild Japanese macaques, highly social animals which form extended but highly differentiated social networks. We collected focal data from adult females living on the islands of Koshima and Yakushima, Japan. Individual identities as well as grooming networks were included in a Markov graph-based simulation. In this model, the probability that an individual will transmit an infectious agent depends on the strength of its relationships with other group members. Similarly, its probability of being infected depends on its relationships with already infected group members. We correlated: (i) the percentage of subjects infected during a latency-constrained epidemic; (ii) the mean latency to complete transmission; (iii) the probability that an individual is infected first among all group members; and (iv) each individual's mean rank in the chain of transmission with different individual network centralities (eigenvector, strength, betweenness). Our results support the hypothesis that more central individuals transmit infections in a shorter amount of time and to more subjects but also become infected more quickly than less central individuals. However, we also observed that the spread of infectious agents on the Yakushima network did not always differ from expectations of spread on random networks. Generalizations about the importance of observed social networks in pathogen flow should thus be made with caution, since individual characteristics in some real world networks appear less relevant than they are in others in predicting disease spread. Am. J. Primatol. 78:767-779, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Avian and simian malaria: do they have a cancer connection?

PubMed

Ward, Martin; Benelli, Giovanni

2017-03-01

It has been claimed that infectious agents transmitted by mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) may have a greater connection to cancer then hitherto supposed and that the immune system struggles to recognize and fight some of these infectious agents. One of the claims made is that there is a connection between human malaria and brain cancers in the USA. However, the USA declared itself free of human malaria in the last century, yet cancer incidences remain high, suggesting any overall cancer connection is slight. Two fundamental questions arise from the possible mosquito-cancer connection. Firstly, if mosquitoes are able to vector some pathogens and parasites linked with cancer pathogenesis, why has the fact not been discovered decades ago? Secondly, if there is a connection (other than in relation to Burkett's lymphoma), what is its extent? The answers may well lie with the various types of malarias known to exist. The discovery in humans of the simian malaria, caused by Plasmodium knowlesi, suggests that other forms of simian or even avian malaria may be capable of survival in humans, albeit at low levels of parasitemia, and humans may be a dead-end host. Other carcinogenic infectious agents transmitted by mosquitoes may also go undetected because either no one is looking for them, or they are looking in wrong anatomical locations and/or with inadequate tools. Research on false negative test results with respect to many infectious agents is sadly lacking, so its extent is unknown. However, electronic and other media provide numerous instances of patients failing to be diagnosed for both human malaria and Lyme's disease, to take just two examples. This review suggests that to shed light on a potential mosquito-cancer connection, more research is required to establish whether other simian and avian forms of malaria play a part. If so, then they potentially provide unique markers for early cancer detection.

Structural vulnerability of the French swine industry trade network to the spread of infectious diseases.

PubMed

Rautureau, S; Dufour, B; Durand, B

2012-07-01

The networks generated by live animal movements are the principal vector for the propagation of infectious agents between farms, and their topology strongly affects how fast a disease may spread. The structural characteristics of networks may thus provide indicators of network vulnerability to the spread of infectious disease. This study applied social network analysis methods to describe the French swine trade network. Initial analysis involved calculating several parameters to characterize networks and then identifying high-risk subgroups of holdings for different time scales. Holding-specific centrality measurements ('degree', 'betweenness' and 'ingoing infection chain'), which summarize the place and the role of holdings in the network, were compared according to the production type. In addition, network components and communities, areas where connectedness is particularly high and could influence the speed and the extent of a disease, were identified and analysed. Dealer holdings stood out because of their high centrality values suggesting that these holdings may control the flow of animals in part of the network. Herds with growing units had higher values for degree and betweenness centrality, representing central positions for both spreading and receiving disease, whereas herds with finishing units had higher values for in-degree and ingoing infection chain centrality values and appeared more vulnerable with many contacts through live animal movements and thus at potentially higher risk for introduction of contagious diseases. This reflects the dynamics of the swine trade with downward movements along the production chain. But, the significant heterogeneity of farms with several production units did not reveal any particular type of production for targeting disease surveillance or control. Besides, no giant strong connected component was observed, the network being rather organized according to communities of small or medium size (<20% of network size). Because of this fragmentation, the swine trade network appeared less structurally vulnerable than ruminant trade networks. This fragmentation is explained by the hierarchical structure, which thus limits the structural vulnerability of the global trade network. However, inside communities, the hierarchical structure of the swine production system would favour the spread of an infectious agent (especially if introduced in breeding herds).

Annual Progress Report on the Research Program of the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases on Medical Defense against Biological Agents for Fiscal Year 1981

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

R. Di Luzio. 1980. Glucan -induced enhancement of host resistance to selected infectious diseases. Infect. Immun. 30:51-57. 3. Vezza, A. C., P. Cash...pathway of beta -oxidation to produce ketones. When infused as a 3 or 6% solution along with the 48% branched-chaia mixture, this compound had a hypnotic...dent Staff Physician 27:37-42. 9. Beisel, W. R. 1981. Impact of infectious disease upon fat metabolism and immune functions. Cancer Res. 41:3797-3798

Distinct microbiological signatures associated with triple negative breast cancer.

PubMed

Banerjee, Sagarika; Wei, Zhi; Tan, Fei; Peck, Kristen N; Shih, Natalie; Feldman, Michael; Rebbeck, Timothy R; Alwine, James C; Robertson, Erle S

2015-10-15

Infectious agents are the third highest human cancer risk factor and may have a greater role in the origin and/or progression of cancers, and related pathogenesis. Thus, knowing the specific viruses and microbial agents associated with a cancer type may provide insights into cause, diagnosis and treatment. We utilized a pan-pathogen array technology to identify the microbial signatures associated with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). This technology detects low copy number and fragmented genomes extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded archival tissues. The results, validated by PCR and sequencing, define a microbial signature present in TNBC tissue which was underrepresented in normal tissue. Hierarchical clustering analysis displayed two broad microbial signatures, one prevalent in bacteria and parasites and one prevalent in viruses. These signatures demonstrate a new paradigm in our understanding of the link between microorganisms and cancer, as causative or commensal in the tumor microenvironment and provide new diagnostic potential.

Immunological changes with kinase inhibitor therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

PubMed

Pleyer, Christopher; Wiestner, Adrian; Sun, Clare

2018-05-15

Ibrutinib and idelalisib are kinase inhibitors that have revolutionized the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Capable of inducing durable remissions, these agents also modulate the immune system. Both ibrutinib and idelalisib abrogate the tumor-supporting microenvironment by disrupting cell-cell interactions, modulating the T-cell compartment, and altering the cytokine milieu. Ibrutinib also partially restores T-cell and myeloid defects associated with CLL. In contrast, immune-related adverse effects, including pneumonitis, colitis, hepatotoxicity, and infections are of particular concern with idelalisib. While opportunistic infections and viral reactivations occur with both ibrutinib and idelalisib, these complications are less common and less severe with ibrutinib, especially when used as monotherapy without additional immunosuppressive agents. This review discusses the impact of ibrutinib and idelalisib on the immune system, including infectious and auto-immune complications as well as their specific effects on the B-cell, T-cell, and myeloid compartment.

The Possible Role of Transplacentally-Acquired Antibodies to Infectious Agents, With Molecular Mimicry to Nervous System Sialic Acid Epitopes, as Causes of Neuromental Disorders: Prevention and Vaccine Implications

PubMed Central

Nahmias, André J.; Nahmias, Susanne Beckman; Danielsson, Dan

2006-01-01

Proof of causality of most neuromental disorders (NMD's) is largely unavailable. Lessons from four-decade investigations of the epidemiology, immunology, pathogenesis, prevention and therapy of perinatal infectious agents, which invade directly the nervous system, have led us to propose a new indirect effect hypothesis: maternal transplacentally-acquired antibodies, to agents with epitope molecular mimicry with the developing nervous system, can cross the fetus/infant's blood–nervous system barriers to cause NMD's, clinically manifest years later.Further rationale is provided by relevant evolutionary/developmental (EVO–DEVO) considerations—applicable also to some vaccines. The hypothesis is being tested in: (a) older pregnancy studies with available maternal and newborn sera, and follow-up of the progeny for NMD's; and (b) NMD registry individuals linked to their stored newborn blood spots. Preliminary results support a possible role for schizophrenia of high-tittered antibodies to some agents (toxoplasma, influenza and herpes simplex type 2 virus).A model that includes likely genetic and postnatal influences is schematized and a list of putative agents and factors, based on varying rationales, is tabulated. In case pilot studies are confirmed, the identified agent(s) and antibodies would need to be tested in new prospectively enrolled pregnant women, so as to establish further risk factors leading to possible preventive modalities. PMID:17162360

Causal Inference Regarding Infectious Aetiology of Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Orrskog, Sofia; Medin, Emma; Tsolova, Svetla; Semenza, Jan C.

2013-01-01

Background The global burden of disease has shifted from communicable diseases in children to chronic diseases in adults. This epidemiologic shift varies greatly by region, but in Europe, chronic conditions account for 86% of all deaths, 77% of the disease burden, and up to 80% of health care expenditures. A number of risk factors have been implicated in chronic diseases, such as exposure to infectious agents. A number of associations have been well established while others remain uncertain. Methods and Findings We assessed the body of evidence regarding the infectious aetiology of chronic diseases in the peer-reviewed literature over the last decade. Causality was assessed with three different criteria: First, the total number of associations documented in the literature between each infectious agent and chronic condition; second, the epidemiologic study design (quality of the study); third, evidence for the number of Hill's criteria and Koch's postulates that linked the pathogen with the chronic condition. We identified 3136 publications, of which 148 were included in the analysis. There were a total of 75 different infectious agents and 122 chronic conditions. The evidence was strong for five pathogens, based on study type, strength and number of associations; they accounted for 60% of the associations documented in the literature. They were human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B virus, and Chlamydia pneumoniae and were collectively implicated in the aetiology of 37 different chronic conditions. Other pathogens examined were only associated with very few chronic conditions (≤3) and when applying the three different criteria of evidence the strength of the causality was weak. Conclusions Prevention and treatment of these five pathogens lend themselves as effective public health intervention entry points. By concentrating research efforts on these promising areas, the human, economic, and societal burden arising from chronic conditions can be reduced. PMID:23935899

A Universal Next-Generation Sequencing Protocol To Generate Noninfectious Barcoded cDNA Libraries from High-Containment RNA Viruses

PubMed Central

Moser, Lindsey A.; Ramirez-Carvajal, Lisbeth; Puri, Vinita; Pauszek, Steven J.; Matthews, Krystal; Dilley, Kari A.; Mullan, Clancy; McGraw, Jennifer; Khayat, Michael; Beeri, Karen; Yee, Anthony; Dugan, Vivien; Heise, Mark T.; Frieman, Matthew B.; Rodriguez, Luis L.; Bernard, Kristen A.; Wentworth, David E.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Several biosafety level 3 and/or 4 (BSL-3/4) pathogens are high-consequence, single-stranded RNA viruses, and their genomes, when introduced into permissive cells, are infectious. Moreover, many of these viruses are select agents (SAs), and their genomes are also considered SAs. For this reason, cDNAs and/or their derivatives must be tested to ensure the absence of infectious virus and/or viral RNA before transfer out of the BSL-3/4 and/or SA laboratory. This tremendously limits the capacity to conduct viral genomic research, particularly the application of next-generation sequencing (NGS). Here, we present a sequence-independent method to rapidly amplify viral genomic RNA while simultaneously abolishing both viral and genomic RNA infectivity across multiple single-stranded positive-sense RNA (ssRNA+) virus families. The process generates barcoded DNA amplicons that range in length from 300 to 1,000 bp, which cannot be used to rescue a virus and are stable to transport at room temperature. Our barcoding approach allows for up to 288 barcoded samples to be pooled into a single library and run across various NGS platforms without potential reconstitution of the viral genome. Our data demonstrate that this approach provides full-length genomic sequence information not only from high-titer virion preparations but it can also recover specific viral sequence from samples with limited starting material in the background of cellular RNA, and it can be used to identify pathogens from unknown samples. In summary, we describe a rapid, universal standard operating procedure that generates high-quality NGS libraries free of infectious virus and infectious viral RNA. IMPORTANCE This report establishes and validates a standard operating procedure (SOP) for select agents (SAs) and other biosafety level 3 and/or 4 (BSL-3/4) RNA viruses to rapidly generate noninfectious, barcoded cDNA amenable for next-generation sequencing (NGS). This eliminates the burden of testing all processed samples derived from high-consequence pathogens prior to transfer from high-containment laboratories to lower-containment facilities for sequencing. Our established protocol can be scaled up for high-throughput sequencing of hundreds of samples simultaneously, which can dramatically reduce the cost and effort required for NGS library construction. NGS data from this SOP can provide complete genome coverage from viral stocks and can also detect virus-specific reads from limited starting material. Our data suggest that the procedure can be implemented and easily validated by institutional biosafety committees across research laboratories. PMID:27822536

Understanding aquatic animal virus survival and trafficking and its role in risk assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

LaPatra, S.; Troyer, R.; Shewmaker, W.; Jones, G.; Kurath, Gael; Rogers, C.J.

2001-01-01

The stability of infectious agents in different media and under different physical and chemical environments has been extensively studied for some viruses and virtually ignored for others. Gaps in our knowledge are due in part to difficulties in reproducing virus «life cycles» and determination if the agent is in fact inactive. Additionally, isolation of the agent under certain conditions can present significant challenges. Studies on the susceptibility of viruses to different physical or chemical parameters have often been conducted under artificial conditions and quantitative data on the rate of inactivation are lacking for many agents. Using infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) as an example, survival was assessed under different environmental conditions. Three IHNV isolates that exhibited antigenic and genetic differences were diluted either in freshwater collected from a spring, after it passed through a fish farm, or the river that received water from the fish farm. Each treatment was incubated at 15o C in a water bath and samples were removed daily. Virus concentrations were determined by plaque assay on EPC cells. Virus suspended in spring water survived longer than virus incubated in water obtained from a fish farm or the river. Virus suspended in river water exhibited a 99.99% reduction in virus concentrations in less than 24 h. Survival of IHNV was also evaluated at different temperatures. A 1982 isolate appeared to be less temperature sensitive than isolates collected in 1990. A preliminary study was also conducted to determine the genetic similarity of IHNV isolates present downstream in a river system from the state of Idaho. Isolates were analyzed using the RNase protection assay (RPA) and by nucleotide sequencing of RT-PCR products of specific isolates. Genetic typing of IHNV allows monitoring of virus traffic and may provide insight into the epizootiology and mechanisms of virus spread. These results illustrate the complexity in evaluating virus survival and trafficing and using this sort of information in risk assessment.

Principles of nucleic acid hybridization and comparison with monoclonal antibody technology for the diagnosis of infectious diseases.

PubMed Central

Edberg, S. C.

1985-01-01

Until the 1980s the diagnosis of specific etiologic agents of infectious diseases rested with their isolation in vitro and identification by analysis of their phenotypic characteristics. In the 1970s the concept of a microbial species evolved from phenotypic analysis to nucleic acid homology. Currently, nucleic acid sequences specific for a given species are being isolated and amplified and utilized not only to identify the pathogen after it has been grown in vitro but also elucidate it directly in biological material. The procedures for making nucleic acid hybridization probes are analogous to the generation of monoclonal antibody tests. Currently, research and development are centered in choosing the particular nucleic acid to analyze, establishing the most efficient vector system for amplifying the nucleic acid, generating an efficient means of selecting the particular nucleic acid fragment specific for the microorganism, and in measuring the hybridization reaction. While immunological techniques have been utilized in the clinical laboratory for over thirty years, the means of detecting nucleic acid hybridization reactions are just beginning to be usable in the clinical diagnostic laboratory. Much of nucleic acid hybridization research is proprietary, and a particular challenge is to develop a means whereby information can be used for the progress of science as a whole when generated by private ownership. Images FIG. 4 PMID:3004048

Intracellular, genetic or congenital immunisation--transgenic approaches to increase disease resistance of farm animals.

PubMed

Müller, M; Brem, G

1996-01-26

Novel approaches to modify disease resistance or susceptibility in livestock are justified not only by economical reasons and with respect to animal welfare but also by recent advancements in molecular genetics. The control or elimination of infectious pathogens in farm animals is historically achieved by the use of vaccines and drugs and by quarantine safeguards and eradication. Currently, research on the improvement of disease resistance based on nucleic acid technology focuses on two main issues: additive gene transfer and the development of nucleic acid vaccines. The strategies aim at the stable or transient expression of components known to influence non-specific or specific host defence mechanisms against infectious pathogens. Thus, candidates for gene transfer experiments include all genes inducing or conferring innate and acquired immunity as well as specific disease resistance genes. Referring to the site and mode of action and the source of the effective agent the strategies are termed 'intracellular', 'genetic' and 'congenital' immunisation. The targeted disruption (deletive gene transfer) of disease susceptibility genes awaits the establishment of totipotential embryonic cell lineages in farm animals. The cytokine network regulates cellular viability, growth and differentiation in physiological and pathophysiological states. The identification of the JAK-STAT pathway used by many cytokines for their intracellular signal propagation has provided not only new target molecules for modulating the immune response but will also permit the further elucidation of host-pathogen interactions and resistance mechanisms.

Dermatological infectiology--Quo vadis? Symposium, Ruhr-University, September 29-30, 2000. Abstracts.

PubMed

2000-11-30

Infectious diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the year 2000. 17 million deaths per year or roughly a third of all deaths are caused by infections. Infectious diseases also pose a serious economic threat. While many well-established pathogens have not been contained several new infectious agents have been discovered within the past 27 years which include rotavirus, legionella, HIV, ebola, campylobacter, helicobacter, nipah, HHV8, hepatitis C, and many others. Additionally many new pathogens have emerged as serious threats to the ever-growing number of immuno-compromised patients. Infectious etiologies have been found for many common diseases (certain leukemias, duodenal ulcers, etcetera). It is likely that infections are at least co-factors for many other diseases (transplant-associated atherosclerosis). Only specialized care and multi-disciplinary collaboration will enable us to cope with current problems and the inevitable emergence of new infectious diseases.

Infectious microbial diseases and host defense responses in Sydney rock oysters

PubMed Central

Raftos, David A.; Kuchel, Rhiannon; Aladaileh, Saleem; Butt, Daniel

2014-01-01

Aquaculture has long been seen as a sustainable solution to some of the world's growing food shortages. However, experience over the past 50 years indicates that infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotes limit the productivity of aquaculture. In extreme cases, these types of infectious agents threaten the viability of entire aquaculture industries. This article describes the threats from infectious diseases in aquaculture and then focuses on one example (QX disease in Sydney rock oysters) as a case study. QX appears to be typical of many emerging diseases in aquaculture, particularly because environmental factors seem to play a crucial role in disease outbreaks. Evidence is presented that modulation of a generic subcellular stress response pathway in oysters is responsible for both resistance and susceptibility to infectious microbes. Understanding and being able to manipulate this pathway may be the key to sustainable aquaculture. PMID:24795701

[Bad bats?].

PubMed

Genné, Daniel

2007-10-10

For many centuries, man is fascinated by bats, the only flying mammals. Probably because of their particular immune system, bats can be considered an important reservoir for new emerging viral diseases like SARS-Coronavirus, Marburg fever, Ebola fever and Nipah virus encephalitis. During closer contact, they can transmit rabies and probably other nonviral infectious diseases. Bats get closer to man due to ecological modifications like deforestation, so that transmission of new infectious agents might provoke dramatic epidemics.

Gut reaction.

PubMed

Winter, George

One in five people in the UK suffers an infectious intestinal disease (IID) each year. The most common sources are food, and person-to-person and animal-to-human spread. In 2004, a reported 15,898 people suffered IID. Of these, 134 were admitted to hospital and 11 died. The main agents in IID are viruses, bacteria, protozoa, worms and marine biotoxins. Gastroenteritis should always be considered infectious unless there is good evidence to suggest otherwise.

Interferon-Beta 1a and SARS Coronavirus Replication

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-02-01

A global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syn- drome ( SARS ) caused by a novel coronavirus began in March 2003. The rapid emergence of SARS and...emerging infectious disease. The etiologic agent was identified as a coronavirus ( SARS -CoV) that is not closely related to any of the previously...some coronaviruses , including avian infectious bronchitis virus, murine hepati- tis virus, and human coronavirus 229E, are susceptible to type I

Antibody therapy for Ebola

PubMed Central

Qiu, Xiangguo; Kobinger, Gary P

2014-01-01

Ebola viruses can cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates with fatality rates up to 90%, and are identified as biosafety level 4 pathogens and CDC Category A Agents of Bioterrorism. To date, there are no approved therapies and vaccines available to treat these infections. Antibody therapy was estimated to be an effective and powerful treatment strategy against infectious pathogens in the late 19th, early 20th centuries but has fallen short to meet expectations to widely combat infectious diseases. Passive immunization for Ebola virus was successful in 2012, after over 15 years of failed attempts leading to skepticism that the approach would ever be of potential benefit. Currently, monoclonal antibody (mAbs)-based therapies are the most efficient at reversing the progression of a lethal Ebola virus infection in nonhuman primates, which recapitulate the human disease with the highest similarity. Novel combinations of mAbs can even fully cure lethally infected animals after clinical symptoms and circulating virus have been detected, days into the infection. These new developments have reopened the door for using antibody-based therapies for filovirus infections. Furthermore, they are reigniting hope that these strategies will contribute to better control the spread of other infectious agents and provide new tools against infectious diseases. PMID:24503566

Manzamine alkaloids: isolation, cytotoxicity, antimalarial activity and SAR studies.

PubMed

Ashok, Penta; Ganguly, Swastika; Murugesan, Sankaranarayanan

2014-11-01

The infectious disease Malaria is caused by different species of the genus Plasmodium. Resistance to quinoline antimalarial drugs and decreased susceptibility to artemisinin-based combination therapy have increased the need for novel antimalarial agents. Historically, natural products have been used for the treatment of infectious diseases. Identification of natural products and their semi-synthetic derivatives with potent antimalarial activity is an important method for developing novel antimalarial agents. Manzamine alkaloids are a unique group of β-carboline alkaloids isolated from various species of marine sponge displaying potent antimalarial activity against drug-sensitive and -resistant strains of Plasmodium. In this review, we demonstrate antimalarial potency, cytotoxicity and antimalarial SAR of manzamine alkaloids. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bartonella spp. - a chance to establish One Health concepts in veterinary and human medicine.

PubMed

Regier, Yvonne; O Rourke, Fiona; Kempf, Volkhard A J

2016-05-10

Infectious diseases remain a remarkable health threat for humans and animals. In the past, the epidemiology, etiology and pathology of infectious agents affecting humans and animals have mostly been investigated in separate studies. However, it is evident, that combined approaches are needed to understand geographical distribution, transmission and infection biology of "zoonotic agents". The genus Bartonella represents a congenial example of the synergistic benefits that can arise from such combined approaches: Bartonella spp. infect a broad variety of animals, are linked with a constantly increasing number of human diseases and are transmitted via arthropod vectors. As a result, the genus Bartonella is predestined to play a pivotal role in establishing a One Health concept combining veterinary and human medicine.

Adalimumab for the treatment of uveitis.

PubMed

LaMattina, Kara C; Goldstein, Debra A

2017-03-01

Adalimumab, an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), is the only systemic non-corticosteroid agent which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis. Areas covered: The aim of this review is to summarize the research which demonstrated the effectiveness of adalimumab in the treatment of intraocular inflammation and helped to establish its side effect profile, ultimately leading to its FDA approval. Expert commentary: Adalimumab is a useful second-line agent in the treatment of non-infectious uveitis. While it is only approved in the United States for use in intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis in adults, I find it to be effective in off-label treatment of pediatric uveitis and scleritis as well.

[Diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension].

PubMed

Román, J Sánchez; Hernández, F J García; Palma, M J Castillo; Medina, C Ocaña

2008-03-01

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is an idiopathic process or can be associated with another circumstances (connective tissue diseases, congenital heart disease, portal hypertension, exposure to appetite suppressants or another drugs or infectious agents such as HIV). Most patients are diagnosed as the result of an evaluation of symptoms, whereas others are diagnosed incidentally or during screening of asymptomatic populations at risk. We reviews systematic screening for the approach to diagnosing pulmonary arterial hypertension. A diagnostic algorithm can guide the evaluation but it can be modified according to specific clinical circumstances. The number of therapeutic options has increased.in the last years. We reviews the use of calcium-channel blockers, prostacyclin (and analogues), endothelin-receptor antagonists, and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and the use of combination therapy, and provides specific recommendations about the actual treatment.

Infectious Risk Assessment of Unsafe Handling Practices and Management of Clinical Solid Waste

PubMed Central

Hossain, Md. Sohrab; Rahman, Nik Norulaini Nik Ab; Balakrishnan, Venugopal; Puvanesuaran, Vignesh R.; Sarker, Md. Zaidul Islam; Kadir, Mohd Omar Ab

2013-01-01

The present study was undertaken to determine the bacterial agents present in various clinical solid wastes, general waste and clinical sharp waste. The waste was collected from different wards/units in a healthcare facility in Penang Island, Malaysia. The presence of bacterial agents in clinical and general waste was determined using the conventional bacteria identification methods. Several pathogenic bacteria including opportunistic bacterial agent such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes were detected in clinical solid wastes. The presence of specific pathogenic bacterial strains in clinical sharp waste was determined using 16s rDNA analysis. In this study, several nosocomial pathogenic bacteria strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Lysinibacillus sphaericus, Serratia marcescens, and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in clinical sharp waste. The present study suggests that waste generated from healthcare facilities should be sterilized at the point of generation in order to eliminate nosocomial infections from the general waste or either of the clinical wastes. PMID:23435587

The Physical Relationship between Infectivity and Prion Protein Aggregates Is Strain-Dependent

PubMed Central

Tixador, Philippe; Herzog, Laëtitia; Reine, Fabienne; Jaumain, Emilie; Chapuis, Jérôme; Le Dur, Annick; Laude, Hubert; Béringue, Vincent

2010-01-01

Prions are unconventional infectious agents thought to be primarily composed of PrPSc, a multimeric misfolded conformer of the ubiquitously expressed host-encoded prion protein (PrPC). They cause fatal neurodegenerative diseases in both animals and humans. The disease phenotype is not uniform within species, and stable, self-propagating variations in PrPSc conformation could encode this ‘strain’ diversity. However, much remains to be learned about the physical relationship between the infectious agent and PrPSc aggregation state, and how this varies according to the strain. We applied a sedimentation velocity technique to a panel of natural, biologically cloned strains obtained by propagation of classical and atypical sheep scrapie and BSE infectious sources in transgenic mice expressing ovine PrP. Detergent-solubilized, infected brain homogenates were used as starting material. Solubilization conditions were optimized to separate PrPSc aggregates from PrPC. The distribution of PrPSc and infectivity in the gradient was determined by immunoblotting and mouse bioassay, respectively. As a general feature, a major proteinase K-resistant PrPSc peak was observed in the middle part of the gradient. This population approximately corresponds to multimers of 12–30 PrP molecules, if constituted of PrP only. For two strains, infectivity peaked in a markedly different region of the gradient. This most infectious component sedimented very slowly, suggesting small size oligomers and/or low density PrPSc aggregates. Extending this study to hamster prions passaged in hamster PrP transgenic mice revealed that the highly infectious, slowly sedimenting particles could be a feature of strains able to induce a rapidly lethal disease. Our findings suggest that prion infectious particles are subjected to marked strain-dependent variations, which in turn could influence the strain biological phenotype, in particular the replication dynamics. PMID:20419156

Use of clinical and neuroimaging characteristics to distinguish temporal lobe herpes simplex encephalitis from its mimics.

PubMed

Chow, Felicia C; Glaser, Carol A; Sheriff, Heather; Xia, Dongxiang; Messenger, Sharon; Whitley, Richard; Venkatesan, Arun

2015-05-01

We describe the spectrum of etiologies associated with temporal lobe (TL) encephalitis and identify clinical and radiologic features that distinguish herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) from its mimics. We reviewed all adult cases of encephalitis with TL abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from the California Encephalitis Project. We evaluated the association between specific clinical and MRI characteristics and HSE compared with other causes of TL encephalitis and used multivariate logistic modeling to identify radiologic predictors of HSE. Of 251 cases of TL encephalitis, 43% had an infectious etiology compared with 16% with a noninfectious etiology. Of infectious etiologies, herpes simplex virus was the most commonly identified agent (n = 60), followed by tuberculosis (n = 8) and varicella zoster virus (n = 7). Of noninfectious etiologies, more than half (n = 21) were due to autoimmune disease. Patients with HSE were older (56.8 vs 50.2 years; P = .012), more likely to be white (53% vs 35%; P = .013), more likely to present acutely (88% vs 64%; P = .001) and with a fever (80% vs 49%; P < .001), and less likely to present with a rash (2% vs 15%; P = .010). In a multivariate model, bilateral TL involvement (odds ratio [OR], 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], .18-.79; P = .010) and lesions outside the TL, insula, or cingulate (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, .18-.74; P = .005) were associated with lower odds of HSE. In addition to HSE, other infectious and noninfectious etiologies should be considered in the differential diagnosis for TL encephalitis, depending on the presentation. Specific clinical and imaging features may aid in distinguishing HSE from non-HSE causes of TL encephalitis. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Correlation between the immunological condition and the results of immunoenzymatic tests in diagnosing infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Tamaro, Giorgio; Donato, Michela; Princi, Tanja; Parco, Sergio

2009-04-01

A symptom-based diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis is not sufficiently accurate, since some clinical symptoms of infectious mononucleosis are also detected in other virally induced diseases. Moreover, not all patients suffering from infectious mononucleosis show circulating atypical lymphocytes, which are considered characteristic of this disease. Therefore, when this disorder is suspected, serum analyses are carried out to detect the presence of certain immunoglobulins associated with infectious mononucleosis in the patient's blood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and the specificity of a rapid test detecting heterophil antibodies in diagnosing infectious mononucleosis in a paediatric population. We considered 163 paediatric patients with suspected infectious mononucleosis and we tested their serums to detect heterophil antibodies (using an inexpensive and rapid test) and specific immunoglobulins directed against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (these assays are known to be characterized by high sensitivity and specificity, but are more expensive and time-consuming). By comparing the results of the rapid test with those of the other assays, we found that the sensitivity of the first test was 61.8%, whereas its specificity was sufficiently high (about 90%). We show that, in paediatric patients, the detection of heterophil antibodies is not a very sensitive test, therefore the determination of immunoglobulins against specific antigens of EBV is recommended.

An agent-based approach for modeling dynamics of contagious disease spread

PubMed Central

Perez, Liliana; Dragicevic, Suzana

2009-01-01

Background The propagation of communicable diseases through a population is an inherent spatial and temporal process of great importance for modern society. For this reason a spatially explicit epidemiologic model of infectious disease is proposed for a greater understanding of the disease's spatial diffusion through a network of human contacts. Objective The objective of this study is to develop an agent-based modelling approach the integrates geographic information systems (GIS) to simulate the spread of a communicable disease in an urban environment, as a result of individuals' interactions in a geospatial context. Methods The methodology for simulating spatiotemporal dynamics of communicable disease propagation is presented and the model is implemented using measles outbreak in an urban environment as a case study. Individuals in a closed population are explicitly represented by agents associated to places where they interact with other agents. They are endowed with mobility, through a transportation network allowing them to move between places within the urban environment, in order to represent the spatial heterogeneity and the complexity involved in infectious diseases diffusion. The model is implemented on georeferenced land use dataset from Metro Vancouver and makes use of census data sets from Statistics Canada for the municipality of Burnaby, BC, Canada study site. Results The results provide insights into the application of the model to calculate ratios of susceptible/infected in specific time frames and urban environments, due to its ability to depict the disease progression based on individuals' interactions. It is demonstrated that the dynamic spatial interactions within the population lead to high numbers of exposed individuals who perform stationary activities in areas after they have finished commuting. As a result, the sick individuals are concentrated in geographical locations like schools and universities. Conclusion The GIS-agent based model designed for this study can be easily customized to study the disease spread dynamics of any other communicable disease by simply adjusting the modeled disease timeline and/or the infection model and modifying the transmission process. This type of simulations can help to improve comprehension of disease spread dynamics and to take better steps towards the prevention and control of an epidemic outbreak. PMID:19656403

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of clinical isolates of Burkholderia pseudomallei in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Dutta, Subarna; Haq, Sabah; Hasan, Mohammad Rokibul; Haq, Jalaluddin Ashraful

2017-07-20

Melioidosis an infectious disease, caused by a Gram negative bacterium called Burkholderia pseudomallei, is endemic in Bangladesh. This organism is sensitive to limited number of antimicrobial agents and need prolonged treatment. There is no comprehensive data on the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of B. pseudomallei isolated in Bangladesh over last several years. The present study aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of B. pseudomallei isolated in a tertiary care hospital of Dhaka city from 2009 to 2015. All B. pseudomallei isolated from melioidosis patients over a period of 7 years (2009-2015) in the Department of Microbiology of a 725-bed tertiary care referral hospital in Dhaka city, Bangladesh were included in the study. B. pseudomallei was identified by Gram stain, culture, specific biochemical tests, serology and PCR using specific primers constructed from 16s rRNA region of B. pseudomallei. Antimicrobial susceptibility to specific agents was determined by disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration methods. A total of 20 isolates of B. pseudomallei which were isolated from patients coming from different geographic locations of Bangladesh were included in the study. All the isolates were uniformly sensitive (100%) to ceftazidime, imipenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and tetracycline by both disk diffusion and MIC methods. Two strains were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole by disk diffusion method but were sensitive by MIC method. The MIC 50 and MIC 90 values of the above antimicrobial agents were almost similar. All the isolates were resistant to amikacin by both MIC and disk diffusion methods. The results of the study suggest that B. pseudomallei prevalent in Bangladesh were still susceptible to all recommended antimicrobial agents used for the treatment of melioidosis. However, regular monitoring is needed to detect any emergence of resistance and shifting of MIC 50 and MIC 90 values.

[Recurrent urinary tract infections should not be treated cavalierly. First verify the diagnosis!].

PubMed

Wagenlehner, F M E; Naber, K G

2003-10-23

Acute uncomplicated cystitis (AUC) and acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis (AUP) are two common urinary tract infections (UTI) in otherwise healthy young women. Both weaknesses of the mucosal barrier and specific factors of uropathogenic bacteria must be present before the bacteria can adhere to the urothelium and give rise to an infection. These circumstances are also of relevance in recurrent UTI. Antibiotic treatment of AUC and AUP is based on the guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). For the prevention of recurrent UTI, antibiotics, functional foods, injections, probiotic agents and other measures are recommended with varying potential for success.

Cat scratch disease of the eye: a case report and literature review.

PubMed

Alaan, Kristina; Fisher, Melanie; Ellis, Brian

2014-01-01

This is the case of a middle-aged male with no other medical issues who presented with acute, unilateral visual disturbance. In lieu of specific ophthalmologic findings, his age and presentation, he was treated for presumed inflammatory process. It was only after steroids and the results of serological testing that an infectious agent was determined. He was eventually diagnosed with ocular Bartonellosis. He was treated with oral doxycycline and rifampin and slowly improved. The thesis of this case report is that a thorough history prior to rapid and somewhat presumptive treatment may have prevented unnecessary immunosuppression and delay in appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

[Epizootic and epidemic manifestation of natural foci of tularemia in Moscow region (1965-2013)].

PubMed

Demidova, T N; Popov, V P; Polukhina, A N; Orlov, D S; Mescheryakova, I S; Mikhailova, T V

2015-01-01

Detection of contemporary features of tularemia focimanifestations, determination of territories of high epidemic risk in various landscape zones and creation of a map of foci territories of Moscow Region for isolation of tularemia infectious agent cultures and registered human morbidity for justified planning of prophylaxis measures. Report materials of epizootologic examinations of natural foci for 1965-2013, 156 maps of epidemiologic examination of cases of human infection with tularemia, results of studies of casting of predatory birds and dung of predatory mammals were used. Registered morbidity and isolation of tularemia infectious agent cultures from 1965 to date were applied to an electronic map of Moscow Region by sign method using modern. GIS-technologies (MapInfo 10.5 program). Electronic maps Ingit at 1:200,000 scale, as well as Google Earth program were used to search for base points. Analysis of morbidity has revealed structure change in human tularemia morbidity--an increase of the fraction of urban population and a decrease of the fraction of patients among rural inhabitants, unimmunized against this infection are mostly ill. The presence of DNA of tularemia causative agent in biological objects in the complex with serologic and bacteriological studies was shown to allow to detect flaccid epizootics even at low numbers of rodents. Cartographic reflection of registered morbidity and isolation of tularemia infectious agent cultures allowed to show territories with various degrees of epizootic activity and epidemic manifestation. Positive results of serologic and molecular-genetic studies of environmental objects gives evident on epizootic activity and constant risk of aggravation of epidemic situation for this infection.

[Ecology of vector systems: a tangle of complexity].

PubMed

Rodhain, F

2008-06-01

The long co-evolutionary process between arthropods and microorganisms has resulted in a wide variety of relationships. One such relationship involves a wide range of infectious agents (virus, bacteria, protozoa, helminthes) that use blood-feeding arthropods (insects and mites) as vectors for transmission from one vertebrate to another. Transmission involves three components, i.e., microorganism, vector(s), and vertebrate host(s). Study under natural conditions has shown that the underlying mechanisms are extremely complex with circulation of the infectious agents depending on numerous conditions linked not only to bioecology but also to genetic factors in all three component populations. The role of arthropods sometimes goes beyond that of a transmitter of disease. In some cases they also serve as reservoirs or disseminators. In addition changes in the environment whether due to natural causes or human activities (e.g. pollution, agropastoralism, urbanization, transportation network development, and climate change) can have profound and rapid effects on the mechanisms underlying these vector systems. In short the ecology of vector systems closely reflects the extreme complexity of epidemiological studies on diseases caused by infectious agents depending on this type of transmission. As a result prediction of infectious risks and planning of preventive action are difficult. It appears obvious that a good understanding of vector systems in their natural context will require a truly ecological approach to the diseases that must be the focus of extremely close epidemiologic surveillance. Achieving this goal will necessitate more than the skills of physicians and veterinarians. It will require the contribution of specialists from a variety of fields such as microbiology, entomology, systematics, climatology, ecology, urbanism, social sciences, economic development, and many others.

Inhalation of expiratory droplets in aircraft cabins.

PubMed

Gupta, J K; Lin, C-H; Chen, Q

2011-08-01

Airliner cabins have high occupant density and long exposure time, so the risk of airborne infection transmission could be high if one or more passengers are infected with an airborne infectious disease. The droplets exhaled by an infected passenger may contain infectious agents. This study developed a method to predict the amount of expiratory droplets inhaled by the passengers in an airliner cabin for any flight duration. The spatial and temporal distribution of expiratory droplets for the first 3 min after the exhalation from the index passenger was obtained using the computational fluid dynamics simulations. The perfectly mixed model was used for beyond 3 min after the exhalation. For multiple exhalations, the droplet concentration in a zone can be obtained by adding the droplet concentrations for all the exhalations until the current time with a time shift via the superposition method. These methods were used to determine the amount of droplets inhaled by the susceptible passengers over a 4-h flight under three common scenarios. The method, if coupled with information on the viability and the amount of infectious agent in the droplet, can aid in evaluating the infection risk. The distribution of the infectious agents contained in the expiratory droplets of an infected occupant in an indoor environment is transient and non-uniform. The risk of infection can thus vary with time and space. The investigations developed methods to predict the spatial and temporal distribution of expiratory droplets, and the inhalation of these droplets in an aircraft cabin. The methods can be used in other indoor environments to assess the relative risk of infection in different zones, and suitable measures to control the spread of infection can be adopted. Appropriate treatment can be implemented for the zone identified as high-risk zones. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Fecundity of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in Lake Superior

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manion, Patrick J.

1972-01-01

An infectious agent, which appears to be a virus (RJV) has been isolated from the liver of a wild raccoon which has led to a highly fatal type of disease characterized by conjunctivitis and an elevated serum bilirubin frequently accompanied by jaundice on inoculation of raccoons. Ferrets also appear to be susceptible to infections with this agent.

1,5 iodonaphthyl Azide Inactivated V3526 Protects against Aerosol Challenge with Virulent Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus.

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-02

against VEEV. VEEV is highly infectious in aerosolized form and has been identified as a bio -terrorism agent. The current IND vaccine is poorly...protective response as well as residual virulence associated with the live attenuated vaccine candidates [1]. VEEV is also a bio -threat agent, thereby; any

Use of human immunoglobulins as an anti-infective treatment: the experience so far and their possible re-emerging role.

PubMed

Bozzo, Jordi; Jorquera, Juan I

2017-06-01

Pooled human immunoglobulins (IGs) are prepared from plasma obtained from healthy donors as a concentrated antibody-containing solution. In addition, high-titer IGs (hyperimmune) against a specific pathogen can be obtained from vaccinated or convalescing donors. Currently, IGs can be used for the treatment of a variety of infections for which no specific therapy exists or that remain difficult to treat. Moreover, the recent pathogen outbreaks for which there is no approved treatment have renewed attention to the role of convalescent plasma and IGs. Areas covered: In this review, a historical perspective of the use of sera and IGs in humans as anti-infective agents (any viral, bacterial, parasitic infection), excluding immunodeficient patients, is presented from early development to the latest clinical studies. A Medline search was conducted to examine the peer-reviewed literature, with no date limits. Expert commentary: Human pooled plasma-derived IG products benefit from the polyclonal response of every individual donor and from the interindividual variability in such response. The trend to increased availability of vaccines for infectious diseases also opens new potential applications of hyperimmune IGs for emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases (e.g.: Ebola, Zika, Dengue), for the prevention and treatment in the general population, healthcare personnel and caregivers.

Protective Cellular Immunity Against Influenza Virus Induced by Plasmid Inoculation of Newborn Mice

PubMed Central

Bot, Adrian; Bot, Simona; García-Sastre, Adolfo

1998-01-01

Neonate organisms display an intrinsic disability to mount effective immune responses to infectious agents or conventional vaccines. Whereas low. doses of antigens trigger a suboptimal response, higher doses are frequently associated with tolerance induction. We investigated the ability of a plasmid-expressing nucleoprotein of influenza virus to prime a specific cellular immune response when administered to newborn mice. We found that persistent exposure to antigen following plasmid inoculation of neonates leads to a vigorous priming of specific CTLs rather than tolerance induction. The CTLs were cross-reactive against multiple strains of type A influenza viruses and produced IFNγ but no IL-4. The immunity triggered by plasmid inoculation of neonates was protective in terms of pulmonary virus clearance as well as survival rate following lethal challenge with influenza virus. Whereas the persistence of the plasmid at the site of injection was readily demonstrable in adult mice at 3 months after inoculation, mice immunized as newborns displayed no plasmid at 3 months and very little at 1 month after injection. Thus, DNA-based immunization of neonates may prove an effective and safe vaccination strategy for induction of cellular immunity against microbes that cause serious infectious diseases in the early period of life. PMID:9851359

Functional Diversity as a New Framework for Understanding the Ecology of an Emerging Generalist Pathogen.

PubMed

Morris, Aaron; Guégan, Jean-François; Benbow, M Eric; Williamson, Heather; Small, Pamela L C; Quaye, Charles; Boakye, Daniel; Merritt, Richard W; Gozlan, Rodolphe E

2016-09-01

Emerging infectious disease outbreaks are increasingly suspected to be a consequence of human pressures exerted on natural ecosystems. Previously, host taxonomic communities have been used as indicators of infectious disease emergence, and the loss of their diversity has been implicated as a driver of increased presence. The mechanistic details in how such pathogen-host systems function, however, may not always be explained by taxonomic variation or loss. Here we used machine learning and methods based on Gower's dissimilarity to quantify metrics of invertebrate functional diversity, in addition to functional groups and their taxonomic diversity at sites endemic and non-endemic for the model generalist pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer. Changes in these metrics allowed the rapid categorisation of the ecological niche of the mycobacterium's hosts and the ability to relate specific host traits to its presence in aquatic ecosystems. We found that taxonomic diversity of hosts and overall functional diversity loss and evenness had no bearing on the mycobacterium's presence, or whether the site was in an endemic area. These findings, however, provide strong evidence that generalist environmentally persistent bacteria such as M. ulcerans can be associated with specific functional traits rather than taxonomic groups of organisms, increasing our understanding of emerging disease ecology and origin.

Biosafety and biosecurity in veterinary laboratories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finley, Melissa R.; Astuto-Gribble, Lisa M.; Brass, Van Hildren

Here, with recent outbreaks of MERS-Cov, Anthrax, Nipah, and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, much emphasis has been placed on rapid identification of infectious agents globally. As a result, laboratories are building capacity, conducting more advanced and sophisticated research, increasing laboratory staff, and establishing collections of dangerous pathogens in an attempt to reduce the impact of infectious disease outbreaks and characterize disease causing agents. With this expansion, the global laboratory community has started to focus on laboratory biosafety and biosecurity to prevent the accidental and/or intent ional release o f these agents. Laboratory biosafety and biosecurity systems are used around themore » world to help mit igate the risks posed by dangerous pathogens in the laboratory. Veterinary laboratories carry unique responsibilities to workers and communities to safely and securely handle disease causing microorganisms. Many microorganisms studied in veterinary laboratories not only infect animals, but also have the potential to infect humans. This paper will discuss the fundamentals of laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.« less

[Infectious mononucleosis: etiology, immunological variants, methods of correction].

PubMed

Gordeets, A V; Savina, O G; Beniova, S N; Chernikova, A A

2011-01-01

Clinical options of infectious mononucleosis course depending on infecting agent etiology are presented for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), mono and mixed forms of the disease. Examined cytokine profiles demonstrate analogous changes of serum cytokines in the acute stage of the disease irrespective of etiological factors. Data show that it is important and useful clinically and immunologically to include immunomodulators--in particular, cycloferon--info a complex therapy of different types of mononucleosis.

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.

Staphylococcus epidermidis strains isolated from breast milk of women suffering infectious mastitis: potential virulence traits and resistance to antibiotics.

PubMed

Delgado, Susana; Arroyo, Rebeca; Jiménez, Esther; Marín, Maria L; del Campo, Rosa; Fernández, Leonides; Rodríguez, Juan M

2009-05-07

Although Staphylococcus aureus is considered the main etiological agent of infectious mastitis, recent studies have suggested that coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) may also play an important role in such infections. The aims of this work were to isolate staphylococci from milk of women with lactational mastitis, to select and characterize the CNS isolates, and to compare such properties with those displayed by CNS strains isolated from milk of healthy women. The milk of 30 women was collected and bacterial growth was noted in 27 of them, of which Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated from 26 patients and S. aureus from 8. Among the 270 staphylococcal isolates recovered from milk of women with mastitis, 200 were identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis by phenotypic assays, species-specific PCR and PCR sequencing. They were typified by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) genotyping. The PFGE profiles of the S. epidermidis strains were compared with those of 105 isolates from milk of healthy women. A representative of the 76 different PFGE profiles was selected to study the incidence of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance. The number of strains that contained the biofilm-related icaD gene and that showed resistance to oxacillin, erythromycin, clindamycin and mupirocin was significantly higher among the strains isolated from mastitic milk. S. epidermidis may be a frequent but largely underrated cause of infectious mastitis in lactating women. The resistance to diverse antibiotics and a higher ability to form biofilms found among the strains isolated from milk of women suffering mastitis may explain the chronic and/or recurrent nature of this infectious condition.

Interaction of microbial agents with the immune system during infectious disease.

PubMed

Frøland, S S

1984-01-01

Research during the last years has revealed a considerable complexity of the immune system. It is clear that immunological reactions depend on extensive and only partly clarified interactions between a number of different cell types (e.g. B lymphocytes, plasma cells, T cell subpopulations, cytotoxic K and NK cells, monocytic cells, neutrophilic and eosinophilic granulocytes) and their molecular products (e.g. immunoglobulins, lymphokines and interleukins). These components further interact with the complement system, as well as with immunologically nonspecific components like acute phase proteins (e.g. C-reactive protein) and with other pathophysiological phenomena occurring during infections, e.g. the fever response. The application of these observations from basic and experimental immunology to the investigation of antimicrobial immune reactions is still only in its beginning, but has already resulted in new concepts of clinical value for the understanding of infectious diseases. The present paper briefly describes certain aspects of the immune response to infections with various microbial agents, with particular emphasis on reactions of clinical importance. In addition to B and T cell reactions, possible antimicrobial functions of K cells and NK cells are discussed, and the possible importance in infectious disease of various T cell subpopulations, particularly T suppressor cells, is discussed. Lastly, various escape mechanisms are mentioned whereby certain microbial agents may evade elimination by the immune response of the host.

Quarantine, isolation, and cohorting: from cholera to Klebsiella.

PubMed

Rosenberger, Laura H; Riccio, Lin M; Campbell, Kristin Turza; Politano, Amani D; Sawyer, Robert G

2012-04-01

Isolation is defined as the separation of persons with communicable diseases from those who are healthy. This public health practice, along with quarantine, is used to limit the transmission of infectious diseases and provides the foundation of current-day cohorting. Review of the pertinent English-language literature. Mass isolation developed during the medieval Black Death outbreaks in order to protect ports from the transmission of epidemics. In the mid-1800s, infectious disease hospitals were opened. It now is clear that isolation and cohorting of patients and staff interrupts the transmission of disease. Over the next century, with the discovery of penicillin and vaccines against many infectious agents, the contagious disease hospitals began to close. Today, we find smaller outbreaks of microorganisms that have acquired substantial resistance to antimicrobial agents. In the resource-limited hospital, a dedicated area or region of a unit may suffice to separate affected from unaffected patients. Quarantine, or cohorting when patients are infected with the same pathogen, interrupts the spread of infections, just as the contagious disease hospitals did during the epidemics of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Infections on Cruise Ships.

PubMed

Kak, Vivek

2015-08-01

The modern cruise ship is a small city on the seas, with populations as large as 5,000 seen on large ships. The growth of the cruise ship industry has continued in the twenty-first century, and it was estimated that nearly 21.3 million passengers traveled on cruise ships in 2013, with the majority of these sailing from North America. The presence of large numbers of individuals in close proximity to each other facilitates transmission of infectious diseases, often through person-to-person spread or via contaminated food or water. An infectious agent introduced into the environment of a cruise ship has the potential to be distributed widely across the ship and to cause significant morbidity. The median cruise ship passenger is over 45 years old and often has chronic medical problems, so it is important that, to have a safe cruise ship experience, any potential for the introduction of an infecting agent as well as its transmission be minimized. The majority of cruise ship infections involve respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. This article discusses infectious outbreaks on cruise ships and suggests preventative measures for passengers who plan to travel on cruise ships.

A Structural and Functional Comparison Between Infectious and Non-Infectious Autocatalytic Recombinant PrP Conformers

PubMed Central

Noble, Geoffrey P.; Wang, Daphne W.; Walsh, Daniel J.; Barone, Justin R.; Miller, Michael B.; Nishina, Koren A.; Li, Sheng; Supattapone, Surachai

2015-01-01

Infectious prions contain a self-propagating, misfolded conformer of the prion protein termed PrPSc. A critical prediction of the protein-only hypothesis is that autocatalytic PrPSc molecules should be infectious. However, some autocatalytic recombinant PrPSc molecules have low or undetectable levels of specific infectivity in bioassays, and the essential determinants of recombinant prion infectivity remain obscure. To identify structural and functional features specifically associated with infectivity, we compared the properties of two autocatalytic recombinant PrP conformers derived from the same original template, which differ by >105-fold in specific infectivity for wild-type mice. Structurally, hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (DXMS) studies revealed that solvent accessibility profiles of infectious and non-infectious autocatalytic recombinant PrP conformers are remarkably similar throughout their protease-resistant cores, except for two domains encompassing residues 91-115 and 144-163. Raman spectroscopy and immunoprecipitation studies confirm that these domains adopt distinct conformations within infectious versus non-infectious autocatalytic recombinant PrP conformers. Functionally, in vitro prion propagation experiments show that the non-infectious conformer is unable to seed mouse PrPC substrates containing a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor, including native PrPC. Taken together, these results indicate that having a conformation that can be specifically adopted by post-translationally modified PrPC molecules is an essential determinant of biological infectivity for recombinant prions, and suggest that this ability is associated with discrete features of PrPSc structure. PMID:26125623

Point-Counterpoint: A Nucleic Acid Amplification Test for Streptococcus pyogenes Should Replace Antigen Detection and Culture for Detection of Bacterial Pharyngitis.

PubMed

Pritt, Bobbi S; Patel, Robin; Kirn, Thomas J; Thomson, Richard B

2016-10-01

Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have frequently been the standard diagnostic approach when specific infectious agents are sought in a clinic specimen. They can be applied for specific agents such as S. pyogenes, or commercial multiplex NAATs for detection of a variety of pathogens in gastrointestinal, bloodstream, and respiratory infections may be used. NAATs are both rapid and sensitive. For many years, S. pyogenes testing algorithms used a rapid and specific group A streptococcal antigen test to screen throat specimens, followed, in some clinical settings, by a throat culture for S. pyogenes to increase the sensitivity of its detection. Now S. pyogenes NAATs are being used with increasing frequency. Given their accuracy, rapidity, and ease of use, should they replace antigen detection and culture for the detection of bacterial pharyngitis? Bobbi Pritt and Robin Patel of the Mayo Clinic, where S. pyogenes NAATs have been used for well over a decade with great success, will explain the advantages of this approach, while Richard (Tom) Thomson and Tom Kirn of the NorthShore University HealthSystem will discuss their concerns about this approach to diagnosing bacterial pharyngitis. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Potentials and limits for the use of ozone as a fish disease control agent

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wedemeyer, Gary A.; Nelson, Nancy C.; Yasutake, Wm. T.

1979-01-01

Ozone and chlorine inactivation curves were determined in three types of freshwater at 20 C for the destruction of the fish pathogens Aeromonas salmonicida the etiologic agent of furunculosis, and Yersinia ruckeri the enteric redmouth bacterium (ERM). Ozone and chlorine inactivation curves were also obtained in the same water types at 10 C for the fish pathogenic viruses infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHNV), and infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPNV). Acute toxicity tests using the rainbow trout as a representative salmonid revealed that ozone was highly toxic at the dose levels used. Partial chronic (3. mo.) testing revealed that ozone exposure at 2 μg/L causes only minimal physiological changes, none of which would be expected to compromise biological function.

Evidence of feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, and Toxoplasma gondii in feral cats on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

PubMed

Danner, Raymond M; Goltz, Daniel M; Hess, Steven C; Banko, Paul C

2007-04-01

We determined prevalence to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibodies, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen, and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in feral cats (Felis catus) on Mauna Kea Hawaii from April 2002 to May 2004. Six of 68 (8.8%) and 11 of 68 (16.2%) cats were antibody positive to FIV and antigen positive for FeLV, respectively; 25 of 67 (37.3%) cats were seropositive to T. gondii. Antibodies to FeLV and T. gondii occurred in all age and sex classes, but FIV occurred only in adult males. Evidence of current or previous infections with two of these infectious agents was detected in eight of 64 cats (12.5%). Despite exposure to these infectious agents, feral cats remain abundant throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife: a critical perspective.

PubMed

Tompkins, Daniel M; Carver, Scott; Jones, Menna E; Krkošek, Martin; Skerratt, Lee F

2015-04-01

We review the literature to distinguish reports of vertebrate wildlife disease emergence with sufficient evidence, enabling a robust assessment of emergence drivers. For potentially emerging agents that cannot be confirmed, sufficient data on prior absence (or a prior difference in disease dynamics) are frequently lacking. Improved surveillance, particularly for neglected host taxa, geographical regions and infectious agents, would enable more effective management should emergence occur. Exposure to domestic sources of infection and human-assisted exposure to wild sources were identified as the two main drivers of emergence across host taxa; the domestic source was primary for fish while the wild source was primary for other taxa. There was generally insufficient evidence for major roles of other hypothesized drivers of emergence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feline and canine coronaviruses: common genetic and pathobiological features.

PubMed

Le Poder, Sophie

2011-01-01

A new human coronavirus responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was identified in 2003, which raised concern about coronaviruses as agents of serious infectious disease. Nevertheless, coronaviruses have been known for about 50 years to be major agents of respiratory, enteric, or systemic infections of domestic and companion animals. Feline and canine coronaviruses are widespread among dog and cat populations, sometimes leading to the fatal diseases known as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and pantropic canine coronavirus infection in cats and dogs, respectively. In this paper, different aspects of the genetics, host cell tropism, and pathogenesis of the feline and canine coronaviruses (FCoV and CCoV) will be discussed, with a view to illustrating how study of FCoVs and CCoVs can improve our general understanding of the pathobiology of coronaviruses.

Molecular pathology of primary intraocular lymphoma.

PubMed Central

Chan, Chi-Chao

2003-01-01

PURPOSE: To evaluate immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangements, cytokines and chemokines, and infectious agents in primary intraocular B-cell lymphoma (PIOL) cells, in order to better diagnose and understand PIOL. METHODS: We studied ocular specimens from 57 patients with PIOL at the National Eye Institute from 1991 to 2001. Specimens were analyzed for IgH gene rearrangements using microdissection and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We measured vitreal interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-6 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IL-10 mRNA was studied in PIOL cells using microdissection and reverse transcribed (RT)-PCR. Chemokine and chemokine receptor expression was examined by using immunohistochemistry. Infectious DNA of human herpetic virus-8 (HHV-8), Epstein-Bar virus (EBV), and Toxoplasma gondii was detected by using microdissection and PCR and was confirmed with Southern blot hybridization. RESULTS: IgH rearrangement(s) were demonstrated in all 50 tested cases. Cytokine levels were measured in the vitreous of 39 patients. Thirty-one had measurable cytokine levels: 24 of 31 had elevation of IL-10 relative to that of IL-6, and, in contrast, only 7 of 31 had elevation of IL-6 relative to IL-10. IL-10 mRNA was abundant in lymphoma cells of 6 examined cases. Lymphoma cells expressed chemokine receptors of CXCR4 and CXCR5 in three tested cases. HHV-8 DNA was found in 6 of 32 cases (18.8%), EBV DNA in 2 of 21 (9.5%), and T gondii DNA in 2 of 16 (12.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Molecular analyses detecting IgH rearrangements and vitreal levels of IL-10 and IL-6 are useful adjuncts for PIOL diagnosis. A role for specific infectious agents is hypothesized in the pathogenesis of some cases of PIOL. B-cell chemokine is likely involved in attracting PIOL cells into the eye. PMID:14971583

Emerging Pathogens: Challenges and Successes of Molecular Diagnostics

PubMed Central

Dong, Jianli; Olano, Juan P.; McBride, Jere W.; Walker, David H.

2008-01-01

More than 50 emerging and reemerging pathogens have been identified during the last 40 years. Until 1992 when the Institute of Medicine issued a report that defined emerging infectious diseases, medicine had been complacent about such infectious diseases despite the alarm bells of infections with human immunodeficiency virus. Molecular tools have proven useful in discovering and characterizing emerging viruses and bacteria such as Sin Nombre virus (hantaviral pulmonary syndrome), hepatitis C virus, Bartonella henselae (cat scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (human granulocytotropic anaplasmosis). The feasibility of applying molecular diagnostics to dangerous, fastidious, and uncultivated agents for which conventional tests do not yield timely diagnoses has achieved proof of concept for many agents, but widespread use of cost-effective, validated commercial assays has yet to occur. This review presents representative emerging viral respiratory infections, hemorrhagic fevers, and hepatitides, as well as bacterial and parasitic zoonotic, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary infections. Agent characteristics, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic methods are tabulated for another 22 emerging viruses and five emerging bacteria. The ongoing challenge to the field of molecular diagnostics is to apply contemporary knowledge to facilitate agent diagnosis as well as to further discoveries of novel pathogens. PMID:18403608

Patient care in a biological safety level-4 (BSL-4) environment.

PubMed

Marklund, LeRoy A

2003-06-01

The greatest threats to America's public health include accidental importation of deadly diseases by international travelers and the release of biologic weapons by our adversaries. The greatest failure is unpreparedness because international travel and dispersion of biologic agents by our enemies are inevitable. An effective medical defense program is the recommended deterrent against these threats. The United States has a federal response plan in place that includes patient care and patient transport by using the highest level of biologic containment: BSL-4. The DoD has the capability to provide intensive care for victims infected with highly infectious yet unknown biologic agents in an environment that protects the caregiver while allowing scientists to study the characteristics of these new agents and assess the effectiveness of treatment. Army critical care nurses are vital in the biologic medical defense against unidentified infectious diseases, accidental occupational exposures, or intentional dispersion of weaponized biologic agents. Research that carefully advances healthcare using BSL-4 technology addresses the challenges of the human element of BSL-4 containment patient care, and BSL-4 patient transport enhances our nation's ability to address the emerging biologic threats we confront in the future.

Role of housing modalities on management and surveillance strategies for adventitious agents of rodents.

PubMed

Shek, William R

2008-01-01

Specific pathogen-free (SPF) rodents for modern biomedical research need to be free of pathogens and other infectious agents that may not produce disease but nevertheless cause research interference. To meet this need, rodents have been rederived to eliminate adventitious agents and then housed in room- to cage-level barrier systems to exclude microbial contaminants. Because barriers can and do fail, routine health monitoring (HM) is necessary to verify the SPF status of colonies. Testing without strict adherence to biosecurity practices, however, can lead to the inadvertent transfer of unrecognized, inapparent agents among institutions and colonies. Microisolation caging systems have become popular for housing SPF rodents because they are versatile and provide a highly effective cage-level barrier to the entry and spread of adventitious agents. But when a microisolation-caged colony is contaminated, the cage-level barrier impedes the spread of infection and so the prevalence of infection is often low, which increases the chance of missing a contamination and complicates the corroboration of unexpected positive findings. The expanding production of genetically engineered mutant (GEM) rodent strains at research institutions, where biosecurity practices vary and the risk of microbial contamination can be high, underscores the importance of accurate HM results in mitigating the risk of the introduction and spread of microbial contaminants with the exchange of mutant rodent strains among investigators and institutions.

Viral vectors for gene modification of plants as chem/bio sensors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Manginell, Monica; Harper, Jason C.; Arango, Dulce C.

2006-11-01

Chemical or biological sensors that are specific, sensitive, and robust allowing intelligence gathering for verification of nuclear non-proliferation treaty compliance and detouring production of weapons of mass destruction are sorely needed. Although much progress has been made in the area of biosensors, improvements in sensor lifetime, robustness, and device packaging are required before these devices become widely used. Current chemical and biological detection and identification techniques require less-than-covert sample collection followed by transport to a laboratory for analysis. In addition to being expensive and time consuming, results can often be inconclusive due to compromised sample integrity during collection and transport.more » We report here a demonstration of a plant based sensor technology which utilizes mature and seedling plants as chemical sensors. One can envision genetically modifying native plants at a site of interest that can report the presence of specific toxins or chemicals. In this one year project we used a developed inducible expression system to show the feasibility of plant sensors. The vector was designed as a safe, non-infectious vector which could be used to invade, replicate, and introduce foreign genes into mature host plants that then allow the plant to sense chem/bio agents. The genes introduced through the vector included a reporter gene that encodes for green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a gene that encodes for a mammalian receptor that recognizes a chemical agent. Specifically, GFP was induced by the presence of 17-{beta}-Estradiol (estrogen). Detection of fluorescence indicated the presence of the target chemical agent. Since the sensor is a plant, costly device packaging development or manufacturing of the sensor were not required. Additionally, the biological recognition and reporting elements are maintained in a living, natural environment and therefore do not suffer from lifetime disadvantages typical of most biosensing platforms. Detection of the chem/bio agent reporter (GFP) can be detected only at a specific wavelength.« less

Current diagnosis and management of infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Vouloumanou, Evridiki K; Rafailidis, Petros I; Falagas, Matthew E

2012-01-01

Infectious mononucleosis is a common, usually self-limited disease. However, infectious mononucleosis may present with severe manifestations. Complications may also occur. Consequently, diagnostic and treatment issues regarding infectious mononucleosis are of major importance. In this review, we focus on the evaluation of articles providing diagnosis and treatment data for infectious mononucleosis, published during the past 2 years. Twelve studies, deriving from extended search in PubMed, were included. Nine studies provided diagnosis data. The evaluated diagnostic methods were real-time PCR (RT-PCR), IgM/IgG antibodies measured with different assays [measurement of Epstein-Barr virus viral load (EBV-VL) in peripheral blood, neutrophil/lymphocyte/monocyte counts, C-reactive protein values, and monospot test]. The sensitivities reported for RT-PCR were high. The available treatment data were scarce (three studies). Two of them suggested that antivirals (mainly acyclovir and valacyclovir) may have a role in the treatment of infectious mononucleosis with complications, whereas the remaining study presented novel potential therapeutic patents including 5-substituted uracyle, azacytosine derivatives, and peptides inhibiting EBV-mediated membrane fusion. RT-PCR and measurement of EBV-VL may provide useful tools for the early diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis in cases with inconclusive serological results. Antiviral agents may provide a useful treatment option in patients with severe infectious mononucleosis.

A susceptible-infected model of early detection of respiratory infection outbreaks on a background of influenza

PubMed Central

Mohtashemi, Mojdeh; Szolovits, Peter; Dunyak, James; Mandl, Kenneth D.

2013-01-01

The threat of biological warfare and the emergence of new infectious agents spreading at a global scale have highlighted the need for major enhancements to the public health infrastructure. Early detection of epidemics of infectious diseases requires both real-time data and real-time interpretation of data. Despite moderate advancements in data acquisition, the state of the practice for real-time analysis of data remains inadequate. We present a nonlinear mathematical framework for modeling the transient dynamics of influenza, applied to historical data sets of patients with influenza-like illness. We estimate the vital time-varying epidemiological parameters of infections from historical data, representing normal epidemiological trends. We then introduce simulated outbreaks of different shapes and magnitudes into the historical data, and estimate the parameters representing the infection rates of anomalous deviations from normal trends. Finally, a dynamic threshold-based detection algorithm is devised to assess the timeliness and sensitivity of detecting the irregularities in the data, under a fixed low false-positive rate. We find that the detection algorithm can identify such designated abnormalities in the data with high sensitivity with specificity held at 97%, but more importantly, early during an outbreak. The proposed methodology can be applied to a broad range of influenza-like infectious diseases, whether naturally occurring or a result of bioterrorism, and thus can be an integral component of a real-time surveillance system. PMID:16556450

Distemper outbreak and its effect on African wild dog conservation.

PubMed

van de Bildt, Marco W G; Kuiken, Thijs; Visee, Aart M; Lema, Sangito; Fitzjohn, Tony R; Osterhaus, Albert D M E

2002-02-01

In December 2000, an infectious disease spread through a captive breeding group of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in Tanzania, killing 49 of 52 animals within 2 months. The causative agent was identified as Canine distemper virus (CDV) by means of histologic examination, virus isolation, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis, and nucleotide sequencing. This report emphasizes the importance of adequate protection against infectious diseases for the successful outcome of captive breeding programs of endangered species.

Short communication: Determination of the ability of Thymox to kill or inhibit various species of microorganisms associated with infectious causes of bovine lameness in vitro.

PubMed

Kulow, Megan; Zibaee, Fahimeh; Allard, Marianne; Döpfer, Dörte

2015-11-01

Infectious claw diseases continue to plague cattle in intensively managed husbandry systems. Poor foot hygiene and constant moist environments lead to the infection and spread of diseases such as digital dermatitis (hairy heel warts), interdigital dermatitis, and interdigital phlegmon (foot rot). Currently, copper sulfate and formalin are the most widely used disinfecting agents in bovine footbaths; however, the industry could benefit from more environmentally and worker friendly substitutes. This study determined the in vitro minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations of Thymox (Laboratoire M2, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada) for a selection of microorganisms related to infectious bovine foot diseases. Thymox is a broad-spectrum agricultural disinfectant that is nontoxic, noncorrosive, and readily biodegradable. The values for minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration indicated that Thymox inhibited growth and killed the various species of microorganisms under study at much lower concentrations compared with the recommended working concentration of a 1% solution. Overall, the values found in this study of minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of Thymox show its potential as an alternative antibacterial agent used in bovine footbaths; however, field trials are needed to determine its effectiveness for the control and prevention of infectious claw diseases. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Study of etiologic factors of infectious diseases of respiratory tract in school-age children during period of remission of a respiratory disease].

PubMed

Maĭorov, R V; Chereshneva, M V; Chereshnev, V A

2013-01-01

Detect features of microflora of upper respiratory tract on the example of flora of palatine tonsils and level of antibodies against intracellular parasites as markers of etiologic factors of respiratory infections in school-age children in remission period. 466 children from frequently and episodically ill groups were examined. Bacteriologic study of smears from the surface of palatine tonsils was carried out in all the children. By using EIA with the corresponding commercial test systems IgG level against Herpes simplex virus, Cytomegalovirus, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Human respiratory syncytial virus was determined in blood sera according to instruction manual. During remission period of infectious process in the structure of microflora of upper respiratory tract in frequently ill children characteristic differences from their episodically ill peers were detected. In children with frequent respiratory infections a higher occurrence of antibodies against intracellular causative agents of these diseases was also detected. In the group of frequently ill, a direct correlation between frequency of infectious diseases of respiratory tract and occurrence of carriage of pathogenic and opportunistic microorgan isms as well as increase of antibodies against Herpesviridae, Cytomegalovirus, C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae was detected. Higher occurrence ofintra- and extra-cellular infectious agents as well as their associations may be considered as one of the reasons of insufficient effectiveness of prophylaxis measures in frequently ill children.

Inhibition of host extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation decreases new world alphavirus multiplication in infected cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voss, Kelsey; Amaya, Moushimi; Mueller, Claudius

New World alphaviruses belonging to the family Togaviridae are classified as emerging infectious agents and Category B select agents. Our study is focused on the role of the host extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the infectious process of New World alphaviruses. Infection of human cells by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) results in the activation of the ERK-signaling cascade. Inhibition of ERK1/2 by the small molecule inhibitor Ag-126 results in inhibition of viral multiplication. Ag-126-mediated inhibition of VEEV was due to potential effects on early and late stages of the infectious process. While expression of viral proteins was down-regulated inmore » Ag-126 treated cells, we did not observe any influence of Ag-126 on the nuclear distribution of capsid. Finally, Ag-126 exerted a broad-spectrum inhibitory effect on New World alphavirus multiplication, thus indicating that the host kinase, ERK, is a broad-spectrum candidate for development of novel therapeutics against New World alphaviruses. - Highlights: • VEEV infection activated multiple components of the ERK signaling cascade. • Inhibition of ERK activation using Ag-126 inhibited VEEV multiplication. • Activation of ERK by Ceramide C6 increased infectious titers of TC-83. • Ag-126 inhibited virulent strains of all New World alphaviruses. • Ag-126 treatment increased percent survival of infected cells.« less

Portable Microfluidic Integrated Plasmonic Platform for Pathogen Detection

PubMed Central

Tokel, Onur; Yildiz, Umit Hakan; Inci, Fatih; Durmus, Naside Gozde; Ekiz, Okan Oner; Turker, Burak; Cetin, Can; Rao, Shruthi; Sridhar, Kaushik; Natarajan, Nalini; Shafiee, Hadi; Dana, Aykutlu; Demirci, Utkan

2015-01-01

Timely detection of infectious agents is critical in early diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Conventional pathogen detection methods, such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), culturing or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) require long assay times, and complex and expensive instruments, which are not adaptable to point-of-care (POC) needs at resource-constrained as well as primary care settings. Therefore, there is an unmet need to develop simple, rapid, and accurate methods for detection of pathogens at the POC. Here, we present a portable, multiplex, inexpensive microfluidic-integrated surface plasmon resonance (SPR) platform that detects and quantifies bacteria, i.e., Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) rapidly. The platform presented reliable capture and detection of E. coli at concentrations ranging from ~105 to 3.2 × 107 CFUs/mL in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) fluid. The multiplexing and specificity capability of the platform was also tested with S. aureus samples. The presented platform technology could potentially be applicable to capture and detect other pathogens at the POC and primary care settings. PMID:25801042

Role of mechanical ventilation in the airborne transmission of infectious agents in buildings.

PubMed

Luongo, J C; Fennelly, K P; Keen, J A; Zhai, Z J; Jones, B W; Miller, S L

2016-10-01

Infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics such as those due to SARS, influenza, measles, tuberculosis, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus have raised concern about the airborne transmission of pathogens in indoor environments. Significant gaps in knowledge still exist regarding the role of mechanical ventilation in airborne pathogen transmission. This review, prepared by a multidisciplinary group of researchers, focuses on summarizing the strengths and limitations of epidemiologic studies that specifically addressed the association of at least one heating, ventilating and/or air-conditioning (HVAC) system-related parameter with airborne disease transmission in buildings. The purpose of this literature review was to assess the quality and quantity of available data and to identify research needs. This review suggests that there is a need for well-designed observational and intervention studies in buildings with better HVAC system characterization and measurements of both airborne exposures and disease outcomes. Studies should also be designed so that they may be used in future quantitative meta-analyses. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Event-Based Surveillance During EXPO Milan 2015: Rationale, Tools, Procedures, and Initial Results

PubMed Central

Manso, Martina Del; Caporali, Maria Grazia; Napoli, Christian; Linge, Jens P.; Mantica, Eleonora; Verile, Marco; Piatti, Alessandra; Pompa, Maria Grazia; Vellucci, Loredana; Costanzo, Virgilio; Bastiampillai, Anan Judina; Gabrielli, Eugenia; Gramegna, Maria; Declich, Silvia

2016-01-01

More than 21 million participants attended EXPO Milan from May to October 2015, making it one of the largest protracted mass gathering events in Europe. Given the expected national and international population movement and health security issues associated with this event, Italy fully implemented, for the first time, an event-based surveillance (EBS) system focusing on naturally occurring infectious diseases and the monitoring of biological agents with potential for intentional release. The system started its pilot phase in March 2015 and was fully operational between April and November 2015. In order to set the specific objectives of the EBS system, and its complementary role to indicator-based surveillance, we defined a list of priority diseases and conditions. This list was designed on the basis of the probability and possible public health impact of infectious disease transmission, existing statutory surveillance systems in place, and any surveillance enhancements during the mass gathering event. This article reports the methodology used to design the EBS system for EXPO Milan and the results of 8 months of surveillance. PMID:27314656

Microbiology of folliculitis: a histological study of 39 cases.

PubMed

Jahns, Anika C; Lundskog, Bertil; Berg, Johanna; Jonsson, Rebecca; McDowell, Andrew; Patrick, Sheila; Golovleva, Irina; Palmer, Ruth H; Alexeyev, Oleg A

2014-01-01

Folliculitis is a common inflammatory skin syndrome. Several microbial organisms have been put forward as causative agents, but few studies visualized microbes directly in inflamed hair follicles. This retrospective study investigated bacterial and fungal colonization of inflamed hair follicles in patients with clinically diagnosed non-infectious folliculitis. Skin biopsies from 39 folliculitis patients and 27 controls were screened by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using broad-range bacterial and fungal probes and by immunofluorescence microscopy using a monoclonal antibody towards Gram-positive bacteria. Specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies towards Staphylococcus spp. and Propionibacterium acnes were applied for further species identification. Inflamed follicles were associated with bacterial colonization in 10 samples (26%) and fungal colonization in three samples (8%). Staphylococcus spp. were observed in inflamed follicles in seven samples (18%). Two samples were positive for P. acnes, which were identified as either type II or type IB/type III. Both Staphylococcus spp. and P. acnes were seen in macrocolonies/biofilm structures. In conclusion, one-third of patients with clinically diagnosed, non-infectious folliculitis exhibited microbial colonization with predominance of Staphylococcus spp. © 2013 APMIS Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Use of Clinical and Neuroimaging Characteristics to Distinguish Temporal Lobe Herpes Simplex Encephalitis From Its Mimics

PubMed Central

Chow, Felicia C.; Glaser, Carol A.; Sheriff, Heather; Xia, Dongxiang; Messenger, Sharon; Whitley, Richard; Venkatesan, Arun

2015-01-01

Background. We describe the spectrum of etiologies associated with temporal lobe (TL) encephalitis and identify clinical and radiologic features that distinguish herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) from its mimics. Methods. We reviewed all adult cases of encephalitis with TL abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from the California Encephalitis Project. We evaluated the association between specific clinical and MRI characteristics and HSE compared with other causes of TL encephalitis and used multivariate logistic modeling to identify radiologic predictors of HSE. Results. Of 251 cases of TL encephalitis, 43% had an infectious etiology compared with 16% with a noninfectious etiology. Of infectious etiologies, herpes simplex virus was the most commonly identified agent (n = 60), followed by tuberculosis (n = 8) and varicella zoster virus (n = 7). Of noninfectious etiologies, more than half (n = 21) were due to autoimmune disease. Patients with HSE were older (56.8 vs 50.2 years; P = .012), more likely to be white (53% vs 35%; P = .013), more likely to present acutely (88% vs 64%; P = .001) and with a fever (80% vs 49%; P < .001), and less likely to present with a rash (2% vs 15%; P = .010). In a multivariate model, bilateral TL involvement (odds ratio [OR], 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], .18–.79; P = .010) and lesions outside the TL, insula, or cingulate (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, .18–.74; P = .005) were associated with lower odds of HSE. Conclusions. In addition to HSE, other infectious and noninfectious etiologies should be considered in the differential diagnosis for TL encephalitis, depending on the presentation. Specific clinical and imaging features may aid in distinguishing HSE from non-HSE causes of TL encephalitis. PMID:25637586

Enhanced replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 in human cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, C.S.; Smith, K.O.

1991-02-01

The effects of DNA-damaging agents on the replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) were assessed in vitro. Monolayers of human lung fibroblast cell lines were exposed to DNA-damaging agents (methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), methyl methanethiosulfonate (MMTS), ultraviolet light (UV), or gamma radiation (GR)) at specific intervals, before or after inoculation with low levels of HSV-1. The ability of cell monolayers to support HSV-1 replication was measured by direct plaque assay and was compared with that of untreated control samples. In this system, monolayers of different cell lines infected with identical HSV-1 strains demonstrated dissimilar levels of recovery of themore » infectious virus. Exposure of DNA-repair-competent cell cultures to DNA-damaging agents produced time-dependent enhanced virus replication. Treatment with agent before virus inoculation significantly (p less than 0.025) increased the number of plaques by 10 to 68%, compared with untreated control cultures, while treatment with agent after virus adsorption significantly increased (p less than 0.025) the number of plaques by 7 to 15%. In a parallel series of experiments, cells deficient in DNA repair (xeroderma pigmentosum) failed to support enhanced virus replication. These results suggest that after exposure to DNA-damaging agents, fibroblasts competent in DNA repair amplify the replication of HSV-1, and that DNA-repair mechanisms that act on a variety of chromosomal lesions may be involved in the repair and biological activation of HSV-1 genomes.« less

Meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials comparing particular doses of griseofulvin and terbinafine for the treatment of tinea capitis.

PubMed

Gupta, Aditya K; Drummond-Main, Chris

2013-01-01

Two oral antifungal agents, griseofulvin and terbinafine, have regulatory approval in the United States, but it is unknown whether one has superior overall efficacy. Genus-specific differences in efficacy are believed to exist for the two agents. It is not clear at what doses and durations of treatment these differences apply. The goals of this meta-analysis were to determine whether a statistically significant difference in efficacy exists between these agents at a given dose and duration of each in tinea capitis infections overall and to determine whether a genus-specific difference in efficacy exists for these two treatments at a given dose and duration of each. We performed a literature search for clinically and methodologically similar randomized controlled trials comparing 8 weeks of griseofulvin (6.25-12.5 mg/kg/day) to 4 weeks of terbinafine (3.125-6.25 mg/kg/day) in the treatment of tinea capitis. A meta-analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel method and random effects model; results were expressed as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials did not show a significant difference in the overall efficacy of the two drugs at the doses specified, but specific efficacy differences were observed based on the infectious species. For tinea capitis caused by Microsporum spp., griseofulvin is superior (p = 0.04), whereas terbinafine is superior for Trichophyton spp. infection (p = 0.04). Our results support species-specific differences in treatment efficacy between griseofulvin and terbinafine and provide a clinical context in which this knowledge may be applied. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Anti-proteome Nanobody Library Approach Yields a Specific Immunoassay for Trypanosoma congolense Diagnosis Targeting Glycosomal Aldolase.

PubMed

Odongo, Steven; Sterckx, Yann G J; Stijlemans, Benoît; Pillay, Davita; Baltz, Théo; Muyldermans, Serge; Magez, Stefan

2016-02-01

Infectious diseases pose a severe worldwide threat to human and livestock health. While early diagnosis could enable prompt preventive interventions, the majority of diseases are found in rural settings where basic laboratory facilities are scarce. Under such field conditions, point-of-care immunoassays provide an appropriate solution for rapid and reliable diagnosis. The limiting steps in the development of the assay are the identification of a suitable target antigen and the selection of appropriate high affinity capture and detection antibodies. To meet these challenges, we describe the development of a Nanobody (Nb)-based antigen detection assay generated from a Nb library directed against the soluble proteome of an infectious agent. In this study, Trypanosoma congolense was chosen as a model system. An alpaca was vaccinated with whole-parasite soluble proteome to generate a Nb library from which the most potent T. congolense specific Nb sandwich immunoassay (Nb474H-Nb474B) was selected. First, the Nb474-homologous sandwich ELISA (Nb474-ELISA) was shown to detect experimental infections with high Positive Predictive Value (98%), Sensitivity (87%) and Specificity (94%). Second, it was demonstrated under experimental conditions that the assay serves as test-of-cure after Berenil treatment. Finally, this assay allowed target antigen identification. The latter was independently purified through immuno-capturing from (i) T. congolense soluble proteome, (ii) T. congolense secretome preparation and (iii) sera of T. congolense infected mice. Subsequent mass spectrometry analysis identified the target as T. congolense glycosomal aldolase. The results show that glycosomal aldolase is a candidate biomarker for active T. congolense infections. In addition, and by proof-of-principle, the data demonstrate that the Nb strategy devised here offers a unique approach to both diagnostic development and target discovery that could be widely applied to other infectious diseases.

Social network community structure and the contact-mediated sharing of commensal E. coli among captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Beisner, Brianne; Guan, Jiahui; Vandeleest, Jessica; Fushing, Hsieh; Atwill, Edward; McCowan, Brenda

2018-01-01

In group-living animals, heterogeneity in individuals’ social connections may mediate the sharing of microbial infectious agents. In this regard, the genetic relatedness of individuals’ commensal gut bacterium Escherichia coli may be ideal to assess the potential for pathogen transmission through animal social networks. Here we use microbial phylogenetics and population genetics approaches, as well as host social network reconstruction, to assess evidence for the contact-mediated sharing of E. coli among three groups of captively housed rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), at multiple organizational scales. For each group, behavioral data on grooming, huddling, and aggressive interactions collected for a six-week period were used to reconstruct social network communities via the Data Cloud Geometry (DCG) clustering algorithm. Further, an E. coli isolate was biochemically confirmed and genotypically fingerprinted from fecal swabs collected from each macaque. Population genetics approaches revealed that Group Membership, in comparison to intrinsic attributes like age, sex, and/or matriline membership of individuals, accounted for the highest proportion of variance in E. coli genotypic similarity. Social network approaches revealed that such sharing was evident at the community-level rather than the dyadic level. Specifically, although we found no links between dyadic E. coli similarity and social contact frequencies, similarity was significantly greater among macaques within the same social network communities compared to those across different communities. Moreover, tests for one of our study-groups confirmed that E. coli isolated from macaque rectal swabs were more genotypically similar to each other than they were to isolates from environmentally deposited feces. In summary, our results suggest that among frequently interacting, spatially constrained macaques with complex social relationships, microbial sharing via fecal-oral, social contact-mediated routes may depend on both individuals’ direct connections and on secondary network pathways that define community structure. They lend support to the hypothesis that social network communities may act as bottlenecks to contain the spread of infectious agents, thereby encouraging disease control strategies to focus on multiple organizational scales. Future directions includeincreasing microbial sampling effort per individual to better-detect dyadic transmission events, and assessments of the co-evolutionary links between sociality, infectious agent risk, and host immune function. PMID:29372120

Evidence for the role of infectious disease in species extinction and endangerment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Katherine F.; Sax, Dov F.; Lafferty, Kevin D.

2006-01-01

Infectious disease is listed among the top five causes of global species extinctions. However, the majority of available data supporting this contention is largely anecdotal. We used the IUCN Red List of Threatened and Endangered Species and literature indexed in the ISI Web of Science to assess the role of infectious disease in global species loss. Infectious disease was listed as a contributing factor in <4% of species extinctions known to have occurred since 1500 (833 plants and animals) and as contributing to a species' status as critically endangered in <8% of cases (2852 critically endangered plants and animals). Although infectious diseases appear to play a minor role in global species loss, our findings underscore two important limitations in the available evidence: uncertainty surrounding the threats to species survival and a temporal bias in the data. Several initiatives could help overcome these obstacles, including rigorous scientific tests to determine which infectious diseases present a significant threat at the species level, recognition of the limitations associated with the lack of baseline data for the role of infectious disease in species extinctions, combining data with theory to discern the circumstances under which infectious disease is most likely to serve as an agent of extinction, and improving surveillance programs for the detection of infectious disease. An evidence-based understanding of the role of infectious disease in species extinction and endangerment will help prioritize conservation initiatives and protect global biodiversity.

Occupational Health Update: Focus on Preventing the Acquisition of Infections with Pre-exposure Prophylaxis and Postexposure Prophylaxis.

PubMed

Weber, David J; Rutala, William A

2016-09-01

Health care personnel are commonly exposed to infectious agents via sharp injuries (eg, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus), direct patient care (eg, pertussis and meningococcus), and the contaminated environment (eg, Clostridium difficile). An effective occupational program is a key aspect of preventing acquisition of an infection by offering the following: (1) education of health care personnel regarding proper handling of sharps, early identification and isolation of potentially infectious patients, and hand hygiene; (2) assuring immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases; and, (3) immediate availability of a medical evaluation after a nonprotected exposure to an infectious disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optoacoustic detection of viral antigens using targeted gold nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maswadi, Saher; Woodward, Lee; Glickman, Randolph D.; Barsalou, Norman

2009-02-01

We are detecting antigens (Ag), isolated from infectious organisms, utilizing laser optoacoustic spectroscopy and antibody-coupled gold nanorod (NR) contrast agents specifically targeted to the antigen of interest. We have detected, in clinical ocular samples, both Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) . A monoclonal antibody (Ab) specific to both HSV-1 and HSV-2 was conjugated to gold nanorods to produce a targeted contrast agent with a strong optoacoustic signal. Elutions obtained from patient corneal swabs were adsorbed in standard plastic micro-wells. An immunoaffinity reaction was then performed with the functionalized gold nanorods, and the results were probed with an OPO laser, emitting wavelengths at the peak absorptions of the nanorods. Positive optoacoustic responses were obtained from samples containing authentic (microbiologically confirmed) HSV-1 and HSV-2. To obtain an estimate of the sensitivity of the technique, serial dilutions from 1 mg/ml to 1 pg/ml of a C. trachomatis surface Ag were prepared, and were probed with a monoclonal Ab, specific to the C. trachomatis surface Ag, conjugated to gold nanorods. An optoacoustic response was obtained, proportional to the concentration of antigen, and with a limit of detection of about 5 pg/ml. The optoacoustic signals generated from micro-wells containing albumin or saline were similar to those from blank wells. The potential benefit of this method is identify viral agents more rapidly than with existing techniques. In addition, the sensitivity of the assay is comparable or superior to existing colorimetric- or fluorometric-linked immunoaffinity assays.

Current perspectives in transfusion-transmitted infectious diseases: emerging and re-emerging infections.

PubMed

Stramer, S L

2014-07-01

In August 2009, a group from the AABB (Stramer et al., Transfusion 2009;99:1S-29S, Emerging Infectious Disease Agents and their Potential Threat to Transfusion Safety; http://www.aabb.org/resources/bct/eid/Pages/default.aspx) published a Supplement to Transfusion that reviewed emerging infectious disease (EID) agents that pose a real or theoretical threat to transfusion safety, but for which an existing effective intervention is lacking. The necessary attributes for transfusion transmission were outlined including: presence of the agent in blood during the donor's asymptomatic phase, the agent's survival/persistence in blood during processing/storage, and lastly that the agent must be recognized as responsible for a clinically apparent outcome in at least a proportion of recipients who become infected. Without these attributes, agents are not considered as a transfusion-transmission threat and were excluded. Sixty-eight such agents were identified with enough evidence/likelihood of transfusion transmission (e.g., blood phase) and potential for clinical disease to warrant further consideration. In the Supplement, Fact Sheets (FS) were published providing information on: agent classification; disease agent's importance; clinical syndromes/diseases caused; transmission modes (including vectors/reservoirs); likelihood of transfusion transmission, and if proven to be transfusion-transmitted, information on known cases; the feasibility/predicted success of interventions for donor screening (questioning) and tests available for diagnostics/ adapted for donor screening; and finally, the efficacy, if known, of inactivation methods for plasma-derived products. The Supplement included a separate section on pathogen reduction using published data. Agents were prioritized relative to their scientific/epidemiologic threat and their perceived threat to the community including concerns expressed by the regulators of blood. Agents given the highest priority due to a known transfusion-transmission threat and severe/fatal disease in recipients were the vCJD prion, dengue viruses and the obligate red-cell parasite that causes babesiosis ( B. microti and related Babesia ). Although the focus of the Supplement was towards the United States and Canada, many of the agents (and the process) are applicable worldwide. Since the publication of the Supplement, six new FSs (yellow fever viruses-including vaccine breakthrough infections, miscellaneous arboviruses, XMRV, human parvoviruses/bocaviruses other than B19, and most recently the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, MERS-CoV) were added and 14 existing FSs updated (Anaplasma, Babesia, Bartonella, Erhlichia, chronic wasting disease-CWD, human prions other than vCJD, vCJD, Coxiella burnetii -the agent of Q fever, dengue viruses, HAV, HEV, Japanese encephalitis-JE complex, tick-borne encephalitis viruses-TBEV, and human parvovirus B19). Also, tables were released outlining pathogen reduction clinical trials/results (published) and availability/commercial routine use of such technologies by country. Of necessity, the list of EID agents is not, and can never be, complete due to the nature of emergence. We recognized that a system of assessing the risk/threat of EIDs for their potential impact on blood safety and availability must include processes for monitoring, identifying, evaluating, estimating severity, assessing risk and developing interventions. Thus, a 'toolkit' containing the necessary 'tools' from EID monitoring (horizon scanning) to validation/effectiveness evaluations of interventions is being developed. The goal is, to develop a systematic approach to risk assessment and intervention development for the impact of emerging infectious upon blood safety intended to educate and provide advise about risks/interventions in a timely/accurate fashion. The process and final product (toolkit) including methods to monitor EID agent emergence, identification/recognition of a transfusion-transmission threat, methods for quantitative risk assessments, and the appropriate management of such threats should be considered for implementation by all blood systems.

33 CFR 158.120 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., London, SE1 7SR, England. Medical waste means isolation wastes, infectious agents, human blood and blood... or facility which is a base of operations for ships serving the mineral and oil industry. Noxious...

33 CFR 158.120 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., London, SE1 7SR, England. Medical waste means isolation wastes, infectious agents, human blood and blood... or facility which is a base of operations for ships serving the mineral and oil industry. Noxious...

Synthesis, bioanalysis and biodistribution of photosensitizer conjugates for photodynamic therapy

PubMed Central

Denis, Tyler GSt; Hamblin, Michael R

2013-01-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was discovered in 1900 by Raab, and has since emerged as a promising tool for treating diseases characterized by unwanted cells or hyperproliferating tissue (e.g., cancer or infectious disease). PDT consists of the light excitation of a photosensitizer (PS) in the presence of O2 to yield highly reactive oxygen species. In recent years, PDT has been improved by the synthesis of targeted bioconjugates between monoclonal antibodies and PS, and by investigating PS biodistribution and PD. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of major developments in PS-immunoconjugate-based PDT and the bioanalysis of these agents, with a specific emphasis on anticancer and antimicrobial PDT. PMID:23641699

Neutrophilic dermatosis resembling pyoderma gangrenosum in a dog with polyarthritis.

PubMed

Bardagí, M; Lloret, A; Fondati, A; Ferrer, L

2007-04-01

This report describes a case of neutrophilic dermatosis in a dog, with a number of clinical and pathological similarities to human pyoderma gangrenosum. A seven-year-old, female German shepherd dog with a history of non-erosive idiopathic polyarthritis was presented with severe facial swelling, bilateral erosivoulcerative lesions on the muzzle and multiple, eroded, dermal-subcutaneous nodules on the cranial trunk. Histopathological examination of skin biopsies revealed a necrotising neutrophilic dermatitis. No infectious agents could be detected using specific stains, immunohistochemistry, serology and bacterial aerobic, anaerobic or fungal cultures. A sterile neutrophilic dermatosis resembling human pyoderma gangrenosum was presumptively diagnosed, and the patient showed an excellent response to treatment with prednisone and ciclosporin.

Enhancing the sensitivity of immunoassay procedures by use of antibodies directed to the product of a reaction between probe labels and assay substrates

DOEpatents

Erlanger, Bernard F.; Chen, Bi-Xing

1999-01-01

The subject invention provides an antibody which specifically binds to the product of a reaction between a labeling substance and a substrate. The subject invention also provides a method of making an immunogen used to produce the antibody of the subject invention. The invention further provides methods of using the subject antibody for detecting an antigen of interest in a sample, for example, detecting a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of interest and detecting a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence of interest, detecting a polypeptide such as those expressed by infectious agents, fungi or parasites.

Enhancing the sensitivity of immunoassay procedures by use of antibodies directed to the product of a reaction between probe labels and assay substrates

DOEpatents

Erlanger, B.F.; Chen, B.

1999-07-20

The subject invention provides an antibody which specifically binds to the product of a reaction between a labeling substance and a substrate. The subject invention also provides a method of making an immunogen used to produce the antibody of the subject invention. The invention further provides methods of using the subject antibody for detecting an antigen of interest in a sample, for example, detecting a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of interest and detecting a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence of interest, detecting a polypeptide such as those expressed by infectious agents, fungi or parasites. 25 figs.

Etiology of sockeye salmon 'virus' disease

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guenther, Raymond W.; Watson, S.W.; Rucker, R.R.; Ross, A.J.

1959-01-01

Violent epizootics among hatchery reared sockeye salmon fingerlings (Oncorhynchus nerka) caused by a filterable agent have occurred. In 1954, one source of this infectious, filterable agent was found to be adult sockeye viscera used in the diet for the fingerlings. The results of observations on an epizootic in 1958 indicate that the infection may be transmitted to fingerlings from a water supply to which adult sockeye salmon have access.

Peer Comparison of Anti-MRSA Agent Prescription in the Inpatient Setting.

PubMed

Bork, Jacqueline T; Morgan, Daniel J; Heil, Emily L; Pineles, Lisa; Kleinberg, Michael

2017-12-01

Peer comparison has potential as an effective antimicrobial stewardship intervention in the inpatient setting. We report a new metric, days of therapy per 100 service days, for comparing antibiotic utilization. Among 14 prescribers on the primary infectious diseases service during a 6-month period, we identified 1 outlier for each anti-MRSA agent. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1506-1508.

Immunotherapy for Infectious Diseases: Past, Present, and Future.

PubMed

Manohar, Akshay; Ahuja, Jasmine; Crane, John K

2015-01-01

Passive immunotherapy for established infections, as opposed to active immunization to prevent disease, remains a tiny niche in the world of antimicrobial therapies. Many of the passive immunotherapies currently available are directed against bacterial toxins, such as botulism, or are intended for agents of bioterrorism such as anthrax, which fortunately has remained rare. The emergence of Ebola virus and multi-drug resistant pathogens, however, may breathe new life into the immunotherapy field as researchers seek non-antibiotic interventions for infectious diseases.

Reflectance confocal microscopy of tinea nigra: comparing images with dermoscopy and mycological examination results.

PubMed

Veasey, John Verrinder; Avila, Ricardo Bertozzi de; Ferreira, Marcus Antônio Maia de Olivas; Lazzarini, Rosana

2017-01-01

Tinea nigra is a superficial mycosis whose diagnosis is confirmed by isolating the infectious agent Hortae werneckii through mycological examinations. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy, initially used in melanocytic dermatosis, has been used with skin infectious diseases to identify the parasite at the cellular level. We report, for the first time in the scientific literature, the use of reflectance confocal microscopy in a case of tinea nigra and compare its findings to dermoscopy and mycological examination results.

Reflectance confocal microscopy of tinea nigra: comparing images with dermoscopy and mycological examination results*

PubMed Central

Veasey, John Verrinder; de Avila, Ricardo Bertozzi; Ferreira, Marcus Antônio Maia de Olivas; Lazzarini, Rosana

2017-01-01

Tinea nigra is a superficial mycosis whose diagnosis is confirmed by isolating the infectious agent Hortae werneckii through mycological examinations. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy, initially used in melanocytic dermatosis, has been used with skin infectious diseases to identify the parasite at the cellular level. We report, for the first time in the scientific literature, the use of reflectance confocal microscopy in a case of tinea nigra and compare its findings to dermoscopy and mycological examination results. PMID:28954116

Mechanism of low-intensity laser therapy as a different etiology for kidney lesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koultchavenia, Ekaterina V.

2001-05-01

Urological diseases are widespread among the population. Both infectious-inflammatory and oncological diseases are often diagnosed. Modern antibiotics permit to eradicate infectious agent, but efficiency of therapy is insufficient because of reduction of organ function. Thus, besides aetiotropic therapy pathogenetic effect is necessary. Low- intensity laser therapy (LT) is best pathogenetic treatment, so far as it has a few contraindications, low cost and good tolerance. Our goal was to investigate the influence of LT on different aetiology kidney lesion.

[Treatment of severe neutropenias in dogs and cats with filgrastim].

PubMed

Kraft, W; Kuffer, M

1995-12-01

The recombinant hG-CSF Filgrastim was used in severe cases of neutropenia in the dog caused by parvovirosis, hyperestrogenism, treatment with antineoplastic agents, an aplastic syndrome and in the cat in cases of infectious panleukopenia. Increases of the numbers of leukocytes were observed in all groups of diseases in the dog, but not in feline infectious panleukopenia. Filgrastim is indicated in neutropenias associated with disturbance of the general condition accompanied by fever, but not in cases of transitory leukopenias.

[The current status and outlook for molecular genetic methods in solving the tasks of medical microbiology].

PubMed

Gintsburg, A L; Zigangirova, N A; Romanova, Iu M

1999-01-01

The article deals with modern methods, viz. PCR, molecular display and genotherapy, which permit the new approach to the solution of problems connected with the identification of infective agents, the study of the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and their treatment. In this article concrete examples, clearly demonstrating how each of the above-mentioned technologies makes it possible to broaden the circle of problems solved in infectious pathology of man, are presented.

Distemper Outbreak and Its Effect on African Wild Dog Conservation

PubMed Central

van de Bildt, Marco W.G.; Kuiken, Thijs; Visee, Aart M.; Lema, Sangito; Fitzjohn, Tony R.

2002-01-01

In December 2000, an infectious disease spread through a captive breeding group of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in Tanzania, killing 49 of 52 animals within 2 months. The causative agent was identified as Canine distemper virus (CDV) by means of histologic examination, virus isolation, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis, and nucleotide sequencing. This report emphasizes the importance of adequate protection against infectious diseases for the successful outcome of captive breeding programs of endangered species. PMID:11897078

A retrospective study of non-suppurative encephalitis in beef cattle from western Canada

PubMed Central

Sánchez, Sergio; Clark, Edward G.; Wobeser, Gary A.; Janzen, Eugene D.; Philibert, Hélène

2013-01-01

Non-suppurative encephalitis occurs sporadically in beef cattle in western Canada, leading to loss of animals. This retrospective study investigated the presence of viral, bacterial, and protozoal antigens or DNA in 37 western Canadian feedlot cattle with non-suppurative encephalitis for which a cause had not been identified. Cases were selected based on the age of the animal (> 7 months), and clinical history of recumbency and depression. The identification of rabies in 1 case stresses the importance of including this viral disease in the list of differential diagnoses. Because there was variation in the severity, distribution, and type of lesions, it is possible that there may be more than 1 cause, but failure to identify an infectious agent might also suggest that non-infectious agents could play a role. PMID:24293671

Infectious Agents in Bovine Red Meat and Milk and Their Potential Role in Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases.

PubMed

Zur Hausen, Harald; Bund, Timo; de Villiers, Ethel-Michele

2017-01-01

Red meat and dairy products have frequently been suggested to represent risk factors for certain cancers, chronic neurodegenerative diseases, and autoimmune and cardiovascular disorders. This review summarizes the evidence and investigates the possible involvement of infectious factors in these diseases. The isolation of small circular single-stranded DNA molecules from serum and dairy products of Eurasian Aurochs (Bos taurus)-derived cattle, obviously persisting as episomes in infected cells, provides the basis for further investigations. Gene expression of these agents in human cells has been demonstrated, and frequent infection of humans is implicated by the detection of antibodies in a high percentage of healthy individuals. Epidemiological observations suggest their relationship to the development multiple sclerosis, to heterophile antibodies, and to N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) containing cell surface receptors.

Evidence of feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, and Toxoplasma gondii in feral cats on Mauna Kea, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Danner, R.M.; Goltz, Dan M.; Hess, S.C.; Banko, P.C.

2007-01-01

We determined prevalence to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibodies, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen, and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in feral cats (Felis catus) on Mauna Kea Hawaii from April 2002 to May 2004. Six of 68 (8.8%) and 11 of 68 (16.2%) cats were antibody positive to FIV and antigen positive for FeLV, respectively; 25 of 67 (37.3%) cats were seropositive to T. gondii. Antibodies to FeLV and T. gondii occurred in all age and sex classes, but FIV occurred only in adult males. Evidence of current or previous infections with two of these infectious agents was detected in eight of 64 cats (12.5%). Despite exposure to these infectious agents, feral cats remain abundant throughout the Hawaiian Islands. ?? Wildlife Disease Association 2007.

Feline and Canine Coronaviruses: Common Genetic and Pathobiological Features

PubMed Central

Le Poder, Sophie

2011-01-01

A new human coronavirus responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was identified in 2003, which raised concern about coronaviruses as agents of serious infectious disease. Nevertheless, coronaviruses have been known for about 50 years to be major agents of respiratory, enteric, or systemic infections of domestic and companion animals. Feline and canine coronaviruses are widespread among dog and cat populations, sometimes leading to the fatal diseases known as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and pantropic canine coronavirus infection in cats and dogs, respectively. In this paper, different aspects of the genetics, host cell tropism, and pathogenesis of the feline and canine coronaviruses (FCoV and CCoV) will be discussed, with a view to illustrating how study of FCoVs and CCoVs can improve our general understanding of the pathobiology of coronaviruses. PMID:22312347

Simultaneous acute deep vein thrombosis and acute brucellosis. A case report.

PubMed

Salihi, Salih; Andaç, Şeyda; Kalender, Mehmet; Yıldırım, Onur; İmre, Ayfer

2016-06-01

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease common in developing countries. Vascular complications, including arterial and venous, associated with Brucella infection have rarely been reported. A case of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) developing after a diagnosis of acute brucellosis in a young milkman is presented. A 26-year-old man presented with pain in the right leg. The patient's medical history included a diagnosis of brucellosis in our hospital where he had presented with complaints of weakness and fever. Peripheral venous Doppler ultrasound showed DVT, and the patient was treated with anticoagulants. The patient was discharged with warfarin therapy and anti-brucellosis treatment. Although rare, some infectious agents may cause vascular pathologies. Patients presenting with symptoms of DVT or similar vascular pathologies should be assessed for infectious agents, particularly in those coming from Brucella-endemic areas.

Relevance of feline calicivirus, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, feline herpesvirus and Bartonella henselae in cats with chronic gingivostomatitis.

PubMed

Belgard, Sylvia; Truyen, Uwe; Thibault, Jean-Christophe; Sauter-Louis, Carola; Hartmann, Katrin

2010-01-01

Despite its common occurrence, the aetiology of chronic gingivostomatitis in cats remains uncertain. Aetiology is likely multifactorial, and several infectious agents may be associated with chronic gingivostomatitis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of feline calicivirus (FCV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline herpesvirus (FHV), and Bartonella henselae (B. henselae) in cats with chronic gingivostomatitis and in an age-matched control group. In addition, other factors, e. g., environmental conditions were investigated. In 52 cats with chronic gingivostomatitis and 50 healthy age-matched control cats, the presence of FCV ribonucleic acid (RNA), and FHV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (polymerase chain reaction [PCR] from oropharyngeal swabs), and B. henselae DNA (PCR from oropharyngeal swabs and blood), as well as FeLV antigen (serum), and antibodies against FCV, B. henselae, and FIV (serum) were examined. FCV RNA was significantly more common in cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (53.8%, p < 0.001) than in controls (14.0%); a significant difference was also found in the prevalence of antibodies to FCV between the cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (78.8%, p = 0.023) and controls (58.0%). Of the other infectious agents investigated, there was no significant difference in the prevalence between the cats with chronic gingivostomatitis and the controls. The results of this study allow the conclusion that FCV, but no other infectious agents, is commonly associated with chronic gingivostomatitis in cats.

Prevalence of selected infectious disease agents in stray cats in Catalonia, Spain

PubMed Central

Ravicini, Sara; Pastor, Josep; Hawley, Jennifer; Brewer, Melissa; Castro-López, Jorge; Beall, Melissa; Lappin, Michael R

2016-01-01

Objectives The objective of the current study was to investigate the prevalence rates of the following infectious agents in 116 stray cats in the Barcelona area of Spain: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella species, Borrelia burgdorferi, Chlamydia felis, Dirofilaria immitis, Ehrlichia species, feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), haemoplasmas, Mycoplasma species and Rickettsia species. Methods Serum antibodies were used to estimate the prevalence of exposure to A phagocytophilum, Bartonella species, B burgdorferi, Ehrlichia species and FIV; serum antigens were used to assess for infection by D immitis and FeLV; and molecular assays were used to amplify nucleic acids of Anaplasma species, Bartonella species, C felis, D immitis, Ehrlichia species, FCV, FHV-1, haemoplasmas, Mycoplasma species and Rickettsia species from blood and nasal or oral swabs. Results Of the 116 cats, 63 (54.3%) had evidence of infection by Bartonella species, FeLV, FIV or a haemoplasma. Anaplasma species, Ehrlichia species or Rickettsia species DNA was not amplified from these cats. A total of 18/116 cats (15.5%) were positive for FCV RNA (six cats), Mycoplasma species DNA (six cats), FHV-1 DNA (three cats) or C felis DNA (three cats). Conclusions and relevance This study documents that shelter cats in Catalonia are exposed to many infectious agents with clinical and zoonotic significance, and that flea control is indicated for cats in the region. PMID:28491415

Ophidian Spectaculitis and Spectacular Dysecdysis: A Histologic Description.

PubMed

Da Silva, M O; Bertelsen, M F; Heegaard, S; Garner, M M

2015-11-01

The histologic features of abnormal spectacles in 60 snakes from the 5 families of Boidae, Colubridae, Elapidae, Pythonidae, and Viperidae are described in a retrospective study conducted on specimens submitted to a private diagnostic service during a period of 15 years. Fifty-two snakes had inflammatory reactions in the spectacle. The stroma and outer epithelium of the spectacle were the layers most often involved in inflammatory disease. Lesions of the outer epithelium included edema, hyperkeratosis, and granulocyte infiltration occasionally with bacterial colonies and fungal elements. The stroma had infectious agents and inflammatory reactions in vessels and between the collagen fibrils. The inner epithelium had varying degrees of hyperplasia and hypertrophy, but no infectious agents were seen. Infectious agents in these cases included mites, bacterial disease, fungal disease, or a combination of bacterial and fungal disease. Special stains identified the bacteria most commonly involved to be Gram-positive cocci. Thirteen snakes had dysecdysis of the spectacle. Of these, 5 displayed a concurrent inflammatory reaction of the spectacle, while the remaining 8 snakes had extra keratin layers on a spectacle with an otherwise normal appearance. These keratin layers were attached to serocellular crusts located on the inner surface of the periocular scales. The cause for dyskeratotic lesions of the spectacle was not always apparent, and concurrent acariasis, other forms of dermatitis, trauma, suboptimal husbandry, and visceral disease were considered possible contributing factors. It was notable that only 4% of the submitted cases were found to have spectaculitis and/or spectacular dysecdysis. © The Author(s) 2015.

15th International Conference on Human Antibodies and Hybridomas. 14-16 April 2010, Tiara Park Atlantico Hotel, Porto, Portugal.

PubMed

Kotlan, Beatrix

2010-11-01

Antibodies and antibody conjugates are currently one of the largest classes of new drug entities under development. These versatile molecules are being investigated for the treatment of many pathological conditions, such as cancer and infectious, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Antibodies can exert biological effects as naked antibodies by themselves, or can be used as delivery agents conjugated with various drugs (e.g., immunoconjugates) and as tools of multistep targeting. Site-specific delivery of therapeutic agents has been the ultimate goal of the pharmaceutical industry, as it has the potential to maximize drug efficiency while minimizing side effects. Antibodies have much potential for this objective. Thus, it is useful to summarize some of the main strategies currently being employed for the development of these diverse therapeutic molecules and to highlight the recent novelties in the field. These goals were the focus of the 15th International Conference on Human Antibodies and Hybridomas, held during 14-16 April 2010 in Porto, Portugal.

[Non-invasive assessment of fatty liver].

PubMed

Egresi, Anna; Lengyel, Gabriella; Hagymási, Krisztina

2015-04-05

As the result of various harmful effects (infectious agents, metabolic diseases, unhealthy diet, obesity, toxic agents, autoimmune processes) hepatic damage may develop, which can progress towards liver steatosis, and fibrosis as well. The most common etiological factors of liver damages are hepatitis B and C infection, alcohol consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver biopsy is considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of chronic liver diseases. Due to the dangers and complications of liver biopsy, studies are focused on non-invasive markers and radiological imaging for liver steatosis, progression of fatty liver, activity of the necroinflammation and the severity of the fibrosis. Authors review the possibilities of non-invasive assessment of liver steatosis. The statistical features of the probes (positive, negative predictive values, sensitivity, specificity) are reviewed. The role of radiological imaging is also discussed. Although the non-invasive methods discussed in this article are useful to assess liver steatosis, further studies are needed to validate to follow progression of the diseases and to control therapeutic response.

Microbicides for the Treatment of Sexually Transmitted HIV Infections

PubMed Central

Singh, Onkar; Garg, Tarun; Rath, Goutam; Goyal, Amit K.

2014-01-01

Approximately 34 million people were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) at the end of 2011. From the last two decades, researchers are actively involved in the development of an effective HIV-1 treatment, but the results intended are still doubtful about the eradication of HIV. The HIV-1 virus has gone from being an “inherently untreatable” infectious agent to the one liable to be affected by a range of approved therapies. Candidate microbicides have been developed to target specific steps in the process of viral transmission. Microbicides are self-administered agents that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the aim of preventing, or reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV-1. The development of efficient, widely available, and low-cost microbicides to prevent sexually transmitted HIV infections should be given high priority. In this review, we studied the various forms of microbicides, their mechanism of action, and their abundant approaches to control the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). PMID:26556193

Taking a Toll on human disease: Toll-like receptor 4 agonists as vaccine adjuvants and monotherapeutic agents.

PubMed

Baldridge, Jory R; McGowan, Patrick; Evans, Jay T; Cluff, Christopher; Mossman, Sally; Johnson, David; Persing, David

2004-07-01

Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists are being developed for use as vaccine adjuvants and as stand-alone immunomodulators because of their ability to stimulate innate and adaptive immune responses. Among the most thoroughly studied TLR agonists are the lipid A molecules that target the TLR4 complex. One promising candidate, monophosphoryl lipid A, which is a derivative of lipid A from Salmonella minnesota, has proven to be safe and effective as a vaccine adjuvant in > 120,000 human doses. A new class of synthetic lipid A mimetics, the aminoalkyl glucosaminide 4-phosphates (AGPs), have been engineered specifically to target human TLR4 and are showing promise as vaccine adjuvants and as monotherapeutic agents capable of eliciting nonspecific protection against a wide range of infectious pathogens. In this review, the authors provide an update of the preclinical and clinical experiences with the TLR4 agonists, MPL (Corixa Corporation) adjuvant and the AGPs.

A historical perspective on the discovery and elucidation of the hepatitis B virus.

PubMed

Block, Timothy M; Alter, Harvey J; London, W Thomas; Bray, Mike

2016-07-01

The discovery in 1965 of the "Australia antigen," subsequently identified as the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), was such a watershed event in virology that it is often thought to mark the beginning of hepatitis research, but it is more accurately seen as a critical breakthrough in a long effort to understand the pathogenesis of infectious hepatitis. A century earlier, Virchow provided an authoritative explanation of "catarrhal jaundice," which did not consider an infectious etiology, but the transmission of jaundice by human serum was clearly identified in two outbreaks in 1885, and the distinction between "infectious" and "serum" hepatitis was recognized by the early 1920s. The inability to culture a virus or reproduce either syndrome in laboratory animals led to numerous studies in human volunteers; by the end of World War II, it was known that the diseases were caused by different filterable agents, and the terms "hepatitis A" and "B" were introduced in 1947 (though some long-incubation cases then designated B must in retrospect have been hepatitis C). The development of a number of liver function tests during the 1950s led to the recognition of anicteric infections and the existence of chronic carriers, but little more could be done until an infectious agent had been identified. Once Blumberg and colleagues had found a specific viral marker, the vast amount of accumulated epidemiologic and clinical data, together with huge numbers of stored serum samples, enabled rapid progress in understanding hepatitis B, and revealed the existence of a vast population of chronically infected people in Asia, Oceania and Africa. In this article, we place the identification of the Australia antigen within the historical context of research on viral hepatitis. Following a chronological review from 1865 to 1965, we summarize how the discovery led to improved safety of blood transfusion, the development of a highly effective vaccine and the eventual identification of the hepatitis C, D and E viruses. This article forms part of a symposium in Antiviral Research on "An unfinished story: from the discovery of the Australia antigen to the development of new curative therapies for chronic hepatitis B." Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food webs including parasites, biomass, body sizes, and life stages for three California/Baja California estuaries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hechinger, Ryan F.; Lafferty, Kevin D.; McLaughlin, John P.; Fredensborg, Brian L.; Huspeni, Todd C.; Lorda, Julio; Sandhu, Parwant K.; Shaw, Jenny C.; Torchin, Mark E.; Whitney, Kathleen L.; Kuris, Armand M.

2001-01-01

This data set presents food webs for three North American Pacific coast estuaries and a “Metaweb” composed of the species/stages compiled from all three estuaries. The webs have four noteworthy attributes: (1) parasites (infectious agents), (2) body-size information, (3) biomass information, and (4) ontogenetic stages of many animals with complex life cycles. The estuaries are Carpinteria Salt Marsh, California (CSM); Estero de Punta Banda, Baja California (EPB); and Bahía Falsa in Bahía San Quintín, Baja California (BSQ). Most data on species assemblages and parasitism were gathered via consistent sampling that acquired body size and biomass information for plants and animals larger than ∼1 mm, and for many infectious agents (mostly metazoan parasites, but also some microbes). We augmented this with information from additional published sources and by sampling unrepresented groups (e.g., plankton). We estimated free-living consumer–resource links primarily by extending a previously published version of the CSM web (which the current CSM web supplants) and determined most parasite consumer–resource links from direct observation. We recognize 21 possible link types including four general interactions: predators consuming prey, parasites consuming hosts, predators consuming parasites, and parasites consuming parasites. While generally resolved to the species level, we report stage-specific nodes for many animals with complex life cycles. We include additional biological information for each node, such as taxonomy, lifestyle (free-living, infectious, commensal, mutualist), mobility, and residency. The Metaweb includes 500 nodes, 314 species, and 11 270 links projected to be present given appropriate species' co-occurrences. Of these, 9247 links were present in one or more of the estuarine webs. The remaining 2023 links were not present in the estuaries but are included here because they may occur in other places or times. Initial analyses have examined and are examining the interrelationships among consumer strategy, body size, abundance, biomass, trophic level, life stages, and food-web structure and dynamics. Further use of these data may enable a more general exploration how infectious processes and parasites impact communities and ecosystems. Additionally, we present the data and metadata in a standardized format, attempting to provide a system-neutral template for future food-web assembly and publication.

Efficient Inactivation of Burkholderia pseudomallei or Francisella tularensis in infected Cells for Safe Removal from Biosafety Level 3 Containment Laboratories

PubMed Central

Emery, Felicia D.; Stabenow, Jennifer M.; Miller, Mark A.

2014-01-01

Working with infectious agents that require BSL-3 level containment agents offers many challenges for researchers. BSL-3 containment laboratories are usually not equipped with expensive specialty equipment that is needed for studies such as flow cytometric analysis, microscopy, and proteomic analyses. Therefore, for most researchers that are working with BSL-3 level infectious agents, removal of samples from BSL-3 labs for these types of studies is necessary, and methods for complete and dependable inactivation of the samples are required. In this report we have done a thorough characterization of the effectiveness of paraformaldehyde fixation for inactivation of cell samples infected with the intracellular bacterial agents Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) and Francisella tularensis (Ft), both of which are Tier 1 select agent pathogens that require BSL-3 containment. We have demonstrated that cells infected with these pathogens are completely inactivated via 5-minute treatment with 4% paraformaldehyde. Moreover, a 15-minute treatment with 2% paraformaldehyde completely sterilized both Bp- and Ft-infected cells. These studies also revealed that Bp is significantly more sensitive to paraformaldehyde treatment than Ft. Our findings have clearly demonstrated that a 15-minute treatment of Bp- or Ft-infected cells with 4% paraformaldehyde solution will allow for safe removal of the cell samples from BSL-3 labs for downstream studies. PMID:24449562

Unique inflammatory RNA profiles of microglia in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Christopher A.; Manuelidis, Laura

2003-01-01

Previous studies in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) have shown that myeloid cells in the periphery as well as derivative microglial cells in the brain are infectious. Microglia can show an activated phenotype before prion protein (PrP) pathology is detectable in brain, and isolated infectious microglia contain very little PrP. To find whether a set of inflammatory genes are significantly induced or suppressed with infection, we analyzed RNA from isolated microglia with relevant cDNA arrays, and identified 30 transcripts not previously examined in any transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. This CJD expression profile contrasted with that of uninfected microglia exposed to prototypic inflammatory stimuli such as lipopolysaccharide and IFN-, as well as PrP amyloid. These findings underscore inflammatory pathways evoked by the infectious agent in brain. Transcript profiles unique for CJD microglia and other myeloid cells provide opportunities for more sensitive preclinical diagnoses of infectious and noninfectious neurodegenerative diseases.

Postexposure management of healthcare personnel to infectious diseases.

PubMed

Bader, Mazen S; Brooks, Annie A; Srigley, Jocelyn A

2015-01-01

Healthcare personnel (HCP) are at risk of exposure to various pathogens through their daily tasks and may serve as a reservoir for ongoing disease transmission in the healthcare setting. Management of HCP exposed to infectious agents can be disruptive to patient care, time-consuming, and costly. Exposure of HCP to an infectious source should be considered an urgent medical concern to ensure timely management and administration of postexposure prophylaxis, if available and indicated. Infection control and occupational health departments should be notified for management of exposed HCP, identification of all contacts of the index case, and application of immediate infection control measures for the index case and exposed HCP, if indicated. This article reviews the main principles of postexposure management of HCP to infectious diseases, in general, and to certain common infections, in particular, categorized by their route of transmission, in addition to primary prevention of these infections.

Evaluation of the impact of a nationwide massive online open course on the appropriate use of antimicrobials.

PubMed

Pérez-Moreno, María Antonia; Peñalva-Moreno, Germán; Praena, Julia; González-González, Ana; Martínez-Cañavate, María Teresa; Rodríguez-Baño, Jesús; Cisneros, José Miguel

2018-04-25

To evaluate the impact of a massive online open course (MOOC) design on the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents, to determine specific study areas with better learning outcomes and to identify weak points. A pre- and post-intervention study in the context of a training course on infectious diseases aimed at health professionals. We designed a questionnaire with 30 questions related to the management of infectious diseases in different clinical situations. Participants had to answer the questions based on their competencies and training for these situations. We analysed the scores obtained before and after the course and the resulting progress. In addition, an open response section was provided to enable a qualitative evaluation. Two thousand one hundred and forty-eight health professionals were enrolled in the course. The questionnaire was completed before and after the course by 606 participants, mainly physicians (81.2%) and pharmacists (15.4%). The mean overall scores for the pre- and post-course questionnaires were 6.2 (SD 1.38) and 7.9 (SD 0.88), respectively (overall score increase = 1.8, SD 1.21, P < 0.001). A significant increase in self-assessment was detected (P < 0.001) for all the questions. Qualitative assessments were provided by 218 participants with 225 comments, most of which were very positive. The course with a MOOC design showed a great teaching capacity in the infectious diseases area for all the clinical situations analysed, notably in the management of severe infections with higher mortality. For future editions of this training activity, the need to include other infectious diseases, especially infections in primary care, was highlighted.

Formation of a stable mimic of ambient particulate matter containing viable infectious respiratory syncytial virus and its dry-deposition directly onto cell cultures.

PubMed

Cruz-Sanchez, Teresita M; Haddrell, Allen E; Hackett, Tillie L; Singhera, Gurpreet K; Marchant, David; Lekivetz, Ryan; Meredith, Anna; Horne, Derrick; Knight, Darryl A; van Eeden, Stephen F; Bai, Tony R; Hegele, Richard G; Dorscheid, Delbert R; Agnes, George R

2013-01-15

Epidemiological associations of worse respiratory outcomes from combined exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and respiratory viral infection suggest possible interactions between PM and viruses. To characterize outcomes of such exposures, we developed an in vitro mimic of the in vivo event of exposure to PM contaminated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Concentration of infectious RSV stocks and a particle levitation apparatus were the foundations of the methodology developed to generate specific numbers of PM mimics (PM(Mimics)) of known composition for dry, direct deposition onto airway epithelial cell cultures. Three types of PM(Mimics) were generated for this study: (i) carbon alone (P(C)), (ii) carbon and infectious RSV (P(C+RSV)), and (iii) aerosols consisting of RSV (A(RSV)). P(C+RSV) were stable in solution and harbored infectious RSV for up to 6 months. Unlike A(RSV) infection, P(C+RSV) infection was found to be dynamin dependent and to cause lysosomal rupture. Cells dosed with PM(Mimics) comprised of RSV (A(RSV)), carbon (P(C)), or RSV and carbon (P(C+RSV)) responded differentially as exemplified by the secretion patterns of IL-6 and IL-8. Upon infection, and prior to lung cell death due to viral infection, regression analysis of these two mediators in response to incubation with A(RSV), P(C), or P(C+RSV) yielded higher concentrations upon infection with the latter and at earlier time points than the other PM(Mimics). In conclusion, this experimental platform provides an approach to study the combined effects of PM-viral interactions and airway epithelial exposures in the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases involving inhalation of environmental agents.

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.

Neglected infectious diseases in Aboriginal communities: Haemophilus influenzae serotype a and Helicobacter pylori.

PubMed

Ulanova, Marina; Tsang, Raymond; Altman, Eleonora

2012-11-19

This report describes proceedings of a workshop entitled "Neglected Infectious Diseases in Aboriginal Communities" which took place in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, on October 12, 2011. This workshop was jointly organized by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the National Microbiology Laboratory (Public Health Agency of Canada) and Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) with participants from the Medical Sciences Division and Clinical Sciences Division of NOSM, NRC, National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), Public Health Laboratory (Thunder Bay), Thunder Bay District Health Unit, and Regional Health Survey at Chiefs of Ontario. The main purpose of the workshop was to summarize the current state of knowledge on two less publicized infectious disease agents afflicting Canadian Aboriginal communities: Haemophilus influenzae serotype a (Hia) and Helicobacter pylori. Another highlight of this workshop was the discussion on novel approaches for vaccination strategies in the control and prevention of such disease agents. In conclusion, a long-term collaborative research framework was established between NRC, NML and NOSM to develop carbohydrate-based vaccines against these pathogens that may benefit the health of Canadian Aboriginal peoples and other population groups at risk. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Dissection of Host Susceptibility to Bacterial Infections and Its Toxins.

PubMed

Nashef, Aysar; Agbaria, Mahmoud; Shusterman, Ariel; Lorè, Nicola Ivan; Bragonzi, Alessandra; Wiess, Ervin; Houri-Haddad, Yael; Iraqi, Fuad A

2017-01-01

Infection is one of the leading causes of human mortality and morbidity. Exposure to microbial agents is obviously required. However, also non-microbial environmental and host factors play a key role in the onset, development and outcome of infectious disease, resulting in large of clinical variability between individuals in a population infected with the same microbe. Controlled and standardized investigations of the genetics of susceptibility to infectious disease are almost impossible to perform in humans whereas mouse models allow application of powerful genomic techniques to identify and validate causative genes underlying human diseases with complex etiologies. Most of current animal models used in complex traits diseases genetic mapping have limited genetic diversity. This limitation impedes the ability to create incorporated network using genetic interactions, epigenetics, environmental factors, microbiota, and other phenotypes. A novel mouse genetic reference population for high-resolution mapping and subsequently identifying genes underlying the QTL, namely the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse genetic reference population (GRP) was recently developed. In this chapter, we discuss a variety of approaches using CC mice for mapping genes underlying quantitative trait loci (QTL) to dissect the host response to polygenic traits, including infectious disease caused by bacterial agents and its toxins.

[Fascioliasis and brucellosis in same patient].

PubMed

Deveci, Özcan; Aslan, Emel; Tekin, Alicem; Toka Özer, Türkan; Tekin, Recep; Bozkurt, Fatma; Çetinçakmak, Mehmet Guli

2014-01-01

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that can affect many organs and systems and leads to very different clinical circumstances. Brucellosis is rare in association with various infectious agents. Fascioliasis is a zoonotic disease caused by Fasciola hepatica, popularly referred to as a large leaf-shaped liver fluke. This case is a 39-year-old male patient, and his complaints began a week ago, which were chills, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, sweating, and widespread pain. The patient was considered brucellosis in the preliminary diagnosis. Rose Bengal test and Wright test (1/640) were detected as positive. Due to patients having elevated liver enzymes, abdominal ultrasound was taken. A liver lesion was seen with abdominal ultrasound. So, abdominal computed tomography (CT) was taken. The CT result report came in the form that at the left lobe of the liver segment 2, largely necrosis that showed no contrast enhancement, approximately 61x63 mm in size (compatible with fascioliasis) is viewed. The patient's IHA test results, required for fascioliasis, were detected as 1/320 positive. Especially for zoonotic diseases in areas with high endemicity, it should be considered that more than one infectious agent can be present together in high-risk patients.

Regulation of Inflammatory Pathways in Cancer and Infectious Disease of the Cervix

PubMed Central

Adefuye, Anthonio; Sales, Kurt

2012-01-01

Cervical cancer is one of the leading gynaecological malignancies worldwide. It is an infectious disease of the cervix, associated with human papillomavirus infection (HPV), infection with bacterial agents such as Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoea as well as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Furthermore, it is an AIDS-defining disease with an accelerated mortality in HIV-infected women with cervical cancer. With the introduction of robust vaccination strategies against HPV in the developed world, it is anticipated that the incidence of cervical cancer will decrease in the coming years. However, vaccination has limited benefit for women already infected with high-risk HPV, and alternative therapeutic intervention strategies are needed for these women. Many pathological disorders, including cervical cancer, are characterised by the exacerbated activation and maintenance of inflammatory pathways which are considered to be regulated by infectious agents. In cervical cancer, hyperactivation of these inflammatory pathways and regulation of immune infiltrate into tissues can potentially play a role not only in tumorigenesis but also in HIV infection. In this paper we will discuss the contribution of inflammatory pathways to cervical cancer progression and HIV infection and the role of HIV in cervical cancer progression. PMID:24278714

[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.

Antimicrobial peptides: Possible anti-infective agents.

PubMed

Lakshmaiah Narayana, Jayaram; Chen, Jyh-Yih

2015-10-01

Multidrug-resistant bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections are major health threats. The Infectious Diseases Society of America has expressed concern on the decrease of pharmaceutical companies working on antibiotic research and development. However, small companies, along with academic research institutes, are stepping forward to develop novel therapeutic methods to overcome the present healthcare situation. Among the leading alternatives to current drugs are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are abundantly distributed in nature. AMPs exhibit broad-spectrum activity against a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites, and even cancerous cells. They also show potential immunomodulatory properties, and are highly responsive to infectious agents and innate immuno-stimulatory molecules. In recent years, many AMPs have undergone or are undergoing clinical development, and a few are commercially available for topical and other applications. In this review, we outline selected anion and cationic AMPs which are at various stages of development, from preliminary analysis to clinical drug development. Moreover, we also consider current production methods and delivery tools for AMPs, which must be improved for the effective use of these agents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial activity of transition metal acid MoO(3) prevents microbial growth on material surfaces.

PubMed

Zollfrank, Cordt; Gutbrod, Kai; Wechsler, Peter; Guggenbichler, Josef Peter

2012-01-01

Serious infectious complications of patients in healthcare settings are often transmitted by materials and devices colonised by microorganisms (nosocomial infections). Current strategies to generate material surfaces with an antimicrobial activity suffer from the consumption of the antimicrobial agent and emerging multidrug-resistant pathogens amongst others. Consequently, materials surfaces exhibiting a permanent antimicrobial activity without the risk of generating resistant microorganisms are desirable. This publication reports on the extraordinary efficient antimicrobial properties of transition metal acids such as molybdic acid (H(2)MoO(4)), which is based on molybdenum trioxide (MoO(3)). The modification of various materials (e.g. polymers, metals) with MoO(3) particles or sol-gel derived coatings showed that the modified materials surfaces were practically free of microorganisms six hours after contamination with infectious agents. The antimicrobial activity is based on the formation of an acidic surface deteriorating cell growth and proliferation. The application of transition metal acids as antimicrobial surface agents is an innovative approach to prevent the dissemination of microorganisms in healthcare units and public environments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Infectious bursal disease in New Brunswick.

PubMed

Ide, P R; Stevenson, R G

1973-10-01

A flock of four week old chickens experienced a disease of sudden onset in which the only symptoms were those of depression shortly before death, and in which the predominant histological lesion was necrosis of lymphocytes in the bursa of Fabricius.A virus, designated strain Sk-1, was isolated from pooled bursal tissue of affected birds and was serologically identified as a strain of the infectious bursal agent. This virus was chloroform resistant, did not hemagglutinate guinea pig or chicken erythrocytes and did not produce a cytopathic effect in chick embryo tissue cultures. Equivocal results were obtained in filtration studies but the agent was less than 100nm in diameter. Four week old chicks inoculated with strain Sk-1 developed microscopic lesions in the bursa of Fabricius which were similar to those seen in the original field specimens. Inoculated chick embryos exhibited characteristic macroscopic lesions and necrosis of vascular tissue was a common histological change.A limited serological survey of local poultry flocks indicated that infection by this agent had occurred in four of the ten flocks examined.

Evolution, revolution and heresy in the genetics of infectious disease susceptibility

PubMed Central

Hill, Adrian V. S.

2012-01-01

Infectious pathogens have long been recognized as potentially powerful agents impacting on the evolution of human genetic diversity. Analysis of large-scale case–control studies provides one of the most direct means of identifying human genetic variants that currently impact on susceptibility to particular infectious diseases. For over 50 years candidate gene studies have been used to identify loci for many major causes of human infectious mortality, including malaria, tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, bacterial pneumonia and hepatitis. But with the advent of genome-wide approaches, many new loci have been identified in diverse populations. Genome-wide linkage studies identified a few loci, but genome-wide association studies are proving more successful, and both exome and whole-genome sequencing now offer a revolutionary increase in power. Opinions differ on the extent to which the genetic component to common disease susceptibility is encoded by multiple high frequency or rare variants, and the heretical view that most infectious diseases might even be monogenic has been advocated recently. Review of findings to date suggests that the genetic architecture of infectious disease susceptibility may be importantly different from that of non-infectious diseases, and it is suggested that natural selection may be the driving force underlying this difference. PMID:22312051

Veterinary vaccine nanotechnology: pulmonary and nasal delivery in livestock animals.

PubMed

Calderon-Nieva, Daniella; Goonewardene, Kalhari Bandara; Gomis, Susantha; Foldvari, Marianna

2017-08-01

Veterinary vaccine development has several similarities with human vaccine development to improve the overall health and well-being of species. However, veterinary goals lean more toward feasible large-scale administration methods and low cost to high benefit immunization. Since the respiratory mucosa is easily accessible and most infectious agents begin their infection cycle at the mucosa, immunization through the respiratory route has been a highly attractive vaccine delivery strategy against infectious diseases. Additionally, vaccines administered via the respiratory mucosa could lower costs by removing the need of trained medical personnel, and lowering doses yet achieving similar or increased immune stimulation. The respiratory route often brings challenges in antigen delivery efficiency with enough potency to induce immunity. Nanoparticle (NP) technology has been shown to enhance immune activation by producing higher antibody titers and protection. Although specific mechanisms between NPs and biological membranes are still under investigation, physical parameters such as particle size and shape, as well as biological tissue distribution including mucociliary clearance influence the protection and delivery of antigens to the site of action and uptake by target cells. For respiratory delivery, various biomaterials such as mucoadhesive polymers, lipids, and polysaccharides have shown enhanced antibody production or protection in comparison to antigen alone. This review presents promising NPs administered via the nasal or pulmonary routes for veterinary applications specifically focusing on livestock animals including poultry.

Mathematical models to characterize early epidemic growth: A Review

PubMed Central

Chowell, Gerardo; Sattenspiel, Lisa; Bansal, Shweta; Viboud, Cécile

2016-01-01

There is a long tradition of using mathematical models to generate insights into the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and assess the potential impact of different intervention strategies. The increasing use of mathematical models for epidemic forecasting has highlighted the importance of designing reliable models that capture the baseline transmission characteristics of specific pathogens and social contexts. More refined models are needed however, in particular to account for variation in the early growth dynamics of real epidemics and to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms at play. Here, we review recent progress on modeling and characterizing early epidemic growth patterns from infectious disease outbreak data, and survey the types of mathematical formulations that are most useful for capturing a diversity of early epidemic growth profiles, ranging from sub-exponential to exponential growth dynamics. Specifically, we review mathematical models that incorporate spatial details or realistic population mixing structures, including meta-population models, individual-based network models, and simple SIR-type models that incorporate the effects of reactive behavior changes or inhomogeneous mixing. In this process, we also analyze simulation data stemming from detailed large-scale agent-based models previously designed and calibrated to study how realistic social networks and disease transmission characteristics shape early epidemic growth patterns, general transmission dynamics, and control of international disease emergencies such as the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. PMID:27451336

Mathematical models to characterize early epidemic growth: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowell, Gerardo; Sattenspiel, Lisa; Bansal, Shweta; Viboud, Cécile

2016-09-01

There is a long tradition of using mathematical models to generate insights into the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and assess the potential impact of different intervention strategies. The increasing use of mathematical models for epidemic forecasting has highlighted the importance of designing reliable models that capture the baseline transmission characteristics of specific pathogens and social contexts. More refined models are needed however, in particular to account for variation in the early growth dynamics of real epidemics and to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms at play. Here, we review recent progress on modeling and characterizing early epidemic growth patterns from infectious disease outbreak data, and survey the types of mathematical formulations that are most useful for capturing a diversity of early epidemic growth profiles, ranging from sub-exponential to exponential growth dynamics. Specifically, we review mathematical models that incorporate spatial details or realistic population mixing structures, including meta-population models, individual-based network models, and simple SIR-type models that incorporate the effects of reactive behavior changes or inhomogeneous mixing. In this process, we also analyze simulation data stemming from detailed large-scale agent-based models previously designed and calibrated to study how realistic social networks and disease transmission characteristics shape early epidemic growth patterns, general transmission dynamics, and control of international disease emergencies such as the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

Virus like particle-based vaccines against emerging infectious disease viruses.

PubMed

Liu, Jinliang; Dai, Shiyu; Wang, Manli; Hu, Zhihong; Wang, Hualin; Deng, Fei

2016-08-01

Emerging infectious diseases are major threats to human health. Most severe viral disease outbreaks occur in developing regions where health conditions are poor. With increased international travel and business, the possibility of eventually transmitting infectious viruses between different countries is increasing. The most effective approach in preventing viral diseases is vaccination. However, vaccines are not currently available for numerous viral diseases. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are engineered vaccine candidates that have been studied for decades. VLPs are constructed by viral protein expression in various expression systems that promote the selfassembly of proteins into structures resembling virus particles. VLPs have antigenicity similar to that of the native virus, but are non-infectious as they lack key viral genetic material. VLP vaccines have attracted considerable research interest because they offer several advantages over traditional vaccines. Studies have shown that VLP vaccines can stimulate both humoral and cellular immune responses, which may offer effective antiviral protection. Here we review recent developments with VLP-based vaccines for several highly virulent emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases. The infectious agents discussed include RNA viruses from different virus families, such as the Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Caliciviridae, Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, and Togaviridae families.

ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) Consensus Document on the safety of targeted and biological therapies: an infectious diseases perspective (Cell surface receptors and associated signaling pathways).

PubMed

Aguilar-Company, J; Fernández-Ruiz, M; García-Campelo, R; Garrido-Castro, A C; Ruiz-Camps, I

2018-06-01

The present review is part of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH) consensus document on the safety of targeted and biologic therapies. To review, from an infectious diseases perspective, the safety profile of therapies targeting cell surface receptors and associated signaling pathways among cancer patients and to suggest preventive recommendations. Computer-based Medline searches with MeSH terms pertaining to each agent or therapeutic family. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted agents (bevacizumab and aflibercept) are associated with a meaningful increase in the risk of infection, likely due to drug-induced neutropaenia, although no clear benefit is expected from the universal use of anti-infective prophylaxis. VEGF tyrosine kinase inhibitors (i.e. sorafenib or sunitinib) do not seem to significantly affect host's susceptibility to infection, and universal anti-infective prophylaxis is not recommended either. Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibodies (cetuximab or panitumumab) induce neutropaenia and secondary skin and soft tissue infection in cases of severe papulopustular rash. Systemic antibiotics (doxycycline or minocycline) should be administered to prevent the latter complication, whereas no recommendation can be established on the benefit from antiviral, antifungal or anti-Pneumocystis prophylaxis. A lower risk of infection is reported for anti-ErbB2/HER2 monoclonal antibodies (trastuzumab and pertuzumab) and ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (including dual-EGFR/ErbB2 inhibitors such as lapatinib or neratinib) compared to conventional chemotherapy, presumably as a result of the decreased occurrence of drug-induced neutropaenia. With the exception of VEGF-targeted agents, the overall risk of infection associated with the reviewed therapies seems to be low. Copyright © 2018 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infectious agent screening in canine blood donors in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Crawford, K; Walton, J; Lewis, D; Tasker, S; Warman, S M

2013-08-01

Transfusion of blood products is an important component of veterinary emergency medicine. Donors must be carefully selected to minimise risk of transmission of blood-borne infectious agents. This study was devised to assess the prevalence of such agents in healthy, non-travelled UK dogs screened as prospective donors. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid blood samples from dogs donating blood between August 2007 and January 2012 were screened by polymerase chain reaction for haemotropic mycoplasmas, Bartonella, Babesia, Leishmania, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma spp. Dogs with positive or inconclusive results underwent repeat polymerase chain reaction testing. Four of 262 dogs had positive or inconclusive results at initial screening. Repeat polymerase chain reaction testing in each dog was negative, and none of the dogs developed clinical signs of disease. The positive results on initial screening may have represented false positives from sample contamination or amplification of non-target DNA. It is also possible that dogs were infected at initial sampling but successfully cleared infection before repeat testing. The low number of positive results obtained suggests that prevalence of these agents in a population of healthy UK dogs is low and that use of blood products is unlikely to represent a significant risk of transmission of these diseases. © 2013 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Chytridiomycosis: a global threat to amphibians.

PubMed

Pereira, P L L; Torres, A M C; Soares, D F M; Hijosa-Valsero, M; Bécares, E

2013-12-01

Chytridiomycosis, which is caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is an emerging infectious disease of amphibians. The disease is one of the main causes of the global decline in amphibians. The aetiological agent is ubiquitous, with worldwide distribution, and affects a large number of amphibian species in several biomes. In the last decade, scientific research has substantially increased knowledge of the aetiological agent and the associated infection. However, important epidemiological aspects of the environment-mediated interactions between the aetiological agent and the host are not yet clear. The objective of the present review is to describe chytridiomycosis with regard to the major features of the aetiological agent, the host and the environment.

Infectious disease outbreaks in competitive sports, 2005-2010.

PubMed

Collins, Cathal James; O'Connell, Brian

2012-01-01

Old, evolving, and new infectious agents continually threaten the participation of competitors in sports. To provide an update of the medical literature on infectious disease outbreaks in sport for the last 5 years (May 2005-November 2010). A total of 21 outbreaks or clusters were identified. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (n = 7, 33%; mainly community acquired) and tinea (trichophytosis: n = 6, 29%) were the most common pathogens responsible for outbreaks. Skin and soft tissue was the most common site of infection (n = 15, 71%). The majority of outbreaks reported occurred in close-contact sports, mainly combat sports (ie, wrestling, judo) and American football. Twelve outbreaks (57%) involved high school or collegiate competitors. Common community outbreak pathogens, such as influenza virus and norovirus, have received little attention.

Infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Cozad, J

1996-03-01

Infectious mononucleosis is an acute, self-limiting, nonneoplastic lymphoreticular proliferative disorder characterized by peripheral lymphocytosis and circulating atypical lymphocytes. Epstein-Barr virus is the causative agent in 90% of cases. Highest incidence is in the 15- to 25-year-old age-group, with 1% to 3% of all college students in the United States affected each year. Clinical manifestations vary according to age at presentation. Incubation period is 4 to 7 weeks. Diagnosis is primarily made with the monospot test but may include throat culture and complete blood count with differential. Cytomegalovirus and human immunodeficiency virus are among the many other conditions that may present initially as infectious mononucleosis. Treatment is supportive with prevention of complications as the goal; good personal hygiene and avoidance of contact sports should be stressed.

Neonatal protection by an innate immune system of human milk consisting of oligosaccharides and glycans.

PubMed

Newburg, D S

2009-04-01

This review discusses the role of human milk glycans in protecting infants, but the conclusion that the human milk glycans constitute an innate immune system whereby the mother protects her offspring may have general applicability in all mammals, including species of commercial importance. Infants that are not breastfed have a greater incidence of severe diarrhea and respiratory diseases than those who are breastfed. In the past, this had been attributed primarily to human milk secretory antibodies. However, the oligosaccharides are major components of human milk, and milk is also rich in other glycans, including glycoproteins, mucins, glycosaminoglycans, and glycolipids. These milk glycans, especially the oligosaccharides, are composed of thousands of components. The milk factor that promotes gut colonization by Bifidobacterium bifidum was found to be a glycan, and such prebiotic characteristics may contribute to protection against infectious agents. However, the ability of human milk glycans to protect the neonate seems primarily to be due to their inhibition of pathogen binding to their host cell target ligands. Many such examples include specific fucosylated oligosaccharides and glycans that inhibit specific pathogens. Most human milk oligosaccharides are fucosylated, and their production depends on fucosyltransferase enzymes; mutations in these fucosyltransferase genes are common and underlie the various Lewis blood types in humans. Variable expression of specific fucosylated oligosaccharides in milk, also a function of these genes (and maternal Lewis blood type), is significantly associated with the risk of infectious disease in breastfed infants. Human milk also contains major quantities and large numbers of sialylated oligosaccharides, many of which are also present in bovine colostrum. These could similarly inhibit several common viral pathogens. Moreover, human milk oligosaccharides strongly attenuate inflammatory processes in the intestinal mucosa. These results support the hypothesis that oligosaccharides and other glycans are the major constituents of an innate immune system of human milk whereby the mother protects her infant from enteric and other pathogens through breastfeeding. These protective glycans may prove useful as a basis for the development of novel prophylactic and therapeutic agents that inhibit disease by mucosal pathogens in many species.

A gap analysis of the United States death care sector to determine training and education needs pertaining to highly infectious disease mitigation and management.

PubMed

Le, Aurora B; Witter, Lesley; Herstein, Jocelyn J; Jelden, Katelyn C; Beam, Elizabeth L; Gibbs, Shawn G; Lowe, John J

2017-09-01

A United States industry-specific gap analysis survey of the death care sector-which comprises organizations and businesses affiliated with the funeral industry and the handling of human remains- was developed, the results analyzed, and training and education needs in relation to highly infectious disease mitigation and management were explored in an effort to identify where occupational health and safety can be enhanced in this worker population. Collaborating national death care organizations distributed the 47-question electronic survey. N = 424 surveys were initiated and results recorded. The survey collected death care sector-specific information pertaining to the comfortability and willingness to handle highly infectious remains; perceptions of readiness, current policies and procedures in place to address highly infectious diseases; current highly infectious disease training levels, available resources, and personal protective equipment. One-third of respondents have been trained on how to manage highly infectious remains. There was a discrepancy between Supervisor/Management and Employee/Worker perceptions on employees' willingness and comfortability to manage potentially highly infectious remains. More than 40% of respondents did not know the correct routes of transmission for viral hemorrhagic fevers. Results suggest death care workers could benefit from increasing up-to-date industry-specific training and education on highly infectious disease risk mitigation and management. Professional death care sector organizations are positioned to disseminate information, training, and best practices.

Cell-Free and Cell-Based Approaches to Explore the Roles of Host Membranes and Lipids in the Formation of Viral Replication Compartment Induced by Tombusviruses.

PubMed

Nagy, Peter D; Pogany, Judit; Xu, Kai

2016-03-03

Plant positive strand RNA viruses are intracellular infectious agents that take advantage of cellular lipids and membranes to support replication and protect viral RNA from degradation by host antiviral responses. In this review, we discuss how Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) co-opts lipid transfer proteins and modulates lipid metabolism and transport to facilitate the assembly of the membrane-bound viral replicase complexes within intricate replication compartments. Identification and characterization of the proviral roles of specific lipids and proteins involved in lipid metabolism based on results from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) model host and cell-free approaches are discussed. The review also highlights the advantage of using liposomes with chemically defined composition to identify specific lipids required for TBSV replication. Remarkably, all the known steps in TBSV replication are dependent on cellular lipids and co-opted membranes.

Presentation of lipid antigens to T cells.

PubMed

Mori, Lucia; De Libero, Gennaro

2008-04-15

T cells specific for lipid antigens participate in regulation of the immune response during infections, tumor immunosurveillance, allergy and autoimmune diseases. T cells recognize lipid antigens as complexes formed with CD1 antigen-presenting molecules, thus resembling recognition of MHC-peptide complexes. The biophysical properties of lipids impose unique mechanisms for their delivery, internalization into antigen-presenting cells, membrane trafficking, processing, and loading of CD1 molecules. Each of these steps is controlled at molecular and celular levels and determines lipid immunogenicity. Lipid antigens may derive from microbes and from the cellular metabolism, thus allowing the immune system to survey a large repertoire of immunogenic molecules. Recognition of lipid antigens facilitates the detection of infectious agents and the initiation of responses involved in immunoregulation and autoimmunity. This review focuses on the presentation mechanisms and specific recognition of self and bacterial lipid antigens and discusses the important open issues.

Nuclear DNA replication and repair in parasites of the genus Leishmania: Exploiting differences to develop innovative therapeutic approaches.

PubMed

Uzcanga, Graciela; Lara, Eliana; Gutiérrez, Fernanda; Beaty, Doyle; Beske, Timo; Teran, Rommy; Navarro, Juan-Carlos; Pasero, Philippe; Benítez, Washington; Poveda, Ana

2017-03-01

Leishmaniasis is a common tropical disease that affects mainly poor people in underdeveloped and developing countries. This largely neglected infection is caused by Leishmania spp, a parasite from the Trypanosomatidae family. This parasitic disease has different clinical manifestations, ranging from localized cutaneous to more harmful visceral forms. The main limitations of the current treatments are their high cost, toxicity, lack of specificity, and long duration. Efforts to improve treatments are necessary to deal with this infectious disease. Many approved drugs to combat diseases as diverse as cancer, bacterial, or viral infections take advantage of specific features of the causing agent or of the disease. Recent evidence indicates that the specific characteristics of the Trypanosomatidae replication and repair machineries could be used as possible targets for the development of new treatments. Here, we review in detail the molecular mechanisms of DNA replication and repair regulation in trypanosomatids of the genus Leishmania and the drugs that could be useful against this disease.

High creatinine clearance in critically ill patients with community-acquired acute infectious meningitis.

PubMed

Lautrette, Alexandre; Phan, Thuy-Nga; Ouchchane, Lemlih; Aithssain, Ali; Tixier, Vincent; Heng, Anne-Elisabeth; Souweine, Bertrand

2012-09-27

A high dose of anti-infective agents is recommended when treating infectious meningitis. High creatinine clearance (CrCl) may affect the pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic relationships of anti-infective drugs eliminated by the kidneys. We recorded the incidence of high CrCl in intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted with meningitis and assessed the diagnostic accuracy of two common methods used to identify high CrCl. Observational study performed in consecutive patients admitted with community-acquired acute infectious meningitis (defined by >7 white blood cells/mm3 in cerebral spinal fluid) between January 2006 and December 2009 to one medical ICU. During the first 7 days following ICU admission, CrCl was measured from 24-hr urine samples (24-hr-UV/P creatinine) and estimated according to Cockcroft-Gault formula and the simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation. High CrCl was defined as CrCl >140 ml/min/1.73 m2 by 24-hr-UV/P creatinine. Diagnostic accuracy was performed with ROC curves analysis. Thirty two patients were included. High CrCl was present in 8 patients (25%) on ICU admission and in 15 patients (47%) during the first 7 ICU days for a median duration of 3 (1-4) days. For the Cockcroft-Gault formula, the best threshold to predict high CrCl was 101 ml/min/1.73 m2 (sensitivity: 0.96, specificity: 0.75, AUC = 0.90 ± 0.03) with a negative likelihood ratio of 0.06. For the simplified MDRD equation, the best threshold to predict high CrCl was 108 ml/min/1.73 m2 (sensitivity: 0.91, specificity: 0.80, AUC = 0.88 ± 0.03) with a negative likelihood ratio of 0.11. There was no difference between the estimated methods in the diagnostic accuracy of identifying high CrCl (p = 0.30). High CrCl is frequently observed in ICU patients admitted with community-acquired acute infectious meningitis. The estimated methods of CrCl could be used as a screening tool to identify high CrCl.

Rare fungal infectious agents: a lurking enemy

PubMed Central

Skiada, Anna; Pavleas, Ioannis; Drogari-Apiranthitou, Maria

2017-01-01

In the expanding population of immunocompromised patients and those treated in intensive care units, rare fungal infectious agents have emerged as important pathogens, causing invasive infections associated with high morbidity and mortality. These infections may present either as de novo or as breakthrough invasive infections in high-risk patients with hematologic malignancies receiving prophylactic or empirical antifungal therapy or in patients with central venous catheters. Diagnosis and treatment are challenging. Physicians should have a high index of suspicion because early diagnosis is of paramount importance. Conventional diagnostic methods such as cultures and histopathology are still essential, but rapid and more specific molecular techniques for both detection and identification of the infecting pathogens are being developed and hopefully will lead to early targeted treatment. The management of invasive fungal infections is multimodal. Reversal of risk factors, if feasible, should be attempted. Surgical debridement is recommended in localized mold infections. The efficacy of various antifungal drugs is not uniform. Amphotericin B is active against most yeasts, except Trichosporon, as well as against Mucorales, Fusarium, and some species of Paecilomyces and dimorphic fungi. The use of voriconazole is suggested for the treatment of trichosporonosis and scedosporiosis. Combination treatment, though recommended as salvage therapy in some infections, is controversial in most cases. Despite the use of available antifungals, mortality remains high. The optimization of molecular-based techniques, with expansion of reference libraries and the possibility for direct detection of resistance mechanisms, is awaited with great interest in the near future. Further research is necessary, however, in order to find the best ways to confront and destroy these lurking enemies. PMID:29152230

Morbillivirus and Toxoplasma exposure and association with hematological parameters for southern Beaufort Sea polar bears: potential response to infectious agents in a sentinel species.

PubMed

Kirk, Cassandra M; Amstrup, Steven; Swor, Rhonda; Holcomb, Darce; O'Hara, Todd M

2010-09-01

Arctic temperatures are increasing in response to greenhouse gas forcing and polar bears have already responded to changing conditions. Declines in body stature and vital rates have been linked to warming-induced loss of sea-ice. As food webs change and human activities respond to a milder Arctic, exposure of polar bears and other arctic marine organisms to infectious agents may increase. Because of the polar bear's status as arctic ecosystem sentinel, polar bear health could provide an index of changing pathogen occurrence throughout the Arctic, however, exposure and monitoring protocols have yet to be established. We examine prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii, and four morbilliviruses (canine distemper [CDV], phocine distemper [PDV], dolphin morbillivirus [DMV], porpoise morbillivirus [PMV]) including risk factors for exposure. We also examine the relationships between antibody levels and hematologic values established in the previous companion article. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and morbilliviruses were found in both sample years. We found a significant inverse relationship between CDV titer and total leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils, and a significant positive relationship between eosinophils and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Morbilliviral prevalence varied significantly among age cohorts, with 1-2 year olds least likely to be seropositive and bears aged 5-7 most likely. Data suggest that the presence of CDV and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies is associated with polar bear hematologic values. We conclude that exposure to CDV-like antigen is not randomly distributed among age classes and suggest that differing behaviors among life history stages may drive probability of specific antibody presence.

Enteroviruses, hygiene and type 1 diabetes: toward a preventive vaccine.

PubMed

Drescher, Kristen M; von Herrath, Matthias; Tracy, Steven

2015-01-01

Enteroviruses and humans have long co-existed. Although recognized in ancient times, poliomyelitis and type 1 diabetes (T1D) were exceptionally rare and not epidemic, due in large part to poor sanitation and personal hygiene which resulted in repeated exposure to fecal-oral transmitted viruses and other infectious agents and viruses and the generation of a broad protective immunity. As a function of a growing acceptance of the benefits of hygienic practices and microbiologically clean(er) water supplies, the likelihood of exposure to diverse infectious agents and viruses declined. The effort to vaccinate against poliomyelitis demonstrated that enteroviral diseases are preventable by vaccination and led to understanding how to successfully attenuate enteroviruses. Type 1 diabetes onset has been convincingly linked to infection by numerous enteroviruses including the group B coxsackieviruses (CVB), while studies of CVB infections in NOD mice have demonstrated not only a clear link between disease onset but an ability to reduce the incidence of T1D as well: CVB infections can suppress naturally occurring autoimmune T1D. We propose here that if we can harness and develop the capacity to use attenuated enteroviral strains to induce regulatory T cell populations in the host through vaccination, then a vaccine could be considered that should function to protect against both autoimmune as well as virus-triggered T1D. Such a vaccine would not only specifically protect from certain enterovirus types but more importantly, also reset the organism's regulatory rheostat making the further development of pathogenic autoimmunity less likely. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Disparities in spread and control of influenza in slums of Delhi: findings from an agent-based modelling study

PubMed Central

Adiga, Abhijin; Chu, Shuyu; Eubank, Stephen; Kuhlman, Christopher J; Lewis, Bryan; Marathe, Achla; Marathe, Madhav; Nordberg, Eric K; Swarup, Samarth; Vullikanti, Anil; Wilson, Mandy L

2018-01-01

Objectives This research studies the role of slums in the spread and control of infectious diseases in the National Capital Territory of India, Delhi, using detailed social contact networks of its residents. Methods We use an agent-based model to study the spread of influenza in Delhi through person-to-person contact. Two different networks are used: one in which slum and non-slum regions are treated the same, and the other in which 298 slum zones are identified. In the second network, slum-specific demographics and activities are assigned to the individuals whose homes reside inside these zones. The main effects of integrating slums are that the network has more home-related contacts due to larger family sizes and more outside contacts due to more daily activities outside home. Various vaccination and social distancing interventions are applied to control the spread of influenza. Results Simulation-based results show that when slum attributes are ignored, the effectiveness of vaccination can be overestimated by 30%–55%, in terms of reducing the peak number of infections and the size of the epidemic, and in delaying the time to peak infection. The slum population sustains greater infection rates under all intervention scenarios in the network that treats slums differently. Vaccination strategy performs better than social distancing strategies in slums. Conclusions Unique characteristics of slums play a significant role in the spread of infectious diseases. Modelling slums and estimating their impact on epidemics will help policy makers and regulators more accurately prioritise allocation of scarce medical resources and implement public health policies. PMID:29358419

The Influence of Spatial Configuration of Residential Area and Vector Populations on Dengue Incidence Patterns in an Individual-Level Transmission Model.

PubMed

Kang, Jeon-Young; Aldstadt, Jared

2017-07-15

Dengue is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that is endemic in tropical and subtropical countries. Many individual-level simulation models have been developed to test hypotheses about dengue virus transmission. Often these efforts assume that human host and mosquito vector populations are randomly or uniformly distributed in the environment. Although, the movement of mosquitoes is affected by spatial configuration of buildings and mosquito populations are highly clustered in key buildings, little research has focused on the influence of the local built environment in dengue transmission models. We developed an agent-based model of dengue transmission in a village setting to test the importance of using realistic environments in individual-level models of dengue transmission. The results from one-way ANOVA analysis of simulations indicated that the differences between scenarios in terms of infection rates as well as serotype-specific dominance are statistically significant. Specifically, the infection rates in scenarios of a realistic environment are more variable than those of a synthetic spatial configuration. With respect to dengue serotype-specific cases, we found that a single dengue serotype is more often dominant in realistic environments than in synthetic environments. An agent-based approach allows a fine-scaled analysis of simulated dengue incidence patterns. The results provide a better understanding of the influence of spatial heterogeneity on dengue transmission at a local scale.

Biocontained Carcass Composting for Control of Infectious Disease Outbreak in Livestock

PubMed Central

Reuter, Tim; Xu, Weiping; Alexander, Trevor W.; Gilroyed, Brandon H.; Inglis, G. Douglas; Larney, Francis J.; Stanford, Kim; McAllister, Tim A.

2010-01-01

Intensive livestock production systems are particularly vulnerable to natural or intentional (bioterrorist) infectious disease outbreaks. Large numbers of animals housed within a confined area enables rapid dissemination of most infectious agents throughout a herd. Rapid containment is key to controlling any infectious disease outbreak, thus depopulation is often undertaken to prevent spread of a pathogen to the larger livestock population. In that circumstance, a large number of livestock carcasses and contaminated manure are generated that require rapid disposal. Composting lends itself as a rapid-response disposal method for infected carcasses as well as manure and soil that may harbor infectious agents. We designed a bio-contained mortality composting procedure and tested its efficacy for bovine tissue degradation and microbial deactivation. We used materials available on-farm or purchasable from local farm supply stores in order that the system can be implemented at the site of a disease outbreak. In this study, temperatures exceeded 55°C for more than one month and infectious agents implanted in beef cattle carcasses and manure were inactivated within 14 days of composting. After 147 days, carcasses were almost completely degraded. The few long bones remaining were further degraded with an additional composting cycle in open windrows and the final mature compost was suitable for land application. Duplicate compost structures (final dimensions 25 m x 5 m x 2.4 m; L x W x H) were constructed using barley straw bales and lined with heavy black silage plastic sheeting. Each was loaded with loose straw, carcasses and manure totaling ~95,000 kg. A 40-cm base layer of loose barley straw was placed in each bunker, onto which were placed 16 feedlot cattle mortalities (average weight 343 kg) aligned transversely at a spacing of approximately 0.5 m. For passive aeration, lengths of flexible, perforated plastic drainage tubing (15 cm diameter) were placed between adjacent carcasses, extending vertically along both inside walls, and with the ends passed though the plastic to the exterior. The carcasses were overlaid with moist aerated feedlot manure (~1.6 m deep) to the top of the bunker. Plastic was folded over the top and sealed with tape to establish a containment barrier and eight aeration vents (50 x 50 x 15 cm) were placed on the top of each structure to promote passive aeration. After 147 days, losses of volume and mass of composted materials averaged 39.8% and 23.7%, respectively, in each structure. PMID:20461054

Biocontained carcass composting for control of infectious disease outbreak in livestock.

PubMed

Reuter, Tim; Xu, Weiping; Alexander, Trevor W; Gilroyed, Brandon H; Inglis, G Douglas; Larney, Francis J; Stanford, Kim; McAllister, Tim A

2010-05-06

Intensive livestock production systems are particularly vulnerable to natural or intentional (bioterrorist) infectious disease outbreaks. Large numbers of animals housed within a confined area enables rapid dissemination of most infectious agents throughout a herd. Rapid containment is key to controlling any infectious disease outbreak, thus depopulation is often undertaken to prevent spread of a pathogen to the larger livestock population. In that circumstance, a large number of livestock carcasses and contaminated manure are generated that require rapid disposal. Composting lends itself as a rapid-response disposal method for infected carcasses as well as manure and soil that may harbor infectious agents. We designed a bio-contained mortality composting procedure and tested its efficacy for bovine tissue degradation and microbial deactivation. We used materials available on-farm or purchasable from local farm supply stores in order that the system can be implemented at the site of a disease outbreak. In this study, temperatures exceeded 55 degrees C for more than one month and infectious agents implanted in beef cattle carcasses and manure were inactivated within 14 days of composting. After 147 days, carcasses were almost completely degraded. The few long bones remaining were further degraded with an additional composting cycle in open windrows and the final mature compost was suitable for land application. Duplicate compost structures (final dimensions 25 m x 5 m x 2.4 m; L x W x H) were constructed using barley straw bales and lined with heavy black silage plastic sheeting. Each was loaded with loose straw, carcasses and manure totaling approximately 95,000 kg. A 40-cm base layer of loose barley straw was placed in each bunker, onto which were placed 16 feedlot cattle mortalities (average weight 343 kg) aligned transversely at a spacing of approximately 0.5 m. For passive aeration, lengths of flexible, perforated plastic drainage tubing (15 cm diameter) were placed between adjacent carcasses, extending vertically along both inside walls, and with the ends passed though the plastic to the exterior. The carcasses were overlaid with moist aerated feedlot manure (approximately 1.6 m deep) to the top of the bunker. Plastic was folded over the top and sealed with tape to establish a containment barrier and eight aeration vents (50 x 50 x 15 cm) were placed on the top of each structure to promote passive aeration. After 147 days, losses of volume and mass of composted materials averaged 39.8% and 23.7%, respectively, in each structure.

Optoacoustic sensing of ocular bacterial antigen using targeted gold nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maswadi, Saher; Page, Leland; Woodward, Lee; Glickman, Randolph D.; Barsalou, Norman

2008-02-01

Bacterial contamination can be detected using a minimally invasive optical method, based on laser-induced optoacoustic spectroscopy, to probe for specific antigens associated with a specific infectious agent. As a model system, we have used a surface antigen (Ag), isolated from Chlamydia trachomatis, and a complementary antibody (Ab). A preparation of 0.2 mg/ml of monoclonal Ab specific to the C. trachomatis surface Ag was conjugated to gold nanorods using standard commercial reagents, in order to produce a targeted contrast agent with a strong optoacoustic signal. The C. trachomatis Ag was absorbed in standard plastic microwells, and the binding of the complementary Ab-nanorod conjugate was tested in an immunoaffinity assay. Optoacoustic signals were elicited from the bound nanorods, using an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) laser system as the optical pump. The wavelength tuneability of the OPO optimized the spectroscopic measurement by exciting the nanorods at their optical absorption maxima. Optoacoustic responses were measured in the microwells using a probe beam deflection technique. Immunoaffinity assays were performed on several dilutions of purified C. trachomatis antigen ranging from 50 μg/ml to 1 pg/ml, in order to determine the detection limit for the optoacoustic-based assay. Only when the antigen was present, and the complementary Ab-NR reagent was introduced into the microwell, was an enhanced optoacoustic signal obtained, which indicated specific binding of the Ab-NR complex. The limit of detection with the current system design is between 1 and 5 pg/ml of bacterial Ag.

Antimicrobial Resistance Among Nontyphoidal Salmonella Isolated From Blood in the United States, 2003-2013.

PubMed

Angelo, Kristina M; Reynolds, Jared; Karp, Beth E; Hoekstra, Robert Michael; Scheel, Christina M; Friedman, Cindy

2016-11-15

 Salmonella causes an estimated 100 000 antimicrobial-resistant infections annually in the United States. Salmonella antimicrobial resistance may result in bacteremia and poor outcomes. We describe antimicrobial resistance among nontyphoidal Salmonella blood isolates, using data from the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System.  Human nontyphoidal Salmonella isolates from 2003 to 2013 were classified as fully susceptible, resistant to ≥1 antimicrobial agent, or resistant to a first-line agent. Logistic regression was used to compare resistance patterns, serotypes, and patient characteristics for Salmonella isolated from blood versus stool and to determine resistance trends over time.  Approximately 20% of blood isolates had antimicrobial resistance to a first-line treatment agent. Bacteremia was associated with male sex, age ≥65 years, and specific serotypes. Blood isolates were more likely to be resistant to ≥1 agent for serotypes Enteritidis, Javiana, Panama, and Typhimurium. Blood isolates were most commonly resistant to tetracycline (19%), and more likely resistant to a first-line agent (odds ratio, 1.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.56-2.11) than stool isolates. Ceftriaxone resistance increased in blood isolates from 2003 to 2013 (odd ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.22).  Resistance to first-line treatment agents in patients with Salmonella bacteremia is a concern for public health and for informing clinical decisions. Judicious antimicrobial use is crucial to limit resistance. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Vaccines to Prevent Cancers Not Caused by Viruses - Annual Plan

Cancer.gov

We have vaccines against viruses that cause cancer, but what about vaccines for cancers not caused by viruses? Learn about NCI's development of safe and effective vaccines for cancers not caused by infectious agents.

Immune System

EPA Science Inventory

A properly functioning immune system is essential to good health. It defends the body against infectious agents and in some cases tumor cells. Individuals with immune deficiencies resulting from genetic defects, diseases (e.g., AIDS, leukemia), or drug therapies are more suscepti...

[Emerging infectious diseases: complex, unpredictable processes].

PubMed

Guégan, Jean-François

2016-01-01

In the light of a double approach, at first empirical, later theoretical and comparative, illustrated by the example of the Buruli ulcer and its mycobacterial agent Mycobacterium ulcerans on which I focused my research activity these last ten years by studying determinants and factors of emerging infectious or parasitic diseases, the complexity of events explaining emerging diseases will be presented. The cascade of events occurring at various levels of spatiotemporal scales and organization of life, which lead to the numerous observed emergences, nowadays requires better taking into account the interactions between host(s), pathogen(s) and the environment by including the behavior of both individuals and the population. In numerous research studies on emerging infectious diseases, microbial hazard is described rather than infectious disease risk, the latter resulting from the confrontation between an association of threatening phenomena, or hazards, and a susceptible population. Beyond, the theme of emerging infectious diseases and its links with global environmental and societal changes leads to reconsider some well-established knowledge in infectiology and parasitology. © Société de Biologie, 2017.

Infection and cancer in multicellular organisms

PubMed Central

Ewald, Paul W.; Swain Ewald, Holly A.

2015-01-01

Evolutionary considerations suggest that oncogenic infections should be pervasive among animal species. Infection-associated cancers are well documented in humans and domestic animals, less commonly reported in undomesticated captive animals, and rarely documented in nature. In this paper, we review the literature associating infectious agents with cancer to evaluate the reasons for this pattern. Non-malignant infectious neoplasms occur pervasively in multicellular life, but oncogenic progression to malignancy is often uncertain. Evidence from humans and domestic animals shows that non-malignant infectious neoplasms can develop into cancer, although generally with low frequency. Malignant neoplasms could be difficult to find in nature because of a low frequency of oncogenic transformation, short survival after malignancy and reduced survival prior to malignancy. Moreover, the evaluation of malignancy can be ambiguous in nature, because criteria for malignancy may be difficult to apply consistently across species. The information available in the literature therefore does not allow for a definitive assessment of the pervasiveness of infectious cancers in nature, but the presence of infectious neoplasias and knowledge about the progression of benign neoplasias to cancer is consistent with a widespread but largely undetected occurrence. PMID:26056368

A survey of Asian life scientists :the state of biosciences, laboratory biosecurity, and biosafety in Asia.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaudioso, Jennifer Marie

2006-02-01

Over 300 Asian life scientists were surveyed to provide insight into work with infectious agents. This report provides the reader with a more complete understanding of the current practices employed to study infectious agents by laboratories located in Asian countries--segmented by level of biotechnology sophistication. The respondents have a variety of research objectives and study over 60 different pathogens and toxins. Many of the respondents indicated that their work was hampered by lack of adequate resources and the difficulty of accessing critical resources. The survey results also demonstrate that there appears to be better awareness of laboratory biosafety issues comparedmore » to laboratory biosecurity. Perhaps not surprisingly, many of these researchers work with pathogens and toxins under less stringent laboratory biosafety and biosecurity conditions than would be typical for laboratories in the West.« less

Systemic sclerosis and infections.

PubMed

Randone, Silvia Bellando; Guiducci, Serena; Cerinic, Marco Matucci

2008-10-01

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by vascular obliteration, excessive extracellular matrix deposition and fibrosis of the connective tissues of the skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, heart, and kidneys. Numerous infectious agents (bacterial and viral) have been proposed as possible triggering factors (Parvovirus B19, Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Retroviruses). Homology between viruses and autoantibody targets suggests that molecular mimicry may have a role in initiating antibody response in different disorders characterized by diffuse vascular disease, including SSc. Endothelial cell may be infected bacteria or viruses that play a particular role in inducing vasculitis. The pathogenic hypothesis include: a mechanism of molecular mimicry, the role played by endothelial cell damage, the presence of superantigens and the role of microchimeric cells. Although several studies provide important information linking infectious agents to SSc, a direct casual association between infections and SSc is still missing. In SSc viral products could synergize with other factors in the microenvironment predisposing to SSc development.

The present impossibility of eradicating the omnipresent worm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Warren, K.S.

Helminths are the most prevalent infectious agents of humans. In contrast to all other infectious agents, helminths do not multiply within the definitive human host. A consequence of this biological situation is that most infected individuals have levels of infection below a threshold required for the induction of any overt manifestations of disease. Since transmission of of helminthic infections is so effective, largely because of the enormous reproductive potential, it is exceedingly difficult to control transmission and impossible to eradicate infection with the tools available today. A cost-effective strategy for dealing with helminthic infections, therefore, is to control disease bymore » use of chemotherapy targeted to the small proportion of heavily infected individuals, rather than to attempt to eradicate infection by costly methods, including environmental control. For example, this strategy is employed in effectively combatting hookworm disease and schistosomiasis.« less

Potential strategies and biosafety protocols used for dual-use research on highly pathogenic influenza viruses

PubMed Central

Du, Lanying; Li, Ye; Gao, Jimin; Zhou, Yusen; Jiang, Shibo

2013-01-01

Summary Influenza A viruses (IAVs), particularly the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, have posed a substantial threat to public health worldwide. Although the laboratory generation of the mutant influenza virus H5N1 with airborne transmissibility among mammals, which has been considered as a dual-use research, may benefit the development of effective vaccines and therapeutics against the emerging infectious agents, it may also pose threats to national biosecurity, laboratory biosafety, and/or public health. This review introduces the classification and characterization of IAVs, pinpoints historic pandemics and epidemics caused by IAVs, emphasizes the significance and necessity of biosafety, summarizes currently established biosafety-related protocols for IAV research, and provides potential strategies to improve biosafety protocols for dual-use research on the highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses and other emerging infectious agents. PMID:22987727

Potential strategies and biosafety protocols used for dual-use research on highly pathogenic influenza viruses.

PubMed

Du, Lanying; Li, Ye; Gao, Jimin; Zhou, Yusen; Jiang, Shibo

2012-11-01

Influenza A viruses (IAVs), particularly the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, have posed a substantial threat to public health worldwide. Although the laboratory generation of the mutant influenza virus H5N1 with airborne transmissibility among mammals, which has been considered as a dual-use research, may benefit the development of effective vaccines and therapeutics against the emerging infectious agents, it may also pose threats to national biosecurity, laboratory biosafety, and/or public health. This review introduces the classification and characterization of IAVs, pinpoints historic pandemics and epidemics caused by IAVs, emphasizes the significance and necessity of biosafety, summarizes currently established biosafety-related protocols for IAV research, and provides potential strategies to improve biosafety protocols for dual-use research on the highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses and other emerging infectious agents. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Intestinal Microbiome in Infectious Diseases: The Clinical Relevance of a Rapidly Emerging Field.

PubMed

Harris, Vanessa C; Haak, Bastiaan W; Boele van Hensbroek, Michaël; Wiersinga, Willem J

2017-01-01

The field of infectious disease is undergoing a paradigm shift as the intestinal microbiome is becoming understood. The aim of this review is to inform infectious disease physicians of the potential relevance of the intestinal microbiome to their practice. We searched Medline using both index and text words relating to infectious diseases, microbiome, and probiotics. Relevant articles published up through 2017 were reviewed within Rayyan. The review illustrates pathophysiologic concepts linking the microbiome and infectious diseases; specifically, the intestinal microbiome's relevance to early immune development, the microbiome and enteric infections, the microbiome's relevance in compromised hosts, and antimicrobial resistance. Within each subject, there are specific examples of diseases and at-risk patient populations where a role for the microbiome has been strongly established. This provides an overview of the significance of the intestinal microbiome to microbiology, pediatric and adult infectious diseases with an underpinning of concepts useful for the practicing clinician.

Systematic detection of positive selection in the human-pathogen interactome and lasting effects on infectious disease susceptibility.

PubMed

Corona, Erik; Wang, Liuyang; Ko, Dennis; Patel, Chirag J

2018-01-01

Infectious disease has shaped the natural genetic diversity of humans throughout the world. A new approach to capture positive selection driven by pathogens would provide information regarding pathogen exposure in distinct human populations and the constantly evolving arms race between host and disease-causing agents. We created a human pathogen interaction database and used the integrated haplotype score (iHS) to detect recent positive selection in genes that interact with proteins from 26 different pathogens. We used the Human Genome Diversity Panel to identify specific populations harboring pathogen-interacting genes that have undergone positive selection. We found that human genes that interact with 9 pathogen species show evidence of recent positive selection. These pathogens are Yersenia pestis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1, Zaire ebolavirus, Francisella tularensis, dengue virus, human respiratory syncytial virus, measles virus, Rubella virus, and Bacillus anthracis. For HIV-1, GWAS demonstrate that some naturally selected variants in the host-pathogen protein interaction networks continue to have functional consequences for susceptibility to these pathogens. We show that selected human genes were enriched for HIV susceptibility variants (identified through GWAS), providing further support for the hypothesis that ancient humans were exposed to lentivirus pandemics. Human genes in the Italian, Miao, and Biaka Pygmy populations that interact with Y. pestis show significant signs of selection. These results reveal some of the genetic footprints created by pathogens in the human genome that may have left lasting marks on susceptibility to infectious disease.

Strengthening Biostatistics Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa: Research Collaborations through U.S. partnerships

PubMed Central

Gezmu, Misrak; DeGruttola, Victor; Dixon, Dennis; Essex, Max; Halloran, Elizabeth; Hogan, Joseph; Grobler, Anneke; Kim, Soyeon; McDermott, Jeanne; McKaig, Rosemary; Neaton, James D

2015-01-01

SUMMARY On September 30, 2009, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a workshop on strengthening biostatistics resources in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). An increase in global spending on health research over the last decade has boosted funds available to conduct biomedical research in low to mid income countries. The HIV/AIDS pandemic, the reemergence of malaria and tuberculosis, and other emerging infectious agents are major driving forces behind the increase in biomedical research and clinical care programs (clinical trials, observational studies and other public health programs) in SSA [1]. In addition, the increased engagement of the United States (US) government through the Global Health Initiative, which expands the traditional focus beyond infectious diseases to other causes of poor health and to the recognition of need to strengthen health systems for a sustainable response, only increases the need for in-depth in-country expertise in all aspects of biomedical research [2]. In this workshop, researchers both from the US and SSA were invited to discuss their collaborative work, to discuss ways in which biostatistical activities are carried out within their research projects, and to identify both general and specific needs for capacity building in biostatistics. Capacity building discussions highlighted the critical need to increase the number of well-trained in-country biostatisticians, both to participate in ongoing studies and to contribute to an infrastructure that can produce the next generation of biostatistical researchers. PMID:21394746

An Update on Treatment of Pediatric Chronic Non-Infectious Uveitis.

PubMed

Sood, Arjun B; Angeles-Han, Sheila T

2017-03-01

There are no standardized treatment protocols for pediatric non-infectious uveitis. Topical corticosteroids are the typical first-line agent, although systemic corticosteroids are used in intermediate, posterior and panuveitic uveitis. Corticosteroids are not considered to be long-term therapy due to potential ocular and systemic side effects. In children with severe and/or refractory uveitis, timely management with higher dose disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic agents is important. Increased doses earlier in the disease course may lead to improved disease control and better visual outcomes. In general, methotrexate is the usual first-line steroid-sparing agent and given as a subcutaneous weekly injection at >0.5 mg/kg/dose or 10-15 mg/m2 due to better bioavailability. Other DMARDs, for instance mycophenolate, azathioprine, and cyclosporine are less common treatments for pediatric uveitis. Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents, primarily infliximab and adalimumab are used as second line agents in children refractory to methotrexate, or as first-line treatment in those with severe complicated disease at presentation. Infliximab may be given at a minimum of 7.5 mg/kg/dose every 4 weeks after loading doses, up to 20 mg/kg/dose. Adalimumab may be given up to 20 or 40 mg weekly. In children who fail anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents, develop anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibodies, experience adverse effects, or have difficulty with tolerance, there is less data available regarding subsequent treatment. Promising results have been noted with tocilizumab infusions every 2-4 weeks, abatacept monthly infusions and rituximab.

An Update on Treatment of Pediatric Chronic Non-Infectious Uveitis

PubMed Central

Sood, Arjun B.; Angeles-Han, Sheila T.

2017-01-01

Opinion Statement There are no standardized treatment protocols for pediatric non-infectious uveitis. Topical corticosteroids are the typical first-line agent, although systemic corticosteroids are used in intermediate, posterior and panuveitic uveitis. Corticosteroids are not considered to be long-term therapy due to potential ocular and systemic side effects. In children with severe and/or refractory uveitis, timely management with higher dose disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic agents is important. Increased doses earlier in the disease course may lead to improved disease control and better visual outcomes. In general, methotrexate is the usual first-line steroid-sparing agent and given as a subcutaneous weekly injection at >0.5 mg/kg/dose or 10–15 mg/m2 due to better bioavailability. Other DMARDs, for instance mycophenolate, azathioprine, and cyclosporine are less common treatments for pediatric uveitis. Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents, primarily infliximab and adalimumab are used as second line agents in children refractory to methotrexate, or as first-line treatment in those with severe complicated disease at presentation. Infliximab may be given at a minimum of 7.5 mg/kg/dose every 4 weeks after loading doses, up to 20 mg/kg/dose. Adalimumab may be given up to 20 or 40 mg weekly. In children who fail anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents, develop anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibodies, experience adverse effects, or have difficulty with tolerance, there is less data available regarding subsequent treatment. Promising results have been noted with tocilizumab infusions every 2–4 weeks, abatacept monthly infusions and rituximab. PMID:28944162

Differences in antigen presentation to MHC class I-and class II- restricted influenza virus-specific cytolytic T lymphocyte clones

PubMed Central

1986-01-01

We have examined requirements for antigen presentation to a panel of MHC class I-and class II-restricted, influenza virus-specific CTL clones by controlling the form of virus presented on the target cell surface. Both H-2K/D- and I region-restricted CTL recognize target cells exposed to infectious virus, but only the I region-restricted clones efficiently lysed histocompatible target cells pulsed with inactivated virus preparations. The isolated influenza hemagglutinin (HA) polypeptide also could sensitize target cells for recognition by class II-restricted, HA-specific CTL, but not by class I-restricted, HA- specific CTL. Inhibition of nascent viral protein synthesis abrogated the ability of target cells to present viral antigen relevant for class I-restricted CTL recognition. Significantly, presentation for class II- restricted recognition was unaffected in target cells exposed to preparations of either inactivated or infectious virus. This differential sensitivity suggested that these H-2I region-restricted CTL recognized viral polypeptides derived from the exogenously introduced virions, rather than viral polypeptides newly synthesized in the infected cell. In support of this contention, treatment of the target cells with the lysosomotropic agent chloroquine abolished recognition of infected target cells by class II-restricted CTL without diminishing class I-restricted recognition of infected target cells. Furthermore, when the influenza HA gene was introduced into target cells without exogenous HA polypeptide, the target cells that expressed the newly synthesized protein product of the HA gene were recognized only by H-2K/D-restricted CTL. These observations suggest that important differences may exist in requirements for antigen presentation between H-2K/D and H-2I region-restricted CTL. These differences may reflect the nature of the antigenic epitopes recognized by these two CTL subsets. PMID:3485173

What Makes a Bacterial Species Pathogenic?:Comparative Genomic Analysis of the Genus Leptospira

PubMed Central

Fouts, Derrick E.; Matthias, Michael A.; Adhikarla, Haritha; Adler, Ben; Amorim-Santos, Luciane; Berg, Douglas E.; Bulach, Dieter; Buschiazzo, Alejandro; Chang, Yung-Fu; Galloway, Renee L.; Haake, David A.; Haft, Daniel H.; Hartskeerl, Rudy; Ko, Albert I.; Levett, Paul N.; Matsunaga, James; Mechaly, Ariel E.; Monk, Jonathan M.; Nascimento, Ana L. T.; Nelson, Karen E.; Palsson, Bernhard; Peacock, Sharon J.; Picardeau, Mathieu; Ricaldi, Jessica N.; Thaipandungpanit, Janjira; Wunder, Elsio A.; Yang, X. Frank; Zhang, Jun-Jie; Vinetz, Joseph M.

2016-01-01

Leptospirosis, caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira, is a globally widespread, neglected and emerging zoonotic disease. While whole genome analysis of individual pathogenic, intermediately pathogenic and saprophytic Leptospira species has been reported, comprehensive cross-species genomic comparison of all known species of infectious and non-infectious Leptospira, with the goal of identifying genes related to pathogenesis and mammalian host adaptation, remains a key gap in the field. Infectious Leptospira, comprised of pathogenic and intermediately pathogenic Leptospira, evolutionarily diverged from non-infectious, saprophytic Leptospira, as demonstrated by the following computational biology analyses: 1) the definitive taxonomy and evolutionary relatedness among all known Leptospira species; 2) genomically-predicted metabolic reconstructions that indicate novel adaptation of infectious Leptospira to mammals, including sialic acid biosynthesis, pathogen-specific porphyrin metabolism and the first-time demonstration of cobalamin (B12) autotrophy as a bacterial virulence factor; 3) CRISPR/Cas systems demonstrated only to be present in pathogenic Leptospira, suggesting a potential mechanism for this clade’s refractoriness to gene targeting; 4) finding Leptospira pathogen-specific specialized protein secretion systems; 5) novel virulence-related genes/gene families such as the Virulence Modifying (VM) (PF07598 paralogs) proteins and pathogen-specific adhesins; 6) discovery of novel, pathogen-specific protein modification and secretion mechanisms including unique lipoprotein signal peptide motifs, Sec-independent twin arginine protein secretion motifs, and the absence of certain canonical signal recognition particle proteins from all Leptospira; and 7) and demonstration of infectious Leptospira-specific signal-responsive gene expression, motility and chemotaxis systems. By identifying large scale changes in infectious (pathogenic and intermediately pathogenic) vs. non-infectious Leptospira, this work provides new insights into the evolution of a genus of bacterial pathogens. This work will be a comprehensive roadmap for understanding leptospirosis pathogenesis. More generally, it provides new insights into mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens adapt to mammalian hosts. PMID:26890609

What Makes a Bacterial Species Pathogenic?:Comparative Genomic Analysis of the Genus Leptospira.

PubMed

Fouts, Derrick E; Matthias, Michael A; Adhikarla, Haritha; Adler, Ben; Amorim-Santos, Luciane; Berg, Douglas E; Bulach, Dieter; Buschiazzo, Alejandro; Chang, Yung-Fu; Galloway, Renee L; Haake, David A; Haft, Daniel H; Hartskeerl, Rudy; Ko, Albert I; Levett, Paul N; Matsunaga, James; Mechaly, Ariel E; Monk, Jonathan M; Nascimento, Ana L T; Nelson, Karen E; Palsson, Bernhard; Peacock, Sharon J; Picardeau, Mathieu; Ricaldi, Jessica N; Thaipandungpanit, Janjira; Wunder, Elsio A; Yang, X Frank; Zhang, Jun-Jie; Vinetz, Joseph M

2016-02-01

Leptospirosis, caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira, is a globally widespread, neglected and emerging zoonotic disease. While whole genome analysis of individual pathogenic, intermediately pathogenic and saprophytic Leptospira species has been reported, comprehensive cross-species genomic comparison of all known species of infectious and non-infectious Leptospira, with the goal of identifying genes related to pathogenesis and mammalian host adaptation, remains a key gap in the field. Infectious Leptospira, comprised of pathogenic and intermediately pathogenic Leptospira, evolutionarily diverged from non-infectious, saprophytic Leptospira, as demonstrated by the following computational biology analyses: 1) the definitive taxonomy and evolutionary relatedness among all known Leptospira species; 2) genomically-predicted metabolic reconstructions that indicate novel adaptation of infectious Leptospira to mammals, including sialic acid biosynthesis, pathogen-specific porphyrin metabolism and the first-time demonstration of cobalamin (B12) autotrophy as a bacterial virulence factor; 3) CRISPR/Cas systems demonstrated only to be present in pathogenic Leptospira, suggesting a potential mechanism for this clade's refractoriness to gene targeting; 4) finding Leptospira pathogen-specific specialized protein secretion systems; 5) novel virulence-related genes/gene families such as the Virulence Modifying (VM) (PF07598 paralogs) proteins and pathogen-specific adhesins; 6) discovery of novel, pathogen-specific protein modification and secretion mechanisms including unique lipoprotein signal peptide motifs, Sec-independent twin arginine protein secretion motifs, and the absence of certain canonical signal recognition particle proteins from all Leptospira; and 7) and demonstration of infectious Leptospira-specific signal-responsive gene expression, motility and chemotaxis systems. By identifying large scale changes in infectious (pathogenic and intermediately pathogenic) vs. non-infectious Leptospira, this work provides new insights into the evolution of a genus of bacterial pathogens. This work will be a comprehensive roadmap for understanding leptospirosis pathogenesis. More generally, it provides new insights into mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens adapt to mammalian hosts.

Infectious diseases in cinema: virus hunters and killer microbes.

PubMed

Pappas, Georgios; Seitaridis, Savvas; Akritidis, Nikolaos; Tsianos, Epaminondas

2003-10-01

The world of infectious diseases has been rarely presented in the cinema with accuracy. Apart from random biographies of scientists and retellings of stories about great epidemics from the past, most films focus on the dangers presented by outbreaks of unknown agents that originate from acts of bioterrorism, from laboratory accidents, or even from space. We review these films and underline the possible effect that they have on the public's perception of infection--a perception that, when misguided, could prove to be problematic in times of epidemics.

The Bacteriome of Bat Flies (Nycteribiidae) from the Malagasy Region: a Community Shaped by Host Ecology, Bacterial Transmission Mode, and Host-Vector Specificity.

PubMed

Wilkinson, David A; Duron, Olivier; Cordonin, Colette; Gomard, Yann; Ramasindrazana, Beza; Mavingui, Patrick; Goodman, Steven M; Tortosa, Pablo

2016-01-08

The Nycteribiidae are obligate blood-sucking Diptera (Hippoboscoidea) flies that parasitize bats. Depending on species, these wingless flies exhibit either high specialism or generalism toward their hosts, which may in turn have important consequences in terms of their associated microbial community structure. Bats have been hypothesized to be reservoirs of numerous infectious agents, some of which have recently emerged in human populations. Thus, bat flies may be important in the epidemiology and transmission of some of these bat-borne infectious diseases, acting either directly as arthropod vectors or indirectly by shaping pathogen communities among bat populations. In addition, bat flies commonly have associations with heritable bacterial endosymbionts that inhabit insect cells and depend on maternal transmission through egg cytoplasm to ensure their transmission. Some of these heritable bacteria are likely obligate mutualists required to support bat fly development, but others are facultative symbionts with unknown effects. Here, we present bacterial community profiles that were obtained from seven bat fly species, representing five genera, parasitizing bats from the Malagasy region. The observed bacterial diversity includes Rickettsia, Wolbachia, and several Arsenophonus-like organisms, as well as other members of the Enterobacteriales and a widespread association of Bartonella bacteria from bat flies of all five genera. Using the well-described host specificity of these flies and data on community structure from selected bacterial taxa with either vertical or horizontal transmission, we show that host/vector specificity and transmission mode are important drivers of bacterial community structure. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The Bacteriome of Bat Flies (Nycteribiidae) from the Malagasy Region: a Community Shaped by Host Ecology, Bacterial Transmission Mode, and Host-Vector Specificity

PubMed Central

Duron, Olivier; Cordonin, Colette; Gomard, Yann; Ramasindrazana, Beza; Mavingui, Patrick; Goodman, Steven M.; Tortosa, Pablo

2016-01-01

The Nycteribiidae are obligate blood-sucking Diptera (Hippoboscoidea) flies that parasitize bats. Depending on species, these wingless flies exhibit either high specialism or generalism toward their hosts, which may in turn have important consequences in terms of their associated microbial community structure. Bats have been hypothesized to be reservoirs of numerous infectious agents, some of which have recently emerged in human populations. Thus, bat flies may be important in the epidemiology and transmission of some of these bat-borne infectious diseases, acting either directly as arthropod vectors or indirectly by shaping pathogen communities among bat populations. In addition, bat flies commonly have associations with heritable bacterial endosymbionts that inhabit insect cells and depend on maternal transmission through egg cytoplasm to ensure their transmission. Some of these heritable bacteria are likely obligate mutualists required to support bat fly development, but others are facultative symbionts with unknown effects. Here, we present bacterial community profiles that were obtained from seven bat fly species, representing five genera, parasitizing bats from the Malagasy region. The observed bacterial diversity includes Rickettsia, Wolbachia, and several Arsenophonus-like organisms, as well as other members of the Enterobacteriales and a widespread association of Bartonella bacteria from bat flies of all five genera. Using the well-described host specificity of these flies and data on community structure from selected bacterial taxa with either vertical or horizontal transmission, we show that host/vector specificity and transmission mode are important drivers of bacterial community structure. PMID:26746715

Infection by Mycoplasma spp., feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus in cats from an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis.

PubMed

Marcondes, Mary; Hirata, Karina Y; Vides, Juliana P; Sobrinho, Ludmila S V; Azevedo, Jaqueline S; Vieira, Thállitha S W J; Vieira, Rafael F C

2018-03-20

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has been increasingly recognized in cats living in areas endemic for the disease. Co-infection with Leishmania infantum and other infectious agents is well established in dogs. However, for cats, data on co-infections with L. infantum and other infectious agents are still sparse. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of vector-borne pathogens, Mycoplasma spp., feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) in cats from an area endemic for VL in southeastern Brazil. Of the 90 cats, eight (8.9%) were infected with Mycoplasma spp., five (5.5%) were FIV- positive and one (1.1%) was FeLV-positive. Co-infection with L. infantum and at least one other infectious agent was found in 9/50 (18.0%; CI: 8.6-31.4%) cats. In Group 1 (cats infected naturally by L. infantum), 4/50 (8.0%) cats were positive for FIV, 4/50 (8%) for Mycoplasma spp. and 1/50 (2.0%) was co-infected with FeLV and Mycoplasma spp. In Group 2 (cats non-infected with L. infantum), 2/40 (5.0%) cats were infected with Mycoplasma spp. and 1/40 (2.5%) was co-infected with FIV and Mycoplasma spp. All cats were negative for Ehrlichia spp., Babesia spp. and Anaplasma platys. A low prevalence of co-infection in Leishmania-infected and non-infected cats was found. Co-infections with Leishmania and vector-borne diseases in cats are not common in this area endemic for VL in Brazil.

Police exposure to infectious agents: an audit of protective policies.

PubMed

Jessop, A B; Del Buono, F; Solomon, G; Mullen-Fortino, M; Rogers, J M

2014-10-01

As first responders, police officers may be exposed to infectious agents such as hepatitis viruses and human immunodeficiency virus. Their risk of infection by these viruses can be reduced with training, monitoring and, with some viruses, vaccination. To examine infection prevention policies and practices among police departments and determine provision of vaccination and infection prevention education programmes. A questionnaire sent to all police departments in five counties of south-eastern Pennsylvania to capture information about department size, immunization policies and practices, record keeping, infection prevention education and monitoring of exposures. Ninety-six of 168 departments responded (57%). Among these, policies requiring pre-employment physical examinations were almost universal (95%). Vaccination policies were less common with <15% requiring and 50% recommending hepatitis, tetanus or influenza vaccination for officers. Few departments took action to provide (2%) or cover the cost (21%) of vaccination. Fewer than 12% maintained vaccination records. Education about the risk of infectious agents was offered by 60% of the responding departments, but often just once at the start of employment. Fewer than half of the departments had systems to collect exposure information. Police departments have opportunities to improve policies and practices for infection prevention and control. Accurate documentation of vaccination status is essential to ensure provision of appropriate post-exposure assessment and treatment. Better reporting of exposure will improve understanding of the infection transmission risk, enhancing the ability to offer targeted education and services to officers. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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.

Rapid, Potentially Automatable, Method Extract Biomarkers for HPLC/ESI/MS/MS to Detect and Identify BW Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-11-01

status can sometimes be reflected in the infectious potential or drug resistance of those pathogens. For example, in Mycobacterium tuberculosis ... Mycobacterium tuberculosis , its antibiotic resistance and prediction of pathogenicity amongst Mycobacterium spp. based on signature lipid biomarkers ...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Rapid, Potentially Automatable, Method Extract Biomarkers for HPLC/ESI/MS/MS to Detect and Identify BW Agents 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b

A quantitative risk assessment of exposure to adventitious agents in a cell culture-derived subunit influenza vaccine.

PubMed

Gregersen, Jens-Peter

2008-06-19

A risk-assessment model has demonstrated the ability of a new cell culture-based vaccine manufacturing process to reduce the level of any adventitious agent to a million-fold below infectious levels. The cell culture-derived subunit influenza vaccine (OPTAFLU), Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics) is produced using Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells to propagate seasonal viral strains, as an alternative to embryonated chicken-eggs. As only a limited range of mammalian viruses can grow in MDCK cells, similar to embryonated eggs, MDCK cells can act as an effective filter for a wide range of adventitious agents that might be introduced during vaccine production. However, the introduction of an alternative cell substrate (for example, MDCK cells) into a vaccine manufacturing process requires thorough investigations to assess the potential for adventitious agent risk in the final product, in the unlikely event that contamination should occur. The risk assessment takes into account the entire manufacturing process, from initial influenza virus isolation, through to blending of the trivalent subunit vaccine and worst-case residual titres for the final vaccine formulation have been calculated for >20 viruses or virus families. Maximum residual titres for all viruses tested were in the range of 10(-6) to 10(-16) infectious units per vaccine dose. Thus, the new cell culture-based vaccine manufacturing process can reduce any adventitious agent to a level that is unable to cause infection.