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Activation Of The Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway Contributes To Survival Of Primary Epithelial Cells Infected With The Periodontal Pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Özlem Yilmaz, Thomas Jungas, Philippe Verbeke, David M. Ojcius

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important periodontal pathogen, infects primary gingival epithelial cells (GECs). Despite the large number of bacteria that replicate inside the GECs, the host cell remains viable. We demonstrate that P. gingivalis triggers rapid and reversible surface phosphatidylserine exposure through a mechanism requiring caspase activation. However, after 1 day of infection, the bacteria no longer induce phosphatidylserine externalization and instead protect infected cells against apoptosis. Infection exerts its effect at the level of mitochondria, as P. gingivalis also blocks depolarization of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and cytochrome c release. Interestingly, protein kinase B/Akt is phosphorylated during infection, which can …

Comments On The Gonotyl Of Proctocaecum Macroclemidis (Tkach And Snyder, 2003) N. Comb. (Digenea: Acanthostomidae: Acanthostominae), With A Key To The Genera Of Acanthostominae And New Phylogenetic Tree For Proctocaecum Baugh, 1957, Daniel R. Brooks

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

The species recently described as Acanthostomum macroclemidis possesses the gonotyl in the form of a solid muscular pad uniquely diagnostic for species of Proctocaecum and is accordingly transferred to that genus. An artificial key to the 5 acanthostomine genera, as well as an updated phylogenetic hypothesis for the 10 known species of Proctocaecum, based on 11 characters and including 2 species described since the last phylogenetic analysis, are presented. The single most parsimonious phylogenetic tree with a consistency index of 87.5% suggests that Proctocaecum originated in Africa and spread to North America and South America before the breakup of …

Torquatoides Trogoni N. Sp. And Excisa Ramphastina N. Sp. (Nematoda: Habronematoidea: Habronematidae) In Birds From The Área De Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Luping Zhang, Daniel R. Brooks

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Two new species of habronematid nematodes are described in birds from the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Torquatoides trogoni n. sp., in Trogon massena, can be distinguished from T. torquata, T. bengalensis, and T. crotophaga in lacking lateral alae. Among species lacking lateral alae, the new species differs from T. balanocephala in having 14 versus 8-10 cephalic cuticular plaques, 21-22 versus 13-17 pairs of preanal papillae, and a beak-shaped versus U-shaped gubernaculum. The new species differs from T. singhi in body length, in having 21-22 versus 10 pairs of precloacal papillae, longer spicules, and larger eggs. …

Prevalence Of Parasites In Amphipods Diporeia Spp. From Lakes Michigan And Huron, Usa, Gretchen A. Messick, Robin M. Overstreet, Thomas F. Nalepa, Sue Tyler

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Amphipods of Diporeia spp. have declined considerably during the last decade in the Great Lakes. We examined the possibility that disease may be affecting these populations. A histological survey assessed the parasites in species of Diporeia within Lakes Huron and Michigan, USA, and the host response to some of them and to unknown factors. Amphipods were found to have an intranuclear inclusion body, and were hosts to a rickettsia-like organism, fungi, a haplosporidian, a microsporidian, epibiotic ciliates, a gregarine, a cestode, acanthocephalans and nodule formations. Epibiotic ciliates were most common (37% prevalence of infection), but a microsporidian (3.8%), a rickettsia-like …

Life Cycle And Paratenesis Of American Gordiids (Nematomorpha: Gordiida), Ben Hanelt, John J. Janovy Jr.

John J. Janovy, Jr. Publications

To complete their life cycle, gordiids must make a transition from aquatic to terrestrial environments. However, epibenthic aquatic larvae and their terrestrial definitive hosts do not overlap in habitat. This has led many investigators to suggest that infections are acquired through the ingestion of insects, which become infected as aquatic larvae with gordiid cysts and subsequently carry gordiids to land. This proposed life cycle was experimentally tested using three common American species of gordiids: Gordius robustus, Paragordius varius, and Chordodes morgani. Cysts of all three species survived the metamorphosis of Tanytarsus sp., a midge. Subsequent infection trials of …

American Society Of Parasitologists Newsletter, V. 26, No. 1, Spring 2004, Scott Lyell Gardner

American Society of Parasitologists: Newsletter

An issue of the American Society of Parasitologists' quarterly newsletter, also called the Journal of Parasitology Newsletter.

Genomically Intact Endogenous Feline Leukemia Viruses Of Recent Origin, Alfred L. Roca, Jill Pecon-Slattery, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

We isolated and sequenced two complete endogenous feline leukemia viruses (enFeLVs), designated enFeLV-AGTT and enFeLV-GGAG. In enFeLV-AGTT, the open reading frames are reminiscent of a functioning FeLV genome, and the 5′ and 3′ long terminal repeat sequences are identical. Neither endogenous provirus is genetically fixed in cats but polymorphic, with 8.9 and 15.2% prevalence for enFeLV-AGTT and enFeLV-GGAG, respectively, among a survey of domestic cats. Neither provirus was found in the genomes of related species of the Felis genus, previously shown to harbor enFeLVs. The absence of mutational divergence, polymorphic incidence in cats, and absence in related species suggest that …

“Emerging” Parasitic Infections In Arctic Ungulates, Susan J. Kutz, Eric P. Hoberg, John Nagy, Lydden Polley, Brett Elkin

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Important drivers for emergence of infectious disease in wildlife include changes in the environment, shrinking habitats or concentration of wildlife, and movement of people, animals, pathogens, or vectors. In this paper we present three case-studies of emerging parasitic infections and diseases in ungulates in the Canadian north. First we discuss climate warming as an important driver for the emergence of disease associated with Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis, a nematode lungworm of muskoxen. Then we examine how Protostrongylus stilesi, the sheep lungworm, emerged (or re-emerged) in muskoxen after re-introduction of this host into its historical range made it sympatric with Dall’s …

Procyrnea Chabaud, 1958 (Nematoda: Habronematoidea: Habronematidae) In Birds From The Area De Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Including Descriptions Of 3 New Species, Luping Zhang, Daniel R. Brooks, Douglas Causey

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Four species of Procyrnea were collected in birds from the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. ,i>Procyrnea brevicaudata,/i> n. sp. in Crypturellus cinnamomeus resembles P. ficheuri, P. murrayi, P. ameerae, P. dollfusi, and P. aptera in lacking lateral alae but differs from all these species in having two longitudinal ridges on the left side of the body, in having a sinistral rather than ventral vulvar opening, and in having dorsally bent rather than straight female tails. Procyrnea mawsonae n. sp., in Buteo magnirostris, is similar to P. strialata in body size and in having …

Parallopharynx Spp. (Trematoda: Digenea: Plagiorchioidea) In Iguanian Lizards From The Área De Conservación Guanacaste, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Including Parallopharynx Matternae N. Sp. In Basiliscus Basiliscus (Squamata: Iguania: Corytophanidae), David Zamparo, Daniel R. Brooks, Vasyl Tkach, Beatriz Rodriguez

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

We report three species of the digenean genus Parallopharynx, one previously undescribed, from the Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. Parallopharynx gonzalezi, which was originally described in Basiliscus sp. and Ctenosaura similis from central Costa Rica, inhabits C. quinquecarinata; P. jonesi, originally described in Anolis lionotus (syn. Norops oxylophus) from Nicaragua, inhabits N. oxylophus, N. biporcatus, and Basiliscus basiliscus; and the new species, which inhabits B. basiliscus. Parallopharynx matternae n. sp. differs from all other members of the genus by having a metraterm extending posteriad from the genital …

Mapping The Presence Of Wolbachia Pipientis On The Phylogeny Of Filarial Nematodes: Evidence For Symbiont Loss During Evolution, Maurizio Casiraghi, Odile Bain, Ricardo Guerrero, Coralie Martin, Vanessa Pocacqua, Scott Lyell Gardner, Alberto Francheschi, Claudio Bandi

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Wolbachia pipientis is a bacterial endosymbiont associated with arthropods and filarial nematodes. In filarial nematodes, W. pipientis has been shown to play an important role in the biology of the host and in the immuno-pathology of filariasis. Several species of filariae, including the most important parasites of humans and animals (e.g. Onchocerca volvulus, Wuchereria bancrofti and Dirofilaria immitis) have been shown to harbor these bacteria. Other filarial species, including an important rodent species (Acanthocheilonema viteae), which has been used as a model for the study of filariasis, do not appear to harbor these symbionts. There are …

Parapharyngodon Duniae N. Sp. (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) In Phrynohyas Venulosa (Anura: Hylidae) From The Área De Conservación Guanacaste, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Charles R. Bursey, Daniel R. Brooks

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Parapharyngodon duniae n. sp. (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) in the large intestine of the veined tree frog, Phrynohyas venulosa, from the Área de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica is described and illustrated. Parapharyngodon duniae n. sp. represents the 34th species assigned to the genus, the 10th species from the Neotropical Realm, and only the third species to parasitize anurans. It is distinguished from the other Neotropical species by having postbulbar ovaries and a prebulbar excretory pore.

Erroneous Reports Of The Neotropical Echinococcus Oligarthrus As A Cause Of Echinococcosis In India [Critical Comment], Antonio D'Alessandro, Robert L. Rausch

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Two cases of submandibular echinococcosis have been reported in adult residents of India (Kini et al., 1997; Sahni et al., 2000). It was stated in both publications that the cestode was E. oligarthrus, "a rare variety of E. granulosus", based on morphogical characteristics. It was also mentioned that three cases of E. granulosus with similar submandibular metacestode had been previously diagnosed in India. The metacestode is readily distinguishable from that of E. oligarthrus. The final hosts of E. oligarthrus are several neotropical species of wild cats and metacestode occurs in hystricognath, all of them absent in India. …

American Society Of Parasitologists Newsletter, V. 26, No. 4, Summer 2004, Scott Lyell Gardner

American Society of Parasitologists: Newsletter

An issue of the American Society of Parasitologists' quarterly newsletter, also called the Journal of Parasitology Newsletter.

Phosphorylation Of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Phosphoprotein P Is Indispensable For Virus Growth†, Subash C. Das, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The phosphoprotein (P) of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is an essential subunit of the viral RNAdependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complex. It is phosphorylated at two different domains. Using defective interfering (DI) RNA or minigenomic RNA templates, we previously demonstrated that phosphorylation within the amino-terminal domain I is essential for transcription, whereas phosphorylation within the carboxyterminal domain II is necessary for replication. For the present study, we examined the role of the phosphorylation of residues in these domains in the life cycle of VSV. Various mutant P coding sequences were inserted into a full-length cDNA clone of VSV, and the virus …

Molecular Characterization Of Immunoglobins A, G, And M Heavy Chains In The Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops Truncatus, Holly Ann Gefroh

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The dolphin immune system is not well characterized, unlike the human and mouse immune systems. As a sentinel species of the marine ecosystem, an understanding of the dolphin immune system will not only contribute to conservation and management of the species, but also contribute to an understanding of the status of the marine ecosystem. cDNA sequences encoding IgA and IgG heavy chains and IgM transmembrane segment of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, were obtained using a combination of reserve transcription of mRNA, PCR amplification using degenerate primers, and 3' and VH-FR3 anchored 5' RACE. Analysis of dolphin γ gene …

The Southwestern Association Of Parasitologists: The First 35 Years: 1967–2002, Donald W. Duszynski

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

First two paragraphs:

It is likely that the idea to organize southwestern parasitologists into a regional group originated over cocktails one night in the late 1950s during a regional or national meeting. What is clear is that two men—Drs. Robert E. Kuntz and Donald V. Moore— were instrumental in turning the idea into what has become, in reality, the Southwestern Association of Parasitologists (SWAP). Dr. J. Teague Self (personal communication, 1981) stated, “The beginning of SWAP was an idea of Robert Kuntz who felt that something could be gained if several of us here in the southwest could get together …

Defeating Diplostomoid Dangers In Usa Catfish Aquaculture, Robin M. Overstreet, Stephen S. Curran

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Diplostomoid digenean metacercariae have caused widescale mortalities of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), at aquaculture farms in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas, USA. Originally, based on a tentative diagnosis, the industry considered the primary harmful agent to be an introduced species from Europe, Bolbophorus confusus (Krause, 1914), frequently reported from the American white pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Gmelin. Our group has now shown, using ITS 1-2 plus three more-conservative gene fragments, that two sympatric species of Bolbophorus exist in the American white pelican. One, B. damnificus Overstreet et Curran, 2002, infects the musculature of catfish, and the other, probably not B. confusus …

Paneak's Plants And Animals [In A Hungry Country: Appendix 1], Robert L. Rausch

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

A list of plants and animals recognized by Simon Paneak (1900-1975), a Nunamiut Eskimo. Names are given in English and Iñupiaq, and their scientific names are provided.

The Prevalence Of The Q-Fever Agent Coxiella Burnetii In Ticks Collected From An Animal Shelter In Southeast Georgia, John H. Smoyer Iii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: Q-fever is a zoonosis caused by a worldwide-distributed bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Ticks are vectors of the Q-fever agent but play a secondary role in transmission because the agent is also transmitted via aerosols. Most Q-fever studies have focused on farm animals but not ticks collected from dogs in animal shelters. In order to detect the Q-fever agent in these ticks, a nested PCR technique targeting the 16S rDNA of Coxiella burnetii was used. A collection of 450 ticks from the animal shelter were screened via nested PCR and 144 (32%) were positives. The positive PCR products were also …

The Southwestern Association Of Parasitologists: The First 35 Years: 1967–2002, Donald W. Duszynski

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

First two paragraphs:

It is likely that the idea to organize southwestern parasitologists into a regional group originated over cocktails one night in the late 1950s during a regional or national meeting. What is clear is that two men—Drs. Robert E. Kuntz and Donald V. Moore— were instrumental in turning the idea into what has become, in reality, the Southwestern Association of Parasitologists (SWAP).

Dr. J. Teague Self (personal communication, 1981) stated, “The beginning of SWAP was an idea of Robert Kuntz who felt that something could be gained if several of us here in the southwest could get together …

Some Aspects Of The Biology And Life History Of Bothitrema Bothi (Monogenea: Bothitrematidae) From The Flounder Scophthalmus Aquosus (Bothidae) From New Jersey, Usa, Sherman S. Hendrix

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Bothitrema bothi (MacCallum, 1913), a monopisthocotylean monogenean (Bothitrematidae) found on gills and occasionally on the olfactory rosette within the nares of the bothid flounder, Scophthalmus aquosus (Mitchill, 1815), is distributed along the Atlantic coast of the USA from Woods Hole, Massachusetts to Delaware Bay. This study details aspects of the morphology, microecology and biology of the oncomiracidium, juvenile and adult. Adult worms occur almost exclusively between rakers on the first and second gill arches while juveniles occupy secondary gill filaments. Analysis of variance revealed significant arch, side and position effects. Worm attachment and position is maintained largely by suction generated …

Cardicola Forsteri (Digenea: Sanguinicolidae) From The Heart Of A Northern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus Thynnus (Scombridae), In The Northwest Atlantic Ocean, Stephen A. Bullard, Robert J. Goldstein, Robert H. Goodwin Iii, Robin M. Overstreet

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

We report a specimen of Cardicola forsteri Cribb, Daintith, and Munday, 2000 (Digenea: Sanguinicolidae) from the lumen of the heart of a northern bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Scombridae), that was 218 cm in total length (TL) and caught in the northwest Atlantic Ocean 12 km south of Cape Lookout, North Carolina. The hearts of 12 similarly sized northern bluefin tuna (127–262 cm TL) from George’s Bank, northwest Atlantic Ocean, were not infected. This is the first report of C. forsteri from a wild host and of a sanguinicolid from any scombrid in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Bluefin tuna …

Tolerance Of The Fetus By The Maternal Immune System: Role Of Inflammatory Mediators At The Feto-Maternal Interface, Colette Kanellopoulos-Langevin, Stephane M. Caucheteux, Philippe Verbeke, David M. Ojcius

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

The adaptive immune system of placental mammals has evolved to tolerate the fetus. Rejection of the fetus by adaptive immune responses is therefore a rare event, with abortion being caused more frequently by inflammation in the placenta. This review will cover recent aspects of immune privilege and the innate immune system at the feto-maternal interface, citing examples of the role played by microbial infections in fetal demise.

Acceptance Of The Clark P. Read Mentor Award: The Teague Self Lessons, John J. Janovy Jr.

John J. Janovy, Jr. Publications

The transcript of John J. Janovy Jr.'s speech upon acceptance of the American Society of Parasitologists' Clark P. Read Mentor Award, 2003.

Determination Of The Optimal Form Of A Dna Vaccine To Induce An Effective Immune Response Against A Murine B-Cell Lymphoma, Deepti Aurora

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tumor vaccines are a promising alternative to chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer. To be effective and safe, a cancer vaccine should specifically target antigens expressed only on tumor cells. The B-cell tumor-derived Ig receptor may be considered a model tumor antigen for cancer vaccine development. Specifically the immunoglobulin idiotype (ld) encoded by the variable region genes (VH and VL) provides a target antigen. Promising results have been obtained in clinical studies of ld vaccination using ld proteins. However, ld protein is laborious and time-consuming to produce. Gene-based vaccines, on the other hand, are inexpensive and offer ease of manipulation …

A New Species Of Mathevotaenia (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) And Other Tapeworms From Marsupials In Argentina, Scott Lyell Gardner, Mariel L. Campbell, Graciela T. Navone

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Cestodes are reported from Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1840 and Micoureus cinereus Temminck, 1824 (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in Argentina. These include a new species of Mathevotaenia Akhumyan, 1946 (Cestoda: Anoplocephalata) as well as M. bivittata (Janicki, 1904) and an unknown hymenolepidid cestode. Mathevotaenia argentinensis n. sp. is characterized by a relatively narrow strobila, 18–37 mm in total length and 1.0–1.5 mm in maximum width, 135–163 craspedote proglottids, 19–27 testes, and a muscular genital atrium. This species differs from M. didelphidis (Rudolphi, 1819) in the disposition of the genital ducts between the excretory canals and in the entrance of the vagina into the …

The Role Of Monocytes In Pristane-Induced Plasmacytoma Escape, Tina L. Sumpter

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multiples myelomas are untreatable neoplasias in humans, arising from terminally differentiated B cells (plasma cells). The murine pristane-induced plasmacytoma model offers a system for studying the cellular interactions involved in sustaining the growth of plasma cell tumors. In accord with this model, syngenic plasma cell tumors transplanted into the peritoneal cavity of a genetically susceptible mouse are normally cleared by the mouse's immune system. If the mouse is pretreated with pristane (2,6,10,14- tetramethylpentadecane) intraperitoneally, prior to the transplantation of the plasma cell tumor, the tumor thrives, culminating in the death of the mouse. Intraperitoneal administration of pristane results in an …

Molecular Phylogeny Of Haematoloechus Looss, 1899 (Digenea: Plagiorchiidae), With Emphasis On North American Species, Daniel R. Brooks, Virginia León-Règagnon

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Phylogenetic hypothesis of 23 populations corresponding to 18 species of the digenean Haematoloechus from America, Europe, and Africa, based on ribosomal DNA 28S partial sequences (~890 bp), is presented. Genetic divergence between the in-group and the out-groups ranged from 9.7 to 14.5% and within the in-group, from 0.9 to 12.2%. Eight most parsimonious trees 569 steps long were obtained, with a consistency index of 72%. Groups in the tree are not congruent with those in previous classification schemes of species in the genus, based on a small number of morphological characters. For this subset of Haematoloechus,/i> species, plesiomorphic hosts are …

Presidential Address: Flavor Buds And Other Delights, Robin M. Overstreet

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Presidential address at the 78th Annual Meeting, American Society of Parasitologists, August 2, 2003, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, by Robin M. Overtsreet.