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Optimization Of Clostridium Septicum Antigen Production And Evaluation Of Vaccine Administration Parameters For A Candidate Bacterin-Toxoid To Prevent Dermatitis In Commercial Turkeys, Aaron Forga

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to optimize the hemolytic activity of two isolates of Clostridium septicum to evaluate if hemolytic titer of C. septicum antigen at time of formalin inactivation corresponded to increased serum antibody titer to the C. septicum alpha-toxin of turkeys immunized with an experimental formalin inactivated bacterin-toxoid vaccine. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of the thesis. Chapter 2 consists of a literature review focused on clostridial dermatitis, specifically C. septicum-associated dermatitis (cellulitis) that affects commercial turkeys. Chapter 3 outlines our attempts to optimize an experimental autogenous bacterin-toxoid vaccine as a potential strategy to mitigate clostridial …

T-Cell Antigen Receptors In Multiple Sclerosis, Lisa Lanée Keyes Jones

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is T-cell mediated autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation, demyelination, and degeneration of axons in the brain and spinal cord. A T cell-mediated immune response in MS is directed against myelin components and possibly other antigens in genetically susceptible individuals and is triggered by a viral infection. The T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) on T cells is responsible for antigen recognition and determines specificity. Our overall hypothesis is to determine whether clonally expanded T cells in patients with MS recognize viral or self-antigens and to determine whether molecular mimicry is involved in the development of the disease. To study …

A Common Mechanism Links Epstein‐Barr Virus Infections And Autoimmune Diseases, Luwen Zhang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with a variety of the autoimmune diseases. There is apparently no unified model for the role of EBV in autoimmune diseases. In this article, the development of autoimmune diseases is proposed as a simple two‐step process: specific autoimmune initiators may cause irreversible changes to genetic materials that increase autoimmune risks, and autoimmune promoters promote autoimmune disease formation once cells are susceptible to autoimmunity. EBV has several types of latencies including type III latency with higher proliferation potential. EBV could serve as autoimmune initiators for some autoimmune diseases. At the same time, EBV may play …

Il-33 Promotes Increased Replication Of Theiler’S Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus In Raw264.7 Macrophage Cells With An Irf3-Dependent Response, Ahmed Esmael, Thomas M. Petro

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Interleukin-33 (IL-33), which promotes M2 macrophage development, may influence the control of viruses, such as Theiler’s Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus (TMEV) that infect macrophages. Because Interferon Regulatory Factor-3 (IRF3) is also critical to control of TMEV infection in macrophages, information on the relationship between IL-33 and IRF3 is important. Thus, RAW264.7 Lucia murine macrophage lineage cells with an endogenous IRF3-ISRE promoter driving secreted luciferase and IRF3KO RAW Lucia, a subline deficient in IRF3, were challenged with TMEV. After the challenge, considerable TMEV RNA detected at 18 and 24 h in RAW cells was significantly elevated in IRF3KO RAW cells. TMEV induction …

Il-33 Promotes Increased Replication Of Theiler’S Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus In Raw264.7 Macrophage Cells With An Irf3-Dependent Response, Ahmed Esmael, Thomas M. Petro

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Interleukin-33 (IL-33), which promotes M2 macrophage development, may influence the control of viruses, such as Theiler’s Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus (TMEV) that infect macrophages. Because Interferon Regulatory Factor-3 (IRF3) is also critical to control of TMEV infection in macrophages, information on the relationship between IL-33 and IRF3 is important. Thus, RAW264.7 Lucia murine macrophage lineage cells with an endogenous IRF3-ISRE promoter driving secreted luciferase and IRF3KO RAW Lucia, a subline deficient in IRF3, were challenged with TMEV. After the challenge, considerable TMEV RNA detected at 18 and 24 h in RAW cells was significantly elevated in IRF3KO RAW cells. TMEV induction …

A Single Amino Acid Substitution In Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Glycoprotein 2 Significantly Impairs Its Infectivity In Macrophages, Jayeshbhai Chaudhari, Raquel Arruda Leme, Kassandra Durazo-Martinez, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, Aspen M. Workman, Hiep Vu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has a restricted tropism for macrophages and CD163 is a key receptor for infection. In this study, the PRRSV strain NCV1 was passaged on MARC-145 cells for 95 passages, and two plaque-clones (C1 and C2) were randomly selected for further analysis. The C1 virus nearly lost the ability to infect porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs), as well as porcine kidney cells expressing porcine CD163 (PK15-pCD163), while the C2 virus replicates well in these two cell types. Pretreatment of MARC-145 cells with an anti-CD163 antibody nearly blocked C1 virus infection, indicating that the virus still …

Polyphenolics, Glucosinolates And Isothiocyanates Profiling Of Aerial Parts Of Nasturtium Officinale (Watercress), Sotiris Kyriakou, Kyriaki Michailidou, Tom Amery, Kyle Stewart, Paul G. Winyard, Dimitrios T. Trafalis, Rodrigo Franco, Aglaia Pappa, Mihalis I. Panayiotidis

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is a rich source of secondary metabolites with disease-preventing and/or health-promoting properties. Herein, we have utilized extraction procedures to isolate fractions of polyphenols, glucosinolates and isothiocyanates to determine their identification, and quantification. In doing so, we have utilized reproducible analytical methodologies based on liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry by either positive or negative ion mode. Due to the instability and volatility of isothiocyanates, we followed an ammonia derivatization protocol which converts them into respective ionizable thiourea derivatives. The analytes’ content distribution map was created on watercress flowers, leaves and stems. We have demonstrated that …

Clinical And In Vitro Evidence Favoring Immunoglobulin Treatment Of A Chronic Norovirus Infection In A Patient With Common Variable Immunodeficiency, Jeroen J A Van Kampen, Virgil A S H Dalm, Pieter L A Fraaij, Bas B Oude Munnink, Claudia M E Schapendonk, Ray W Izquierdo-Lara, Nele Villabruna, Khalil Ettayebi, Mary K Estes, Marion P G Koopmans, Miranda De Graaf

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Immunocompromised individuals can become chronically infected with norovirus, but effective antiviral therapies are not yet available.

METHODS: Treatments with nitazoxanide, ribavirin, interferon alpha-2a, and nasoduodenally administered immunoglobulins were evaluated sequentially in an immunocompromised patient chronically infected with norovirus. In support, these components were also applied to measure norovirus inhibition in intestinal enteroid cultures in vitro. Viral RNA levels were determined in fecal and plasma samples during each treatment and viral genomes were sequenced.

RESULTS: None of the antivirals resulted in a reduction of viral RNA levels in feces or plasma. However, during ribavirin treatment, there was an increased accumulation …

Rickettsia Parkeri Infection Modulates The Sialome And Ovariome Of The Gulf Coast Tick, Amblyomma Maculatum, Melina Garcia Guizzo, Khemraj Budachetri, Abdulsalam Adegoke, Jose M.C. Ribeiro, Shahid Karim

Faculty Publications

The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, is a vector of several tick-borne pathogens, including Rickettsia parkeri. The ability of R. parkeri to persist within the tick population through transovarial and transstadial transmission, without apparently harming the ticks, contributes to the pathogen’s perpetuation in the tick population. Previous studies have shown that the R. parkeri load in A. maculatum is regulated by the tick tissues’ oxidant/antioxidant balance and the non-pathogenic tick microbiome. To obtain further insights into the interaction between tick and pathogen, we performed a bulk RNA-Seq for differential transcriptomic analysis of ovaries and salivary …

Anthropogenic Fecal Pollution Affects Microbial Water Quality And Multidrug Resistance In Tropical Aquatic Environments, Adriana González-Fernández

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although an often-overlooked issue, fecal pollution at recreational beaches should concerneveryone. Worldwide more than 80% of wastewater is discharged into rivers or the ocean without any treatment. Untreated and inefficiently treated wastewater can introduce diseasecausing microorganisms into the aquatic environment. Fecal-borne pathogens can also originate in animal waste, and humans can be exposed to these pathogens from poorly managed animal feces that make their way into the aquatic environment. Exposure to waterborne pathogens in recreational waters is a public health hazard, as it facilitates the transmission of waterborne illness, and surface waters serve as natural reservoirs of antibiotic resistant bacteria …

The “Big Six”: Hidden Emerging Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens, Mona G. Alharbi, Rashad R. Al-Hindi, Ahmed Esmael, Ibrahim A. Alotibi, Sheren A. Azhari, Mazen S. Alseghayer, Addisu D. Teklemariam

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are emerging serogroups that often result in diseases ranging from diarrhea to severe hemorrhagic colitis in humans. The most common non-O157 STEC are O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145. These serogroups are known by the name “big six” because they cause severe illness and death in humans and the United States Department of Agriculture declared these serogroups as food contaminants. The lack of fast and efficient diagnostic methods exacerbates the public impact of the disease caused by these serogroups. Numerous outbreaks have been reported globally and most of these outbreaks were caused by …

The Childhood Acute Illness And Nutrition (Chain) Network Nested Case-Cohort Study Protocol: A Multi-Omics Approach To Understanding Mortality Among Children In Sub-Saharan Africa And South Asia, James M. Njunge, Kirkby Tickell, Abdoulaye Hama Diallo, Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayeem Bin Shahi, Md Amran Gazi, Ali Faisal Saleem, Zaubina Kazi, Syed Ali, Caroline Tigoi, Ezekiel Mupere

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: Many acutely ill children in low- and middle-income settings have a high risk of mortality both during and after hospitalisation despite guideline-based care. Understanding the biological mechanisms underpinning mortality may suggest optimal pathways to target for interventions to further reduce mortality. The Childhood Acute Illness and Nutrition (CHAIN) Network ( www.chainnnetwork.org) Nested Case-Cohort Study (CNCC) aims to investigate biological mechanisms leading to inpatient and post-discharge mortality through an integrated multi-omic approach.
Methods and analysis; The CNCC comprises a subset of participants from the CHAIN cohort (1278/3101 hospitalised participants, including 350 children who died and 658 survivors, and …

Successful Use Of Continuous Erector Spinae Plane Blocks In A Patient With Variant Angina After Large Ventral Hernia Repair, Alexandra L Belfar, Yi Deng, Raymond C Yu, Annas Sabbagh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Coronary artery spasm constitutes the primary underlying pathology of variant angina. Because provocation of coronary artery spasm may occur with both excess sympathetic and excess parasympathetic stimulation, patients with this disorder have extremely limited options for perioperative pain control. This is especially true for procedures involving extensive abdominal incision/manipulation. Whereas neuraxial analgesia might otherwise be appropriate in these cases, several studies have demonstrated that coronary artery spasm can occur as a result of epidural placement, and therefore, that this may not be an optimal choice for patients with variant angina. This report discusses the case of a patient with a …

A Membrane Transporter Required For Quorum Sensing And Virulence Of The Rice Pathogen Burkholderia Glumae, Asif Iqbal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Burkholderia glumae is a Gram-negative bacterium causing bacterial panicle blight (BPB) in rice. BPB can cause severe damage to rice and reduce rice yield up to 75%, while no effective treatment has been developed to control the disease. B. glumae produces and secretes an essential virulence factor, toxoflavin, which is mainly responsible for the symptoms of BPB. Synthesis and transport of toxoflavin are regulated in a quorum-sensing dependent manner. Members of the DedA superfamily are putative membrane transporters and found in nearly all species. Mutation of dedA in Burkholderia species results in sensitivity to colistin, an antibiotic belonging to the …

Sars-Cov-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: Structural Features, Biological Characteristics, Impact On Scientific Research, General Precautions And Protective Procedures; A Systematic Review, Prithivi Nagarajan, Anitha Vetrivel, Jayanthi Kumar, Anusheela Howlader, Kumar Rangarajalu, Satheesh Kumar Sabapathy, Muthu Gopal, Saravanaavel Kumar

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

The SARS-CoV-2 mutations that have occurred have alarmed the entire medical community. Thus, global concerns have been expressed regarding the transmission, pathogenicity and immune evasion of the Omicron strain, which shares mutations with the variants of concern Alpha, Beta, and Gamma strains. Still, Omicron transmission has crossed numerous borders worldwide compared to other types of SARS-CoV-2. The number of confirmed cases has increased and is reappearing in India. Given the worrisome situation created by the Omicron outbreak, scientists and postgraduates have had to make decisions about current research programs at institutions around the globe. The Omicron variants under development have …

Proteômica Plasmática Quantitativa De Pacientes Sobreviventes E Não Sobreviventes De Covid-19 Internados No Hospital Revela Potenciais Biomarcadores Prognósticos E Alvos Terapêuticos, D C. Flora, A D. Valle, H Abs Pereira, T F. Garbieri, L. T. Grizzo, T J. Dionisio, A L. Leite, D Mc Rosa, C F. Santos, M Ar Buzalaf

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

O desenvolvimento de novas abordagens que permitam a avaliação precoce de quais casos de COVID-19 provavelmente se tornarão críticos e a descoberta de novos alvos terapêuticos são importantes. Neste estudo de coorte, foi avaliado o perfil proteômico e laboratorial do plasma de 163 pacientes internados no Hospital Estadual de Bauru (Bauru, SP, Brasil) entre 4 de maio e 4 de julho de 2020, que foram diagnosticados com COVID-19 por RT-PCR a partir de amostras de swab nasofaríngeo amostras. Amostras de plasma foram coletadas na admissão para análises laboratoriais de rotina e análise proteôomica quantitativa shotgun livre de marcadores. De acordo …

Bird Species Define The Relationship Between West Nile Viremia And Infectiousness To Culex Pipiens Mosquitoes, Jefferson A. Vaughan, Robert Newman, Michael J. Turrell

Biology Faculty Publications

The transmission cycle of West Nile virus (WNV) involves multiple species of birds. The relative importance of various bird species to the overall transmission is often inferred from the level and duration of viremia that they experience upon infection. Reports utilizing in vitro feeding techniques suggest that the source and condition of blood in which arboviruses are fed to mosquitoes can significantly alter the infectiousness of arbovirus to mosquitoes. We confirmed this using live hosts. A series of mosquito feedings with Culex pipiens was conducted on WNV-infected American robins and common grackles over a range of viremias. Mosquitoes were assayed …

Identification And Antibiotic-Susceptibility Profiling Of Non-Hospital Wound Infecting Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated From Ghail-Bawazeer Patients, Yemen, Maged Salem Bin-Masalam, A. Ba-Swaqi, A. Hwydi, A. Mhedy, E. Alamudi, H. Bin-Nashe, M. Abozid, S. Aljomhy, S. Badaood

Hadhramout University Journal of Natural & Applied Sciences

The continuous increase in the resistance of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus isolated from non-hospital infected wounds to the novel chemical classes of antibiotics is of great public health importance. This problem prompted the researchers to study the antibiotic susceptibility of such strains. Twenty wound pus samples were collected and selected randomly from 20 non-hospital wound infected patients of different ages who attended different medical laboratories in Ghail-Bawazeer, Yemen, from October to December 2020, and 24 bacterial isolates were analyzed using morphological, cultural, and biochemical characterization for the isolation and identification of S. aureus. Based on the morphological and cultural characteristics, …

Correlation Of Gut Alteration With The Progression Of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (Eae) In C57bl/6 Mice, Al Anood Ahmed Al Naqbi

Theses

Background: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the mouse disease model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune disease targeting the central nervous system (CNS) resulting in neuroinflammation, neuroaxonal degeneration, and demyelination. Autoreactive CD4⁺ T cells are known for their role in the pathogenesis of MS. CD8⁺ T cells and NK cells were also found to be associated with the disease.

Aim: There is a limited number of studies investigating the link between gut alterations and immune cells in the gut influencing the outcome of the disease since the vast majority of MS patients experience gastrointestinal (GI) problems. Here, …

Interrogating Antagonistic Differences Among Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Cdia Alleles, Haotian Yang

Master's Theses

Bacteria are complex social organisms that live within mixed communities where microorganisms compete for limited resources. We studied Contact-Dependent Growth Inhibition (CDI), a particular type of competition mediated by a type 5b, or two-partner, secretion system that is widely spread among Gram-negative bacteria. CdiB and CdiA make up the two-partner secretion system that mediates CDI. CdiB translocates CdiA to the cell surface, and CdiA delivers its C-terminal toxin domain to the target cell. The C-terminal toxin (Tox) domain of CdiA is highly diverse. We studied Tox domains of various Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. We found different strains that contain unique …

Mutation Of Aspergillus Sp. Using Ultraviolet Light And Nitrous Acid For Amylase Production From Banana Peels, Cyprian Erumiseli Oshoma, Johnson Oche Akor, Beckley Ikhajiagbe, Marcel James Ikenebomeh

Makara Journal of Science

Strain improvement through mutagenesis is important in the commercial development of microbial fermentation. This study aimed to produce amylase from banana (Musa sapientum) peels by using mutant Aspergillus sp. strains obtained via ultraviolet (UV) radiation and nitrous acid-based mutagenesis. Results revealed that banana peels pretreated with 0.8 N HCl had a biomass yield of 3.02 g/L and amylase activity of 2.81 U/L. Of the UV mutants, strain AUV1 had the highest biomass and amylase activity of 4.50 ± 0.21 g/L and 3.46 ± 0.14 U/L, respectively. Subsequently, HNO₂ mutants showed that strain ANA6 had 30.64% and …

Pulse-Field Analysis Diversity Of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases Producing Gram Negative Bacteria Isolated From Periplaneta Americana (Cockroaches), Omolara D. Popoola, Moses O. Efuntoye, Georgia C. Agu, Benjamin T. Thomas

Tanzania Journal of Science

Extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria are organisms of public health significance that have been implicated in prolonged hospital stay, treatment failures and higher fatalities. These organisms were originally thought to be widely distributed in hospital, but have since grown in terms of their epidemiological coverage. This study was therefore aimed at using pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to understand the diversity of ESBL producing organisms originating from cockroaches in Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria. The diversity was determined by using a set of twenty six (26) ESBL producing bacterial strains isolated from cockroaches sampled in Ago-Iwoye community, Ogun State, Nigeria. PFGE analysis …

Ridinilazole: A Novel, Narrow-Spectrum Antimicrobial Agent Targeting Clostridium (Clostridioides) Difficile, Deirdre A. Collins, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile infection (CDI) remains an urgent threat to patients in health systems worldwide. Recurrent CDI occurs in up to 30% of cases due to sustained dysbiosis of the gut microbiota which normally protects against CDI. Associated costs of initial and recurrent episodes of CDI impose heavy financial burdens on health systems. Vancomycin and metronidazole have been the mainstay of therapy for CDI for many years; however, these agents continue to cause significant disruption to the gut microbiota and thus carry a high risk of recurrence for CDI patients. Treatment regimens are now turning towards novel narrow spectrum antimicrobial …

Frequency Of Bystander Exposure To Antibiotics For Enteropathogenic Bacteria Among Young Children In Low-Resource Settings, Elizabeth T. Rogawski Mcquade, Stephanie A. Brennhofer, Sarah E. Elwood, Timothy L. Mcmurry, Joseph A. Lewnard, Estomih R. Mduma, Sanjaya Shrestha, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Pascal O. Bessong, Gagandeep Kang

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Children in low-resource settings carry enteric pathogens asymptomatically and are frequently treated with antibiotics, resulting in opportunities for pathogens to be exposed to antibiotics when not the target of treatment (i.e., bystander exposure). We quantified the frequency of bystander antibiotic exposures for enteric pathogens and estimated associations with resistance among children in eight low-resource settings. We analyzed 15,697 antibiotic courses from 1,715 children aged 0 to 2 y from the MAL-ED birth cohort. We calculated the incidence of bystander exposures and attributed exposures to respiratory and diarrheal illnesses. We associated bystander exposure with phenotypic susceptibility of E. coli isolates in …

Esculin Hydrolysis Negative And Tcda-Only Producing Strains Of Clostridium (Clostridioides) Difficile From The Environment In Western Australia, Nirajmohan Shivaperumal, Daniel R. Knight, Korakrit Imwattana, Grace O. Androga, Barbara J. Chang, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and Aims: Clostridium (Clostridiodes) difficile clade 3 ribotype (RT) 023 strains that fail to produce black colonies on bioMérieux ChromID agar have been reported, as well as variant strains of C. difficile that produce only toxin A. We have recently isolated strains of C. difficile from the environment in Western Australia (WA) with similar characteristics. The objective of this study was to characterize these strains. It was hypothesized that a putative β-glucosidase gene was lacking in these strains of C. difficile, including RT 023, leading to white colonies. Methods and Results: A total of 17 environmental isolates of C. …

Igg Antibodies To Sars-Cov-2 In Asymptomatic Blood Donors At Two Time Points In Karachi, Muhammad Hasan, Bushra Moiz, Shama Qaiser, Kiran I. Masood, Zara Ghous, Areeba Hussain, Natasha Bahadur Ali, Syed Hani Abidi, Kulsoom Ghias, Erum Khan, Zahra Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Introduction: An estimated 1.5 million cases were reported in Pakistan until 23 March, 2022. However, SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing capacity has been limited and the incidence of COVID-19 infections is unknown. Volunteer healthy blood donors can be a control population for assessment of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in the population. We determined COVID-19 seroprevalence during the second pandemic wave in Karachi in donors without known infections or symptoms in 4 weeks prior to enrollment.
Materials and methods: We enrolled 558 healthy blood donors at the Aga Khan University Hospital between December 2020 and February 2021. ABO blood groups were determined. Serum IgG reactivity …

From The Headlines: A Textual Analysis Of Social Polarization And Discord In Times Of Pandemic Across A Century In The United States, Alexa Demarco

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Within the past century, three major pandemics have affected the United States – the Spanish Flu, AIDS, and COVID-19. Each of these pandemics has tested the capabilities of the public health sector and the social resilience of the population. Scientists have studied the viruses and implemented public health measures to limit viral transmission, but the social responses to these preventative measures proved to be difficult to predict and control. The dissonance and polarization between the public health initiatives and the response of the general public in the most recent pandemic was apparent. Was this a pattern in other pandemics? Was …

Intrinsic Cardiac Effects Of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 In Coronavirus Disease 2019, Brittany Danielle Brumback

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Cardiac arrhythmias, particularly ventricular arrhythmias, can be life-threatening and caused by both congenital genetic mutations and acquired cardiac injury. My thesis work was originally focused on delineating the effects of genetic mutation-driven dysregulation of a protein called Hey2 in Brugada Syndrome, a complex disease characterized by a predisposition to dangerous arrhythmias originating in the right ventricular outflow tract. In response to the pandemic, my thesis work shifted toward understanding the mechanisms of cardiovascular injury in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is associated with serious cardiovascular complications, including ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death as well as endothelial dysfunction and coagulopathies. …

Investigating Host Defenses Of North American Salamanders Against The Recently Emerged Chytrid Pathogen, Batrachochytrium Salamandrivorans, Kenzie Pereira

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A recently emerged chytrid fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) threatens salamander biodiversity. Bsal susceptibility varies between and within salamander species, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying these differences. Susceptibility is likely influenced by numerous interacting factors, but my dissertation studied the role of host immune responses.

My first aim investigated between species differences by studying the bioactive properties of salamander skin peptides against Bsal and the related pathogen, B. dendrobatidis (Bd). Skin peptides were collected from five salamander species, used for in vitro assays, and analyzed by RP-HPLC. While skin peptides from one …

Novel Signal Sequences And Fusion Partners For Paratransgenesis In Asaia, Christina Grogan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mosquitoes transmit many pathogens that cause human disease. One such disease, malaria, is caused by parasites in the genus Plasmodium, infecting over 200 million people and killing over 600,000 per year. Current strategies to control vector-transmitted diseases are increasingly undermined by mosquito and pathogen resistance. Research has turned to additional and novel methods of control, such as altering the microbiota of the vectors. In this method, called paratransgenesis, symbiotic bacteria are genetically modified to affect the mosquito’s phenotype by engineering them to deliver antiplasmodial molecules into the midgut to kill parasites. These molecules must be released by the …