Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

A New Species Of Mathevotaenia (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) From The Andean Tuco-Tuco, Ctenomys Opimus (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae), On The Altiplano Of Bolivia, Scott Lyell Gardner, Bennett A. Grappone, Alex Lai

Scott L. Gardner Publications

A new species of Mathevotaenia Akumyan, 1946 (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) is described from the Andean tuco-tuco, Ctenomys opimus Wagner 1848 (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae), collected in 1984 on the Altiplano of Bolivia. This is the second species of anoplocephalid cestode recorded from rodents of the genus Ctenomys, the first being Monoecocestus torresi Olsen 1976 from the Maule tuco-tuco, Ctenomys maulinus Philippi 1872, documented in southwestern Argentina. The new species of Mathevotaenia described here has more testes per segment than any other described species of the same genus from South America. The description of a new species from a decades-old specimen highlights the …

Mites [Of Dogs And Cats], Susan E. Little, Roberto Cortinas

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Veterinary parasitology: 20,000-word article details recognition and treatments for mite infestations of dogs and cats. Mite species reviewed include:

Cheyletiella spp. (“Walking Dandruff”)

Demodex spp. (Hair Follicle Mites, Red Mange, Demodicosis, Demodectic Mange)

Sarcoptes scabiei (Itch Mite, Scabies, Sarcoptic Mange)

Notoedres cati (Feline Head and Neck Mange)

Otodectes cynotis (Ear Mites)

Pneumonyssoides caninum (Nasal Mite)

Lynxacarus radovskyi (Fur Mite, Hair Clasping Mite)

Trombiculid Mites (Chiggers, Red Bugs, Berry Bugs, Harvest Mites, Scrub Itch or Grass Itch Mites)

Discussions include Etiology and epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Clinical features, Diagnosis, Treatment and prognosis, Immunity, Prevention, and Public health aspects.

Complete with 209 references.

More People, More Cats, More Parasites: Human Population Density And Temperature Variation Predict Prevalence Of Toxoplasma Gondii Oocyst Shedding In Free-Ranging Domestic And Wild Felids, Sophie Zhu, Elizabeth Vanwormer, Karen Shapiro

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous zoonotic parasite that can infect warm-blooded vertebrates, including humans. Felids, the definitive hosts, drive T. gondii infections by shedding the environmentally resistant stage of the parasite (oocysts) in their feces. Few studies characterize the role of climate and anthropogenic factors in oocyst shedding among free-ranging felids, which are responsible for the majority of environmental contamination. We determined how climate and anthropogenic factors influence oocyst shedding in free-ranging domestic cats and wild felids using generalized linear mixed models. T. gondii oocyst shedding data from 47 studies were systematically reviewed and compiled for domestic cats and six …

Chemical Characterization And Biological Evaluation Of Epilobium Parviflorum Extracts In An In Vitro Model Of Human Malignant Melanoma, Sotiris Kyriakou, Venetia Tragkola, Ioannis Paraskevaidis, Mihalis Plioukas, Dimitrios T. Trafalis, Rodrigo Franco, Aglaia Pappa, Mihalis I. Panayiotidi

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Malignant melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer characterised by high metastatic capacity and mortality rate. On the other hand, Epilobium parviflorum is known for its medicinal properties, including its anticancer potency. In this context, we aimed to (i) isolate various extracts of E. parviflorum, (ii) characterize their phytochemical content, and (iii) determine their cytotoxic potential in an in vitro model of human malignant melanoma. To these ends, we utilized various spectrophotometric and chromatographic (UPLC-MS/MS) approaches to document the higher content of the methanolic extract in polyphenols, soluble sugars, proteins, condensed tannins, and chlorophylls -a and -b as …

Detection Of Mannheimia Haemolytica-Specific Igg, Igm And Iga In Sera And Their Relationship To Respiratory Disease In Cattle, Korakrit Poonsuk, Carita Kordik, Matthew M. Hille, Ting-Yu Cheng, William B. Crosby, Amelia R. Woolums, Michael L. Clawson, Carol G. Chitko-Mckown, Bruce Brodersen, John Dustin Loy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mannheimia haemolytica is one of the major causes of bovine respiratory disease in cattle. The organism is the primary bacterium isolated from calves and young cattle affected with enzootic pneumonia. Novel indirect ELISAs were developed and evaluated to enable quantification of antibody responses to whole cell antigens using M. haemolytica A1 strain P1148. In this study, the ELISAs were initially developed using sera from both M. haemolytica-culture-free and clinically infected cattle, then the final prototypes were tested in the validation phase using a larger set of known-status M. haemolytica sera (n = 145) collected from feedlot cattle. The test …

First Gene-Edited Calf With Reduced Susceptibility To A Major Viral Pathogen, Aspen M. Workman, Michael P. Heaton, Brian L. Vander Ley, Dennis A. Webster, Luke Sherry, Jonathan R. Bostrom, Sabrina Larson, Theodore S. Kalbfleisch, Gregory P. Harhay, Erin E. Jobman, Daniel F. Carlson, Tad S. Sonstegard

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is one of the most important viruses affecting the health and well-being of bovine species throughout the world. Here, we used CRISPR-mediated homology-directed repair and somatic cell nuclear transfer to produce a live calf with a six amino acid substitution in the BVDV binding domain of bovine CD46. The result was a gene-edited calf with dramatically reduced susceptibility to infection as measured by reduced clinical signs and the lack of viral infection in white blood cells. The edited calf has no off-target edits and appears normal and healthy at 20 months of age without obvious …

Does Swab Type Matter? Comparing Methods For Mannheimia Haemolytica Recovery And Upper Respiratory Microbiome Characterization In Feedlot Cattle, William B. Crosby, Lee Pinnell, John T. Richeson, Cory Wolfe, Jake Castle, John Dustin Loy, Sheryl P. Gow, Keun Seok Seo, Sarah F. Capik, Amelia R. Woolums, Paul S. Morley

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is caused by interactions among host, environment, and pathogens. One standard method for antemortem pathogen identification in cattle with BRD is deep-guarded nasopharyngeal swabbing, which is challenging, costly, and waste generating. The objective was to compare the ability to recover Mannheimia haemolytica and compare microbial community structure using 29.5 inch (74.9 cm) deep-guarded nasopharyngeal swabs, 16 inch (40.6 cm) unguarded proctology swabs, or 6 inch (15.2 cm) unguarded nasal swabs when characterized using culture, real time-qPCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Samples for aerobic culture, qPCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were collected from the …

Aerobic Exercise And Scaffolds With Hierarchical Porosity Synergistically Promote Functional Recovery Post Volumetric Muscle Loss, Christina Zhu, Karina Skylar, Yori Endo, Mohamadmahdi Samandari,, Mehran Karvar, Azadeh Mostafavi, Jacob Quint, Chiara Rioldi, Wojciech Swieszkowski, Joshua Mauney, Shailesh Agarwal, Ali Tamayol, Indranil Sinha

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) is a composite loss of skeletal muscle tissue (greater than 20%) that heals with minimal muscle regeneration, substantial fibrosis, and subsequent functional deficits. Standard treatment, involving free functional muscle transfer and physical therapy, cannot restore full muscle function following VML. Tissue engineered scaffolds, 3D structural templates that mimic native extracellular matrix, are promising to enhance functional muscle formation and recovery. Bioprinted 3D scaffolds are engineered using bioinks, created from scaffolding material, cells, and growth factors, to replicate skeletal muscle architecture with precise control over their spatial deposition. METHODS: The present study evaluates a 3D-printed foam-like scaffold …

Infection Of Feral Phenotype Swine With Japanese Encephalitis Virus, So Lee Park, Yan-Jang S. Huang, Amy C. Lyons, Victoria B. Ayers, Susan M. Hettenbach, D. Scott Mcvey, Leela E. Noronha, Kenneth R. Burton, Stephen Higgs, Dana L. Vanlandingham

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus and the leading cause of pediatric encephalitis in the Asian Pacific region. The transmission cycle primarily involves Culex spp. mosquitoes and Ardeid birds, with domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) being the source of infectious viruses for the spillover of JEV from the natural endemic transmission cycle into the human population. Although many studies have concluded that domestic pigs play an important role in the transmission cycle of JEV, and infection of humans, the role of feral pigs in the transmission of JEV remains unclear. Since domestic and …

Detection Of Sars-Cov-2 Neutralizing Antibodies In Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Exudates Of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) From Nebraska, Usa, Korakrit Poonsuk, Duan S. Loy, Rachael Birn, Bryan Buss, Matthew Donahue, Todd Nordeen, Kylie Sinclair, Luke Meduna, Bruce Brodersen, John Dustin Loy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Disease surveillance testing for emerging zoonotic pathogens in wildlife is a key component in understanding the epidemiology of these agents and potential risk to human populations. Recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in humans, and subsequent detection of this virus in wildlife, highlights the need for developing new One Health surveillance strategies. We used lymph node exudate, a sample type that is routinely collected in hunter-harvested white-tailed deer (WTD, Odocoileus virginianus) for surveillance of chronic wasting disease, to assess anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. A total of 132 pairs of retropharyngeal lymph nodes collected from Nebraska WTD harvested in Nebraska, US, in 2019 …

Diagnosing Neurocysticercosis In Skeletonized Human Remains Of Forensic Importance, John O. Obafunwa, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Neurocysticercosis is endemic in many parts of the underdeveloped and developing countries, with continuous presence in developed countries due to the influx of migrants from regions where the diseases are endemic. Neuroimaging, anatomic pathological techniques, immunodiagnostic tests, clinical examination and epidemiologic considerations will easily provide the diagnosis. However, physicians in developed countries are perhaps progressively missing the diagnosis, and need to re-acquaint themselves with the condition and acquire a high suspicion index. The authors present a medicolegal case where the forensic team made a conclusion of neurocysticercosis (among other diagnoses), following post mortem examination of a largely skeletonized and mummified …

Documenting The Presence Of Chagas Disease In Prehistoric North America: Applying The Stockholm Paradigm To Archaeoparasitology, Part Ii, Karl J. Reinhard, Daniel R. Brooks, Aida Romera Barbera, T. Michael Fink

Karl Reinhard Publications

The DAMA protocol (Document, Assess, Monitor, Act) is the applied aspect of the Stockholm Paradigm. Evidence from archaeology and history of medicine has a demonstrated value in documenting infection risk for specific study areas. Bioarchaeological remains and historical documents show vivid examples of pathology related to the Chagas disease life cycle. The science of archaeology defines the lifestyles that created risk of triatomine kissing bug infestations and trypanosome protozoa infections. Paleogenetics, in the form of molecular analyses of Trypanosoma cruzi, elucidate the temporal origins of genetic variants and adaptation to human environments. We illustrate how these fields reveal the risk …

Exploring The Evolution Of Trypanosoma Cruzi And The Emergence Of Chagas Disease In The Context Of Environmental Change: Applying The Stockholm Paradigm To Archaeoparasitology, Part I, Aida Romera Barbera, Daniel R. Brooks, T. Michael Fink, Karl J. Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

The Stockholm Paradigm is an evolutionary synthesis that explains the emergence of novel pathogens in the context of environmental disturbances. Considering the urgent climate change situation, anticipation stands as key to prevent and mitigate the effects that climate change can have in the emergence of pathogens. However, the success of preventive measures is hindered by a limited knowledge of the interplaying dynamics between biology, environment, and culture leading to emerging infectious diseases. For many decades, bioarchaeologists have been gathering data on past human-environment interactions, therefore contributing to the conversation. Archaeoparasitology, at the intersection between pathology, bioarchaeology, and biology, is uniquely …

Antimalarial Chemoprophylaxis For Forest Goers In Southeast Asia: An Open-Label, Individually Randomised Controlled Trial, Rupam Tripura, Lorenz Von Seidlin, Siv Sovannaroth, Thomas J. Peto, James J. Callery, Meas Sokha, Mom Ean, Chhouen Heng, Franca Conradis-Jansen, Wanassanan Madmanee, Pimnara Peerawaranun, Naomi Waithira, Panarasri Khonputsa, Monnaphat Jongdeepaisal, Kulchada Pongsoipetch, Paphapisa Chotthanawathit, Ung Soviet, Christopher Pell, Jureeporn Duanguppama, Huy Rekol, Joel Tarning, Mallika Imwong, Mavuto Mukaka, Nicholas J. White, Arjen M. Dondorp, Richard J. Maude

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Summary

Background

Malaria in the eastern Greater Mekong subregion has declined to historic lows. Countries in the Greater Mekong subregion are accelerating malaria elimination in the context of increasing antimalarial drug resistance. Infections are now increasingly concentrated in remote, forested foci. No intervention has yet shown satisfactory efficacy against forest-acquired malaria. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of malaria chemoprophylaxis among forest goers in Cambodia.

Methods

We conducted an open-label, individually randomized controlled trial in Cambodia, which recruited participants aged 16–65 years staying overnight in forests. Participants were randomly allocated 1:1 to antimalarial chemoprophylaxis, a 3-day …

Worldwide Host Associations Of The Tick Genus Ixodes Suggest Relationships Based On Environmental Sharing Rather Than On Co-Phylogenetic Events, Agustín Estrada-Peña, Alberto A. Guglielmone, Santiago Nava

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Abstract

Background

This study aims to capture how ticks of the genus Ixodes gained their hosts using network constructs. We propose two alternative hypotheses, namely, an ecological background (ticks and hosts sharing environmentally available conditions) and a phylogenetic one, in which both partners co-evolved, adapting to existing environmental conditions after the association took place.

Methods

We used network constructs linking all the known pairs of associations between each species and stage of ticks with families and orders of hosts. Faith’s phylogenetic diversity was used to evaluate the phylogenetic distance of the hosts of each species and changes occurring in the …

Hepatozoon Spp. Infection In Wild Canids In The Eastern United States, Eliza Baker, Alex Clemson, Debra Miller, Kayla Buck Garrett, Christopher A. Cleveland, Justin Brown, Kyle Van Why, Richard W. Gerhold Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background Hepatozoon spp. are apicomplexan parasites known to cause musculoskeletal disease in a variety of animals. Two species are known to infect wild and domestic canids in the United States: Hepatozoon canis and H. americanum.

Methods In this study, blood, heart, and/or spleen samples were collected from 278 wild canids (180 coyotes, 93 red foxes, and 5 gray foxes) in the eastern US and tested via PCR for Hepatozoon. Histology slides of heart and skeletal muscle were assessed for Hepatozoon cysts and associated inflammation when fresh tissue was available (n = 96).

Results Hepatozoon spp. were …

An Emerging Infectious Disease Surveillance Platform For The 21st Century, Eloy Ortiz, Alicia Juarrero

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Current vector surveillance programs are insufficient for coping with the emerging infectious disease crisis. In particular, current practices do not deploy sufficient information technology (IT) tools to generate actionable insights that can inform interventions and contain and mitigate the spread of vector-borne diseases. VectorAnalytica has developed a highly configurable and adaptable IT platform that imports, harmonizes, and integrates a range of data sources. The state-of-the-art backend development allows users to fully appreciate and understand the complexity of infectious disease dynamics without having to resort to additional statistical and GIS software packages. The platform yields actionable insights into outbreak patterns of …

Let Emerging Plant Diseases Be Predictable, Valeria Trivellone

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

A prevalent concept for colonization and evolution among plant pathogens and their hosts stems from a post-Darwinian paradigm rooted in the formalized assumption of “specialized parasitism.” Seminal studies on rust fungi of socioeconomic importance integrated such an evolutionary perspective driven by the assumption of strict coevolution among pathogens and their plant hosts. Following this fundamentally unfalsifiable assumption, theories regarding host-switching for parasites were dismissed. If colonization occurred, this process would depend upon the origin of specific and novel mutations that allow infections of previously unexploited hosts or host groups, the acquisition of a broader host range. After a specific mutation …

Taking Action: Turning Evolutionary Theory Into Preventive Policies, Orsolya Molnár, Marina Knickel, Christine Marizzi

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

The emerging infectious disease (EID) crisis has been challenging global health security for decades, dealing substantial damage to all socioeconomic landscapes. Control measures have failed to prevent or even mitigate damages from an accelerating wave of EIDs, leading to the emergence and devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the wake of the pandemic, we must critically review our public health policies and approaches. Current health security measures are based on the evolutionary theorem of host-parasite coevolution, which falsely deems EIDs as rare and unpredictable. The DAMA protocol (Document, Assess, Monitor, Act) is nested in a novel evolutionary framework that …

The Stockholm Paradigm Explains The Dynamics Of Darwin’S Entangled Bank, Including Emerging Infectious Disease, Salvatore J. Agosta

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Pathogens and their hosts are embedded within the larger biosphere, what Darwin called the “entangled bank.” Emerging infectious disease occurs when a parasite “switches” to a new host. Understanding the dynamics of emerging disease requires understanding the dynamics of host-switching, which requires a more general understanding of how the biosphere and its constituent members cope when conditions change. The Stockholm paradigm is an integrative evolutionary framework that describes how living systems cope with change by oscillating between exploiting and exploring the geographical and functional dimensions of their environments. It combines organismal capacity, ecological opportunity, and the repeated external perturbations to …

Knowing The Biosphere: Documentation, Specimens, Archives, And Names Reveal Environmental Change And Emerging Pathogens, Eric P. Hoberg, Valeria Trivellone, Joseph A. Cook, Jonathan L. Dunnum, Walter A. Boeger, Daniel R. Brooks, Salvatore J. Agosta, Jocelyn P. Colella

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

One Health programs and trajectories are now the apparent standard for exploring the occurrence and distribution of emerging pathogens and disease. By definition, One Health has been characterized as a broadly inclusive, collaborative, and transdisciplinary approach with connectivity across local to global scales, which integrates the medical and veterinary community to recognize health outcomes emerging at the environmental nexus for people, animals, plants, and their shared landscapes. One Health has been an incomplete model, conceptually and operationally, focused on reactive and response-based foundations, to limit the impact of emerging pathogens and emerging infectious diseases and, as such, lacks a powerful …

Surveillance Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Veterinary Medicine In The United States: Current Efforts, Challenges, And Opportunities, Juliana M. Ruzante, Beth Harris, Paul Plummer, Raissa R. Raineri, John Dustin Loy, Megan Jacob, Orhan Sahin, Amanda J. Kreuder

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem facing human, animal, plant, and environmental health by threatening our ability to effectively treat bacterial infections with antimicrobials. In the United States, robust surveillance efforts exist to collect, analyze, and disseminate AMR data in human health care settings. These tools enable the development of effective infection control methods, the detection of trends, and provide the evidence needed to guide stewardship efforts to reduce the potential for emergence and further spread of AMR. However, in veterinary medicine, there are currently no known equivalent tools. This paper reviews efforts to reduce the potential for emergence …

The Evolutionary Dynamics Of Infectious Diseases On An Unstable Planet: Insights From Modeling The Stockholm Paradigm, Angie T. C. Souza, Sabrina B. L. Araujo, Walter A. Boeger

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are, besides a question of food safety and public health, an ecological and evolutionary issue. The recognition of this condition combined with the accumulation of evidence that pathogens are not specialists in their original hosts evidences the need for understanding how the dynamics of interaction between pathogens and hosts occurs. The Stockholm Paradigm (SP) provides the theoretical fundaments to understand the dynamics of diseases and design proactive measures to avoid the emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases. In this review, we revisit the models that evaluate several aspects of the proposed dynamics of the SP, including …

Genotype Classification Of Moraxella Bovis Using Maldi-Tof Ms Profiles, Hannah G. Olson, John Dustin Loy, Michael L. Clawson, Emily L. Wynn, Matthew M. Hille

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Moraxella bovis (M. bovis) is regarded as a causative agent of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), the most common ocular disease of cattle. Recently, whole genome sequencing identified the presence of two distinct genotypes within M. bovis that differ in chromosome content, potential virulence factors, as well as prophage and plasmid profiles. It is unclear if the genotypes equally associate with IBK or if one is more likely to be isolated from IBK lesions. We utilized 39 strains of M. bovis that had previously undergone whole genome sequencing and genotype classification to determine the utility of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization …

Descriptive Dna Barcoding Of Argas (Persicargas) Arboreus And Argas (Persicargas) Persicus Ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae) Infesting Birds In Egypt, Enas H. Ghallab, Ayat Yousery, Mona G. Shaalan

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Argas ticks are primary parasites of birds with veterinary importance. Nevertheless, these ticks have received little attention regarding molecular identification studies. DNA barcoding is a powerful technique for identifying tick species besides traditional morphological identification. The present work is a first effort to divulge DNA sequences of Argas (Persicargas) arboreus from Egypt and worldwide. We used cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) from A. arboreus infesting herons, and from the fowl tick Argas (Persicargas) persicus. Our results pointed out another success for the Folmer primers that are widely used in DNA barcoding, permitting the discrimination …

Environmental Determination Of Gastrointestinal Parasitism In Katahdin Sheep, Brian Arisman

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) negatively affect the performance and wellbeing of sheep and are difficult to control due to anthelmintic resistance. Producers are therefore choosing breeds naturally resistant to GIN infection, such as the Katahdin. Katahdin are raised in various climates and management systems in the U.S., and those environmental factors can be combined into eco-management clusters. We hypothesized that GIN challenge varies predictably based on the characteristics of these clusters. Katahdin producers from across the U.S. were surveyed for management information. Body weights (BW), fecal egg counts (FEC) and FAMACHA scores (FAM) were collected on 3,527 Katahdin lambs around 90 …

A Field Synopsis, Systematic Review, And Meta-Analyses Of Cophylogenetic Studies: What Is Affecting Congruence Between Phylogenies?, Valeria Trivellone, Bernd Panassiti

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

We conducted a field synopsis and systematic meta-analysis of studies that carried out cophylogenetic analyses using algorithms and available software. We evaluated the influence of three factors—namely, cophylogenetic method, association, and ecosystem type—on the outcome of the analyses, that is, the degree of congruence between phylogenies of interacting species.

The published papers were identified using 4 different databases and 13 keywords; we included all studies for which statistical approaches to compare phylogenies (cophylogenetic analyses) of interacting lineages were used. After the initial screening, 296 studies were selected to extract response variable (outcome of the cophylogenetic analyses, i.e., congruent, incongruent, or …

The First Complete Genome Of The Simian Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Brasilianum, Marko Bajic, Shashidhar Ravishankar, Mili Sheth, Lori A. Rowe, M. Andreina Pacheco, Dhruviben S. Patel, Dhwani Batra, Vladimir Loparev, Christian Olsen, Ananias A. Escalante, Fredrik Vannberg, Venkatachalam Udhayakumar, John W. Barnwell, Eldin Talundzic

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Naturally occurring human infections by zoonotic Plasmodium species have been documented for P. knowlesi, P. cynomolgi, P. simium, P. simiovale, P. inui, P. inui-like, P. coatneyi, and P. brasilianum. Accurate detection of each species is complicated by their morphological similarities with other Plasmodium species. PCR-based assays offer a solution but require prior knowledge of adequate genomic targets that can distinguish the species. While whole genomes have been published for P. knowlesi, P. cynomolgi, P. simium, and P. inui, no complete genome for P. brasilianum has …

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

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: 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 …

Cardiac Myosin-Specific Autoimmune T Cells Contribute To Immune-Checkpoint-Inhibitor-Associated Myocarditis, Johns Hopkins University School Of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School Of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School Of Engineering, Ninaad Lasrado, Jay Reddy, Daniela Ciháková

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an effective therapy for various cancers; however, they can induce immune-related adverse events (irAEs) as a side effect. Myocarditis is an uncommon, but fatal, irAE caused after ICI treatments. Currently, the mechanism of ICI-associated myocarditis is unclear. Here, we show the development of myocarditis in A/J mice induced by anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) administration alone without tumor cell inoculation, immunization, or viral infection. Mice with myocarditis have increased cardiac infiltration, elevated cardiac troponin levels, and arrhythmia. Anti-PD-1 mAb treatment also causes irAEs in other organs. Autoimmune T cells recognizing cardiac myosin are activated and increased …