Virology Commons^™

Enterococcus Faecalis-Derived Adenine Enhances Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia Coli Type 3 Secretion System-Dependent Virulence, Fernando H Martins, Thibaut Rosay, Anubama Rajan, Hannah E Carter, Tayah Turocy, Andres Mejia, Jason M Crawford, Anthony W Maresso, Vanessa Sperandio

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Interactions between microbiota and enteric pathogens can promote colonization resistance or enhance pathogenesis. The pathobiont Enterococcus faecalis increases enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) virulence by upregulating Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS) expression, effector translocation, and attaching and effacing (AE) lesion formation on enterocytes, but the mechanisms underlying this remain unknown. Using co-infection of organoids, metabolomics, supplementation experiments and bacterial genetics, here we show that co-culture of EHEC with E. faecalis increases the xanthine-hypoxanthine pathway activity and adenine biosynthesis. Adenine or E. faecalis promoted T3SS gene expression, while transcriptomics showed upregulation of adeP expression, which encodes an adenine importer. Mechanistically, adenine relieved …

A Case Of Persistent Intra-Abdominal Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Infection Despite Bacteriophage Therapy, Grace D Cullen, Keiko Christine Salazar, Austen Lee Terwilliger, Saima Aslam, Justin R Clark, Anthony W Maresso, Paul L Bollyky, Jenny R Aronson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Multidrug resistant infections are a challenge in the health care setting and a cause of patient morbidity and mortality. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that target and kill bacteria and have been used in patients to treat bacterial infections. We present a case of disseminated Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection, with pulmonary, intra-abdominal and bloodstream involvement. The patient was treated with a combination of antibiotics and personalized phage therapy, administered daily for 12 days both intravenously as well as via intra-abdominal drains. Phage therapy was well-tolerated, the patient cleared S. maltophilia from their bloodstream and their intra-abdominal abscesses were stable or decreased in …

Gestational Diabetes As A Risk Factor For Gbs Maternal Rectovaginal Colonization: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Vicki Mercado-Evans, Jacob J Zulk, Zainab A Hameed, Kathryn A Patras

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Maternal rectovaginal colonization by group B Streptococcus (GBS) increases the risk of perinatal GBS disease that can lead to death or long-term neurological impairment. Factors that increase the risk of rectovaginal GBS carriage are incompletely understood resulting in missed opportunities for detecting GBS in risk-based clinical approaches. There is a lacking consensus on whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a risk factor for rectovaginal GBS. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to address current conflicting findings and determine whether GDM should be clinically considered as a risk factor for maternal GBS colonization.

METHODS: Peer-reviewed studies that provided GDM prevalence …

Progress Toward A Vaccine For Extraintestinal Pathogenic Coli (Expec) Ii: Efficacy Of A Toxin-Autotransporter Dual Antigen Approach, Yikun Xing, Justin R Clark, James D Chang, Jacob J Zulk, Dylan M Chirman, Felipe-Andres Piedra, Ellen E Vaughan, Haroldo J Hernandez Santos, Kathryn A Patras, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is a leading cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality, the top cause of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections, and the most frequent cause of life-threatening sepsis and urinary tract infections (UTI) in adults. The development of an effective and universal vaccine is complicated by this pathogen’s pan-genome, its ability to mix and match virulence factors and AMR genes via horizontal gene transfer, an inability to decipher commensal from pathogens, and its intimate association and co-evolution with mammals. Using a pan virulome analysis of >20,000 sequenced E. coli strains, we identified the secreted cytolysin α-hemolysin (HlyA) as a …

Caenorhabditis Elegans Endorse Bacterial Nanocellulose Fibers As Functional Dietary Fiber Reducing Lipid Markers, Amanda Muñoz-Juan, Adrien Assié, Anna Esteve-Codina, Marta Gut, Núria Benseny-Cases, Buck S Samuel, Esther Dalfó, Anna Laromaine

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a promising dietary fiber with potential as a functional food additive. We evaluated BNC fibers (BNCf) in the Caenorhabditis elegans model to obtain insight into the BNCf's biointeraction with its gastrointestinal tract while reducing the variables of higher complex animals. BNCf were uptaken and excreted by worms without crossing the intestinal barrier, confirming its biosafety regarding survival rate, reproduction, and aging for concentrations up to 34 μg/ml BNCf. However, a slight decrease in the worms' length was detected. A possible nutrient shortage or stress produced by BNCf was discarded by measuring stress and chemotactic response pathways. …

The Human Vaginal Microbiota: From Clinical Medicine To Models To Mechanisms, Samantha Ottinger, Clare M Robertson, Holly Branthoover, Kathryn A Patras

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The composition of the vaginal microbiota is linked to numerous reproductive health problems, including increased susceptibility to infection, pregnancy complications, and impaired vaginal tissue repair; however, the mechanisms contributing to these adverse outcomes are not yet fully defined. In this review, we highlight recent clinical advancements associating vaginal microbiome composition and function with health outcomes. Subsequently, we provide a summary of emerging models employed to identify microbe-microbe interactions contributing to vaginal health, including metagenomic sequencing, multi-omics approaches, and advances in vaginal microbiota cultivation. Last, we review new in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models, such as organoids and humanized …

Mfgm-Enriched Whey Displays Antiviral Activity Against Common Pediatric Viruses, Evelien Kramer, Ketki Patil, Vassilis Triantis, Jan A H Bastiaans, Michela Mazzon, Sasirekha Ramani, Tim T Lambers

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Among the most common mucosal viral infections in infants are rotavirus, one of the main causes of severe gastroenteritis in infants and children up to 5 years, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), one of the leading causes of lower respiratory tract infections. Both human milk and bovine milk derived factors may provide protection against mucosal viral infections. More recently, a similar activity of milk derived proteins was suggested for SARS-CoV-2. The goal of the current study was to test antiviral activity of the bovine milkfat globule membrane (MFGM) against rotavirus, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 and to further characterize MFGM-enriched whey …

Vaccines Against Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia Coli (Expec): Progress And Challenges, Ling Qiu, Dylan Chirman, Justin R Clark, Yikun Xing, Haroldo Hernandez Santos, Ellen E Vaughan, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a principal global health crisis projected to cause 10 million deaths annually worldwide by 2050. While the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli is commonly found as a commensal microbe in the human gut, some strains are dangerously pathogenic, contributing to the highest AMR-associated mortality. Strains of E. coli that can translocate from the gastrointestinal tract to distal sites, called extraintestinal E. coli (ExPEC), are particularly problematic and predominantly afflict women, the elderly, and immunocompromised populations. Despite nearly 40 years of clinical trials, there is still no vaccine against ExPEC. One reason for this is …

Developing Disinfection Strategies For Controlling Human Norovirus, Sars-Cov-2, And Clostridioides Difficile Endospores In Long-Term Care Facilities, Jinge Huang

All Dissertations

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) provide an environment favorable for the transmission of three critical human pathogens: human norovirus (HuNoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and Clostridioides difficile. Given residents in LTCFs are susceptible to infections due to their advanced ages and compromised immune systems, effective environmental surface disinfection plays a crucial role in controlling the spread of human pathogens within these settings and, therefore, mitigates the risk of infections caused by these pathogens. This dissertation aimed to assess the efficacy of various types of disinfectants against two HuNoV surrogates [feline calicivirus (FCV) and Tulane virus (TuV)], two …

Heterogeneity Of The Group B Streptococcal Type Vii Secretion System And Influence On Colonization Of The Female Genital Tract, Brady L Spencer, Alyx M Job, Clare M Robertson, Zainab A Hameed, Camille Serchejian, Caitlin S Wiafe-Kwakye, Jéssica C Mendonça, Morgan A Apolonio, Prescilla E Nagao, Melody N Neely, Natalia Korotkova, Konstantin V Korotkov, Kathryn A Patras, Kelly S Doran

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Type VIIb secretion systems (T7SSb) in Gram-positive bacteria facilitate physiology, interbacterial competition, and/or virulence via EssC ATPase-driven secretion of small ɑ-helical proteins and toxins. Recently, we characterized T7SSb in group B Streptococcus (GBS), a leading cause of infection in newborns and immunocompromised adults. GBS T7SS comprises four subtypes based on variation in the C-terminus of EssC and the repertoire of downstream effectors; however, the intraspecies diversity of GBS T7SS and impact on GBS-host interactions remains unknown. Bioinformatic analysis indicates that GBS T7SS loci encode subtype-specific putative effectors, which have low interspecies and inter-subtype homology but contain similar domains/motifs and therefore …

Roving Methyltransferases Generate A Mosaic Epigenetic Landscape And Influence Evolution In Bacteroides Fragilis Group, Michael J Tisza, Derek D N Smith, Andrew E Clark, Jung-Ho Youn, Pavel P Khil, John P Dekker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Three types of DNA methyl modifications have been detected in bacterial genomes, and mechanistic studies have demonstrated roles for DNA methylation in physiological functions ranging from phage defense to transcriptional control of virulence and host-pathogen interactions. Despite the ubiquity of methyltransferases and the immense variety of possible methylation patterns, epigenomic diversity remains unexplored for most bacterial species. Members of the Bacteroides fragilis group (BFG) reside in the human gastrointestinal tract as key players in symbiotic communities but also can establish anaerobic infections that are increasingly multi-drug resistant. In this work, we utilize long-read sequencing technologies to perform pangenomic (n = …

Proposing An Rna Interference (Rnai)-Based Treatment For Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv) By Analyzing The Post-Transcriptional Gene Targeting Of Sars-Cov-2, Hepatitis C Virus, And A549 Lung Cancer Cells, Arjun Jagdeesh

Undergraduate Research Posters

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects CD4+ T cell lymphocytes in humans, leading to the development of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated. While current treatment methods, including antiretroviral combination treatments, effectively limit HIV replication, HIV can evade these treatments due to its high mutation rate. Long-term antiretroviral treatment can also be toxic to patients, meaning patients would benefit from a new mechanism of HIV treatment. RNA interference (RNAi) is an antiviral pathway found in mammals, plants, and insects that involves a small-interfering RNA that is incorporated into a protein complex called the RNA-induced Silencing Complex …

The Small Intestinal Microbiome: Vibing With Intestinal Stem Cells, Victoria Poplaski, Faith Sawyer, Sarah E Blutt

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The epithelial lining of the small intestine mediates its absorptive and secretory function and thus is a critical component of human health. Regeneration and renewal of the epithelium is the result of proliferation of intestinal stem cells (ISCs). Many cell types and molecular factors are known to regulate the ability of ISCs to proliferate, including adjacent neighboring epithelial cells and the underlying, supportive stromal cells. The microbiome resides in the lumen of the small intestine and is in close contact with the epithelium. Due to its proximity to ISCs, it has been hypothesized that species within the microbiome have the …

Predicting The Next Pandemic: Utilizing Wastewater-Based Epidemiology As A Novel Technique For Detecting Mpox Dna, Austin Tang, Michael Moshi, Hayley Baker, Ching-Lan Chang

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

Mpox cases are trending downward in Las Vegas, aligning with national trends. The study demonstrates that it is possible to extract mpox DNA directly from wastewater and quantify the genetic material using qPCR. This research indicates that WBE can be utilized to give a relative abundance of virual nucleic acids in wastewater, giving opportunities for early-warning systems and other public health interventions. Mpox remains a global threat to public health, continued surveillance of MPXV using wastewater is necessary to ensure that we can detect unusual spike in viral DNA level. Mpox detected in the wastewater samples will be sequences to …

Quantification Of Sars-Cov-2 Prevalence Using Wastewater Surveillance, Moonis Ghani, Hayley Baker, Nabih Ghani, Anthony Harrington, Ching-Lan Chang

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

SARS-CoV-2 RNA was successfully detected in the wastewater samples. PMMoV concentrations varied little, meaning it was a valid control. The diversity of SARS-CoV-2 concentrations indicated varying levels of infection within different parts of the community. PCR and WGS can help determine viral load and identify variants.

Loss Of Wnt4 In The Gubernaculum Causes Unilateral Cryptorchidism And Fertility Defects, Abhishek Seth, Juan C Bournat, Olga Medina-Martinez, Armando Rivera, Joshua Moore, Hunter Flores, Jill A Rosenfeld, Liya Hu, Carolina J Jorgez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Undescended testis (UDT) affects 6% of male births. Despite surgical correction, some men with unilateral UDT may experience infertility with the contralateral descended testis (CDT) showing no A-dark spermatogonia. To improve our understanding of the etiology of infertility in UDT, we generated a novel murine model of left unilateral UDT. Gubernaculum-specific Wnt4 knockout (KO) mice (Wnt4-cKO) were generated using retinoic acid receptor β2-cre mice and were found to have a smaller left-unilateral UDT. Wnt4-cKO mice with abdominal UDT had an increase in serum follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone and an absence of germ cells in the undescended testicle. Wnt4-cKO mice …

Abnormalities In Cardiac And Inflammatory Biomarkers In Ambulatory Subjects After Covid-19 Infection, Joshua A Keefe, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Erin G Nicholson, Sridevi Devaraj, Pedro A Piedra, Biykem Bozkurt, Xander H T Wehrens

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) is known to affect the heart and is associated with a pro-inflammatory state. Most studies to date have focused on clinically sick subjects. Here, we report cardiac and proinflammatory biomarkers levels in ambulatory young adults with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection compared to those without infection 4-8 weeks after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) testing.

METHODS: 131 asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic subjects were enrolled following testing for SARS-COV-2. Fifty subjects tested negative, and 81 subjects tested positive. Serum samples were collected for measurement of C-reactive protein, ferritin, interleukin-6, NT-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, and cardiac troponin 28-55 …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Efficacy Of Various Essential Oils Against The Sars Cov-2 Virus, Elizabeth Wagstaff, Chandrelyn Kraczek, Jack Brandon Lopez

Annual Research Symposium

A poster presentation and abstract for the Roseman Symposium. The project focuses on testing 3 essential oil blends and two disinfectants containing an essential oil blend against SARS CoV-2 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project procedure involves plaque assays, disinfection, and neutralization techniques.

Meta-Analysis Of Transcriptomic Datasets For The Investigation Of Differential Expression In Hantavirus-Infected Human Tissue, John Krapohl

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Reducing Influenza Virus Transmission: The Potential Value Of Antiviral Treatment, Frederick G Hayden, Jason Asher, Benjamin J Cowling, Aeron C Hurt, Hideyuki Ikematsu, Klaus Kuhlbusch, Annabelle Lemenuel-Diot, Zhanwei Du, Lauren Ancel Meyers, Pedro A Piedra, Takahiro Takazono, Hui-Ling Yen, Arnold S Monto

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Prompt antiviral treatment has the potential to reduce influenza virus transmission to close contacts, but rigorous data on the magnitude of treatment effects on transmission are limited. Animal model data indicate that rapid reductions in viral replication after antiviral treatment reduce the risk of transmission. Observational and clinical trial data with oseltamivir and other neuraminidase inhibitors indicate that prompt treatment of household index patients seems to reduce the risk of illness in contacts, although the magnitude of the reported effects has varied widely across studies. In addition, the potential risk of transmitting drug-resistant variants exists with all approved classes of …

Tracking Cryptic Sars-Cov-2 Lineages Detected In Nyc Wastewater, Davida S. Smyth, Monica Trujillo, Devon A. Gregory, Kristen Cheung, Anna Gao, Maddie Graham, Yue Guan, Caitlyn Guldenpfennig, Irene Hoxie, Sherin Kannoly, Nanami Kubota, Terri D. Lyddon, Michelle Markman, Clayton Rushford, Kaung Myat San, Geena Sompanya, Fabrizio Spagnolo, Reinier Suarez, Emma Teixeiro, Mark Daniels, Marc C. Johnson, John J. Dennehy

Publications and Research

Tracking SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity is strongly indicated because diversifying selection may lead to the emergence of novel variants resistant to naturally acquired or vaccine-induced immunity. To monitor New York City (NYC) for the presence of novel variants, we deep sequence most of the receptor binding domain coding sequence of the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from the New York City wastewater. Here we report detecting increasing frequencies of novel cryptic SARS-CoV-2 lineages not recognized in GISAID’s EpiCoV database. These lineages contain mutations that had been rarely observed in clinical samples, including Q493K, Q498Y, E484A, and T572N and share many mutations …

Whole Lung Lavage: Treating Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis At The Time Of Covid Pandemic, Katherine Jean Powers, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Purvesh R Patel, Pralay Kumar Sarkar, Pedro Piedra, Neda Zarrin-Khameh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare syndrome due to increased production or decreased clearance of surfactant in alveoli and terminal bronchi that cause hypoxemic respiratory insufficiency. Here we present a patient with PAP whose disease was exacerbated by superimposed COVID-19 pneumonia. He underwent whole lung lavage (WLL). Evaluation of the viral count of the first and the last lavage of the left lung showed viral load in the alveolar space dropped by approximately 10-folds, however the magnitude of the viral load was substantial in both lavage samples. Whole pulmonary lavage may be used as a treatment option on patients …

Examination Of The Association Between C - Reactive Protein(Crp) And Covid-19 Infection Severity And Length Of Hospitalization, Abdulahi Aremu Ayanwale

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chronic stress can lead to many systemic complications and low-grade systemic inflammation including increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a marker of systemic inflammation and is associated with depression and perceived stress. Elevations can result in ineffective immune responses, thereby increasing the risk of complications and mortality from infections. Recent evidence suggests that uncontrolled inflammatory responses associated with COVID 19 are a major determinant of disease severity.  The COVID 19 is transmitted from one person to another through droplets from coughing, sneezing, talking, touching droplets on surfaces and contamination by hand-to-mouth routes. The mechanism …

Roles Of A Bradykinin Storm And A Cytokine Storm In Covid-19 Cases, Nouha H. Odeh

Honors College Theses

In the light of recent events, it is imperative to understand the key inflammatory response elements that appear to be the source of more severe ailments resulting from a SARS-CoV-2 viral infection known as Covid-19 The more severe cases of Covid-19 are characterized by a severe inflammatory response resulting in tissue damage. My research proposal aims to investigate the two possible culprits of this response: a bradykinin (BK) storm and an interleukin-6 (IL-6) mediated cytokine storm. In both systems respectively, the excess release of these signals subsequently signals the production of even more of the same response element, resulting in …

Development Of Vaccines And Antivirals Against Zika Virus, Aryamav Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The re-emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV), an arbovirus, poses a major global human health concern because of its ability to cause congenital abnormalities and neurological diseases. While many candidate vaccines and antiviral drugs are in the developmental pipeline, none have been approved for use against ZIKV infection. This dissertation describes the characterization of one vaccine and two antiviral drug candidates against ZIKV infection. A bacterial ferritin-based nanoparticle vaccine, termed zDIII-F, is designed to display multiple copies of ZIKV E protein domain III on its surface. These stable nanoparticles are shown to induce robust antibody-mediated protection against lethal ZIKV infection in …

Development And Validation Of An Isothermal Amplification Assay For Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, Mikayla D. Maddison

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a neurotrophic alphavirus for which there is no effective treatment or vaccine for humans. Periodic outbreaks in the Eastern United States represent an ongoing public health problem; Florida serves as the reservoir for EEEV for the rest of the country. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the current gold standard for molecular diagnostic testing of the presence of EEEV in vectors. However, RT-PCR is technically complex and can be difficult for mosquito control districts to utilize. In order to provide a simple, cost-effective alternative for mosquito surveillance and control, a novel one step reverse …

Global Analysis Of High Cited Papers On “Impact Of Covid-19 On Mental Health” During 2020-21, Ghouse Modin Nabeesab Mamdapur Mr., Brij Mohan Gupta Dr., Sandeep Grover Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

A bibliometric analysis based on 160 highly cited papers extracted from the Scopus international database was carried out to provide insights into literature characteristics and publication performances of various participating actors on “Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health”. Quantitative and qualitative Indicators were applied to measure the productivity and citation impact of most productive participating countries, organizations, authors, journals and significant keywords and to visualise and measure collaborative interaction among them using VOSviewer software. Results obtained from this study can provide valuable information for researchers and policy-makers to identify present and future hotspots in research on “Impact of COVID-19 on …

Forum 1: Social Inequality, Justice, And Vaccine Intent And Distribution In The United States, Grant Drawve, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Casey Harris

Vaccine Course

The key issues for the distribution of the COVID vaccine are shared. These issues include funding, racial and ethnic disparities, supply and logistics, communication and trust, federal, state and local roles, and coverage and costs.

Acute Ischemic Stroke As The Presenting Feature Of Covid-19 In The Young And Pregnant, Nermila A. Ballmick, Jiri F. Kubac, Hossein Akhondi

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an emerging and rapidly evolving public health issue that has become globally widespread and an overwhelming pandemic. Clinical manifestations of the disease include asymptomatic carrier states, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and even multiorgan dysfunction. Here, we present a unique and rare case of an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in an asymptomatic pregnant woman with no predisposing medical illnesses.

Discussion: An 18-year-old G2P1 African American woman at 7 weeks gestational age with no significant medical or family history presenting to the Emergency Department during the initial phases of the pandemic with complaints of new onset left …

Covid-19: In The Absence Of Vaccination – ‘Mask-The-Nation’, Roy D. Sleator, Steven Darby, Alan Giltinan, Niall Smith

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

“In the absence of a vaccine, or effective antiviral, one of our only remaining strategies for controlling COVID-19 is to physically block the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the community”