Medical Specialties Commons^™

High Prevalence Of Early Childhood Infection By Kshv In A Minority Population In China, Yifei Cao, Veenu Minhas, Xiaohua Tan, Jin Huang, Baodong Wang, Meiyi Zhu, Yuan Gao, Tingting Zhao, Lei Yang, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

In China, KSHV seroprevalence varies considerably among different regions and ethnicities. But in Xinjiang province, located in the northwestern China, there is a very high seroprevalence of KSHV in adults of Kazak and Ughur ethnicities. However, KSHV prevalence in children and the risk factors associated with the acquisition of infection are currently not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of KSHV infection, identify associated socio-economic or behavioral risk factors and the humoral immune response among children in this population. This is a cross-sectional study (N=178) to screen children and their caregivers from Xinjiang for total …

Synthesizing Data And Models For The Spread Of Mers-Cov, 2013: Key Role Of Index Cases And Hospital Transmission, Gerardo Chowell, Seth Blumberg, Lone Simonsen, Mark A. Miller, Cecile Viboud

Global Health Faculty Publications

The outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has caused 209 deaths and 699 laboratory-confirmed cases in the Arabian Peninsula as of June 11, 2014. Preparedness efforts are hampered by considerable uncertainty about the nature and intensity of human-to-human transmission, with previous reproduction number estimates ranging from 0.4 to 1.5. Here we synthesize epidemiological data and transmission models for the MERS-CoV outbreak during April–October 2013 to resolve uncertainties in epidemic risk, while considering the impact of observation bias. We match the progression of MERS-CoV cases in 2013 to a dynamic transmission model that incorporates community and hospital compartments, and …

Global Analysis Of Chlorella Variabilis Nc64a Mrna Profiles During The Early Phase Of Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus-1 Infection, Janet M. Rowe, Adrien Jeanniard, James R. Gurnon, Yuannan Xia, David D. Dunigan, James L. Van Etten, Guillaume Blanc

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The PBCV-1/Chlorella variabilis NC64A system is a model for studies on interactions between viruses and algae. Here we present the first global analyses of algal host transcripts during the early stages of infection, prior to virus replication. During the course of the experiment stretching over 1 hour, about a third of the host genes displayed significant changes in normalized mRNA abundance that either increased or decreased compared to uninfected levels. The population of genes with significant transcriptional changes gradually increased until stabilizing at 40 minutes post infection. Functional categories including cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins, jasmonic acid biosynthesis and anaphase promoting …

Dynamic Attachment Of Chlorovirus Pbcv-1 To Chlorella Variabilis, Irina Agarkova, Brigitte Hertel, Xinzheng Zhang, Les Lane, Alexander Tchourbanov, David D. Dunigan, Gerhard Thiel, Michael G. Rossmann, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Chloroviruses infect their hosts by specifically binding to and degrading the cell wall of their algal hosts at the site of attachment, using an intrinsic digesting enzyme(s). Chlorovirus PBCV-1 stored as a lysate survived longer than virus alone, suggesting virus attachment to cellular debris may be reversible. Ghost cells (algal cells extracted with methanol) were used as a model to study reversibility of PBCV-1 attachment because ghost cells are as susceptible to attachment and wall digestion as are live cells. Reversibility of attachment to ghost cells was examined by releasing attached virions with a cell wall degrading enzyme extract. The …

Genetic Variation And Possible Mechanisms Driving The Evolution Of Worldwide Fig Mosaic Virus Isolates, Jeewan Jyot Walia, Anouk Willemsen, Eminur Elci, Kadriye Caglayan, Bryce W. Falk, Luis Rubio

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Fig mosaic virus (FMV) is a multipartite negative-sense RNA virus infecting fig trees worldwide. FMV is transmitted by vegetative propagation and grafting of plant materials, and by the eriophyid mite Aceria ficus. In this work, the genetic variation and evolutionary mechanisms shaping FMV populations were characterized. Nucleotide sequences from four genomic regions (each within the genomic RNAs 1, 2, 3, and 4) from FMV isolates from different countries were determined and analyzed. FMV genetic variation was low, as is seen for many other plant viruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed some geographically distant FMV isolates which clustered together, suggesting long-distance migration. …

Risk Factors For Early Childhood Infection Of Human Herpesvirus-8 In Zambian Children: The Role Of Early Childhood Feeding Practices, Kay L. Crabtree, Janet M. Wojcicki, Veenu Minhas, David R. Smith, Chipepo Kankasa, Charles D. Mitchell, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Background—Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infection in early childhood is common throughout sub-Saharan Africa with prevalence increasing throughout childhood. Specific routes of transmission have not been clearly delineated, though HHV-8 is present in high concentrations in saliva.

Methods—To understand the horizontal transmission of HHV-8 within households to children we enrolled for cross-sectional analysis, 251 households including 254 children, age two and under, in Lusaka, Zambia. For all children, plasma was screened for HHV-8 and HIV-1 and health and behavioral questionnaires were completed. Multi-level logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess independent factors for HHV-8 infection in children.

Results—Risk factors for HHV-8 infection …

Turnip Crinkle Virus Coat Protein Inhibits The Basal Immune Response To Virus Invasion In Arabidopsis By Binding To The Nac Transcription Factor Tip, Teresa Donze, Feng Qu, Paul Twigg, T. Jack Morris

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) has been shown to interact with a NAC transcription factor, TIP, of Arabidopsis thaliana, via its coat protein (CP). This interaction correlates with the resistance response manifested in TCV-resistant Arabidopsis ecotype Di-17. We report that failure of a mutated CP to interact with TIP triggered the corresponding TCV mutant (R6A) to cause more severe symptoms in the TCV-susceptible ecotype Col-0. We hypothesized that TCV regulates antiviral basal immunity through TIP-CP interaction. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that the rate of accumulation of R6A was measurably slower than wild-type TCV over the course of an …

Space-Time Statistical Analysis Of Malaria Morbidity Incidence Cases In Ghana: A Geostatistical Modelling Approach, Simon K. Appiah

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Malaria is one of the most prevalent and devastating health problems worldwide. It is a highly endemic disease in Ghana, which poses a major challenge to both the public health and socio-economic development of the country. Major factors accounting for this situation include variability in environmental conditions and lack of prevention services coupled with host of other socio-economic factors. Ghana’s National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) risk assessment measures have been largely based on household surveys which provided inadequate data for accurate prediction of new incidence cases coupled with frequent incomplete monthly case reports. These raise concerns about annual estimates on …

The Role Of Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I-Regulated Inducible Glucocorticoids In Sepsis, Junting Ai

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Sepsis claims over 215,000 lives in the US annually. Inducible glucocorticoids (iGC) is produced during sepsis. However, the precise effects of iGC in sepsis remain unclear due to a lack of appropriate animal models. Glucocorticoid (GC) insufficiency is associated with a marked increase in mortality and occurs in 60% of severe septic patients. Yet the conclusion of GC therapy on septic patients is still controversial.

Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in the adrenal mediates the selective uptake of cholesteryl ester from lipoproteins for GC synthesis. SR-BI-/- mice completely lack iGC during sepsis and are highly susceptible to septic …

Importance Of Bacillithiol In The Oxidative Stress Response Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Ana C. Posada, Stacey L. Kolar, Renata G. Dusi, Patrica Francois

Dartmouth Scholarship

In Staphylococcus aureus, the low-molecular-weight thiol called bacillithiol (BSH), together with cognate S-transferases, is believed to be the counterpart to the glutathione system of other organisms. To explore the physiological role of BSH in S. aureus, we constructed mutants with the deletion of bshA (sa1291), which encodes the glycosyltransferase that catalyzes the first step of BSH biosynthesis, and fosB (sa2124), which encodes a BSH-S-transferase that confers fosfomycin resistance, in several S. aureus strains, including clinical isolates. Mutation of fosB or bshA caused a 16- to 60-fold reduction in fosfomycin resistance in these S. aureus strains. High-pressure liquid chromatography analysis, which …

Primary And Secondary Prevention Of Hepatitis C Virus Among Rural Appalachian People Who Use Drugs, Dustin B. Stephens

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical and Translational Science

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with 3% of the global population chronically infected. Clinical impacts in the United States are projected to increase for two decades, and mortality attributed to HCV now exceeds HIV. Injection drug use (IDU) is the most common route of transmission in the developed world. Advances in treatment offer hope of mitigating HCV impacts, but substantial barriers obstruct people who inject drugs (PWID) from receiving care, particularly in medically underserved regions including Central Appalachia. This study assessed IDU paraphernalia sharing longitudinally over 24 months in a sample of …

Lyme Disease Outcomes With Immediate, Short Duration Antibiotic Use Versus Delayed, Longer Duration Use, Lori A. Steinley

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne disease in the United States, according to the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA). The guidelines for diagnosis provided by the IDSA include evidence of erythema migrans rash with validation of a positive two-tier serology testing. With no established treatment standards, decreased sensitivity of testing and inconsistency of observing the rash, practitioners following the guidelines may delay treatment of antibiotics. This delay could cause progression of severity of symptoms.

The purpose of this study is to compare implementation and duration time of antibiotics and establish the treatment protocol for best clinical outcomes for …

Cell- And Virus-Mediated Regulation Of The Barrier-To-Autointegration Factor’S Phosphorylation State Controls Its Dna Binding, Dimerization, Subcellular Localization, And Antipoxviral Activity, Augusta Jamin, April Wicklund, Matthew S. Wiebe

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) is a DNA binding protein with multiple cellular functions, including the ability to act as a potent defense against vaccinia virus infection. This antiviral function involves BAF’s ability to condense double-stranded DNA and subsequently prevent viral DNA replication. In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that dynamic phosphorylation involving the vaccinia virus B1 kinase and cellular enzymes is likely a key regulator of multiple BAF functions; however, the precise mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we analyzed how phosphorylation impacts BAF’s DNA binding, subcellular localization, dimerization, and antipoxviral activity through the characterization of BAF phosphomimetic and unphosphorylatable …

Characterization Of A Dual-Tropic Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv-1) Strain Derived From The Prototypical X4 Isolate Hxbc2, Shi-Hua Xiang, Beatriz Pacheco, Dane Bowder, Wen Yuan, Joseph Sodroski

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coreceptor usage and tropism can be modulated by the V3 loop sequence of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein. For coreceptors, R5 viruses use CCR5, X4 viruses use CXCR4, and dual-tropic (R5X4) viruses use either CCR5 or CXCR4. To understand the requirements for dual tropism, we derived and analyzed a dual-tropic variant of an X4 virus. Changes in the V3 base, which allow gp120 to interact with the tyrosine-sulfated CCR5 N-terminus, and deletion of residues 310/311 in the V3 tip were necessary for efficient CCR5 binding and utilization. Thus, both sets of V3 changes allowed …

Live Siv Vaccine Correlate Of Protection: Immune Complex-Inhibitory Fc Receptor Interactions That Reduce Target Cell Availability, Anthony J. Smith, Stephen W. Wietgrefe, Liang Shang, Cavan S. Reilly, Peter J. Southern, Katherine E. Perkey, Lijie Duan, Heinz Kohler, Sybille Muller, James Robinson, John V. Carlis, Qingsheng Li, R. Paul Johnson, Ashley T. Haase

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Principles to guide design of an effective vaccine against HIV are greatly needed, particularly to

protect women in the pandemic’s epicentre in Africa. We have been seeking these principles by

identifying correlates of the robust protection associated with SIV_mac239Δnef vaccination in the

SIV-rhesus macaque animal model of HIV-1 transmission to women. We have identified one

correlate of SIV_mac239Δnef protection against vaginal challenge as a resident mucosal system for

SIV-gp41 trimer antibody production and neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn)-mediated concentration of

these antibodies on the path of virus entry to inhibit establishment of infected founder populations

at the …

Review Of Epidemiology And Transmission Of Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

This review summarizes the current knowledge pertaining to Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) epidemiology and transmission. Since the identification of KSHV twenty years ago, it is now known to be associated with Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman’s disease. Many studies have been conducted to understand its epidemiology and pathogenesis and their results clearly show that the worldwide distribution of KSHV is uneven. Some geographical areas, such as sub-Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean region and the Xinjiang region of China, are endemic areas, but Western Europe and United States have a low prevalence in the general population. This makes …

Seroprevalence Of Human Herpesvirus 8 And Hepatitis C Virus Among Drug Users In Shanghai, China, Tiejun Zhang, Ying Liu, Yuyan Zhang, Jun Wang, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood, Na He

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

To elucidate and compare the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among Chinese drug users, a cross-sectional study of 441 participants, was conducted in Shanghai, China, from 2012 through 2013. Seventy-seven (17.5%) participants were found to be positive for HHV8 antibodies, while 271 (61.5%) participants were positive for HCV. No significant association between HHV8 seropositivity and drug use characteristics, sexual behaviors, HCV, or syphilis was observed. In contrast, a statistically significant association between HCV seropositivity and injected drug history (OR, 2.18, 95% CI 1.41–3.37) was detected, whereas no statistically significant association between HCV seropositivity and …

Vaccines Within Vaccines: The Use Of Adenovirus Types 4 And 7 As Influenza Vaccine Vectors, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

adenovirus Types 4 and 7 (ad4 and ad7) are associated with acute respiratory distress (aRD). In order to prevent wide- spread ad-associated aRD (ad-aRD) the United states military immunizes new recruits using a safe and effective lyophi- lized wildtype ad4 and ad7 delivered orally in an enteric-coated capsule. We cloned ad4 and ad7 and modified them to express either a GFP-Luciferase (GFPLuc) fusion gene or a centralized influenza H1 hemagglutinin (Ha1-con). BaLB/c mice were injected with GFPLuc expressing viruses intramuscularly (i.m.) and intranasally (i.n.). ad4 induced significantly higher luciferase expression levels as compared with ad7 by both routes. ad7 transduction …

Divergent Antibody Subclass And Specificity Profiles But Not Protective Hla-B Alleles Are Associated With Variable Antibody Effector Function Among Hiv-1 Controllers, Jennifer I. Lai, Anna F. Licht, Anne-Sophie Dugast, Todd Suscovich, Ickwon Choi, Chris Bailey-Kellogg, Galit Alter, Margaret E. Ackerman

Dartmouth Scholarship

Understanding the coordination between humoral and cellular immune responses may be the key to developing protective vaccines, and because genetic studies of long-term HIV-1 nonprogressors have associated specific HLA-B alleles with spontaneous control of viral replication, this subject group presents an opportunity to investigate relationships between arms of the adaptive immune system. Given evidence suggesting that cellular immunity may play a role in viral suppression, we sought to determine whether and how the humoral immune response might vary among controllers. Significantly, Fc-mediated antibody effector functions have likewise been associated with durable viral control. In this study, we compared the effector …

Global Mortality Estimates For The 2009 Influenza Pandemic From The Glamor Project: A Modeling Study, Lone Simonsen, Peter Spreeuwenberg, Roger Lustig, Robert J. Taylor, Douglas M. Fleming, Madelon Kroneman, Maria D. Van Kerkhove, Anthony D. Mounts, W. John Paget

Global Health Faculty Publications

Background

Assessing the mortality impact of the 2009 influenza A H1N1 virus (H1N1pdm09) is essential for optimizing public health responses to future pandemics. The World Health Organization reported 18,631 laboratory-confirmed pandemic deaths, but the total pandemic mortality burden was substantially higher. We estimated the 2009 pandemic mortality burden through statistical modeling of mortality data from multiple countries.

Methods and Findings

We obtained weekly virology and underlying cause-of-death mortality time series for 2005–2009 for 20 countries covering ~35% of the world population. We applied a multivariate linear regression model to estimate pandemic respiratory mortality in each collaborating country. We then used …

Salmonella Cholecystitis: Atypical Presentation Of A Typical Condition, Rehan Ali, Shakeel Ahmed, Maqbool Qadir, Huba Atiq, Muhammad Hamid

Department of Emergency Medicine

Salmonella cholecystitis is a rare but important complication of Salmonella typhi infection. We are reporting an 11 years old female child who presented with complaints of high-grade fever, jaundice and right sided abdominal pain (Charcot's triad). Her examination showed tender hepatomegaly. Initial blood results revealed high white cell counts with left shift, deranged liver function tests. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed distended gallbladder with minimal layer of sludge seen within its lumen along with streak of pericholecystic fluid. Blood culture grew Salmonella typhi. She was successfully treated with intravenous ceftriaxone.

Healthcare-Associated Infections-Is Targeting Zero A Global Reality?, Mary Lou Manning Phd, Crnp, Cic, Faan, Denise Murphy Rn, Mph, Cic, Faan

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Snapin, Positive Regulator Of Stimulation- Induced Ca(2+) Release Through Ryr, Is Necessary For Hiv-1 Replication In T Cells., Shigemi M Kinoshita, Amane Kogure, Shizuka Taguchi, Garry P Nolan

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

To identify critical host factors necessary for human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) replication, large libraries of short-peptide-aptamers were expressed retrovirally. The target of one inhibitor peptide, Pep80, identified in this screen was determined to be Snapin, a protein associated with the soluble N-ethyl maleimide sensitive factor adaptor protein receptor (SNARE) complex that is critical for calcium-dependent exocytosis during neurotransmission. Pep80 inhibited Ca(2+) release from intracellular stores and blocked downstream signaling by direct interruption of the association between Snapin and an intracellular calcium release channel, the ryanodine receptor (RyR). NFAT signaling was preferentially abolished by Pep80. Expression of Snapin overcame Pep80-mediated …

Defining The Vulnerable Period For Re-Establishment Of Clostridium Difficile Colonization After Treatment Of C. Difficile Infection With Oral Vancomycin Or Metronidazole, Venkata C.K. Sunkesula, Sirisha Kundrapu, Robin L. Jump, Curtis J. Donskey

Faculty Scholarship

Background:Clostridium difficile is an anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that is the most common cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea in developed countries. A significant proportion of patients receiving oral vancomycin or metronidazole for treatment of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) develop recurrences. However, the period of vulnerability to re-establishment of colonization by C. difficile after therapy is not well defined.Principal Findings:In a prospective study of CDI patients, we demonstrated that most vancomycin-treated patients maintained inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin in stool for 4 to 5 days after therapy, whereas metronidazole was only detectable during therapy. From the time of elimination of the antibiotics to 14 …

Photo Quiz: Young Girl With Cough, Headache, And Visual Loss., Aisha Ilyas, Naima Fasih, Kauser Jabeen, Ehsan Bari, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Exotoxin Y-Mediated Tau Hyperphosphorylation Impairs Microtubule Assembly In Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells, Ron Balczon, Nutan Prasain, Cristhiaan Ochoa, Jason Prater, Bing Zhu, Mikhail Alexeyev, Sarah Sayner, Dara W. Frank, Troy Stevens

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses a type III secretion system to introduce the adenylyl and guanylyl cyclase exotoxin Y (ExoY) into the cytoplasm of endothelial cells. ExoY induces Tau hyperphosphorylation and insolubility, microtubule breakdown, barrier disruption and edema, although the mechanism(s) responsible for microtubule breakdown remain poorly understood. Here we investigated both microtubule behavior and centrosome activity to test the hypothesis that ExoY disrupts microtubule dynamics. Fluorescence microscopy determined that infected pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells contained fewer microtubules than control cells, and further studies demonstrated that the microtubule-associated protein Tau was hyperphosphorylated following infection and dissociated from microtubules. Disassembly/reassembly studies determined that …

Potential Health Impacts Of Heavy Metals On Hiv-Infected Population In Usa, Xiaohui Xu, Hui Hu, Amy B. Dailey, Greg Kearney, Evelyn O. Talbott, Robert L. Cook

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Purpose: Noninfectious comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases have become increasingly prevalent and occur earlier in life in persons with HIV infection. Despite the emerging body of literature linking environmental exposures to chronic disease outcomes in the general population, the impacts of environmental exposures have received little attention in HIV-infected population. The aim of this study is to investigate whether individuals living with HIV have elevated prevalence of heavy metals compared to non-HIV infected individuals in United States.

Methods: We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010 to compare exposures to heavy metals including cadmium, lead, and total …

Multicenter Study Of High-Dose Daptomycin For Treatment Of Enterococcal Infections, Anthony M. Casapao, Ravina Kullar, Susan L. Davis, Donald P. Levine, Jing J. Zhao, Brian A. Potoski, Debra A. Goff, Christopher W. Crank, John Segreti, George Sakoulas, Sara E. Cosgrove, Michael J. Rybak

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Enterococci are among the leading pathogens isolated in hospital-acquired infections. Current antimicrobial options for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are limited. Prior data suggests that daptomycin > 6mg/kg/day may be used to treat enterococcal infections. We retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness and safety of high-dose daptomycin (HD-daptomycin) therapy (> 6 mg/kg) in a multicenter cohort of adult patients with enterococcal infections to describe the characteristics and outcomes. Two-hundred and forty-five patients were evaluated. Enterococcus faecium was identified in 175 (71%), followed by 49 (20%) Enterococcus faecalis and 21 (9%) Enterococcus spp., overall 204 (83%) were VRE. Enterococcal infections included bacteremia (173, 71%), intra-abdominal (35, …

Ultrasound Based Evaluation Of Hepatic Steatosis And Fibrosis In Hepatitis C Non-Responders, Saba Sohail, Sina Aziz, Talat Mirza

Department of Radiology

Objective: To determine the accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis and grading of steatosis and fibrosis in Hepatitis C (HCV) patients not responding to ribavarin-interferon therapy.
Study design: A cross-sectional, analytical study.
Place and duration of study: Radiology Department, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from March 2008 to August 2010.
Methodology: Patients with positive HCV RNA despite 24 weeks ribavarin-interferon therapy (non-responders) were subjected to ultrasound and biopsy prior to institution of pegylated interferon therapy for detection and grading of steatosis and fibrosis. Using histopathology as the gold standard, sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values for ultrasound were determined.
Results: The …

Pouring Salt On A Wound: Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Virulence Factors Alter Na+ And Cl− Flux In The Lung, Alicia E. Ballok, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen with multiple niches in the human body, including the lung. P. aeruginosa infections are particularly damaging or fatal for patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis (CF). To establish an infection, P. aeruginosa relies on a suite of virulence factors, including lipopolysaccharide, phospholipases, exoproteases, phenazines, outer membrane vesicles, type III secreted effectors, flagella, and pili. These factors not only damage the epithelial cell lining but also induce changes in cell physiology and function such as cell shape, membrane permeability, and protein synthesis. While such virulence factors are important in …