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Bacteria

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Use Of Urine Antigen Testing For Blastomyces In An Integrated Health System, Dennis J. Baumgardner Jun 2018

Use Of Urine Antigen Testing For Blastomyces In An Integrated Health System, Dennis J. Baumgardner

Dennis J. Baumgardner, MD

Purpose: Blastomycosis, an endemic fungal infection, mimics many other diseases. We explored the use of Blastomyces urine antigen (BuAg), reportedly the most sensitive noninvasive test, in clinical practice and compared it to other noninvasive tests.

Methods: A total of 836 BuAg tests performed on unique patients (first test only) at one large integrated health system from June 2013 to May 2016 were retrospectively reviewed to examine test characteristics and demographic features. Of these, 100 cases from 2015, a year containing a large local blastomycosis outbreak, were randomly selected for detailed analysis.

Results: Demographics for the BuAg-tested population: mean age 54.9 …

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Growth And Extended Survival Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Soil Organic Matter, Volker Brozel Mar 2018

Growth And Extended Survival Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Soil Organic Matter, Volker Brozel

Volker Brozel


Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli, such as serotype O157:H7, are a leading cause of food-associated outbreaks. While the primary reservoir is associated with cattle, plant foods have been associated as sources of human infection. E. coli is able to growin the tissue of food plants such as spinach. While fecal contamination is the primary suspect, soil has been underestimated as a potential reservoir. Persistence of bacterial populations in open systems is the product of growth, death, predation, and competition. Here we report that E. coli O157:H7 can grow using the soluble compounds in soil, and characterize the effect of soil growth in …

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Distribution Of Diverse Escherichia Coli Between Cattle And Pasture, Volker Brozel Mar 2017

Distribution Of Diverse Escherichia Coli Between Cattle And Pasture, Volker Brozel

Volker Brozel


It is widely believed that Escherichia coli does not survive for extended periods outside the intestines of warm-blooded animals, but recent studies show that E. coli strains can maintain populations in soil and water without any known fecal contamination. The objective of this study was to determine whether niche partitioning of E. coli occurs between cattle and their pasture. We sought to determine whether E. coli from bovine feces differed phenotypically and genotypically from isolates maintaining a population in pasture soil over winter.  Soil, bovine feces, and run-off samples were collected before and after introduction of cattle to the pasture. …

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Complete Genome Sequence Of Spiroplasma Turonicum Tab4ct, A Bacterium Isolated From Horse Flies (Haematopota Sp.), Wen-Sui Lo, Gail E. Gasparich, Chih-Horng Kuo Sep 2016

Complete Genome Sequence Of Spiroplasma Turonicum Tab4ct, A Bacterium Isolated From Horse Flies (Haematopota Sp.), Wen-Sui Lo, Gail E. Gasparich, Chih-Horng Kuo

Gail Gasparich

Spiroplasma turonicum Tab4cT was isolated from a horse fly (Haematopota sp.; probably Haematopota pluvialis) collected at Champchevrier, Indre-et-Loire, Touraine, France, in 1991. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of this bacterium to facilitate the investigation of its biology and the comparative genomics among Spiroplasma spp.

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Geographic Distribution Of Infant Death During Birth Hospitalization And Maternal Group B Streptococcus Colonization: Eastern Wisconsin, Jessica J.F. Kram, Dennis J. Baumgardner, Kiley A. Bernhard, Melissa A. Lemke Feb 2016

Geographic Distribution Of Infant Death During Birth Hospitalization And Maternal Group B Streptococcus Colonization: Eastern Wisconsin, Jessica J.F. Kram, Dennis J. Baumgardner, Kiley A. Bernhard, Melissa A. Lemke

Dennis J. Baumgardner, MD

Background: Neonatal death rate in the United States is 4/1,000 live births; infant death rate is 6/1,000. Group B Streptococcus (GBS) may be transmitted from a colonized mother (rates vary from 15% to 35%) to the newborn during a vaginal delivery, and may contribute to neonatal death.

Purpose: To explore the geographic distribution and associated risk factors for maternal GBS colonization and infant death prior to discharge in eastern Wisconsin births.

Methods: Retrospective study of institutional data from PeriData.net, a comprehensive birth registry, utilizing data from 2007 through 2013 at all Aurora medical centers. Categorical variables were analyzed with chi-square …

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Changes In Gut And Plasma Microbiome Following Exercise Challenge In Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Me/Cfs), Sanjay K. Shukla, Dane B. Cook, Jacob Meyer, Suzanne D. Vernon, Thảo Lê, Derek Clevidence, Charles E. Robertson, Steven J. Schrodi, Steven Yale, Daniel N. Frank Dec 2015

Changes In Gut And Plasma Microbiome Following Exercise Challenge In Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Me/Cfs), Sanjay K. Shukla, Dane B. Cook, Jacob Meyer, Suzanne D. Vernon, Thảo Lê, Derek Clevidence, Charles E. Robertson, Steven J. Schrodi, Steven Yale, Daniel N. Frank

Jacob Meyer

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disease characterized by intense and debilitating fatigue not due to physical activity that has persisted for at least 6 months, post-exertional malaise, unrefreshing sleep, and accompanied by a number of secondary symptoms, including sore throat, memory and concentration impairment, headache, and muscle/joint pain. In patients with post-exertional malaise, significant worsening of symptoms occurs following physical exertion and exercise challenge serves as a useful method for identifying biomarkers for exertion intolerance. . Evidence suggests that intestinal dysbiosis and systemic responses to gut microorganisms may play a role in the symptomology of ME/CFS. As such, …

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Characterizing The Diversity Of Active Bacteria In Soil By Comprehensive Stable Isotope Probing Of Dna And Rna With H2 18o, Volker Brozel Dec 2014

Characterizing The Diversity Of Active Bacteria In Soil By Comprehensive Stable Isotope Probing Of Dna And Rna With H2 18o, Volker Brozel

Volker Brozel


Current limitations in culture-based methods have lead to a reliance on culture-independent approaches, based principally on the comparative analysis of primary semantides such as ribosomal gene sequences.  DNA is remarkably stable in some environments, so its presence does not indicate live bacteria, but extracted ribosomal RNA (rRNA) has been viewed as an indicator of active cells.  Stable isotope probing (SIP) involves the incorporation of heavy isotopes into newly synthesized nucleic acids, and can be used to separate newly synthesized from existing DNA or rRNA.  H218O is currently the only potential universal bacterial substrate suitable for SIP of entire bacterial communities.  …

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Bacterial Rna:Dna Hybrids Are Activators Of The Nlrp3 Inflammasome, Sivapriya Kailasan Vanaja, Vijay A. K. Rathinam, Maninjay K. Atianand, Parisa Kalantari, Brian M. Skehan, Katherine A. Fitzgerald, John M. Leong Dec 2014

Bacterial Rna:Dna Hybrids Are Activators Of The Nlrp3 Inflammasome, Sivapriya Kailasan Vanaja, Vijay A. K. Rathinam, Maninjay K. Atianand, Parisa Kalantari, Brian M. Skehan, Katherine A. Fitzgerald, John M. Leong

Katherine A. Fitzgerald

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is an extracellular pathogen that causes hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. The proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1beta, has been linked to hemolytic uremic syndrome. Here we identify the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine rich repeat containing family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome as an essential mediator of EHEC-induced IL-1beta. Whereas EHEC-specific virulence factors were dispensable for NLRP3 activation, bacterial nucleic acids such as RNA:DNA hybrids and RNA gained cytosolic access and mediated inflammasome-dependent responses. Consistent with a direct role for RNA:DNA hybrids in inflammasome activation, delivery of synthetic EHEC RNA:DNA hybrids into the cytosol triggered NLRP3-dependent responses, …

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Malaria-Induced Nlrp12/Nlrp3-Dependent Caspase-1 Activation Mediates Inflammation And Hypersensitivity To Bacterial Superinfection, Marco A. Ataide, Warrison A. Andrade, Dario S. Zamboni, Donghai Wang, Maria Do Carmo Souza, Bernardo S. Franklin, Samir Elian, Flaviano S. Martins, Dhelio Pereira, George W. Reed, Katherine A. Fitzgerald, Douglas T. Golenbock, Ricardo T. Gazzinelli Dec 2014

Malaria-Induced Nlrp12/Nlrp3-Dependent Caspase-1 Activation Mediates Inflammation And Hypersensitivity To Bacterial Superinfection, Marco A. Ataide, Warrison A. Andrade, Dario S. Zamboni, Donghai Wang, Maria Do Carmo Souza, Bernardo S. Franklin, Samir Elian, Flaviano S. Martins, Dhelio Pereira, George W. Reed, Katherine A. Fitzgerald, Douglas T. Golenbock, Ricardo T. Gazzinelli

Katherine A. Fitzgerald

Cyclic paroxysm and high fever are hallmarks of malaria and are associated with high levels of pyrogenic cytokines, including IL-1beta. In this report, we describe a signature for the expression of inflammasome-related genes and caspase-1 activation in malaria. Indeed, when we infected mice, Plasmodium infection was sufficient to promote MyD88-mediated caspase-1 activation, dependent on IFN-gamma-priming and the expression of inflammasome components ASC, P2X7R, NLRP3 and/or NLRP12. Pro-IL-1beta expression required a second stimulation with LPS and was also dependent on IFN-gamma-priming and functional TNFR1. As a consequence of Plasmodium-induced caspase-1 activation, mice produced extremely high levels of IL-1beta upon a second …

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Spiroplasma Eriocheiris Sp. Nov., Associated With Mortality In The Chinese Mitten Crab, Eriocheir Sinensis, Wen Wang, Wei Gu, Gail E. Gasparich, Keran Bi, Jiangtao Ou, Qingguo Meng, Tingming Liang, Qi Feng, Jianqiong Zhang, Ying Zhang Mar 2011

Spiroplasma Eriocheiris Sp. Nov., Associated With Mortality In The Chinese Mitten Crab, Eriocheir Sinensis, Wen Wang, Wei Gu, Gail E. Gasparich, Keran Bi, Jiangtao Ou, Qingguo Meng, Tingming Liang, Qi Feng, Jianqiong Zhang, Ying Zhang

Gail Gasparich

A motile bacterium, designated strain TDA-040725-5T, was isolated from the haemolymph of a Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, with tremor disease. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the strain was phylogenetically distinct from other spiroplasmas but was closely related to Spiroplasma mirum ATCC 29335T. Cells of strain TDA-040725-5T were variable in length and shape, helical and motile, as determined by phase-contrast light microscopy. Examination by electron microscopy revealed wall-less cells delimited by a single membrane. The strain grew in M1D or R-2 liquid media at 20–40 °C, with optimum growth at 30 °C. Doubling time at the optimal temperature …

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Adverse Health Consequences Following Aerial Spraying With Bacillus Thuringiensis (Var. Kursraki) (Btk) To Control The Gypsy Moth: Flaws In Government Risk Assessments And In Public Health Officials' Attitudes, Richard B. Philp Sep 2009

Adverse Health Consequences Following Aerial Spraying With Bacillus Thuringiensis (Var. Kursraki) (Btk) To Control The Gypsy Moth: Flaws In Government Risk Assessments And In Public Health Officials' Attitudes, Richard B. Philp

Richard B. Philp

The soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is noteworthy for its ability to infect fatally the digestive tract of moths, butterflies and other insects, making it an attractive biological agent to control insects that can damage crops and trees. One subspecies B. thuringiensis (var. kurstaki) is used in commercial preparations such as Foray 48B that can be applied as a spray on the ground or from aircraft. The latter approach is especially appealing as large areas can be sprayed at relatively low cost. The use of such spraying in populated, urban areas often results in reports of illnesses such as nausea, vomiting, …

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Spiroplasma Penaei Sp. Nov., Associated With Mortalities In Penaeus Vannamei, Pacific White Shrimp, Linda M. Nunan, Donald V. Lightner, Marietta A. Oduori, Gail E. Gasparich Oct 2005

Spiroplasma Penaei Sp. Nov., Associated With Mortalities In Penaeus Vannamei, Pacific White Shrimp, Linda M. Nunan, Donald V. Lightner, Marietta A. Oduori, Gail E. Gasparich

Gail Gasparich

A new bacterial strain, designated SHRIMPT, isolated from the haemolymph of the Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, was serologically distinct from other spiroplasmas. Cells of this strain were helical in form and variable in length. Examination by electron microscopy revealed wall-less cells delineated by a single cytoplasmic membrane. The organisms grew well in M1D media supplemented with 2 % NaCl. Strain SHRIMPT grew at temperatures of 20–37 °C, with optimum growth occurring at 28 °C. The strain catabolized glucose and hydrolysed arginine, but did not hydrolyse urea. The G+C content of the DNA was 29±1 mol%. Strain SHRIMPT (=ATCC BAA-1082T=CAIM …

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Spiroplasma Atrichopogonis Sp. Nov., From A Ceratopogonid Biting Midge, R. Thomas Koerber, Gail E. Gasparich, Mark F. Frana, William L. Grogan Dec 2004

Spiroplasma Atrichopogonis Sp. Nov., From A Ceratopogonid Biting Midge, R. Thomas Koerber, Gail E. Gasparich, Mark F. Frana, William L. Grogan

Gail Gasparich

Spiroplasma sp. strain GNAT3597T was isolated from the biting midge genus Atrichopogon (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). It was serologically distinct from other Spiroplasma species, groups or subgroups. Dark-field microscopy of the cells revealed the classical helical shape and subsequent transmission electron microscopy revealed cells surrounded by only a cell membrane (i.e. lacking a cell wall). Growth of strain GNAT3597T occurred in M1D medium at 30 °C. Strain GNAT3597T catabolized both glucose and arginine, but did not hydrolyse urea. The DNA G+C content of strain GNAT3597T was 29±1 mol%. Only one strain, SMCAT (Spiroplasma mirum), is serologically related to strain GNAT3597T, although the …

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A Spiroplasma Associated With Tremor Disease In The Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir Sinensis), Wen Wang, Bohai Wen, Gail E. Gasparich, Ningning Zhu, Liwen Rong, Jianxiu Chen, Zaikuan Xu Aug 2004

A Spiroplasma Associated With Tremor Disease In The Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir Sinensis), Wen Wang, Bohai Wen, Gail E. Gasparich, Ningning Zhu, Liwen Rong, Jianxiu Chen, Zaikuan Xu

Gail Gasparich

An epidemic of tremor disease has been a serious problem in Chinese mitten crabs, Eriocheir sinensis, in China in recent years. The disease-causing agent was previously considered to be a rickettsia-like organism. Here, analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, light and electron microscopy and cultivation in vitro were used to identify the agent. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene found it to have 98 % identity with that of Spiroplasma mirum. The agent was able to be passed through membrane filters with pores 220 nm in diameter and could be cultivated by inoculating the yolk sac of embryonated …

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Spiroplasma Lineolae Sp. Nov., From The Horsefly Tabanus Lineola (Diptera : Tabanidae), Frank E. French, Robert F. Whitcomb, Joseph G. Tully, Patricia Carle, Joseph M. Bové, Roberta B. Henegar, Jean R. Adams, Gail E. Gasparich, David L. Williamson Sep 1997

Spiroplasma Lineolae Sp. Nov., From The Horsefly Tabanus Lineola (Diptera : Tabanidae), Frank E. French, Robert F. Whitcomb, Joseph G. Tully, Patricia Carle, Joseph M. Bové, Roberta B. Henegar, Jean R. Adams, Gail E. Gasparich, David L. Williamson

Gail Gasparich

Spiroplasma strain TALS-2T from the viscera of the striped horsefly, Tabanus lineola, collected in Georgia was serologically distinct from other Spiroplasma species, groups, putative groups, and subgroups. Light and electron microscopy of cells of strain TALS-2T revealed helical motile cells surrounded only by a single cytoplasmic membrane. The organism grew in M1D and SP-4 liquid media. Growth also occurred in 1% serum fraction medium and in conventional horse serum medium. Growth in liquid media was serum dependent. The strain passed through 220-nm filter pores, but was retained in filters with 100-nm pores. The optimum temperature for growth was 30°C. Multiplication …

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