Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Institution
- Keyword
Articles 1 - 4 of 4
Full-Text Articles in Organisms
Erg11-Mediated Azole Resistance In Candida Albicans, Stephanie Ann Flowers
Erg11-Mediated Azole Resistance In Candida Albicans, Stephanie Ann Flowers
Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
Although many medically important Candida species are commensal to the gut or colonizers of the skin, these organisms have the propensity to cause disease in the event of a waning immune system. Clinical manifestations of infections with Candida species can range from superficial mucosal infections to deep organ involvement usually resulting from haematogenous spread of infection. Despite significant progress made in the management of patients with fungal infections, the emergence of antifungal resistant clinical isolates creates significant problem in regards to antifungal prophylaxis and empirical treatment strategies. Antifungal resistance is associated with high mortality rates and hefty medical costs. The …
Signal Transduction And Transcriptional Regulation Pathways Essential For Azole Resistance In Candida Albicans, Erin M. Vasicek
Signal Transduction And Transcriptional Regulation Pathways Essential For Azole Resistance In Candida Albicans, Erin M. Vasicek
Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
Candida albicans is the most prevalent human fungal pathogen, found as a commensal organism in the mucosa, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts of humans. This pathogenic fungus causes a wide spectrum of diseases, including the mucosal infection oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) which frequently effects patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The azole antifungals (such as fluconazole) are the most widely used and important ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors (EBIs) for the treatment of Candida infections, including OPC. However, the azoles are fungistatic against C. albicans and therefore have limited efficacy against this organism, especially for immunocompromised patients. In C. albicans, the transcription factor Upc2 …
Regulating Rsma Expression In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Sean D. Stacey
Regulating Rsma Expression In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Sean D. Stacey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative bacillus, commonly infects immunocompromised individuals and uses a variety of virulence factors to persist in these hosts. The posttranscriptional regulator, RsmA, plays a role in the expression of many virulence factors in P. aeruginosa. RsmA up regulates virulence factors used in colonizing hosts. However, regulation of rsmA is not well elucidated. Transposon mutagenesis was performed on P. aeruginosa containing a transcriptional rsmA-lacZ fusion to answer this question. Mutants were screened via β-galactosidase assay and transposon insertions identified via arbitrary PCR. A probable MFS transporter, we named mtpX, was one significant transposon mutant identified. …
Systematic Assessment Of The Contribution Of Superantigens To Nasopharyngeal Colonization In A Mouse Model Of Streptococcal Infection, Katherine J. Kasper
Systematic Assessment Of The Contribution Of Superantigens To Nasopharyngeal Colonization In A Mouse Model Of Streptococcal Infection, Katherine J. Kasper
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Streptococcus pyogenes is adapted for persistence in humans. It typically colonizes the tonsils and skin, and humans are the only known reservoir. S. pyogenes can cause a wide range of mild to serious infections. Most streptococci-related deaths are due to complications of rheumatic fever and invasive infections. S. pyogenes produces virulence factors that contribute to the pathogen’s ability to colonize and cause disease, including streptococcal superantigens (SAgs), also known as streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (Spes). SAgs function by cross-linking T cells and antigen presenting cells (APC) which may cause a massive inflammatory response, and as such have been found to contribute …