Public Health Commons^™

Evaluating Current Policy For Detecting Mosaicism In Amniotic Fluid Cultures: Implications For Current Cell Counting Practices, Samuel P. Caudill, Daniel L. Van Dyke, Andrew T. L. Chen, John A. Reidy, Paul S. Ing, Stuart Schwartz, Gail H. Vance

United States Public Health Resources

Chromosomal mosaicism is one of the most vexing problems for clinical cytogenetic laboratories and personnel time used for analysis at the microscope is one of the principle costs in cytogenetic laboratories. We use data collected from 26 cytogenetic laboratories to evaluate whether the American College of Medical Genetics guidelines for minimum number of cells to count to exclude mosaicism in amniotic fluid specimens is appropriate. An accurate estimate of the number of mosaics that are missed by current cell counting practices is an important step in this process. Thus, we present a new method for estimating the number of mosaics …

Molecular Cloning And Characterization Of A Porcine Ul16 Binding Protein (Ulbp)-Like Cdna, Carmen N. Garcia-Borges, Bounleut Phanavanh, Sarika Saraswati, Richard A. Dennis, Mark D. Crew

United States Public Health Resources

UL16 binding proteins (ULBPs) are ligands for the NK cell activating receptor NKG2D. A cDNA encoding a porcine ULBP-like protein (PULBP) was cloned and the predicted amino acid sequence exhibited 35–52% identity to human ULBPs. Southern blot analysis suggested that there is only one ULBP-like gene in the pig genome. Transcripts of PULBP and another potential NKG2D ligand, MIC2, were detected by RT-PCR in a wide range of tissues. Recombinant PULBP-Fc and human ULBP2-Fc fusion proteins were made and used to examine PULBP binding to porcine PBMCs and a human NK cell line (NKL cells). PULBP-Fc bound to a subpopulation …

Phylogenetic Analysis Of North American West Nile Virus Isolates, 2001–2004: Evidence For The Emergence Of A Dominant Genotype, C. Todd Davis, Gregory D. Ebel, Robert S. Lanciotti, Aaron C. Brault, Hilda Guzman, Marina Siirin, Amy Lambert, Ray E. Parsons, David W.C. Beasley, Robert J. Novak, Darwin Elizondo-Quiroga, Emily N. Green, David S. Young, Lillian M. Stark, Michael A. Drebot, Harvey Artsob, Robert B. Tesh, Laura D. Kramer, Alan D.T. Barrett

United States Public Health Resources

The distribution of West Nile virus has expanded in the past 6 years to include the 48 contiguous United States and seven Canadian provinces, as well as Mexico, the Caribbean islands, and Colombia. The suggestion of the emergence of a dominant genetic variant has led to an intensive analysis of isolates made across North America. We have sequenced the premembrane and envelope genes of 74 isolates and the complete genomes of 25 isolates in order to determine if a dominant genotype has arisen and to better understand how the virus has evolved as its distribution has expanded. Phylogenetic analyses revealed …

Agricultural Pesticide Use And Risk Of Glioma In Nebraska, United States, W. J. Lee, J. S. Colt, E. F. Heineman, R. Mccomb, D. D. Weisenburger, W. Lijinsky, M. H. Ward

United States Public Health Resources

Background: To evaluate the risk of the adult glioma associated with farming and agricultural pesticide use, the authors conducted a population based case control study in eastern Nebraska.
Methods: Telephone interviews were conducted with men and women diagnosed with gliomas (n = 251) between 1988 and 1993 and controls (n = 498) randomly selected from the same geographical area. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for farming and for use of individual and chemical classes of insecticides and herbicides, including pesticides classified as nitrosatable (able to form N-nitroso compounds upon reaction with nitrite). Non-farmers were …

Role Of Elevated S-Adenosylhomocysteine In Rat Hepatocyte Apoptosis: Protection By Betaine, Kusum K. Kharbanda, David D. Rogers Ii, Mark E. Mailliard, Gerri L. Siford, Anthony J. Barak, Harriet C. Beckenhauer, Michael F. Sorrell, Dean J. Tuma

United States Public Health Resources

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that ethanol consumption results in an increase in hepatocellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels. Because S-adenosylhomocysteine is a potent inhibitor of methylation reactions, we propose that increased intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels could be a major contributor to ethanol-induced pathologies. To test this hypothesis, hepatocytes isolated from rat livers were grown on collagen-coated plates in Williams’ medium E containing 5% FCS and exposed to varying concentrations of adenosine in order to increase intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels. We observed increases in caspase-3 activity following exposure to adenosine. This increase in caspase activity correlated with increases in intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels and …

Measurements Of Constraint Of Total Knee Replacement, H. Haider, P.S. Walker

United States Public Health Resources

Measurement of the constraint of total knee components in a test machine provides an objective method of describing the laxity and stability characteristics of the implant itself, independent of the knee joint into which it would be implanted. A special fixture was designed and fitted to a Bionix multi-channel loading machine. The test consisted of applying a compressive load, applying a cyclic AP force or internal-external torque, and measuring all of the displacements and rotations. Three different commonly-used TKR’s showed widely different constraint characteristics. In the cyclic AP test, along with the cyclic AP displacement, displacements and rotations occurred in …

Effect Of Cirrhosis On Antibiotic Efficacy In A Rat Model Of Pneumococcal Pneumonia, Laurel C. Preheim, Keith M. Olsen, Mei Yue, Mary U. Snitily, Martha J. Gentry-Nielsen

United States Public Health Resources

A rat model was used to study the effects of cirrhosis on antibiotic therapy of pneumococcal pneumonia. Cirrhotic and control male Sprague-Dawley rats were infected transtracheally with type 3 Streptococcus pneumonia. Treatment began 18 h later with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), azithromycin (50 mg/kg), trovafloxacin (50 mg/kg), or ceftriaxone (100 mg/kg) injected subcutaneously twice daily for 5 days. Antibiotic concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Azithromycin, trovafloxacin, and ceftriaxone were all equally effective at preventing mortality in both cirrhotic and normal rats. Free fraction area under the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio (AUC/MIC) and maximum calculated serum concentration …

Rat Sinusoidal Liver Endothelial Cells (Secs) Produce Pro-Fibrotic Factors In Response To Adducts Formed From The Metabolites Of Ethanol, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Michael J. Duryee, Thomas L. Freeman, Michael F. Sorrell, Monte S. Willis, Dean J. Tuma, Lynell W. Klassen

United States Public Health Resources

Previous studies with alcohol-associated malondialdehyde–acetaldehyde (MAA)-modified proteins have demonstrated an increase in the expression of adhesion molecules, and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines by rat sinusoidal liver endothelial cells (SECs). However, no studies have been initiated to examine the effects of MAA-modified proteins on the expression of the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, fibronectin and its isoforms. For these studies, SECs were isolated from the liver of normal rats, and exposed to MAA-modified bovine serum albumin (MAA–Alb). At selected time points, the total plasma and cellular fibronectin were determined by Western blot. Injection of rat liver via the mesenteric vein with …

A Bjs Statistical Profile, 1992-2002: American Indians And Crime, Steven W. Perry

United States Public Health Resources

This report represents a compilation and new analysis of data on the incidents, prevalence, and consequences of violent crime among American Indians. The report uses data from a wide variety of sources, including statistical series maintained by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the U.S. Census Bureau.
The findings reveal a disturbing picture of the victimization of American Indians and Alaska Natives. The rate of violent crime estimated from self reported victimizations for American Indians is well above that of other U.S. racial or ethnic groups and is …

West Nile Virus Blood Transfusion-Related Infection Despite Nucleic Acid Testing, Alexandre Macedo De Oliveira, Brady D. Beecham, Susan P. Montgomery, Robert S. Lanciotti, Jeffrey M. Linnen, Cristina Giachetti, Larry A. Pietrelli, Susan L. Stramer, Thomas J. Safranek

United States Public Health Resources

BACKGROUND: A case of West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis associated with transfusion of blood that did not react when tested for WNV by minipool (MP) nucleic acid testing (NAT) is described. A Nebraska man developed clinical encephalitis 13 days after surgery and transfusion of 26 blood components. Antibody testing confirmed WNV infection. An investigation was initiated to determine the source of this infection.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The patient’s family members were interviewed to identify risk factors for WNV infection. Residual samples were retested for WNV RNA using transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) assay and two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Blood …

Cancer Incidence Among Pesticide Applicators Exposed To Atrazine In The Agricultural Health Study, Jennifer A. Rusiecki, Anneclaire De Roos, Won Jin Lee, Mustafa Dosemeci, Jay H. Lubin, Jane A. Hoppin, Aaron Blair, Michael C. R. Alavanja

United States Public Health Resources

Background: Atrazine is the most heavily applied agricultural pesticide for crop production in the United States. Both animal and human studies have suggested that atrazine is possibly carcinogenic, but results have been mixed. We evaluated cancer incidence in atrazine-exposed pesticide applicators among 53 943 participants in the Agricultural Health Study, a prospective cohort study of licensed pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina.
Methods: We obtained detailed pesticide exposure information using a self-administered questionnaire completed at the time of enrollment (1993–1997). Cancer incidence was followed through December 31, 2001. We used adjusted Poisson regression to calculate rate ratios (RRs) and …

Annual Report To The Nation On The Status Of Cancer, 1975–2001, With A Special Feature Regarding Survival, Ahmedin Jemal, Limin X. Clegg, Elizabeth Ward, Lynn A. G. Ries, Xiao-Cheng Wu, Patricia Jamison, Phyllis A. Wingo, Holly L. Howe, Robert N. Anderson, Brenda K. Edwards

United States Public Health Resources

BACKGROUND. The American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) collaborate annually to provide updated information regarding cancer occurrence and trends in the U.S. This year’s report features a special section on cancer survival.

METHODS. Information concerning cancer cases was obtained from the NCI, CDC, and NAACCR and information concerning recorded cancer deaths was obtained from the CDC. The authors evaluated trends in age-adjusted cancer incidence and death rates by regression models and described and compared survival rates over …

Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Adults With Asthma: Findings From The 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Earl S. Ford, Seymour G. Williams, David M. Mannino, Stephen C. Redd

United States Public Health Resources

The prevalence of asthma has increased substantially in the United States since 1980 (1). The primary clinical and public health strategy to reduce the burden of asthma is to prevent exacerbation of the disease, of which upper and lower respiratory tract infections are a major cause (2–5). One such infection—influenza— and its complications are potentially preventable with annual vaccination, which is a safe and effective method (6,7), including among persons with asthma (8). Because persons with asthma are at increased risk of complications from influenza, they are advised to receive annual influenza vaccinations (9), unless there are contraindications.
Little is …

Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back: Tobacco Policy Making In Nebraska, Andrew Wessel, Jennifer Ibrahim, Stanton Glantz

United States Public Health Resources

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• In 2002, 22.7% of Nebraskans over the age of 18 were current smokers, accounting for

approximately 389,000 smokers.

• Since 1995, the prevalence of adult tobacco use in Nebraska has remained about 1 percentage

point below the national average, but per capita tobacco consumption in Nebraska has been falling

more slowly than the Unites States as whole.

• The tobacco industry has directly been a major political force in Nebraska through lobbying and

campaign contributions. The tobacco industry spent over $1,027,000 on lobbying from 1997-2002.

The tobacco industry made direct campaign contributions to the members of the …

Cost Analysis Of The Built Environment: The Case Of Bike And Pedestrian Trials In Lincoln, Neb, Guijing Wang, Caroline A. Macera, Barbara Scudder-Soucie, Tom Schmid, Michael Pratt, David Buchner, Gregory Heath

United States Public Health Resources

We estimated the annual cost of bike and pedestrian trails in Lincoln, Neb, using construction and maintenance costs provided by the Department of Parks and Recreation of Nebraska. We obtained the number of users of 5 trails from a 1998 census report. The annual construction cost of each trail was calculated by using 3%, 5%, and 10% discount rates for a period of useful life of 10, 30, and 50 years. The average cost per mile and per user was calculated.
Trail length averaged 3.6 miles (range=1.6–4.6 miles). Annual cost in 2002 dollars ranged from $25 762 to $248479 (mean=$124927; …

Wif-B Cells As A Model For Alcohol-Induced Hepatocyte Injury, Courtney S. Schaffert, Sandra L. Todero, Benita L. Mcvicker, Pamela L. Tuma, Michael F. Sorrell, Dean J. Tuma

United States Public Health Resources

A potential in vitro model for studying the mechanisms of alcohol-induced hepatocyte injury is the WIF-B cell line. It has many hepatocyte-like features, including a differentiated, polarized phenotype resulting in formation of bile canaliculi. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of ethanol treatment on this cell line. WIF-B cells were cultured up to 96 h in the absence or presence of 25 mM ethanol and subsequently were analyzed for ethanol-induced physiological and morphological changes. Initial studies revealed WIF-B cells exhibited alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity, expressed cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1), and efficiently metabolized ethanol in culture. This cell …

Natural And Technologic Hazardous Material Releases During And After Natural Disasters: A Review, Stacy Young, Lina Balluz, Josephine Malilay

United States Public Health Resources

Natural disasters may be powerful and prominent mechanisms of direct and indirect hazardous material (hazmat) releases. Hazardous materials that are released as the result of a technologic malfunction precipitated by a natural event are referred to as natural-technologic or na-tech events. Na-tech events pose unique environmental and human hazards. Disaster-associated hazardous material releases are of concern, given increases in population density and accelerating industrial development in areas subject to natural disasters. These trends increase the probability of catastrophic future disasters and the potential for mass human exposure to hazardous materials released during disasters. This systematic review summarizes direct and indirect …

Real-Time Fluorescence Pcr Assays For Detection And Characterization Of Heat-Labile I And Heat-Stable I Enterotoxin Genes From Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli, Udo Reischl, Mohammad T. Youssef, Hans Wolf, Eija Hyytia-Trees, Nancy A. Strockbine

United States Public Health Resources

To facilitate the diagnosis of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infections in humans, we developed and evaluated real-time fluorescence PCR assays for the Roche LightCycler (LC) against the enterotoxin genes commonly present in strains associated with human illness. Separate LC-PCR assays with identical cycling conditions were designed for the type I heat-labile enterotoxin (LT I) and the type I heat-stable enterotoxin (ST I) genes, using the LC hybridization probe format. A duplex assay for ST I with two sets of amplification primers and three hybridization probes was required to detect the major nucleotide sequence variants of ST I, ST Ia and …

West Nile Virus Blood Transfusion-Related Infection Despite Nucleic Acid Testing, Alexandre Macedo De Oliveira, Brady D. Beecham, Susan P. Montgomery, Robert S. Lanciotti, Jeffrey M. Linnen, Cristina Giachetti, Larry A. Pietrelli, Susan L. Stramer, Thomas J. Safranek

United States Public Health Resources

BACKGROUND: A case of West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis associated with transfusion of blood that did not react when tested for WNV by minipool (MP) nucleic acid testing (NAT) is described. A Nebraska man developed clinical encephalitis 13 days after surgery and transfusion of 26 blood components. Antibody testing confirmed WNV infection. An investigation was initiated to determine the source of this infection.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The patient’s family members were interviewed to identify risk factors for WNV infection. Residual samples were retested for WNV RNA using transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) assay and two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. …

Farm Fatalities To Youth 1995–2000: A Comparison By Age Groups, Michael Goldcamp, Kitty J. Hendricks, John R. Myers

United States Public Health Resources

Problem: Although a myriad of research illustrates the safety issues related to farm fatalities in youth populations, very little empirical evidence exists that includes work and non-work related farm fatalities to all youths under 20 years of age at the national level.
Methods: This research will use death certificate data for the six years from 1995 to 2000 that were collected by NIOSH from all 50 state vital statistics registries. Demographic data from the 1998 CAIS were used in rate calculations. In addition to providing annual fatality rates and descriptions of the general causes of death, this research will examine …

Agricultural Pesticide Use And Adenocarcinomas Of The Stomach And Oesophagus, W. J. Lee, W. Lijinsky, E. F. Heineman, R. S. Markin, D. D. Weisenburger, M. H. Ward

United States Public Health Resources

Aims: To evaluate the risk of the stomach and oesophageal adenocarcinomas associated with farming and agricultural pesticide use.
Methods: Population based case-control study in eastern Nebraska. Telephone interviews were conducted with men and women diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the stomach (n = 170) or oesophagus (n = 137) between 1988 and 1993, and controls (n = 502) randomly selected from the same geographical area. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for farming and for use of individual and chemical classes of insecticides and herbicides, including pesticides classified as nitrosatable (able to form N-nitroso compounds on …

Neurobehavioral Evaluation For A Community With Chronic Exposure To Hydrogen Sulfide Gas, Steven G. Inserra, Betty L. Phifer, W. Kent Anger, Michael Lewin, Roberta Hilsdon, Mary C. White

United States Public Health Resources

In May 2000, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry of the US government conducted a health investigation in response to community concerns regarding ambient and indoor hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), odor, and health symptoms in Dakota City, Nebraska. The objective was to determine whether adult residents in an area with repeated exposure to H₂S showed poorer performance on neurobehavioral tests than unexposed residents. Study participants were required to meet age (≥16 years of age) and length of residency (2 years) eligibility requirements. A battery of computer-assisted standardized neurobehavioral tests was administered in English or Spanish. …

Outbreak Of Pruritic Rashes Associated With Mites — Kansas, 2004

United States Public Health Resources

In late August 2004, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) received reports from the Crawford County Health Department (CCHD) of approximately 300 residents of Pittsburg, Kansas (2000 population: 19,243), seeking care for a pruritic rash of unknown etiology. In early September, three neighboring counties in Kansas and two neighboring states (Missouri and Nebraska) also reported such cases. These events prompted KDHE to request assistance from CDC. Additional cases subsequently were reported in Oklahoma and Texas. This report describes the investigation in Crawford County, Kansas, by public health agencies and entomologists to identify the etiology of the pruritic rash …

Alcohol And Hiv Decrease Proteasome And Immunoproteasome Function In Macrophages: Implications For Impaired Immune Function During Disease, James Haorah, David Heilman, Casey Diekmann, Natalia Osna, Terrence M. Donohue Jr., Anuja Ghorpade, Yuri Persidsky

United States Public Health Resources

Proteasomes (proteinase complexes, PR) and immunoproteasomes (IPR) degrade damaged proteins and affect protein processing required for antigen presentation by mononuclear phagocytes. These critical immune processes are attenuated during progressive HIV-1 infection and are affected by alcohol abuse. To investigate the mechanisms underlying these functional changes, we measured PR and CYP2E1 activities [an ethanol (EtOH) metabolizing enzyme] and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) following HIV-1 infection and EtOH treatment. We observed progressive declines of PR activity and PR/IPR contents in HIV-1-infected MDM. PR activity and IPR expression increased after IFN-γ stimulation but reduced after HIV-1 infection. EtOH …

Molecular Characterization Of Noroviruses Detected In Diarrheic Stools Of Michigan And Wisconsin Dairy Calves: Circulation Of Two Distinct Subgroups, Annabel G. Wise, Stephan S. Monroe, Lora E. Hanson, Daniel L. Grooms, Donald Sockett, Roger K. Maes

United States Public Health Resources

Noroviruses have emerged as the leading worldwide cause of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis in humans. The presence of noroviruses in diarrheic stool samples from calves on Michigan and Wisconsin dairy farms was investigated by RT-PCR. Norovirus-positive samples were found on all eight farms studied in Michigan and on 2 out of 14 farms in Wisconsin. Phylogenetic analyses of partial polymerase and capsid sequences, derived for a subset of these bovine noroviruses, showed that these strains formed a group which is genetically distinct from the human noroviruses, but more closely related to genogroup I than to genogroup II human noroviruses. Examination of …

Transcriptional Regulation Of The Murine Elf3 Gene In Embryonal Carcinoma Cells And Their Differentiated Counterparts: Requirement For A Novel Upstream Regulatory Region, Jingwen Hou, Phillip J. Wilder, Cory T. Bernadt, Brian Boer, Richard M. Neve, Angie Rizzino

United States Public Health Resources

The transcription factor Elf3, which is one of over 25 Ets family members, is expressed in a wide variety of carcinomas and has been shown to promote the transcription of many genes implicated in cancer. To understand how the Elf3 gene is regulated at the transcriptional level, we probed its 5’-flanking region, and we report here the identification of both proximal and distal regions that regulate murine Elf3 promoter activity. In addition to mapping the transcription start site of the Elf3 gene, the work described in this study identifies four cisregulatory elements in the proximal promoter region of the gene. …

N-(Methylamino) Isobutyric Acid Inhibits Proliferation Of Cfsc-2c Hepatic Stellate Cells, T. L. Freeman, G.M. Thiele, L.W. Klassen, B.T. Klassen, M.E. Mailliard

United States Public Health Resources

Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) involves the induction of ECM protein synthesis and rapid cell proliferation. Thus, agents that interfere with either process could potentially mitigate the development of liver disease by reducing the synthesis of proteins associated with fibrosis or by reducing the number of activated HSC. Previously, we described that the non-metabolizable amino acid analog N-(methylamino)isobutyric acid (MeAIB) reduced hepatic collagen content of rats in a model of CCl₄-induced liver injury, and in vitro studies using CFSC-2G cells indicated that MeAIB directly reduced collagen synthesis. However, the MeAIB-mediated reduction of hepatic collagen, in vivo, …

Use Of Erythropoietin In Cancer Patients: Assessment Of Oncologists’ Practice Patterns In The United States And Other Countries, Jared R. Adams, Linda S. Elting, Gary H. Lyman, James N. George, Barry C. Lembersky, James O. Armitage, George D. Demetri, Charles L. Bennett

United States Public Health Resources

PURPOSE: To assess physician use of erythropoietin in cancer patients before publication of the American Society of Clinical Oncology/American Society of Hematology guidelines.
METHODS: Questionnaires about erythropoietin use in practice and 12 hypothetical clinical scenarios involving patients with cancer were mailed to 2000 oncologists/hematologists in the United States and 19 other countries. Response rates were 30% in the United States and 25% internationally. Data on erythropoietin use for ovarian cancer were obtained from one clinical trial. Multivariate regression models assessed predictors of erythropoietin prescription.
RESULTS: Most physicians selected a hemoglobin level ≤10 g/dL as an upper threshold for erythropoietin use …

Patterns Of Variations In Escherichia Coli Strains That Produce Cytolethal Distending Toxin, Carol L. Pickett, Robert B. Lee, Aysegul Eyigor, Ben Elitzur, Emily M. Fox, Nancy A. Strockbine

United States Public Health Resources

A collection of 20 Escherichia coli strains that produce cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) were analyzed for their virulence-associated genes. All of these strains were serotyped, and multiplex PCR analysis was used to ascertain the presence of genes encoding other virulence factors, including Shiga toxin, intimin, enterohemolysin, cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1 (CNF1) and CNF2, heat-stable toxin, and heat-labile toxin. These CDT-producing strains possessed various combinations of known virulence genes, some of which have not been noted before. Partial cdtB sequences were obtained from 10 of these strains, and their predicted CdtB sequences were compared to known E. coli CdtB sequences; …

Bacteriolytic Activity Of Selected Vertebrate Sera For Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Stricto And Borrelia Bissettii, Amy J. Ullmann, Robert S. Lane, Klaus Kurtenbach, Michael Miller, Martin E. Schriefer, Nordin Zeidner, Joseph Piesman

United States Public Health Resources

An in vitro assay to evaluate the bacteriolytic activity of the complement pathway was applied to 2 strains of Borrelia bissettii, CO501 and DN127, and compared with that of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto B31. Sera from mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus) and the Western Fence lizard ( Sceloporus occidentalis) were completely borreliacidal for B. burgdorferi and for both strains of B. bissettii. Serum from Bobwhite quail ( Colinus virginianus) was nonlytic for B. burgdorferi and partially lytic for B. bissettii strains, CO-501 and DN127. Serum from a New Zealand White rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus) …