Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Triggers Of Inflammatory Heart Disease, Ninaad Lasrado, Bharathi Yalaka, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Inflammatory heart disease (IHD) is a group of diseases that includes pericarditis, myocarditis, and endocarditis. Although males appear to be more commonly affected than females, IHD can be seen in any age group. While the disease can be self-limiting leading to full recovery, affected individuals can develop chronic disease, suggesting that identification of primary triggers is critical for successful therapies. Adding to this complexity, however, is the fact that IHD can be triggered by a variety of infectious and non-infectious causes that can also occur as secondary events to primary insults. In this review, we discuss the immunological insights into …

Rapid Differentiation Of Moraxella Bovoculi Genotypes 1 And 2 Using Maldi-Tof Mass Spectrometry Profiles, Matthew M. Hille, Aaron M. Dickey, Kara Robbins, Michael L. Clawson, John Dustin Loy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Moraxella bovoculi is the most frequently isolated bacteria from the eyes of cattle with Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), also known as bovine pinkeye. Two distinct genotypes of M. bovoculi, genotype 1 and genotype 2, were characterized after whole genome sequencing showed a large degree of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diversity within the species. To date, both genotypes have been isolated from the eyes of cattle without clinical signs of IBK while only genotype 1 strains have been isolated from the eyes of cattle with clinical signs of IBK. We used 38 known genotype 1 strains and 26 known genotype …

Wildlife Health Systems, Lee Skerratt

Animal Sentience

Wildlife health systems aim to ensure that all animal life is healthy and resilient. They protect biodiversity and ecosystem services and ensure that the risk of spillover of pathogens is mitigated. These systems are flexible, multidisciplinary and cross-sectorial. They can manage a variety of threats to life that arise in different communities and cultures. Very small investments are required to ensure that wildlife health systems function effectively.

Can We Handle The Truth Of What Covid-19 Is Telling Us?, James A. Marcum

Animal Sentience

Wiebers & Feigin (W&F) are right that what COVID-19 is telling us is that to prevent future zoonotic pandemics we need to put an end to our exploitation of wild and farmed animals. To implement W&F’s recommendations we need to overcome at least three obstacles: (1) the way we have responded historically to zoonoses, (2) our insatiable appetite for meat (wild or farmed) and (3) our speciesist attitude toward nonhuman animals.

Virulence Of Drosophila C Virus Increased After A Host Shift And Serial Passage In Drosophila Hosts, Katie A. Johnson

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

The outcomes of novel host-pathogen interactions are unpredictable but can result in epidemics or pandemics. Exploring the initial encounter between a pathogen and a novel host species can elucidate why some pathogens successfully infect and adapt on a novel host when others fail. Much of our understanding of host virulence after host shifts was developed using serial passage experiments (SPEs) in bacteria. Three accepted SPE generalities have emerged: virulence increases on the novel host, the evolved pathogen will become less able to infect its native host, and the pathogen experiences convergent evolution. This study tests the first two generalities using …

Using Phytoglycogen-Based Nanoparticles To Enhance Inosine Monophsophate Delivery Using Rainbow Trout And Bovine Models, Kristof Jenik

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Recently, there has been interest in the use of nucleotides in industrials feeds, with inosine monophosphate showing the most promising effects on growth and immunity. Rainbow trout and Alberta cattle are two of Canadas most profitable farmed animals, if their growth rates and immunity could be enhanced this would further improve their value. The impacts of IMP, a phytoglycogen-based nanoparticle (NP) and inosine monophosphate cationically bound to the phytoglycogen-based nanoparticle (IMP-NP) were characterized in rainbow trout in vivo and in vitro and in vitro in bovine cells. Rainbow trout that were fed an IMP-NP containing feed on average had higher …

Investigation Of Rna Interference (Rnai)-Mediated Gene Silencing In Rainbow Trout, Sarah Au

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

RNA interference (RNAi) was first characterized in plants and invertebrates as an antiviral innate immune response. It is a natural antiviral defence mechanism to degrade viral RNA by virus-induced gene silencing. Studies showed synthetic long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA; >30bp) degraded Caenorhabditis elegans messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts, resulting in sequence-dependent gene silencing. Currently, there is only limited research on RNAi in fish, particularly the use of long dsRNA to trigger sequence-specific gene silencing. This is because studies have shown long dsRNAs trigger interferon response that could mask gene-specific RNAi effects. This thesis explored long dsRNA-mediated RNAi pathways in rainbow trout cells …

Determining The Genetic And Phenotypic Profile Of Cord Blood Derived T Regulatory Cells And The Effect Of Calcitriol On Immune Suppression, Anya Nikolai-Yogerst

Dissertations

Recent outbreaks in vertically transmitted viruses, such as Zika virus and HIV, have rejuvenated interest in fetal and neonatal immune tolerance. Babies are susceptible to vertically transmitted viruses because fetal and neonatal immune systems are considered to be immune-privileged and will tolerate antigens presented to them by their mother. Thus, understanding the mechanisms of this tolerance is important to design effective treatments for infected mothers to protect their offspring. Here, I define a novel Treg, a type of T cell that mediates tolerance, named bidirectional T cells (BiT), found in human umbilical cord blood (UCB). These cells are induced by …

Enabling The Clinical Detection Of Human Papilloma Virus (Hpv) To Enhance Effective Diagnosis And Research, Jennifer Sackey

Master's Theses

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. There are over 150 different genotypes of HPV. Some cause benign warts, while others cause several types of cancer. Subunit vaccines comprised of the capsid protein from an increasing number of HPV genotypes have been developed; however, the vaccines are prophylactic and are documented to protect against only 9 of the HPV genotypes. Importantly, there are also significant limitations in the clinical detection of HPV. Current clinical tests can only specifically identify HPV16 and HPV18. One of the test also detects 12 of the other high-oncogenic risk …

Induction Of Zika And Dengue Virus-Specific Cd8+ T Cells By Means Of Dna Vaccine, Natalie Jachym

Master's Theses

Zika virus (ZIKV) and Dengue virus (DENV) are flaviviruses that circulate in the same endemic regions and can co-infect the same individual. While primary infection by DENV leads to life-long immunity to the infecting serotype, it does not provide immunity to other serotypes. Moreover, ZIKV and DENV antibodies can be cross-reactive and potentially enhance infection of the other virus through a process known as antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). In this mechanism, antibodies weakly bind the infecting virus and direct virions to immunoglobulin Fc receptors on macrophages. This promotes viral uptake and infection rather than neutralize the virus. Due to this mechanism, …

Transforming Growth Factor Beta Suppression Of Cd8+ T Cell Proliferation, Shena Geisinger

Master's Theses

Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-beta) is highly suppressive to both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell proliferation and function. in tumor microenvironments, TGF-beta has been described as immune suppressive, particularly to CD8+ T cells, however, the molecular mechanism behind how TGF-beta signaling controls T cell growth is not fully understood. Here, we report that TGF-beta inhibits CD8+ T cell proliferation and reduces expression of the CARMA1/BCL10/MALT1 (CBM) signalosome complex in activated CD8+ T cells. the CBM signalosome is an essential scaffold that forms after T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, leading to the activation of NF-kB and AP-1. This observed reduction in …

การพัฒนาแถบตรวจ Mtb Strip แบบอ่านผลด้วยตาเปล่าอย่างรวดเร็ว สำหรับวินิจฉัยวัณโรคจากปฏิกิริยา Multiplex-Recombinase Polymerase Amplification, วิลาณี เดชขจร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

วัณโรคเป็นโรคติดต่อที่มีการระบาดทั่วโลก และยังคงเป็นปัญหาสาธารณสุขที่สำคัญของประเทศไทย วัณโรคยังเป็นสาเหตุของการเสียชีวิตจากโรคติดต่อสูงเป็นอันดับสองรองจากโรคเอดส์ โดยมีสาเหตุมาจากเชื้อแบคทีเรีย Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) การตรวจวินิจฉัยวัณโรคทางห้องปฏิบัติการ เป็นหนึ่งปัจจัยที่สำคัญในการควบคุมการแพร่ระบาดของโรค การนำเทคนิคทางอณูชีววิทยาเข้ามาใช้วินิจฉัยทางห้องปฏิบัติการ ซึ่งมีความรวดเร็วมากกว่าการเพาะเลี้ยงเชื้อด้วยวิธีดั้งเดิมและสามารถวินิจฉัยโรคได้ภายใน 1 วัน มีบทบาทที่สำคัญในการวินิจวัณโรคในปัจจุบัน การศึกษานี้มีวัตถุประสงค์ในการพัฒนาแถบตรวจ MTB Strip แบบอ่านผลด้วยตาเปล่าอย่างรวดเร็ว สำหรับวินิจฉัยวัณโรคจากปฏิกิริยา Multiplex-recombinase polymerase amplification (M-RPA) โดยใช้ไพรเมอร์ที่จำเพาะต่อ IS1081 และ IS6110 ซึ่งมีความจำเพาะต่อเชื้อ MTBC และตรวจสอบผลผลิตของทั้งสอง IS ร่วมกัน เพื่อเพิ่มความไวของเทคนิคในการวินิจฉัยวัณโรค การทดสอบเบื้องต้นกับดีเอ็นเอที่สกัดจากโคโลนีของเชื้อ แสดงให้เห็นว่าเทคนิค M-RPA ร่วมกับแถบตรวจ MTB Strip สามารถจำแนกเชื้อ MTBC ออกจาก NTM ได้อย่างถูกต้อง เมื่อนำเทคนิค M-RPA ร่วมกับแถบตรวจ MTB Strip มาวินิจฉัยกับดีเอ็นเอที่สกัดจากสิ่งส่งตรวจเสมหะจำนวน 131 ตัวอย่าง พบว่ามีความไวและความจำเพาะ เท่ากับ 91.03% และ 84.91% ตามลำดับ โดยมีค่าความสอดคล้องในเกณฑ์ดี (κ=0.762) เมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับการย้อมสีทนกรด ในขณะที่มีความไวและความจำเพาะเท่ากับ 100.0% และ 94.55% ตามลำดับ และมีค่าความสอดคล้องในเกณฑ์ดีมาก (κ=0.953) เมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับเทคนิค Real-time PCR เทคนิค M-RPA ร่วมกับแถบตรวจ MTB Strip ใช้ระยะเวลาทำปฏิกิริยาเพียง 25 นาที ภายใต้อุณหภูมิ 37 องศาเซลเซียส และตรวจสอบผลผลิตด้วยแถบตรวจ MTB Strip ภายในเวลา 15 นาที โดยตรวจสอบความเข้มข้นดีเอ็นเอตั้งต้นน้อยที่สุดได้เท่ากับ 0.1 ng/µl และไม่เกิดปฏิกิริยาข้ามกลุ่มเชื้อแบคทีเรียสายพันธุ์อื่นที่มักก่อโรคในระบบทางเดินหายใจ ดังนั้นเทคนิค M-RPA ร่วมกับแถบตรวจ MTB Strip จึงเป็นเทคนิคที่มีความรวดเร็ว ไม่ซับซ้อน …

The Persisting Threats Of Cholera: A Cyclical Public Health Problem In Ghana, Rita Laryea Amediavor

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of communicable diseases continues to be one of the continent's leading causes of deaths. Cholera is a waterborne disease triggered by toxigenic strains of the Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio Cholerae O1 strain and less common O139 strain. with symptoms such as severe acute watery diarrhea and vomiting leading to dehydration, progressing to hypovolemic shock and death if not treated timely due to its short incubation period (Pasetto et al., 2018). West African countries are largely portrayed as endemic to cholera, though the dynamics of outbreaks in these developing countries remain largely uncertain. The purpose of the study is to …

Getting Lost: The Fungal Hijacking Of Ant Foraging Behavior In Space And Time, Thienthanh Trinh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Many parasites have evolved strategies to exploit host behavior such that it benefits parasite transmission. Ophiocordyceps manipulations of carpenter ant behavior represent an evident example. Manipulated ants are coerced to ascend vegetation and clamp down their mandibles in a stereotypical "death-grip" bite. The fungus then kills the ant, sprouts a stalk and releases infective spores. Research has focused on this ultimate manipulation, leaving the subtler behavioral changes pre-biting largely unexplored. Field and transcriptome data found that the host circadian clocks, olfaction, and communication may be disrupted, suggesting that the fungus is affecting ant foraging activity and effectivity. To test these …

Identification Of Imiquimod As A Potential Combination For Anti-Cd47 Antibodies In Cancer Therapy, Nicole Brittaney Pang

Scripps Senior Theses

The avenues of targeted immunotherapy offers a promise of less toxic treatment options for those battling different forms of cancer. Specifically, the process of hijacking a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer from within versus using external treatments like chemotherapy which is extremely damaging to the patient. One such avenue includes the usage of monoclonal antibodies as an effective modality for immunotherapy. Cluster of Differentiation 47 (CD47), also known as the ‘don’t eat me signal’, aids in cell proliferation and evasion of phagocytosis and has been found to be a target for stopping tumorigenesis. Previous research has been successful …

The Case For Face Shields: Improving The Covid-19 Public Health Policy Toolkit, Timothy L. Wiemken, Ana Santos Rutschman, Robert Gatter

All Faculty Scholarship

As the United States battles the later stages of the first wave of COVID-19 and faces the prospect of future waves, it is time to consider the practical utility of face shields as an alternative or complement to face masks in the policy guidance. Without face shields specifically noted in national guidance, many areas may be reluctant to allow their use as an alternative to cloth face masks, even with sufficient modification.

In this piece, we discuss the benefits of face shields as a substitute to face masks in the context of public health policy. We further discuss the implications …

Why The Government Shouldn't Pay People To Get Vaccinated Against Covid-19, Ana Santos Rutschman

All Faculty Scholarship

As several pharmaceutical companies approach the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking authorization to bring COVID-19 vaccines to market, concerns about vaccine mistrust cloud the prospects of imminent vaccination efforts across the globe. These concerns have prompted some commentators to suggest that governments may nudge vaccine uptake by paying people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. This post argues that, even if potentially viable, this idea is undesirable against the backdrop of a pandemic marked by the intertwined phenomena of health misinformation and mistrust in public health authorities. Even beyond the context of COVID-19, paying for vaccination is likely to remain …

The Seasonality And Parasite Richness And Prevalence Of The Weddelli’S Saddleback Tamarin (Leontocebus Weddelli), Krista Banda

All Master's Theses

This study surveyed the intestinal helminths (parasitic worms) of Weddelli’s saddleback tamarins (Leontocebus weddelli), focusing on seasonality in parasite prevalence and richness. The collaborative study with Field Projects International took place at the Estación Biológica Rio Los Amigos (EBLA) in southeastern Peru. Fecal samples were collected by following semi-habituated groups of tamarins, yielding 16 samples in the dry season of 2015 and 11 samples in the wet season of 2015-2016. Findings were interpreted to understand trends for parasite prevalence and richness between the two seasons; however, novel helminths for the study species were observed. Trends were interpreted with …

Genomic-Based Identification Of Environmental And Clinical Listeria Monocytogenes Strains Associated With An Abortion Outbreak In Beef Heifers, Katherine J. Whitman, James L. Bono, Michael L. Clawson, John D. Loy, Joseph M. Bosilevac, Terrance M. Arthur, Jeff D. Ondrak

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: In a beef cattle facility an outbreak of abortions occurred over a 36-day period and included samples from two aborted (non-viable) fetuses and 21 post-abortion clinical cases. There are numerous etiologies, including clinical listeriosis. At the species level, Listeria monocytogenes is ubiquitous in cattle production environments, including soil, feed, and occasionally water sources, and is a common enteric resident of cattle and other mammals. There are four genetically distinct lineages of L. monocytogenes (I-IV), with most lineage III and IV isolates obtained from ruminants. Definitive diagnosis of L. monocytogenes as a causative agent in disease outbreaks relies upon case …

Blood Substitution Therapy Rescues The Brain Of Mice From Ischemic Damage, Xuefang Ren, Heng Hu, Imran Farooqi, James W. Simpkins

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Acute stroke causes complex, pathological, and systemic responses that have not been treatable by any single medication. In this study, using a murine transient middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model, a novel therapeutic strategy is proposed, where blood replacement (BR) robustly reduces infarctions and improves neurological deficits in mice. Our analyses of immune cell subsets suggest that BR therapy substantially decreases neutrophils in blood following a stroke. Electrochemiluminescence detection demonstrates that BR therapy reduces cytokine storm in plasma and ELISA demonstrates reduced levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the plasma and brains at different time points post-stroke. Further, we have …