Publications

horizontal transfer of parasitic sex ratio distorters between crustacean hosts.	parasitic sex distorters were artificially transferred within and between crustacean host species in order to study the effects of parasitism on host fitness and sex determination and to investigate parasite host specificity. implantation of nosema sp. to uninfected strains of its gammarus duebeni host resulted in an active parasite infection in the gonad of recipient females and subsequent transovarial parasite transmission. the young of artificially infected females were feminized by the paras ...	1998	9695096
cloning and characterization of multigenes encoding the immunodominant 30-kilodalton major outer membrane proteins of ehrlichia canis and application of the recombinant protein for serodiagnosis.	a 30-kda major outer membrane protein of ehrlichia canis, the agent of canine ehrlichiosis, is the major antigen recognized by both naturally and experimentally infected dog sera. the protein cross-reacts with a serum against a recombinant 28-kda protein (rp28), one of the outer membrane proteins of a gene (omp-1) family of ehrlichia chaffeensis. two dna fragments of e. canis were amplified by pcr with two primer pairs based on the sequences of e. chaffeensis omp-1 genes, cloned, and sequenced. ...	1998	9705412
the filarial endosymbiont wolbachia sp. is absent from setaria equina.	wolbachia sp. was first reported in filarial nematodes over 25 yr ago. today, much research is focused on the role of these bacteria in filarial worm biology. the filarial symbionts are closely related to arthropod symbionts, which are known to modify host reproduction and biology through various mechanisms. similarly, it has been suggested that wolbachia sp. is essential for long-term survival and reproduction of filariae. we report that wolbachia sp. 16s rdna was not found in the equine filari ...	2002	12537121
analysis of 16s rrna gene sequences of ehrlichia canis, anaplasma platys, and wolbachia species from canine blood in japan.	in the present study, three canine blood samples from japan, that were suspected to be ehrlichia positive were examined. after sequencing the 16s rrna genes, each dog was found to be infected either with ehrlichia canis (kagoshima 1), anaplasma platys (okinawa 1), or wolbachia sp. (okinawa 2). phylogenic analysis was performed on these sequences. the nearly entire 16s rrna sequence of kagoshima 1 was found to be most similar to the sequences from oklahoma and venezuela e. canis strains (1 base p ...	2003	12860708
pathogens and symbionts in ticks: prevalence of anaplasma phagocytophilum (ehrlichia sp.), wolbachia sp., rickettsia sp., and babesia sp. in southern germany.	tick-transmitted diseases like tick-borne encephalitis and lyme borreliosis have been well known in germany for decades. ongoing research now gives an additional focus to a broad range of other bacteria and parasites in ticks like anaplasma phagocytophilum, former ehrlichia sp., rickettsia sp. and babesia sp. knowledge about the prevalence of these infectious agents in ticks is an important prerequisite for risk assessment of human diseases. therefore nymphs and adult ixodes ricinus ticks were c ...	2004	15146989
rickettsial agents from parasitic dermanyssoidea (acari: mesostigmata).	mites are often overlooked as vectors of pathogens, but have been shown to harbor and transmit rickettsial agents such as rickettsia akari and orientia tsutsugamushi. we screened dna extracts from 27 mites representing 25 species of dermanyssoids for rickettsial agents such as anaplasma, bartonella, rickettsia, and wolbachia by pcr amplification and sequencing. dna from anaplasma spp., a novel bartonella sp., spiroplasma sp., wolbachia sp., and an unclassified rickettsiales were detected in mite ...	2006	16596351
isolation of wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae from archived stained blood slides for use in genetic studies and amplification of parasite and endosymbiont genes.	information on change in genetic diversity of wuchereria bancrofti is important in view of the launching of the global lymphatic filariasis elimination programme, as it may have important consequences on the control operations and on the potential resurgence after their withdrawal. since attention was not paid to generate such information when the programme was launched, use of archived parasite material will provide an opportunity to derive this information in a prospective manner. in this pape ...	2006	16860767
first detection of wolbachia spp., including a new genotype, in sand flies collected in marseille, france.	pooled sand fly samples collected in marseille, france, in july 2005 were examined by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of the 16s rrna gene of the anaplasmataceae. two different sequences of the 16s rrna gene were obtained that are similar to bacteria belonging to the genus wolbachia. these findings were confirmed by amplification, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of the wsp gene of the genus wolbachia. the wolbachia species from sergentomyia minuta has been named "wol ...	2008	18533441
endosymbiotic bacteria living inside the poultry red mite (dermanyssus gallinae).	this study investigated the endosymbiotic bacteria living inside the poultry red mite collected from five samples of one commercial farm from the uk and 16 farms from france using genus-specific pcr, pcr-ttge and dna sequencing. endosymbiotic bacteria are intracellular obligate organisms that can cause several phenotypic and reproductive anomalies to their host and they are found widespread living inside arthropods. the farm sampled from the uk was positive for bacteria of the genera cardinium s ...	2009	19145467
reduction in levels of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor-a and improvement in hydrocele patients by targeting endosymbiotic wolbachia sp. in wuchereria bancrofti with doxycycline.	the treatment for hydrocele is expensive, invasive surgery-hydrocelectomy. a drug that could prevent or improve this condition could replace or supplement hydrocelectomy. in ghana, 42 hydrocele patients participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a six-week regimen of doxycycline, 200 mg/day. four months after doxycycline treatment, patients received 150 mug/kg of ivermectin and 400 mg of albendazole, which is used for mass chemotherapy in this area. patients were monitored for l ...	2009	19478258
prevalence of selected vector-borne organisms and identification of bartonella species dna in north american river otters (lontra canadensis).	trapper-killed north american river otters (lontra canadensis) in north carolina, usa, were screened for multiple vector-borne bacteria known to be pathogenic to mammals. blood was collected from 30 carcasses in 2006, from 35 in 2007, and from one live otter in 2008. samples were screened using conventional polymerase chain reaction (pcr) tests for dna from bartonella spp., ehrlichia spp., and spotted fever group rickettsia spp. all samples were negative for rickettsia spp. twelve of 30 samples ...	2010	20688703
effects of doxycycline on the endosymbiont wolbachia in dirofilaria immitis (leidy, 1856)--naturally infected dogs.	dirofilaria immitis carries intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria of the genus wolbachia, known to be vital for the worms and sensitive to tetracycline antibiotics. with the purpose of studying the interaction between d. immitis and the endosymbiont wolbachia sp., heartworm naturally infected microfilaremic or antigenemic dogs were treated with doxycycline (10mg/kg/day of the drug in three cycles of 21 days each, with 6-month intervals). blood samples were collected on days 0, 7 and 21 of each tr ...	2010	20810215
wolbachia endobacteria in a natural population of culex quinquefasciatus from filariasis endemic villages of south india and its phylogenetic implication.	understanding wolbachia mosquito interactions have been recognized as an important concept to develop novel vector control strategies. the prevalence of wolbachia endobacteria in a natural population of the filariasis vector culex quinquefasciatus was determined by the polymerase chain reaction method. earlier workers had estimated the infection rates of wolbachia with only one or very few individuals per species. in our study large number of specimens were assayed, and a total of 750 adult cule ...	2011	22433886
filamentation temperature-sensitive protein z (ftsz) of wolbachia, endosymbiont of wuchereria bancrofti: a potential target for anti-filarial chemotherapy.	lymphatic filariasis (lf) is a leading cause of morbidity in the tropical world. it is caused by the filarial parasites wuchereria bancrofti, brugia malayi and brugia timori and transmitted by vector mosquitoes. currently a programme for the elimination of lf, global programme for elimination of lymphatic filariasis (gpelf), is underway with the strategy of mass administration of single dose of diethylcarbamazine or ivermectin, in combination with an anthelmintic drug, albendazole. however, anti ...	2012	23262214