Publications

antibodies to selected viral and bacterial pathogens in european wild boars from southcentral spain.	serum samples from 78 european wild boars (sus scrofa) harvested during the 1999-2000 hunting season were tested for antibodies to brucella spp., classical swine fever virus, erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, haemophilus parasuis, leptospira interrogans serovar pomona, mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, pseudorabies virus (prv), porcine parvovirus (ppv), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, salmonella serogroups b, c, and d, streptococcus suis, and swine influenza virus (siv) serotypes h1n1 a ...	2002	12238391
cloning and molecular characterization of an immunogenic liga protein of leptospira interrogans.	a clone expressing a novel immunoreactive leptospiral immunoglobulin-like protein a of 130 kda (liga) from leptospira interrogans serovar pomona type kennewicki was isolated by screening a genomic dna library with serum from a mare that had recently aborted due to leptospiral infection. liga is encoded by an open reading frame of 3,675 bp, and the deduced amino acid sequence consists of a series of 90-amino-acid tandem repeats. a search of the ncbi database found that homology of the liga repeat ...	2002	12379666
evaluation of type 1 immune response in naïve and vaccinated animals following challenge with leptospira borgpetersenii serovar hardjo: involvement of wc1(+) gammadelta and cd4 t cells.	organisms within the hardjo serovar of leptospira species are harbored in cattle throughout the world, causing abortion in pregnant animals as well as being shed in the urine, thereby providing sources of zoonotic infection for humans. we recently showed that sterile immunity in vaccinated cattle is associated with induction of a type 1 (th1) cell-mediated immune response. here naïve and previously vaccinated pregnant cattle were challenged with a virulent strain of serovar hardjo and subsequent ...	2002	12379692
the impact of leptospira seropositivity on reproductive performance in sows in southern viet nam.	a serologic survey was conducted among sows in the mekong delta in southern viet nam to investigate associations between leptospiral seropositivity and reproductive performance. data were collected from a total of 339 sows in lactation or gestation, from four large-scale state farms on three occasions. the seroprevalence for leptospira interrogans serovar (sv) autumnalis was 32%, for l. interrogans sv bratislava 29%, for l. kirschneri sv grippotyphosa 13%, for l. interrogans sv icterohaemorrhagi ...	2002	12387346
analysis of a leptospira interrogans locus containing dna replication genes and a new is, is1502.	a region of the leptospira interrogans serovar pomona genome encoding dna replication genes was characterized. this region, designated the ppa-ntrc locus, includes 19 open reading frames and a new insertion sequence, is1502. although this locus resembles replication origins from many eubacteria, it lacks several genes common to homologous loci. some replication-related genes were previously located near rrf, and may have been moved to that location by homologous recombination between short seque ...	2002	12399032
rapid translocation of polarized mdck cell monolayers by leptospira interrogans, an invasive but nonintracellular pathogen.	pathogenic spirochetes of the genus leptospira are a major cause of human zoonotic infectious disease worldwide. after gaining entry through the skin, the organism causes disease by hematogenously disseminating to multiple organs. the mechanism by which it penetrates the mammalian cell barriers to disseminate is not well understood. in this study, we used a low-passage-number isolate of leptospira interrogans to elucidate the invasive potential of this spirochete. quantification of bacteria by d ...	2002	12438371
leptospires are killed in vitro by both oxygen-dependent and -independent reactions.	this study reports for the first time that leptospires are killed by h(2)o(2) and by low-molecular-weight primary granule components, which are agents normally released by neutrophils upon stimulation. although both pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains were sensitive to h(2)o(2)-mediated killing, nonpathogenic organisms were found to be more susceptible. in addition, the killing of leptospires by h(2)o(2) was found to be independent of the presence of the neutrophil primary granule component mye ...	2002	12438405
leptospirosis antibodies in mammals from rio de janeiro zoo, brazil.	serum samples from 77 animals belonging to 38 species and 19 families in rio de janeiro zoo, brazil were tested for antibodies against serovars of leptospira interrogans by microscopic agglutination test. antibodies were detected in serum samples of 37.7% of all animals belonging to 10 families. seropositivity was more common in the carnivora canidae (7/9), procyonidae (5/9) and the edentata myrmecophagidae (5/9). icterohaemorrhagiae was the most common serogroup. seropositivity was less common ...	2002	12443693
comparative in vitro activity of five cathelicidin-derived synthetic peptides against leptospira, borrelia and treponema pallidum.	the minimum inhibitory concentration (mic) and minimum bactericidal concentration (mbc) of five different cathelicidin-derived synthetic peptides (smap-29, ll-37, pg-1, cramp and bmap-28) for leptospira interrogans, borrelia spp. and treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum were investigated in vitro.	2002	12461010
serovar distribution of a dna sequence involved in the antigenic relationship between leptospira and equine cornea.	horses infected with leptospira present several clinical disorders, one of them being recurrent uveitis. a common endpoint of equine recurrent uveitis is blindness. serovar pomona has often been incriminated, although others have also been reported. an antigenic relationship between this bacterium and equine cornea has been described in previous studies. a leptospiral dna fragment that encodes cross-reacting epitopes was previously cloned and expressed in escherichia coli.	2002	11869455
peripheral blood mononuclear cell activation induced by leptospira interrogans glycolipoprotein.	leptospira interrogans glycolipoprotein (glp) has been implicated in pathological and functional derangement seen in leptospirosis. the goal of this study was to evaluate glp's ability to induce cellular activation, as assessed by cytokine production and expression of surface activation markers. glp extracted from either pathogenic l. interrogans serovar copenhageni or nonpathogenic leptospira biflexa serovar patoc (glpp) was used to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures from heal ...	2002	11895929
equine abortion associated with the borrelia parkeri-b. turicatae tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete group.	direct amplification and sequencing of the 16s rrna gene and a variable region of the flagellin gene from fetal liver-associated spirochetes belonging to the borrelia parkeri-b. turicatae tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete group with a late-term abortion in a mare are described.	2002	11923397
global analysis of outer membrane proteins from leptospira interrogans serovar lai.	recombinant leptospiral outer membrane proteins (omps) can elicit immunity to leptospirosis in a hamster infection model. previously characterized omps appear highly conserved, and thus their potential to stimulate heterologous immunity is of critical importance. in this study we undertook a global analysis of leptospiral omps, which were obtained by triton x-114 extraction and phase partitioning. outer membrane fractions were isolated from leptospira interrogans serovar lai grown at 20, 30, and ...	2002	11953365
involvement of erk, p38 and nf-kappab signal transduction in regulation of tlr2, tlr4 and tlr9 gene expression induced by lipopolysaccharide in mouse dendritic cells.	toll-like receptors (tlr) are sentinel receptors capable of recognizing pathogen-associated molecule patterns (pamp) such as lipopolysaccharide (lps) and cpg-containing oligonucleotides (cpg odn). tlr2 and tlr4 are major receptors for gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial cell wall components, respectively. tlr9 is necessary for cpg signalling. lps or cpg odn can activate immature dendritic cells (dc) and induce dc maturation characterized by production of cytokines, up-regulation of co-stim ...	2002	11972630
cloning, high-level expression, purification and crystallization of peptide deformylase from leptospira interrogans.	a new peptide deformylase (pdf; ec 3.5.1.27) gene from leptospira interrogans was identified and cloned into expression plasmid pet22b(+) and was highly expressed in escherichia coli bl21(de3). with deae-sepharose anion-exchange chromatography followed by superdex g-75 size-exclusion chromatography, 60 mg of pdf from l. interrogans was purified from 1 l of cell culture. crystallization screening of the purified enzyme resulted in two crystal forms, from one of which a 3 a resolution x-ray diffra ...	2002	11976499
bench-to-bedside review: toll-like receptors and their role in septic shock.	the toll-like receptors (tlrs) are essential transmembrane signaling receptors of the innate immune system that alert the host to the presence of a microbial invader. the recent discovery of the tlrs has rapidly expanded our knowledge of molecular events that initiate host-pathogen interactions. these functional attributes of the cellular receptors provide insights into the nature of pattern recognition receptors that activate the human antimicrobial defense systems. the fundamental significance ...	2002	11983038
serological survey of leptospiral infection in kennelled dogs in italy.	two hundred and forty-five dogs were examined serologically for the presence of antibodies against different serovars of leptospira interrogans. the dogs belonged to five different groups: group 1 was composed of clinically healthy pet dogs referred for a regular veterinary check-up visit or for vaccination; group 2 was composed of stray dogs; and groups 3, 4 and 5 were composed of dogs maintained in three different kennels which had varying standards of hygiene. seventy-two out of the 245 dogs ...	2002	11996391
construction and characterization of a chea mutant of treponema denticola.	the treponema denticola chea gene, encoding the central kinase of the general chemotaxis pathway, was analyzed for its role in chemotaxis and tissue penetration. the chea gene was interrupted by insertion of an ermf-ermam gene cassette. reverse transcription-pcr confirmed that the other downstream chemotaxis genes within the same operon (chew, chex, and chey) were still expressed in the chea mutant strain. lack of chea resulted in decreased swarming on soft-agar swarm plates and failure to respo ...	2002	12003957
leptospira interrogans binds to the cr3 receptor on mammalian cells.	pathogenic leptospires adhere to phagocytes even in the absence of specific antibodies; we demonstrate that the cr3 integrin (known as mac-1 or cd11b/cd18 receptor), expressed on neutrophils and cho mac-1 transfected cells, recognizes and binds leptospires. the i-domain of the molecule seems to be involved in the recognition and data suggest that this occurs via fibronectin absorbed at the leptospira surface. on the other hand, since n-acetyl-d-glucosamine does not behave as antagonist of the bi ...	2002	12495676
emerging leptospirosis, north india.		2002	12498680
identification and comparative analysis of the chloroplast alpha-subunit gene of dna-dependent rna polymerase from seven euglena species.	when the sequence of the euglena gracilis chloroplast genome was reported in 1993 the alpha-subunit gene (rpoa) of rna polymerase appeared to be missing, based on a comparison of all putative reading frames to the then known rpoa loci. since there has been a large increase in known rpoa sequences, the question of a euglena chloroplast rpoa gene was re-examined. a previously described unknown reading frame of 161 codons was found to be part of an rpoa gene split by a single group iii intron. this ...	2002	11861918
animal- and herd-level risk factors for leptospiral seropositivity among sows in the mekong delta, vietnam.	in 1998, a total of 424 sows had sera collected in the mekong delta in vietnam. of these, 283 sows were from 151 small-scale family farms in 19 villages, and 141 from seven large-scale state farms. the sera were subjected to the microscopic agglutination test (mat) for antibodies to 13 leptospira serovars. the overall leptospiral seroprevalence for titres > or =1:100 and > or =1:400, was 73 and 29%, respectively, and was higher (p=0.001) at small- than at large-scale farms. the highest seropreva ...	2002	11830296
diagnosis and seroprevalence of leptospirosis in california sea lions from coastal california.	the sensitivity and specificity of the microscopic agglutination test (mat) as a method for detection of exposure to leptospira spp. in california sea lions (zalophus californianus) were determined. sera came from individuals that demonstrated clinical signs of renal disease, had lesions suggestive of leptospirosis at necropsy, and had visible leptospires in silver stained kidney sections as positive controls. sera from unexposed captive individuals were used as negative controls. the test was 1 ...	2002	11838231
viral and bacterial serology of free-ranging pacific walrus.	serum or heparinized plasma samples were obtained between 1994 and 1996 from 20 male and 20 female adult free-ranging pacific walrus (odobenus rosmarus divergens) from st. lawrence island and round island, alaska. samples were screened for antibodies to some potentially pathogenic bacteria and viruses. no sample had detectable antibody to brucella spp. three of 40 (8%) had low antibody titers to leptospira interrogans serovars. phocine distemper virus antibodies were not detected. serologic resp ...	2002	11838234
quantitative pcr assay to evaluate ampicillin, ofloxacin, and doxycycline for treatment of experimental leptospirosis.	the susceptibility of leptospira interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae strain verdun to selected antibiotics used in medical practice (ampicillin, doxycycline, and ofloxacin) was evaluated in a syrian hamster model, to determine the efficacy of these antibiotics during the course of the disease. a quantitative pcr assay was used to monitor the density of leptospires in blood and in target organs (liver, kidney, lung, heart, and spleen). our results demonstrated the ability of ampicillin at a h ...	2002	11850271
biological characterization of lipopolysaccharide from treponema pectinovorum.	this study investigated the endotoxic and biological properties of purified lipopolysaccharide (lps) isolated from an oral spirochete, treponema pectinovorum. endotoxicity, measured by limulus amoebocyte lysate kinetic assay, showed that the lps contained 1.28 endotoxin units per microg of purified lps, which was approximately 4,000 times less than escherichia coli o55:b5 lps. to determine in vivo endotoxicity, lps responder mice were administered lps following galactosamine (galn) sensitization ...	2002	11748185
lipopolysaccharides from periodontopathic bacteria porphyromonas gingivalis and capnocytophaga ochracea are antagonists for human toll-like receptor 4.	toll-like receptors (tlrs) 2 and 4 have recently been identified as possible signal transducers for various bacterial ligands. to investigate the roles of tlrs in the recognition of periodontopathic bacteria by the innate immune system, a chinese hamster ovary (cho) nuclear factor-kappab (nf-kappab)-dependent reporter cell line, 7.7, which is defective in both tlr2- and tlr4-dependent signaling pathways was transfected with human cd14 and tlrs. when the transfectants were exposed to freeze-dried ...	2002	11748186
cytotoxic activities of leptospira interrogans hemolysin sphh as a pore-forming protein on mammalian cells.	leptospirosis is a spirochetal zoonosis that causes an acute febrile systemic illness in humans. leptospira sp. hemolysins have been shown to be virulence factors for the pathogenesis of leptospirosis. previously, we cloned a hemolysin sphh of leptospira interrogans serovar lai, a homologue of l. borgpetersenii sphingomyelinase (spha), from a genomic library (s. h. lee, k. a. kim, y. k. kim, i. w. seong, m. j. kim, and y. j. lee, gene 254:19-28, 2000). escherichia coli lysate harboring the sphh ...	2002	11748197
novel 45-kilodalton leptospiral protein that is processed to a 31-kilodalton growth-phase-regulated peripheral membrane protein.	leptospiral protein antigens are of interest as potential virulence factors and as candidate serodiagnostic and immunoprotective reagents. we identified leptospiral protein antigens by screening a genomic expression library with serum from a rabbit hyperimmunized with formalin-killed, virulent leptospira kirschneri serovar grippotyphosa. genes expressing known outer membrane lipoproteins lipl32 and lipl41, the heat shock protein groel, and the alpha, beta, and beta' subunits of rna polymerase we ...	2002	11748198
inactivation of the spirochete reca gene results in a mutant with low viability and irregular nucleoid morphology.	recently, we have shown the first evidence for allelic exchange in leptospira spp. by using the same methodology, the cloned reca of leptospira biflexa was interrupted by a kanamycin resistance cassette, and the mutated allele was then introduced into the l. biflexa chromosome by homologous recombination. the reca double-crossover mutant showed poor growth in liquid media and was considerably more sensitive to dna-damaging agents such as mitomycin c and uv light than the wild-type strain. the ef ...	2002	11751822
molecular cloning and expression of mn(2+)-dependent sphingomyelinase/hemolysin of an aquatic bacterium, pseudomonas sp. strain tk4.	we report here the molecular cloning and expression of a hemolytic sphingomyelinase from an aquatic bacterium, pseudomonas sp. strain tk4. the sphingomyelinase gene was found to consist of 1,548 nucleotides encoding 516 amino acid residues. the recombinant 57.7-kda enzyme hydrolyzed sphingomyelin but not phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, or phosphatidylethanolamine, indicating that the enzyme is a sphingomyelin-specific sphingomyelinase c. the hydr ...	2002	11751833
toll receptors: a central element in innate immune responses.		2002	11854180
leptospirosis, water sports, and chemoprophylaxis.	recreational activities, such as water sports and adventure travel, are emerging as an important risk factor for leptospirosis, a potentially fatal zoonosis. we report the clinical course of 2 patients who acquired leptospirosis through participation in water sports. physicians caring for patients who participate in adventure travel involving water sports should be familiar with the risk factors for and diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of leptospirosis.	2002	11941571
potential benefit of plasma exchange in treatment of severe icteric leptospirosis complicated by acute renal failure.	leptospirosis is a common zoonosis seen worldwide, but it is rare in our locality (hong kong). clinical manifestations of leptospirosis are variable and may range from subclinical infection to fever, jaundice, hemorrhagic tendency, and fulminant hepato-renal failure. severe hyperbilirubinemia and acute renal failure have been associated with high mortality. we report our experience with a patient who developed severe weil's syndrome with marked conjugated hyperbilirubinemia and oliguric acute re ...	2002	11874897
sporangium-specific gene expression in the oomycete phytopathogen phytophthora infestans.	the oomycete genus phytophthora includes many of the world's most destructive plant pathogens, which are generally disseminated by asexual sporangia. to identify factors relevant to the biology of these propagules, genes induced in sporangia of the potato late blight pathogen phytophthora infestans were isolated using cdna macroarrays. of approximately 1,900 genes known to be expressed in sporangia, 61 were up-regulated >5-fold in sporangia versus hyphae based on the arrays, including 17 that we ...	2003	14665470
identification and characterization of phytoplasmal genes, employing a novel method of isolating phytoplasmal genomic dna.	phytoplasmas are unculturable, insect-transmissible plant pathogens belonging to the class mollicutes. to be transmitted, the phytoplasmas replicate in the insect body and are delivered to the insect's salivary glands, from where they are injected into the recipient plant. because phytoplasmas cannot be cultured, any attempt to recover phytoplasmal dna from infected plants or insects has resulted in preparations with a large background of host dna. thus, studies of the phytoplasmal genome have b ...	2003	14594823
sensing microbes by diverse hosts. workshop on pattern recognition proteins and receptors.		2003	14502224
pathogenesis of sepsis: new concepts and implications for future treatment.		2003	12560281
arabidopsis genes encoding mitochondrial type ii nad(p)h dehydrogenases have different evolutionary origin and show distinct responses to light.	in addition to proton-pumping complex i, plant mitochondria contain several type ii nad(p)h dehydrogenases in the electron transport chain. the extra enzymes allow the nonenergy-conserving electron transfer from cytoplasmic and matrix nad(p)h to ubiquinone. we have investigated the type ii nad(p)h dehydrogenase gene families in arabidopsis. this model plant contains two and four genes closely related to potato (solanum tuberosum) genes nda1 and ndb1, respectively. a novel homolog, termed ndc1, w ...	2003	12972666
receptors, mediators, and mechanisms involved in bacterial sepsis and septic shock.	bacterial sepsis and septic shock result from the overproduction of inflammatory mediators as a consequence of the interaction of the immune system with bacteria and bacterial wall constituents in the body. bacterial cell wall constituents such as lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycans, and lipoteichoic acid are particularly responsible for the deleterious effects of bacteria. these constituents interact in the body with a large number of proteins and receptors, and this interaction determines the e ...	2003	12857774
bugging the bugs. genomics and proteomics may provide new ways of making the lives of bacteria more miserable.		2003	12671675
detection of leptospira interrogans.		2003	12512365
low-stringency single specific primer pcr for identification of leptospira.	thirty-five leptospira serovars from the species leptospira interrogans, leptospira borgpetersenii, leptospira santarosai, leptospira kirschneri, leptospira weilii, leptospira biflexa and leptospira meyeri were characterized by the low-stringency single specific primer pcr (lssp-pcr) technique. lssp-pcr analysis was performed to detect dna polymorphisms in a 285 bp dna fragment amplified from genomic dna with g1 and g2 selected primers. similar lssp-pcr profiles were obtained for serovars from t ...	2003	12543918
novel observation of hot-cold-hot hemolysis exhibited by group b streptococci.	six human isolates of group b streptococci (gbs) were cultured on blood agar anaerobically at 37 degrees c for 18 h and then at 4 degrees c for 6 h and reincubated anaerobically at 37 degrees c for 6 h. three of the strains showed a marked enlargement of the hemolysis zone compared with that obtained after hot-only (37 degrees c for 18 h) or hot-cold (37 degrees c for 18 h and then 4 degrees c for 6 h) treatment. subsequent broth culture experiments revealed that enhanced hemolytic activity due ...	2003	12574305
application of comparative genomics in the identification and analysis of novel families of membrane-associated receptors in bacteria.	a great diversity of multi-pass membrane receptors, typically with 7 transmembrane (tm) helices, is observed in the eukaryote crown group. so far, they are relatively rare in the prokaryotes, and are restricted to the well-characterized sensory rhodopsins of various phototropic prokaryotes.	2003	12914674
regulation of the vitamin b12 metabolism and transport in bacteria by a conserved rna structural element.	cobalamin in the form of adenosylcobalamin (ado-cbl) is known to repress expression of genes for vitamin b(12) biosynthesis and be transported by a posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism, which involves direct binding of ado-cbl to 5'untranslated gene regions (5'utr). using comparative analysis of genes and regulatory regions, we identified a highly conserved rna structure, the b12-element, which is widely distributed in 5'utrs of vitamin b(12)-related genes in eubacteria. multiple alignment o ...	2003	12923257
comparison of the efficacy of three commercial bacterins in preventing canine leptospirosis.	twenty-four specific pathogen-free beagles were randomly allocated into four groups (three vaccinated groups and one control group) and inoculated at nine and 12 weeks of age with one of three commercial inactivated leptospira vaccines: a (vanguard 7; pfizer santé animale), b (dohyvac 7l; fort dodge), and c (nobivac dhppi + lepto; intervet international); the control group received nobivac dhppi (intervet international). seven weeks after the second vaccination all the dogs were challenged with ...	2003	12934727
detection of igm specific antibody using indirect immunofluorescent assay for diagnosis of acute leptospirosis.	leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis, caused by leptospira interrogans. at the earlier stage of the disease, the igm immunoassays are expected to have more sensitivity than other immunoassays. previous reports showed that the indirect immunofluorescent assay for detection of immunoglobulins (ifa-igs) against leptospira spp showed higher sensitive and specific than some genus specific tests. the authors determined an efficacy of the indirect immunofluorescent assay for detection of igm specific ...	2003	12948259
nonulcerative keratouveitis as a manifestation of leptospiral infection in a horse.	a 2-year-old thoroughbred filly presented with ocular pain and epiphora of the left eye. the pupil was miotic and the cornea edematous near the ventro-temporal limbus, but did not retain any fluorescein. the topical antibiotics and atropine and diclofenac, and systemic flunixin meglumine and antibiotic therapy did not resolve the condition. a pink and fleshy infiltrate developed near the limbus indicating nonulcerative keratouveitis. the anterior uveitis deteriorated as manifested by the presenc ...	2003	12950649
evolution of mosaic operons by horizontal gene transfer and gene displacement in situ.	shuffling and disruption of operons and horizontal gene transfer are major contributions to the new, dynamic view of prokaryotic evolution. under the 'selfish operon' hypothesis, operons are viewed as mobile genetic entities that are constantly disseminated via horizontal gene transfer, although their retention could be favored by the advantage of coregulation of functionally linked genes. here we apply comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis to examine horizontal transfer of entire opero ...	2003	12952534
the etiology of acute pyrexia of unknown origin in children after a flood.	acute pyrexia of unknown origin (puo) is a major public health problem in thailand. we studied the etiology of 180 cases of acute puo in children after a sudden severe flood in hat yai city in 2000. dengue infection and leptospirosis accounted for more than half of the total cases. dengue hemorrhagic fever was the most common (29.4%) followed by leptospirosis (27.2%) and scrub typhus infection (1.1%). five serovars of leptospires were involved in this study. leptospira interrogans bataviae was t ...	2003	12971532
leptospira interrogans serovar valbuzzi: a cause of severe pulmonary haemorrhages in the andaman islands.	outbreaks of leptospirosis that present with predominant pulmonary signs and symptoms have been occurring in the andaman islands since the late 1980s. before this, pulmonary haemorrhage had not been observed as a common complication of leptospirosis in india. during an outbreak on north andaman in 1997, four leptospire isolates were obtained from blood of a fatal case and three other patients who recovered. these isolates were characterized using serological and molecular techniques. cross-agglu ...	2003	12972588
an improved probability mapping approach to assess genome mosaicism.	maximum likelihood and posterior probability mapping are useful visualization techniques that are used to ascertain the mosaic nature of prokaryotic genomes. however, posterior probabilities, especially when calculated for four-taxon cases, tend to overestimate the support for tree topologies. furthermore, because of poor taxon sampling four-taxon analyses suffer from sensitivity to the long branch attraction artifact. here we extend the probability mapping approach by improving taxon sampling o ...	2003	12974984
complete sequence of virulence plasmid pjm1 from the marine fish pathogen vibrio anguillarum strain 775.	the virulence plasmid pjm1 enables the fish pathogen vibrio anguillarum, a gram-negative polarly flagellated comma-shaped rod bacterium, to cause a highly fatal hemorrhagic septicemic disease in salmonids and other fishes, leading to epizootics throughout the world. the pjm1 plasmid 65,009-nucleotide sequence, with an overall g+c content of 42.6%, revealed genes and open reading frames (orfs) encoding iron transporters, nonribosomal peptide enzymes, and other proteins essential for the biosynthe ...	2003	13129954
leptospirosis in india and the rest of the world.	leptospirosis is an acute anthropo-zoonotic infection of worldwide significance caused by spirochaete leptospira interrogans which has 23 serogroups and >200 serovars. various factors influencing the animal activity, suitability of the environment for the survival of the organism and behavorial and occupational habits of human beings can be the determinants of incidence and prevalence of the disease. the disease was considered inconsequential till recently, but it is emerging as an important pub ...	2003	14499041
the urokinase receptor can be induced by borrelia burgdorferi through receptors of the innate immune system.	monocytic cells exposed to borrelia burgdorferi, through unknown receptors, overexpress the urokinase receptor (upar), a key mediator of the plasminogen activation system. we show that combined blockade of cd14 and tlr2 causes a significant inhibition of b. burgdorferi-induced upar in mono mac 6 (mm6) cells. other pattern recognition receptors tested (cd11b/cd18, the mannose receptor, and the n-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine receptor) did not have demonstrated roles in b. burgdorferi-medi ...	2003	14500474
seroprevalence of and risk factors for leptospiral antibodies among cattle in the state of yucatan, mexico.	sera obtained from cattle in the state of yucatan, mexico, were screened using the microscopic agglutination test against 13 serovars of leptospira interrogans. a total of 62.8% (461/734) cows were positive for one or more serovars. this seroprevalence probably reflects infection because vaccination against leptospirosis has not been practised in yucatan. the most common antibodies detected were those against antigens of serovars hardjo (54.1%) and tarassovi (53.3%). region was the only risk fac ...	2003	14509536
hantavirus infection in humans and rodents, northwestern argentina.	we initiated a study to elucidate the ecology and epidemiology of hantavirus infections in northern argentina. the northwestern hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (hps)-endemic area of argentina comprises salta and jujuy provinces. between 1997 and 2000, 30 hps cases were diagnosed in jujuy province (population 512,329). most patients had a mild clinical course, and the death rate (13.3%) was low. we performed a serologic and epidemiologic survey in residents of the area, in conjunction with a serolo ...	2003	14519242
prevalence of leptospira and brucella antibodies in wild boars (sus scrofa) in tuscany, italy.	five hundred sixty-two blood samples were collected from wild boars (sus scrofa) shot in six districts of tuscany, central italy, between 1997 and 2000. sera were examined for antibodies specific for leptospira interrogans by microagglutination test and brucella spp. by the rose bengal test and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. thirty-four (6.0%) samples tested positive for anti-leptospira antibodies, 29 (5.1%) sera were positive for anti-l. interrogans serovar bratislava antibodies (t ...	2003	14567237
humoral immune response to infectious agents in aborted bovine fetuses in argentina.	the purpose of this study was to characterize the exposure of bovine aborted fetuses from beef and dairy herds of the humid pampas of argentina to different infectious agents by the evaluation of fetal fluid antibodies. presence of fetal antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus genotype 1 (bvdv-1), bovine herpes virus type 1 (bhv-1), leptospira interrogans, brucella abortus, and neospora caninum was determined. of the 95 fetuses processed, 66 came from 49 beef herds and 29 from 12 dairy herds. ...	2003	14587376
two paralogous families of a two-gene subtilisin operon are widely distributed in oral treponemes.	certain oral treponemes express a highly proteolytic phenotype and have been associated with periodontal diseases. the periodontal pathogen treponema denticola produces dentilisin, a serine protease of the subtilisin family. the two-gene operon prca-prtp is required for expression of active dentilisin (prtp), a putative lipoprotein attached to the treponeme's outer membrane or sheath. the purpose of this study was to examine the diversity and structure of treponemal subtilisin-like proteases in ...	2003	14617650
products transcribed from rearranged rrn genes of escherichia coli can assemble to form functional ribosomes.	to examine the flexibility of rrna operons with respect to fundamental organization, transcription, processing, and assembly of ribosomes, operon variations were introduced by a plasmid into an escherichia coli strain that has deletions of all chromosomal copies of rrna genes. in the reconstructed operons, a salmonella intervening sequence (ivs) from 23s helix 45 was introduced into the e. coli 23s gene at the same position. three different constructs of the e. coli 16s gene were then placed who ...	2003	14617656
leptospirosis: a zoonotic disease of global importance.	in the past decade, leptospirosis has emerged as a globally important infectious disease. it occurs in urban environments of industrialised and developing countries, as well as in rural regions worldwide. mortality remains significant, related both to delays in diagnosis due to lack of infrastructure and adequate clinical suspicion, and to other poorly understood reasons that may include inherent pathogenicity of some leptospiral strains or genetically determined host immunopathological response ...	2003	14652202
new connections in the prokaryotic toxin-antitoxin network: relationship with the eukaryotic nonsense-mediated rna decay system.	several prokaryotic plasmids maintain themselves in their hosts by means of diverse post-segregational cell killing systems. recent findings suggest that chromosomally encoded copies of toxins and antitoxins of post-segregational cell killing systems - such as the rele system - might function as regulatory switches under stress conditions. the rele toxin cleaves ribosome-associated transcripts, whereas another post-segregational cell killing toxin, pare, functions as a gyrase inhibitor.	2003	14659018
metabolic reconstruction of sulfur assimilation in the extremophile acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans based on genome analysis.	acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is a gamma-proteobacterium that lives at ph2 and obtains energy by the oxidation of sulfur and iron. it is used in the biomining industry for the recovery of metals and is one of the causative agents of acid mine drainage. effective tools for the study of its genetics and physiology are not in widespread use and, despite considerable effort, an understanding of its unusual physiology remains at a rudimentary level. nearly complete genome sequences of a. ferrooxidan ...	2003	14675496
the spirochetal chpk-chromosomal toxin-antitoxin locus induces growth inhibition of yeast and mycobacteria.	toxin-antitoxin systems encoded by bacterial plasmids and chromosomes typically consist of a toxin that inhibits growth of the host cell and a specific antitoxin. in this report, the chpk gene from the chromosomal toxin-antitoxin locus of the spirochete leptospira interrogans was studied in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. cloning of the the spirochetal chpk gene into a mycobacterial expressing vector led to dramatic reductions of transformation efficiency in both mycobacterium smegmatis ...	2003	14680711
evidence of leptospira interrogans infection in california sea lion pups from the gulf of california.	forty-two urine and 96 blood and serum samples were obtained from california sea lion (zalophus californianus) pups from the gulf of california during the 2000 reproductive season. antibody prevalence to 13 serovars of leptospira interrogans was determined by microagglutination tests (mat); presence of pathogenic leptospires was detected by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). samples with antibody titers > or = 1:25 or 115 bp fragments on ethidium bromidestained 1.5% agarose gels were considered po ...	2003	12685078
evidence of herpesvirus infection in woodland caribou in saskatchewan.	sera were collected from 40 female and two male woodland caribou (rangifer tarandus caribou) in saskatchewan (canada) from march 1992 to january 1995, inclusive. the samples were examined for antibodies against smooth brucella spp., five serovars of leptospira interrogans, bovine viral diarrhea virus, and bovine herpesvirus 1 (bhv-1). twenty-two (52%) of 42 sera exhibited positive reactions to bhv-1 by a modified serum neutralization test, and the prevalence correlated positively with the age of ...	2003	12685086
lipl21 is a novel surface-exposed lipoprotein of pathogenic leptospira species.	leptospira is the etiologic agent of leptospirosis, a bacterial zoonosis distributed worldwide. leptospiral lipopolysaccharide is a protective immunogen, but the extensive serological diversity of leptospires has inspired a search for conserved outer membrane proteins (omps) that may stimulate heterologous immunity. previously, a global analysis of leptospiral omps (p. a. cullen, s. j. cordwell, d. m. bulach, d. a. haake, and b. adler, infect. immun. 70:2311-2318, 2002) identified pl21, a novel ...	2003	12704111
role of innate immune factors in the adjuvant activity of monophosphoryl lipid a.	monophosphoryl lipid a (mpl) is a nontoxic derivative of lipopolysaccharide (lps) that exhibits adjuvant properties similar to those of the parent lps molecule. however, the mechanism by which mpl initiates its immunostimulatory properties remains unclear. due to the involvement of toll-like receptors in recognizing and transducing intracellular signals in response to lps, the aim of the present study was to determine the ability of mpl to utilize the toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2) and tlr4. we pro ...	2003	12704121
identification of a treponema pallidum laminin-binding protein.	host extracellular matrix (ecm) components represent ideal microbial adhesion targets that many pathogens use for colonization of tissues and initiation of infection. this study investigated the interaction of the spirochete treponema pallidum with the ecm component laminin. to identify candidate laminin-binding adhesins, the t. pallidum genome was analyzed to predict open reading frames that encode putative outer membrane proteins, as these proteins interact directly with host ecm components. s ...	2003	12704124
traf6-nf-kappab pathway is essential for interleukin-1-induced tlr2 expression and its functional response to tlr2 ligand in murine hepatocytes.	we have previously reported that the expressions of tlr2 and tlr4 mrna are differentially regulated in mouse liver and in the parenchymal cells. in the present study, we investigated the mechanism of the up-regulatory effects of interleukin-1alpha (il-1alpha), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (tnf-alpha), lipopolysaccharide (lps), or bacterial lipoprotein (blp) on tlr2 mrna expression in primary cultured murine hepatocytes. although tlr2 mrna stability was not affected, these treatments enhanced nf- ...	2003	12709026
unique physiological and pathogenic features of leptospira interrogans revealed by whole-genome sequencing.	leptospirosis is a widely spread disease of global concern. infection causes flu-like episodes with frequent severe renal and hepatic damage, such as haemorrhage and jaundice. in more severe cases, massive pulmonary haemorrhages, including fatal sudden haemoptysis, can occur. here we report the complete genomic sequence of a representative virulent serovar type strain (lai) of leptospira interrogans serogroup icterohaemorrhagiae consisting of a 4.33-megabase large chromosome and a 359-kilobase s ...	2003	12712204
leptospira in slaughtered fattening pigs in southern vietnam: presence of the bacteria in the kidneys and association with morphological findings.	one kidney was collected from each of 32 fattening pigs at an abattoir in southern vietnam in 2001 in order to demonstrate infecting leptospira serovar and to associate renal macro- and microscopic findings with the presence of renal leptospires. leptospires were demonstrated in 22 (69%) of the investigated kidneys by immunofluorescence. multifocal interstitial nephritis (mfin) and gross renal lesions (white spots) were each demonstrated in 24 (75%) kidneys. leptospira interrogans serovar bratis ...	2003	12713897
toll-like receptor-mediated tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-10 production differ during systemic inflammation.	major trauma is associated with a decreased capacity of patients' leukocytes to produce proinflammatory cytokines on in vitro stimulation. we studied leukocytes from 48 patients with trauma and showed that this hyporeactivity was restricted to gram-negative bacteria, escherichia coli endotoxin, and unmethylated bacterial dna, whereas leptospira interrogans endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor production was similar to that observed with healthy donors. as well, tumor necrosis factor and inter ...	2003	12738604
distribution and organization of auxotrophic genes on the multichromosomal genome of burkholderia multivorans atcc 17616.	the burkholderia multivorans strain atcc 17616 carries three circular chromosomes with sizes of 3.4, 2.5, and 0.9 mb. to determine the distribution and organization of the amino acid biosynthetic genes on the genome of this beta-proteobacterium, various auxotrophic mutations were isolated using a tn5 derivative that was convenient not only for the determination of its insertion site on the genome map but also for the structural analysis of the flanking regions. analysis by pulsed-field gel elect ...	2003	12754231
lipopolysaccharide-mimetic activities of a toll-like receptor 2-stimulatory substance(s) in enterobacterial lipopolysaccharide preparations.	lipopolysaccharide (lps) preparations are known to often contain substances which activate cells through toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2), and it is suspected that bacterial lipoproteins are responsible for this activation. we compared the mode of action of the tlr2-stimulatory substances with that of a synthetic bacterial lipopeptide (tripalmitoyl-cys-ser-ser-asn-ala [pam(3)cssna]), as well as with that of peptidoglycan. six out of eight lps preparations tested induced nf-kappab-dependent reporter a ...	2003	12761102
monocytes heterozygous for the asp299gly and thr399ile mutations in the toll-like receptor 4 gene show no deficit in lipopolysaccharide signalling.	toll-like receptor 4 (tlr4)-mediated recognition of lipopolysaccharide (lps) is required for efficient recognition of gram-negative bacterial infections. two commonly occurring mutations in the human tlr4 gene (asp299gly and thr399ile) have recently been shown to be associated with blunted physiological responses to inhaled lps, and with increased risk of gram-negative bacteraemia in sepsis patients and reduced risk of atherosclerosis in an italian population. here we show that monocytes from in ...	2003	12796470
systematic cloning of treponema pallidum open reading frames for protein expression and antigen discovery.	a topoisomerase-based method was used to clone pcr products encoding 991 of the 1041 open reading frames identified in the genome sequence of the bacterium that causes syphilis, treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum. cloning the open reading frames into the univector plasmid system permitted the rapid conversion of the original clone set to other functional vectors containing a variety of promoters or tag sequences. a computational prediction of signal sequences identified 248 t. pallidum proteins ...	2003	12805273
[leptospiral infection and subclinical presentation among children in salvador, bahia].	the purposes of this investigation were to identify the frequency and risk factors of leptospiral infection among children aged between 2 and 15 years in salvador, bahia, household contacts of patients (index-cases) hospitalized at couto maia hospital due to leptospira interrogans (elisa igm positive). among 148 household contacts from 25 selected index-cases, clinical and epidemiological data were collected and elisa igm and igg were performed in paired sera (between 20 days) from 73 (49.3%). t ...	2003	12806459
duration of immunity in dogs vaccinated against leptospirosis with a bivalent inactivated vaccine.	duration of immunity in dogs induced with current commercial inactivated leptospirosis vaccines and evaluated against experimental infection, to date, has hardly been documented. the purpose of the present work was to assess the duration of immunity in dogs that is attainable with a commercial inactivated bivalent leptospirosis vaccine. for this purpose, young dogs were vaccinated twice followed by challenge with either leptospira interrogans serovar canicola or l. interrogans serovar icterohaem ...	2003	12860082
leptospira interrogans activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells: preferential expansion of tcr gamma delta+ t cells vs tcr alpha beta+ t cells.	innate and adaptive immune responses induced by leptospirosis have not been well characterized. in this study we show that in vitro exposure of naive human pbmc to leptospira interrogans results in cell proliferation and the production of ifn-gamma, il-12, and tnf-alpha. cell proliferation was highest when using high numbers of leptospira. optimal cell proliferation occurred at 6-8 days, and the majority of cells contained in these cultures were gamma/delta t cells. these cultures showed a 10- t ...	2003	12874237
an angiogenic switch in macrophages involving synergy between toll-like receptors 2, 4, 7, and 9 and adenosine a(2a) receptors.	adenosine a(2a) receptor (a(2a)r) agonists synergize with escherichia coli (e. coli) lps [toll-like receptor (tlr)4 agonist] to up-regulate vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) expression in murine macrophages. here, we demonstrate that tlr2, tlr7, and tlr9, but not tlr3 and tlr5 agonists, also synergize with a(2a)r agonists and adenosine to up-regulate vegf, while simultaneously strongly down-regulating tnfalpha expression. in the absence of adenosine or a(2a)r agonists, porphyromonas ging ...	2003	12875990
phylogenetic analysis of bacterial and archaeal arsc gene sequences suggests an ancient, common origin for arsenate reductase.	the ars gene system provides arsenic resistance for a variety of microorganisms and can be chromosomal or plasmid-borne. the arsc gene, which codes for an arsenate reductase is essential for arsenate resistance and transforms arsenate into arsenite, which is extruded from the cell. a survey of genbank shows that arsc appears to be phylogenetically widespread both in organisms with known arsenic resistance and those organisms that have been sequenced as part of whole genome projects.	2003	12877744
in vitro susceptibilities of seven leptospira species to traditional and newer antibiotics.	human leptospirosis is generally treated with penicillin or doxycycline. we studied the susceptibilities of 11 serovars (seven species) of leptospira to 14 antibiotics. with the exception of chloramphenicol, all tested agents were at least as potent as penicillin and doxycycline, with the macrolide and ketolide drugs producing the lowest mics (and minimal bactericidal concentrations).	2003	12878533
pathogenic leptospira species express surface-exposed proteins belonging to the bacterial immunoglobulin superfamily.	proteins with bacterial immunoglobulin-like (big) domains, such as the yersinia pseudotuberculosis invasin and escherichia coli intimin, are surface-expressed proteins that mediate host mammalian cell invasion or attachment. here, we report the identification and characterization of a new family of big domain proteins, referred to as lig (leptospiral ig-like) proteins, in pathogenic leptospira. screening of l. interrogans and l. kirschneri expression libraries with sera from leptospirosis patien ...	2003	12890019
[seroepidemiological studies of zoonotic infections in hunters in southeastern austria--prevalences, risk factors, and preventive methods].	the aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalences to zoonotic pathogens in hunters, to propose preventive measures and to obtain more information about the occurrence of zoonotic pathogens in local wild animal populations. from 146 male and 3 female hunters originating from the south-eastern austrian federal states of styria and burgenland blood samples were taken and anamnestic data were obtained using a questionnaire. the serological investigations included the following viral, bact ...	2003	12894685
serodiagnosis of syphilis: antibodies to recombinant tp0453, tp92, and gpd proteins are sensitive and specific indicators of infection by treponema pallidum.	syphilis serodiagnosis relies on a combination of nonspecific screening tests (antilipoidal antibodies) and treponema pallidum-specific tests (anti-t. pallidum antibodies). we studied a group of six recombinant t. pallidum antigens for their sensitivities and specificities with sera from individuals with syphilis (n = 43), relapsing fever (n = 8), lyme disease (n = 8), and leptospirosis (n = 9) and from uninfected individuals (n = 15). three recombinant proteins, tp0155, tp0483, and tp0751, demo ...	2003	12904373
leptospirosis in northern india: a clinical and serological study.	a total of 400 serum samples collected from patients, clinically suspected of leptospirosis, were evaluated for antibodies by lepto dipstick and microscopic agglutination test (mat). twenty of these patients (5%) had serological evidence of leptospirosis. leptospira interrogans serovars autumnalis and icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola and javanica were serogroups recorded serologically. fever and jaundice were the most common clinical presentations. male preponderance was seen in the leptospirosis c ...	2003	15115094
markedly prolonged jaundice from simultaneous infection with hepatitis e virus and leptospira.	we treated a patient simultaneously infected with hepatitis e virus and leptospira interrogans, both acquired in china. severe hyperbilirubinemia required nearly 200 days to resolve, transminase elevation showed a fluctuating course, and liver biopsy specimens showed fibrosis unusual for hepatitis e. leptospirosis appeared to have altered the course of hepatitis e virus infection in this patient, even though infection with leptospira was cleared with antibiotics by 50 days after the onset of the ...	2003	14768480
[a case of acute pancreatitis due to weil's disease].	leptospirosis, the most common vasculitic zoonosis in the world, is characterized with jaundice and acute renal failure. however, pancreatitis is an uncommon complication of leptospirosis. in this report, an acute pancreatitis case due to weil's disease has been presented. a 31-year-old female patient with high levels of glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, creatine kinase, bilirubin, amylase and lipase, has been diagnosed to have leptospirosis by the high positive result (1/800) of microsc ...	2003	14748267
[distribution of virulence associated genes among strains of leptospira].	to analyze factors related to the virulence associated genes of leptospires.	2003	14761630
the pros and cons of vaccinating the dog population against canine coronavirus and one of the serovars of leptospira interrogans.		2003	15086088
[sero-epidemiological studies of zoonotic infections in hunters--comparative analysis with veterinarians, farmers, and abattoir workers].	the aim of this study was to investigate seroprevalences to zoonotic pathogens in hunters, to compare the results with other predisposed occupational groups already investigated and to propose preventive measures. blood samples were taken from 146 male and 3 female hunters from the provinces of styria and burgenland in the south-east of austria and anamnestic data were obtained using a questionnaire. the serological investigations included the following bacterial, viral and parasitic zoonotic ag ...	2003	15508783
lipoteichoic acids from lactobacillus strains elicit strong tumor necrosis factor alpha-inducing activities in macrophages through toll-like receptor 2.	lactobacilli are nonpathogenic gram-positive inhabitants of microflora. at least some lactobacillus strains have been postulated to have health beneficial effects, such as the stimulation of the immune system. here we examined the stimulatory effects of lactobacilli on mouse immune cells. all six heat-killed lactobacillus strains examined induced the secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (tnf-alpha) from mouse splenic mononuclear cells, albeit to various degrees. when fractionated subcellular ...	2003	12626452
interleukin 12 in part regulates gamma interferon release in human whole blood stimulated with leptospira interrogans.	heat-killed pathogenic leptospira interrogans serovar rachmati induced the production of gamma interferon (ifn-gamma) and the ifn-gamma-inducing cytokines interleukin-12p40 (il-12p40) and tumor necrosis factor alpha in human whole blood in vitro. the production of ifn-gamma was largely dependent on il-12. these data establish that pathogenic leptospires can stimulate the production of type i cytokines involved in cellular immunity.	2003	12626464
[microbiological characterization of candidate vaccine strains of ballum serogroup leptospira interrogans].	two candidate vaccines of ballum serogroup leptospira interrogans were microbiologically characterized as part of the work directed to the obtention of new antileptospirosis vaccine formulations for human use. the growth kynetics of both strains was evaluated in emjh protein medium and in 3 protein free media. the virulence was estimated in hamsters by the calculation of the mean lethal dose. the cellular and extracellular antigenic profiles were analyzed by unidimensional sds-page and compared ...	2003	15849918
extracellular secretion of the borrelia burgdorferi oms28 porin and bgp, a glycosaminoglycan binding protein.	borrelia burgdorferi, the lyme disease pathogen, cycles between its ixodes tick vector and vertebrate hosts, adapting to vastly different biochemical environments. spirochete gene expression as a function of temperature, ph, growth phase, and host milieu is well studied, and recent work suggests that regulatory networks are involved. here, we examine the release of borrelia burgdorferi strain b31 proteins into conditioned medium. spirochetes intrinsically radiolabeled at concentrations ranging f ...	2004	15501754
human leptospirosis in erode, south india: serology, isolation, and characterization of the isolates by randomly amplified polymorphic dna (rapd) fingerprinting.	the study describes the first attempt to record leptospirosis in erode by isolation and serological tests such as the microscopic agglutination test and igm-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. twenty-nine clinically suspected cases showing fever, headache, body ache associated with jaundice, decreased urine output, and conjunctival suffusion were included. the age of the patients ranged between 10-71 years and most of them were agricultural workers. paired sera were possible among 12 cases. ...	2004	15507774
identification of a sulp-type bicarbonate transporter in marine cyanobacteria.	cyanobacteria possess a highly effective co(2)-concentrating mechanism that elevates co(2) concentrations around the primary carboxylase, rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase). this co(2)-concentrating mechanism incorporates light-dependent, active uptake systems for co(2) and hco(-)(3). through mutant studies in a coastal marine cyanobacterium, synechococcus sp. strain pcc7002, we identified bica as a gene that encodes a class of hco(-)(3) transporter with relatively low tra ...	2004	15596724