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a francisella tularensis pathogenicity island protein essential for bacterial proliferation within the host cell cytosol.francisella tularensis is an intracellular bacterial pathogen, and is a category a bioterrorism agent. within quiescent human macrophages, the f. tularensis pathogenicity island (fpi) is essential for bacterial growth within quiescent macrophages. the f. tularensis-containing phagosome matures to a late endosome-like stage that does not fuse to lysosomes for 1-8 h, followed by gradual bacterial escape into the macrophage cytosol. here we show that the fpi protein igld is essential for intracellu ...200717517064
toll-like receptor 2-mediated signaling requirements for francisella tularensis live vaccine strain infection of murine macrophages.francisella tularensis, an aerobic, non-spore-forming, gram-negative coccobacillus, is the causative agent of tularemia. we reported previously that f. tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs) elicited strong, dose-dependent nf-kappab reporter activity in toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2)-expressing hek293t cells and proinflammatory gene expression in primary murine macrophages. herein, we report that f. tularensis lvs-induced murine macrophage proinflammatory cytokine gene and protein expression are over ...200717517865
[highly sensitive enzyme-linked assay based on monoclonal antibodies for detection of brucella antigens].mice monoclonal antibodies against lypopolysaccharides (lps) of brucella abortus has been obtained and characterized. the antibodies detected lps of b. abortus, b. melitensis and b. suis with high sensivity and specificity and did not react with lps of yersinia enterocolitica o:3, y. enterocolitica o:9, salmonella typhimurium, and francisella tularensis. it has been shown that interaction of monoclonal antibodies and lps of brucella species can be critically dependent from buffer system. obtaine ...200717523430
pcr and in situ hybridization for the detection and localization of a new pathogen francisella-like bacterium (flb) in ornamental cichlids.archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 28 diseased ornamental cichlid fish associated with visceral granulomas were examined by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and in situ hybridization (ish) for detection of francisella-like bacteria (flb). the 16s rdna flb-specific primer pair 180f/465r was used on naturally infected ornamental cichlids, resulting in 11 positive cases (39%). using dna probes, all 28 cases (100%) showed a positive reaction, and most labeled cells were observed ...200717523541
immunodominant francisella tularensis antigens identified using proteome microarray.stimulation of protective immune responses against intracellular pathogens is difficult to achieve using non-replicating vaccines. balb/c mice immunized by intramuscular injection with killed francisella tularensis (live vaccine strain) adjuvanted with preformed immune stimulating complexes admixed with cpg, were protected when systemically challenged with a highly virulent strain of f. tularensis (schu s4). serum from immunized mice was used to probe a whole proteome microarray in order to iden ...200717533643
francisella tularensis has a significant extracellular phase in infected mice.the ability of francisella tularensis to replicate in macrophages has led many investigators to assume that it resides primarily intracellularly in the blood of mammalian hosts. we have found this supposition to be untrue. in almost all cases, the majority of f. tularensis recovered from the blood of infected mice was in plasma rather than leukocytes. this distribution was observed irrespective of size of inoculum, route of inoculation, time after inoculation, or virulence of the infecting strai ...200717538893
a call for renewed research on tick-borne francisella tularensis in the arkansas-missouri primary national focus of tularemia in humans.arkansas-missouri has emerged as the primary u.s. focus of tularemia, which is caused by the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases category a priority pathogen francisella tularensis, over the past 30 yr. there are several pieces of indirect evidence suggesting that a key role of ticks in the transmission of f. tularensis to humans in arkansas-missouri is the primary reason why tularemia has remained a prominent disease of humans in this two-state area while fading away from othe ...200717547223
comparison of francisella tularensis genomes reveals evolutionary events associated with the emergence of human pathogenic strains.francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis and holarctica are pathogenic to humans, whereas the two other subspecies, novicida and mediasiatica, rarely cause disease. to uncover the factors that allow subspecies tularensis and holarctica to be pathogenic to humans, we compared their genome sequences with the genome sequence of francisella tularensis subspecies novicida u112, which is nonpathogenic to humans.200717550600
francisella tularensis, portugal. 200717561575
[determination of the content of water in dry preparations of the vaccine strain francisella tularensis by nmr-relaxation technique].frozen-dried preparations were studied for the impact of moisture content of the nuclear magnetic resonance parameter that was a ratio of the amplitudes of a slow component and a rapid one of a free induction signal from the protons of samples. it was found that there was a linear correlation between this parameter and the moisture content of biological materials, by using bovine serum albumin (bsa) as examples, with lactose and biomass of francisella tularensis. formulas were derived for calcul ...200717561666
twin rna polymerase-associated proteins control virulence gene expression in francisella tularensis.the mgla protein is the only known regulator of virulence gene expression in francisella tularensis, yet it is unclear how it functions. f. tularensis also contains an mgla-like protein called sspa. here, we show that mgla and sspa cooperate with one another to control virulence gene expression in f. tularensis. using a directed proteomic approach, we show that both mgla and sspa associate with rna polymerase (rnap) in f. tularensis, and that sspa is required for mgla to associate with rnap. fur ...200717571921
proteomic analysis of antibody response in a case of laboratory-acquired infection with francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis.immunoproteomic analysis was applied to study the immunoreactivity of serum samples collected at different time points from a laboratory assistant accidentally infected with highly virulent strain of francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis. immunoblotting showed that the spectrum of f. tularensis antigens recognized specifically by immune sera remained with the exception for 1 antigen stable for up to 16 years after infection. using immunoproteomics approach 10 immunoreactive antigens were succ ...200717575919
tularemia presenting with tonsillopharyngitis and cervical lymphadenitis: report of two cases.tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by francisella tularensis. francisella tularensis is transmitted to humans by direct contact or ingestion of infected animal tissues, through the bite of infected arthropods, by consumption of contaminated food or water, or from inhalation of aerolized bacteria. in this report we describe 2 cases with oropharyngeal tularemia who presented with tonsillopharyngitis and cervical lymphadenitis.200717577830
prophylactic and therapeutic use of antibodies for protection against respiratory infection with francisella tularensis.the role of abs in protection against respiratory infection with the intracellular bacterium francisella tularensis is not clear. to investigate the ability of abs to clear bacteria from the lungs and prevent systemic spread, immune serum was passively administered i.p. to naive mice before intranasal f. tularensis live vaccine strain infection. it was found that immune serum treatment provided 100% protection against lethal challenge while normal serum or ig-depleted immune serum provided no pr ...200717579074
outbreaks of tularemia in turkey.tularemia, casued by francisella tularensis, is a zoonotic disease presenting various clinical forms. in the present study, three outbreaks of tularemia occurred from january to march and september in 2004 (first and second) and january to march in 2005 (third) are reported from the north-eastern part of turkey. all cases originated from the same geographical location. in total, 56 patients having complaints of fever, malaise, chills and shivering, painful sore throat with swollen tonsils and en ...200717579300
from rabbits to humans: the contributions of dr. theodore e. woodward to tularemia research.tularemia is an endemic zoonotic infection caused by francisella tularensis, which primarily causes infection in humans who have handled contaminated animal tissue or have been bitten by infected arthropods. because of its ease of dispersion and transmission and its high degree of infectivity, f. tularensis is also considered to be a bioterrorism agent. consequently, there is renewed interest in the development of safe, effective measures, such as vaccines, to prevent the morbidity and mortality ...200717582573
a full-genomic sequence-verified protein-coding gene collection for francisella tularensis.the rapid development of new technologies for the high throughput (ht) study of proteins has increased the demand for comprehensive plasmid clone resources that support protein expression. these clones must be full-length, sequence-verified and in a flexible format. the generation of these resources requires automated pipelines supported by software management systems. although the availability of clone resources is growing, current collections are either not complete or not fully sequence-verif ...200717593976
[genotypic heterogeneity and geographic diversity of collection strains of francisella tularensis as determined using the vntr variability analysis and dna sequencing].the analysis of the identification genotypes allowed the strains to be grouped into 61 variants from a to i with the incidence rate 0.002-0.142. the cluster analysis of the identification genotypes allowed the strains to be grouped into 9 clusters with different number of components. actual existence of genotypic heterogeneity and geographic diversity of the f. tularensis strains was demonstrated in addition to territorial attribution of certain strains. the geoinformation system tularemia was d ...200717600922
new species in the genus francisella (gammaproteobacteria; francisellaceae); francisella piscicida sp. nov. isolated from cod (gadus morhua).a francisella strain, gm2212, previously isolated from moribund farmed atlantic cod (gadus morhua) in norway, is closely related to francisella philomiragia among francisella spp. according to its complete 16s rdna, 16s-23s intergenic spacer, 23s rdna, 23s-5s intergenic spacer, 5s rdna, fopa, lipoprotein tul4 (lpna), malate dehydrogenase and hypothetical lipoprotein (lpnb) sequences. a comparison between gm2212 and the type strain of francisella philomiragia were performed by dna-dna hybridizati ...200717619856
q fever community-acquired pneumonia in a patient with crohn's disease on immunosuppressive therapy.community-acquired pneumonia (cap) may be caused by typical or atypical pathogens. the three most common zoonotic atypical pathogens are chlamydophila psittaci (psittacosis), francisella tularensis (tularemia), and coxiella burnetii (q fever). atypical caps are suggested by a distinctive pattern of extrapulmonary organ involvement. zoonotic cap may be differentiated from nonzoonotic cap (chlamydia pneumoniae, mycoplasma pneumoniae, legionnaire's disease) by a recent zoonotic vector contact histo ...200717628200
differential effects of francisella tularensis lipopolysaccharide on b lymphocytes.francisella tularensis, a designated category a biological agent, can cause severe infection in humans. previous studies have demonstrated a significant immunoprotective role for b lymphocytes in animal models, but the responses of human b lymphocytes to f. tularensis components are largely unknown. the lps of f. tularensis is atypical and has been reported to lack biological activity on myeloid cells and mouse b cells. our study characterized the immunological effects of highly purified lps fro ...200717634278
identification of francisella sp. from atlantic salmon, salmo salar l., in chile. 200717640254
mgla regulates francisella tularensis subsp. novicida (francisella novicida) response to starvation and oxidative stress.mgla is a transcriptional regulator of genes that contribute to the virulence of francisella tularensis, a highly infectious pathogen and the causative agent of tularemia. this study used a label-free shotgun proteomics method to determine the f. tularensis subsp. novicida (f. novicida) proteins that are regulated by mgla. the differences in relative protein amounts between wild-type f. novicida and the mgla mutant were derived directly from the average peptide precursor ion intensity values mea ...200717644593
from protein microarrays to diagnostic antigen discovery: a study of the pathogen francisella tularensis.an important application of protein microarray data analysis is identifying a serodiagnostic antigen set that can reliably detect patterns and classify antigen expression profiles. this work addresses this problem using antibody responses to protein markers measured by a novel high-throughput microarray technology. the findings from this study have direct relevance to rapid, broad-based diagnostic and vaccine development.200717646338
proteome cataloging and relative quantification of francisella tularensis tularensis strain schu4 in 2d page using preparative isoelectric focusing.the protein complement of whole cell extract of the bacterium francisella tularensis tularensis was analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis with preparative isoelectric focusing in the first dimension. the format allows the quantification of relative protein abundance by linear densitometry and extends the potential dynamic range of protein detection by as much as an order of magnitude. the relative abundance and rank order of 136 unique proteins identified in f. tularensis tularensis wer ...200717658781
activation of the inflammasome upon francisella tularensis infection: interplay of innate immune pathways and virulence factors.tularaemia is a zoonotic disease caused by the facultative intracellular bacterium francisella tularensis. the virulence of this pathogen depends on its ability to escape into the cytosol of host cells. pathogens are detected by the innate immune system's pattern recognition receptors which are activated in response to conserved microbial molecules (pathogen-associated molecular patterns). cytosolic bacteria are sensed intracellularly, often leading to activation of the cysteine protease caspase ...200717662071
[evaluation of immunobiological activity of francisella tularensis c-complex preparations as promising component of subunit vaccines].data on influence of francisella tularensis c-complex preparations on formation of immunity against tularemia are presented. study of cellular immunity characteristics as well as dynamics of antibody response was carried out on white mice and guinea pigs models. absence of toxicity, pyrogenicity, and negative effects on immunocompetent cells in combination with protective activity points to possibility of use the c-complex as a component of a subunit vaccine.200717672125
cloning and expression of protective antigens of mycobacterium tuberculosis ag85b and esat-6 in francisella tularensis 15/10.the possibility of expression of genes encoding mycobacterial antigens in francisella tularensis 15/10 vaccine strain cells has been shown for the first time. to obtain stable and effective expression of mycobacterial antigens in the f. tularensis cells, the plasmid vector ppmc1 and hybrid genes consisting of the leader part fl of the f. tularensis membrane protein fopa and structural moieties of the mature protein ag85b or the fused protein ag85b-esat-6 were constructed. recombinant strains f. ...200717680765
identification of francisella tularensis himar1-based transposon mutants defective for replication in macrophages.francisella tularensis, the etiologic agent of tularemia in humans, is a potential biological threat due to its low infectious dose and multiple routes of entry. f. tularensis replicates within several cell types, eventually causing cell death by inducing apoptosis. in this study, a modified himar1 transposon (himarft) was used to mutagenize f. tularensis lvs. approximately 7,000 km(r) clones were screened using j774a.1 macrophages for reduction in cytopathogenicity based on retention of the cel ...200717682043
identification of lpxl, a late acyltransferase of francisella tularensis.lipopolysaccharide (lps) is a major component of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria, and the lipid a region of lps mediates stimulation of the immune system in a structure-dependent manner. unlike the lps of many other gram-negative bacteria, the lps of francisella tularensis isolated from in vitro cultures is not proinflammatory. this observed lack of proinflammatory prowess may reflect structural features of the lipid a, such as the number and length of the acyl chains and the single ...200717724076
generation and characterization of hybridoma antibodies for immunotherapy of tularemia.tularemia is caused by the gram-negative facultative intracellular bacterium francisella tularensis, which has been classified as a category a select agent-a likely bioweapon. the high virulence of f. tularensis and the threat of engineered antibiotic resistant variants warrant the development of new therapies to combat this disease. we have characterized 14 anti-francisella hybridoma antibodies derived from mice infected with f. tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs) for potential use as immunoth ...200717764754
francisella philomiragia subsp. noatunensis subsp. nov., isolated from farmed atlantic cod (gadus morhua l.).seven bacterial isolates from farmed atlantic cod displaying chronic granulomatous disease were characterized by phenotypic and molecular taxonomic methods. the isolates were gram-negative, facultatively intracellular, non-motile, strictly aerobic coccobacilli which produced h(2)s from cysteine-supplemented media and are therefore phenotypically consistent with members of the genus francisella. comparison of 16s rrna gene sequences and six partial housekeeping gene sequences (groel, shda, rpob, ...200717766855
attenuation and protective efficacy of an o-antigen-deficient mutant of francisella tularensis lvs.francisella tularensis is a zoonotic, gram-negative coccobacillus that causes tularemia in humans and animals. f. tularensis subspecies tularensis (type a) and f. tularensis subspecies holarctica (type b) are antigenically similar and more virulent than francisella novicida in humans. the genetic locus that encodes the lps o antigen was found to be substantially different between the type b live vaccine strain (lvs) and f. novicida. one lvs-specific gene with homology to a galactosyl transferase ...200717768257
toll-like receptor 2 controls the gamma interferon response to francisella tularensis by mouse liver lymphocytes.the production of gamma interferon (ifn-gamma) is a key step in the protective innate immune response to francisella tularensis. natural killer cells and t cells in the liver are important sources of this cytokine during primary f. tularensis infections, and interleukin-12 (il-12) appears to be an essential coactivating cytokine for hepatic ifn-gamma expression. the present study was undertaken to determine whether or not macrophages (mphi) or dendritic cells (dc) provide coactivating signals fo ...200717785474
to activate or not to activate: distinct strategies used by helicobacter pylori and francisella tularensis to modulate the nadph oxidase and survive in human neutrophils.neutrophils accumulate rapidly at sites of infection, and the ability of these cells to phagocytose and kill microorganisms is an essential component of the innate immune response. relatively few microbial pathogens are able to evade neutrophil killing. herein, we describe the novel strategies used by helicobacter pylori and francisella tularensis to disrupt neutrophil function, with a focus on assembly and activation of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (nadph) oxidase.200717850485
[francisella tularensis and tularemia in turkey].francisella tularensis is a small gram-negative aerobic bacillus which was named after edward francis and the location (tulare county, california) where the organism was discovered. f. tularensis includes four [corrected] subspecies known as tularensis (type a biovar), holarctica (type b biovar) and mediasiatica and novicida [corrected] tularemia (rabbit fever) is a rare and primarily rural disease which may be transmitted by ingestion, inhalation, or by direct skin contact with rabbits, other r ...200718173084
differential requirements by cd4+ and cd8+ t cells for soluble and membrane tnf in control of francisella tularensis live vaccine strain intramacrophage growth.during primary infection with intracellular bacteria, the membrane-associated form of tnf provides some tnf functions, but the relative contributions during memory responses are not well-characterized. in this study, we determined the role of t cell-derived secreted and membrane-bound tnf (memtnf) during adaptive immunity to francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs). although transgenic mice expressing only the memtnf were more susceptible to primary lvs infection than wild-type (wt) mice ...200718025217
comparison of whole genome amplification methods for detecting pathogenic bacterial genomic dna using microarray.the genetic diagnosis of pathogenic agents using microarrays has the advantage of high-throughput detection, but a relatively large amount of dna sample is required. to obtain a sufficient amount of dna for molecular diagnoses, several whole genome amplification (wga) methods have been proposed. in this study, using francisella tularensis and escherichia coli as models, we compared four wga methods in terms of their efficiency of amplification of whole genomic dna in order to identify the most s ...200718032834
piezoelectric immunosensor for the direct and rapid detection of francisella tularensis.a novel immunosensing device based on a piezoelectric sensor for direct detection of the biological warfare agent francisella tularensis was developed. this sensor includes mouse polyclonal antibody immobilized in a layer of protein a covalently linked to the gold electrode of the sensor. the immunosensor is able to detect f. tularensis with the limit of detection 10(5) cfu/ml with a typical measuring cycle > 5 min. the sensor was successfully evaluated for rapid detection of f. tularensis spike ...200718062180
francisella tularensis strain lvs resides in mhc ii-positive autophagic vacuoles in macrophages.the francisella tularensis strain lvs phagosome disintegrates during the first few hours after bacterial entry and microbes are released to the cytosol. within 12 h both rapid multiplication of microbes and a steep increase of apoptosis of infected macrophages occur. we searched for signals involved in the death of macrophages and detected molecules associated with the autophagy machinery cathepsin d, pten, p53 and lc3, whose levels or modification were influenced by ongoing in vitro tularemic i ...200718450226
canonical insertion-deletion markers for rapid dna typing of francisella tularensis.to develop effective and accurate typing of strains of francisella tularensis, a potent human pathogen and a putative bioterrorist agent, we combined analysis of insertion-deletion (indel) markers with multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (mlva). from 5 representative f. tularensis genome sequences, 38 indel markers with canonical properties, i.e., capable of sorting strains into major genetic groups, were selected. to avoid markers with a propensity for homoplasy, we used only ...200718217558
[indication of extremely dangerous infectious pathogens using immunochromatography and digital video analysis].the use of immunochromatographic indicatory elements based on antibody conjugates and colloidal gold was suggested to detect cells and the antigens of extremely dangerous infectious pathogens. the specificity and specific activity (sensitivity) of the mentioned elements were studied on vaccinal strains of plague, anthrax, and tularemia pathogens. the researchers studied a possibility to increase the sensitivity of immunochromatographic analysis using computed scanning and reflecom, a specialized ...200718225501
[fluoroquinolones: antimicrobial activity and chemotherapeutic efficacy with respect to various pathogens in highly dangerous diseases].comparative in vitro and in vivo efficacy of new fluoroquinolones with respect to pathogens of tularemia, glanders, melioidosis and anthrax was estimated. it was shown that the strains of the tularemia, glanders, melioidosis and anthrax pathogens were in vitro highly susceptible to the new agents. the experiments on laboratory animals demonstrated that pefloxacin and sparfloxacin had extremely broad spectra and were of special value in emergency prophylaxis of tularemia, glanders, melioidosis an ...200719275053
diagnosis of tularemia using piezoelectric biosensor technology.a piezoelectric immunosensor for indirect diagnosis of tularemic infection in mouse serum was developed. francisella tularensis lvs antigen was covalently immobilized on the sensing surface using cystamine and glutaraldehyde for activation and modification of the gold electrode. the normal mouse serum (nms) and serum prepared from mice immunized by escherichia coli were used as negative controls providing signal of 28hz during a 5min interaction. the tularemic infectious (immunized) mouse serum ...200719071403
nk cells and gamma interferon coordinate the formation and function of hepatic granulomas in mice infected with the francisella tularensis live vaccine strain.host innate immune responses to many intracellular pathogens include the formation of inflammatory granulomas that are thought to provide a physical barrier between the microbe and host. because two common features of infections with the live vaccine strain (lvs) of francisella tularensis within the mouse liver are the formation of granulomas and the production of gamma interferon (ifn-gamma), we have asked what role ifn-gamma plays in hepatic granuloma formation and function. francisella antige ...200818227174
re-assembly of the genome of francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica osu18.francisella tularensis is a highly infectious human intracellular pathogen that is the causative agent of tularemia. it occurs in several major subtypes, including the live vaccine strain holarctica (type b). f. tularensis is classified as category a biodefense agent in part because a relatively small number of organisms can cause severe illness. three complete genomes of subspecies holarctica have been sequenced and deposited in public archives, of which osu18 was the first and the only strain ...200818927608
levofloxacin rescues mice from lethal intra-nasal infections with virulent francisella tularensis and induces immunity and production of protective antibody.the ability to protect mice against respiratory infections with virulent francisella tularensis has been problematic and the role of antibody-versus-cell-mediated immunity controversial. in this study, we tested the hypothesis that protective immunity can develop in mice that were given antibiotic therapy following infection via the respiratory tract with f. tularensis schu s4. we show that mice infected with a lethal dose of schu s4, via an intra-nasal challenge, could be protected with levoflo ...200818930100
detection of a novel francisella in dermacentor reticulatus: a need for careful evaluation of pcr-based identification of francisella tularensis in eurasian ticks.francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, has been detected in ixodid ticks in some regions of north america, europe, and asia. in the present study, 245 dermacentor reticulatus, 211 ixodes ricinus, and 194 haemaphysalis concinna adults from hungary were tested for the presence of f. tularensis by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assays based on 16s ribosomal rna (16s rdna) and t-cell epitope of a francisella membrane protein (tul4). no francisella-specific amplification products ...200818945184
[participation of murine rodents in circulation of agents of tularemia and hemorrhagic fever in kola peninsula].results of virological and bacteriological studies of wild mammals of 11 species from rodentia and cricetidae genuses during epizootic period (spring-autumn 2006-2007) in murmansk region are presented. the number of red-baked mice (clethrionomys) and common vole (microtus) was rising. antigen of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome virus as well as tularemia pathogen were found in background rodent species.200819004288
inhibition of expression in escherichia coli of a virulence regulator mglb of francisella tularensis using external guide sequence technology.external guide sequences (egss) have successfully been used to inhibit expression of target genes at the post-transcriptional level in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. we previously reported that egs accessible and cleavable sites in the target rnas can rapidly be identified by screening random egs (regs) libraries. here the method of screening regs libraries and a partial rnase t1 digestion assay were used to identify sites accessible to egss in the mrna of a global virulence regulator mglb fro ...200819005569
re-emergence of tularemia in germany: presence of francisella tularensis in different rodent species in endemic areas.tularemia re-emerged in germany starting in 2004 (with 39 human cases from 2004 to 2007) after over 40 years of only sporadic human infections. the reasons for this rise in case numbers are unknown as is the possible reservoir of the etiologic agent francisella (f.) tularensis. no systematic study on the reservoir situation of f. tularensis has been published for germany so far.200819014635
thermal resistance of francisella tularensis in infant formula and fruit juices.francisella tularensis is a gram-negative bacterium that can cause gastrointestinal or oropharyngeal tularemia from ingestion of contaminated food or water. despite the potential for accidental or intentional contamination of foods with f. tularensis, little information exists on the thermal stability of this organism in food matrices. in the present study, the thermal resistance of the live vaccine strain of f. tularensis in four food products (liquid infant formula, apple juice, mango juice, a ...200819044262
multiple francisella tularensis subspecies and clades, tularemia outbreak, utah.in july 2007, a deer fly-associated outbreak of tularemia occurred in utah. human infections were caused by 2 clades (a1 and a2) of francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis. lagomorph carcasses from the area yielded evidence of infection with a1 and a2, as well as f. tularensis subsp. holarctica. these findings indicate that multiple subspecies and clades can cause disease in a localized outbreak of tularemia.200819046524
francisella novicida bacteremia, thailand.we report isolation of francisella novicida-causing bacteremia in a woman from thailand who was receiving chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. the organism was isolated from blood cultures and identified by 16s rdna and ppiase gene analyses. diagnosis and treatment were delayed due to unawareness of the disease in this region.200819046526
interrelationship between dendritic cell trafficking and francisella tularensis dissemination following airway infection.francisella tularensis, the etiological agent of the inhalation tularemia, multiplies in a variety of cultured mammalian cells. nevertheless, evidence for its in vivo intracellular residence is less conclusive. dendritic cells (dc) that are adapted for engulfing bacteria and migration towards lymphatic organs could serve as potential targets for bacterial residence and trafficking. here, we focus on the in vivo interactions of f. tularensis with dc following airway infection of mice. lethal airw ...200819023422
discrimination between biothreat agents and 'near neighbor' species using a resequencing array.timely identification of biothreat organisms from large numbers of clinical or environmental samples in potential outbreak or attack scenario is critical for effective diagnosis and treatment. this study aims to evaluate the potential of resequencing arrays for this purpose. albeit suboptimal, this report demonstrated that respiratory pathogen microarray version 1 can identify bacillus anthracis, francisella tularensis, yersinia pestis and distinguish them from benign 'near neighbor' species in ...200819049648
francisella genes required for replication in mosquito cells.francisella tularensis, a potential bioterrorism agent, is transmitted by arthropod vectors and causes tularemia in many mammals, including humans. francisella novicida causes disease with similar pathology in mice. we show that f. novicida invades hemocyte-like cells of the sualb cell line derived from anopheles gambiae and replicates vigorously within these cells. we used transposon knockouts of single genes of f. novicida to show that bacterial growth within these insect cells is dependent on ...200819058636
comparison of the new inodiag automated fluorescence multiplexed antigen microarray to the reference technique in the serodiagnosis of atypical bacterial pneumonia.the aetiological diagnosis of pneumonia depends largely on culture-, antigen- or pcr-based tests. atypical agents of pneumonia include coxiella burnetii, chlamydophila pneumoniae, chlamydia psittaci, legionella pneumophila, francisella tularensis and mycoplasma pneumoniae. in these cases, serological tests are commonly used for diagnosis. all of the above species were comparatively screened for by using the inodiag multiplexed automatic immunofluorescence assay and established reference techniqu ...200819076843
quinolones and oropharyngeal tularemia. 200819133015
antimicrobial activity of human beta-defensins and induction by francisella.the ability of human beta-defensins hbd-1, hbd-2, and hbd-3 to exert direct in vitro antimicrobial effects was evaluated using francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs) and francisella novicida. while hbd-2 showed some antimicrobial activity in these assays, only hbd-3 demonstrated significant potency against francisella. francisella tularensis lvs infection induced elevated levels of hbd-2 mrna in human airway epithelial (a549) cells, while having no significant impact on the levels of h ...200818452706
macrophage proinflammatory response to francisella tularensis live vaccine strain requires coordination of multiple signaling pathways.the macrophage proinflammatory response to francisella tularensis (ft) live vaccine strain (lvs) was shown previously to be tlr2 dependent. the observation that intracellular ft lvs colocalizes with tlr2 and myd88 inside macrophages suggested that ft lvs might signal from within the phagosome. macrophages infected with lvsdeltaiglc, a ft lvs mutant that fails to escape from the phagosome, displayed greatly increased expression of a subset of tlr2-dependent, proinflammatory genes (e.g., tnf) but ...200818453609
francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis schu s4 disulfide bond formation protein b, but not an rnd-type efflux pump, is required for virulence.francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis is a highly virulent bacterium that is a cdc select agent. despite advancements in the understanding of its biology, details pertaining to virulence are poorly understood. in previous work, we identified a transposon insertion mutant in the ftt0107c locus that was defective in intracellular survival in hepg2 and j77a.1 cells. here, we report that this mutant was also highly attenuated in vivo. the ftt0107c locus is predicted to encode an ortholog of the d ...200818458069
seroprevalence study of francisella tularensis among hunters in germany.in 2005 and 2006, francisella tularensis unexpectedly reemerged in western germany, when several semi-free-living marmosets (callithrix jacchus) in a research facility died from tularemia and a group of hare hunters became infected. it is believed that hunters may have an elevated risk to be exposed to zoonotic pathogens, including f. tularensis. a previous cross-sectional study of the german population (n=6883) revealed a prevalence of 0.2%. here, we investigated 286 sera from individuals mainl ...200818462387
the francisella pathogenicity island protein pdpd is required for full virulence and associates with homologues of the type vi secretion system.francisella tularensis is a highly infectious, facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that is the causative agent of tularemia. nearly a century ago, researchers observed that tularemia was often fatal in north america but almost never fatal in europe and asia. the chromosomes of f. tularensis strains carry two identical copies of the francisella pathogenicity island (fpi), and the fpis of north america-specific biotypes contain two genes, anmk and pdpd, that are not found in biotypes that ...200818469101
mgla and igl proteins contribute to the modulation of francisella tularensis live vaccine strain-containing phagosomes in murine macrophages.the francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs), in contrast to its iglc mutant, replicates in the cytoplasm of macrophages. we studied the outcome of infection of the murine macrophagelike cell line j774a.1 with lvs and with iglc, igld, and mgla mutants, the latter of which is deficient in a global regulator. compared to lvs, all of the mutants showed impaired intracellular replication up to 72 h, and the number of the mgla mutant bacteria even decreased. colocalization with lamp-1 was sig ...200818474647
occurrence of francisella piscicida in farmed and wild atlantic cod, gadus morhua l., in norway.francisellosis, caused by the bacterium francisella piscicida, has become one of the most serious diseases in atlantic cod production in norway. the major aim of this study was to determine the distribution of f. piscicida in farmed and wild fish in areas with cod farming along the norwegian coast, and its occurrence in cod from areas without cod farming. two real-time pcr assays, targeting the 16s rrna gene and the fopa gene of f. piscicida, were developed since sensitive and specific diagnosti ...200818482383
combined deletion of four francisella novicida acid phosphatases attenuates virulence and macrophage vacuolar escape.francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular pathogen and the etiologic agent of tularemia. it is capable of escape from macrophage phagosomes and replicates in the host cell cytosol. bacterial acid phosphatases are thought to play a major role in the virulence and intracellular survival of a number of intracellular pathogens. the goal of this study was to delete the four primary acid phosphatases (acps) from francisella novicida and examine the interactions of mutant strains with macro ...200818490464
administration of a synthetic tlr4 agonist protects mice from pneumonic tularemia.francisella tularensis is a gram-negative intracellular pathogen that causes the zoonosis tularemia. because f. tularensis lps causes weak tlr4 activation, we hypothesized that administration of a synthetic tlr4 agonist, aminoalkyl glucosaminide phosphate (agp), would boost the innate immune system and compensate for reduced tlr4 stimulation. intranasal administration of agps induced intrapulmonary production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. mice treated with agps before and after in ...200818490759
[bubonic tularemia: diagnosis and therapy]. 200818491581
tularemia with vesicular skin lesions may be mistaken for infection with herpes viruses.the original reports of human infection with francisella tularensis noted vesicular skin rash as a manifestation. we present 2 cases of tularemia initially diagnosed as herpes simplex or varicella zoster infection. clinicians must recognize the cutaneous manifestations of tularemia and be able to distinguish these from lesions seen with herpes viruses.200818491968
isolation and characterization of a novel francisella sp. from human cerebrospinal fluid and blood.we describe the isolation of a francisella sp. from normally sterile sites in acutely ill patients in two different states within 2 years. microbiologic and molecular analyses indicate that this organism represents a novel francisella sp. clinicians and microbiologists should be aware of this new potential pathogen, as infection may be more common than recognized.200818495864
characteristics of the turkish isolates of francisella tularensis.in this study, cultures of patients with tularemia were evaluated, and antimicrobial susceptibilities of two francisella tularensis strains were tested by disk diffusion and e-test methods. a high-resolution multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (mlva) comprising six variable-number tandem repeat loci was applied to elucidate the genetic relatedness among turkish and bulgarian isolates which were isolated in a recent outbreak. the patients were diagnosed in two outbreaks in two c ...200818503176
native outer membrane proteins protect mice against pulmonary challenge with virulent type a francisella tularensis.francisella tularensis is a gram-negative intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of the zoonotic disease tularemia. f. tularensis is a category a select agent and thus a potential agent of bioterrorism. whereas an f. tularensis live, attenuated vaccine strain (lvs) is the basis of an investigational vaccine, this vaccine is not licensed for human use because of efficacy and safety concerns. in the present study, we immunized mice with isolated native outer membrane proteins (omps), etha ...200818505805
microfluidic-based cell sorting of francisella tularensis infected macrophages using optical forces.we have extended the principle of optical tweezers as a noninvasive technique to actively sort hydrodynamically focused cells based on their fluorescence signal in a microfluidic device. this micro fluorescence-activated cell sorter (microfacs) uses an infrared laser to laterally deflect cells into a collection channel. green-labeled macrophages were sorted from a 40/60 ratio mixture at a throughput of 22 cells/s over 30 min achieving a 93% sorting purity and a 60% recovery yield. to rule out po ...200818510341
francisella gains a survival advantage within mononuclear phagocytes by suppressing the host ifngamma response.tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-negative intracellular pathogen francisella tularensis. these bacteria evade phagolysosomal fusion, escape from the phagosome and replicate in the host cell cytoplasm. ifngamma has been shown to suppress the intra-macrophage growth of francisella through both nitric oxide-dependent and -independent pathways. since francisella is known to subvert host immune responses, we hypothesized that this pathogen could interfere with ifngamma signaling. he ...200818514317
francisella targets cholesterol-rich host cell membrane domains for entry into macrophages.francisella tularensis is a pathogen optimally adapted to efficiently invade its respective host cell and to proliferate intracellularly. we investigated the role of host cell membrane microdomains in the entry of f. tularensis subspecies holarctica vaccine strain (f. tularensis live vaccine strain) into murine macrophages. f. tularensis live vaccine strain recruits cholesterol-rich lipid domains ("lipid rafts") with caveolin-1 for successful entry into macrophages. interference with lipid rafts ...200818523292
interaction of b cells with intracellular pathogen francisella tularensis.immunity to francisella tularensis is largely mediated by t lymphocytes but an important role of b lymphocytes in early stage of infection was previously uncovered. we wanted to find out if f. tularensis is able to infect b cells and/or influence them by direct contact. to investigate this possibility we infected b cell lines from mouse (a20) or humans (ramos ra-1), or primary mouse spleen cells, with f. tularensis lvs and f. tularensis fsc200 in vitro. in all cases, we detected bacteria on the ...200818524531
inhalation of francisella novicida delta mgla causes replicative infection that elicits innate and adaptive responses but is not protective against invasive pneumonic tularemia.francisella tularensis causes the zoonosis tularemia in humans, and inhaled f. tularensis ssp. novicida induces lethal murine tularemia. transcription of virulence factors in f. novicida is regulated by macrophage growth locus a (mgla), a global regulator required for bacterial replication in macrophages in vitro. we examined the infectivity and immunogenicity of attenuated f. novicida delta mgla in the lung in vivo. aerosolized delta mgla caused replicative pulmonary infection that peaked at 7 ...200818539500
fsle is necessary for siderophore-mediated iron acquisition in francisella tularensis schu s4.strains of francisella tularensis secrete a siderophore in response to iron limitation. siderophore production is dependent on fsla, the first gene in an operon that appears to encode biosynthetic and export functions for the siderophore. transcription of the operon is induced under conditions of iron limitation. the fsl genes lie adjacent to the fur homolog on the chromosome, and there is a canonical fur box sequence in the promoter region of fsla. we generated a deltafur mutant of the schu s4 ...200818539739
borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, anaplasma phagocytophilum, francisella tularensis and their co-infections in host-seeking ixodes ricinus ticks collected in serbia.to evaluate the prevalence rate of tick-borne bacterial pathogens, unfed adult ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from vegetation in 2001, 2003, and 2004 at 18 localities throughout serbia. a total of 287 ticks were examined by pcr technique for the presence of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, anaplasma phagocytophilum, and francisella tularensis. the highest prevalence rate was that for b. burgdorferi sensu lato (42.5%), followed by a. phagocytophilum (13.9%) and f. tularensis (3.8%). the pres ...200818551370
pericardial effusion as the only manifestation of infection with francisella tularensis: a case report.francisella tularensis, a facultative intracellular gram-negative bacterium, has rarely been reported as an agent of pericarditis, generally described as a complication of tularemia sepsis. f. tularensis is a fastidious organism that grows poorly on standard culture media and diagnosis is usually based on serological tests. however, cross-reactions may occur. western blotting allows the correct diagnosis.200818554395
[phagocytic functional and metabolic activities in the interaction with f. tularensis subspecies of various virulence].there is evidence that the facultatively intracellular pathogen affects the functional capacity of phagocytes, which is associated with their bactericidal against a tularemic microbe with varying phenotypic properties. the tularemic microbe of the subspecies francisella subsp. tularensis and f. tularensis subsp. mediaasiatica is shown to influence the phagocytic capacity of immunocompetent cells, resulting in incomplete phagocytosis. this is corroborated by the lower functional activity of neutr ...200818557359
genetic diversity of francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica strains isolated in japan.the recently developed mlva has high discriminatory power for the typing of individual strains or isolates of francisella tularensis. in the present study, mlva was applied to 33 japanese f. tularensis subspecies holarctica strains to examine the genetic diversity of f. tularensis isolated. among the seven vntr loci analyzed, ft-m2, ft-m10, and ft-m20 loci showed high genetic polymorphism in japanese strains, whereas ft-m3 was most variable in non-japanese strains. these results provide novel ex ...200818557897
application of carbohydrate microarray technology for the detection of burkholderia pseudomallei, bacillus anthracis and francisella tularensis antibodies.we developed a microarray platform by immobilizing bacterial 'signature' carbohydrates onto epoxide modified glass slides. the carbohydrate microarray platform was probed with sera from non-melioidosis and melioidosis (burkholderia pseudomallei) individuals. the platform was also probed with sera from rabbits vaccinated with bacillus anthracis spores and francisella tularensis bacteria. by employing this microarray platform, we were able to detect and differentiate b. pseudomallei, b. anthracis ...200818558401
identification of fevr, a novel regulator of virulence gene expression in francisella novicida.francisella tularensis infects wild animals and humans to cause tularemia. this pathogen targets the cytosol of macrophages, where it replicates using the genes in the francisella pathogenicity island (fpi). virulence gene regulation in francisella is complex, but transcriptional regulators mgla and sspa have been shown to regulate the expression of approximately 100 genes, including the entire fpi. we utilized a francisella novicida transposon mutant library to identify additional regulatory fa ...200818559431
kinetics of the immune response associated with tularemia: comparison of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a tube agglutination test, and a novel whole-blood lymphocyte stimulation test.we have developed and evaluated a novel and simplified whole-blood lymphocyte stimulation assay that focuses on the measurement of gamma interferon after 24 h of stimulation with whole-cell tularemia antigen and a tularemia enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) based on highly purified lipopolysaccharide antigen. comparison of the kinetics of the two assays and those of the traditional tube agglutination test shows that the cellular immune response can be detected earlier by the lymphocyte s ...200818562568
characterization of fig operon mutants of francisella novicida u112.francisella species secrete a polycarboxylate siderophore that resembles rhizoferrin to acquire ferric iron. several of the francisella siderophore synthesis genes are contained in a fur-regulated operon (designated fig or fsl) comprised of at least seven orfs including fur. reverse transcriptase-pcr showed transcriptional linkage between figd and fige and between fige and figf. mutations were constructed in four of these orfs (figb, figc, figd, and fige) in francisella novicida u112. all four o ...200818564336
multiplex pathogen detection based on spatially addressable microarrays of barcoded resins.suspension microsphere immunoassays are rapidly gaining recognition in antigen identification and infectious disease biodetection due to their simplicity, versatility and high-throughput multiplex screening. we demonstrate a multiplex assay based on antibody-functionalized barcoded resins (bcrs) to identify pathogen antigens in complex biological fluids. the binding event of a particular antibody on given bead (fluorescence) and the identification of the specific pathogen agent (vibrational fing ...200818566958
diverse myeloid and lymphoid cell subpopulations produce gamma interferon during early innate immune responses to francisella tularensis live vaccine strain.francisella tularensis, a small gram-negative intracellular bacterium responsible for causing tularemia, is highly pathogenic and classified as a category a agent of bioterrorism. as for other intracellular pathogens, successful protective immune responses to francisella tularensis require rapid and efficient induction of gamma interferon (ifn-gamma) production. studies using intracellular bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes as well as francisella suggest that natural killer (nk) and t cells ...200818573901
a francisella tularensis schu s4 purine auxotroph is highly attenuated in mice but offers limited protection against homologous intranasal challenge.francisella tularensis is a gram-negative coccobacillus that causes the febrile illness tularemia. subspecies that are pathogenic for humans include those comprising the type a (subspecies tularensis) or type b (subspecies holarctica) biovars. an attenuated live vaccine strain (lvs) developed from a type b isolate has previously been used to vaccinate at-risk individuals, but offers limited protection against high dose (>1000 cfus) challenge with type a strains delivered by the respiratory route ...200818575611
mast cells inhibit intramacrophage francisella tularensis replication via contact and secreted products including il-4.francisella tularensis is an intracellular, gram-negative bacterium that is the causative agent of pulmonary tularemia. the pathogenesis and mechanisms related to innate resistance against f. tularensis are not completely understood. mast cells are strategically positioned within mucosal tissues, the major interface with the external environment, to initiate innate responses at the site of infection. mast cell numbers in the cervical lymph nodes and the lungs progressively increased as early as ...200818591675
outsmarting the host: bacteria modulating the immune response.pathogenic bacteria and their hosts have had a two-way conversation for millions of years. this interaction has led to many measure/counter-measure responses by the host and bacteria. the host immune response has developed many mechanisms to neutralize and remove pathogen bacteria. in turn pathogenic bacteria have developed mechanisms to alter and evade the host immune response. we will review some of the mechanisms utilized by bacteria to accomplish this goal. we will also examine the current s ...200818592144
the membrane form of tumor necrosis factor is sufficient to mediate partial innate immunity to francisella tularensis live vaccine strain.here we characterize francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs) infection in total tumor necrosis factor (tnf) knockout (ko) mice and in transgenic mice expressing only the membrane form of tnf (memtnf). memtnf mice, but not tnf ko mice, survived low-dose, sublethal lvs infections. splenic nitric oxide production was impaired in infected memtnf mice and was absent in infected tnf ko mice. spleen cell production of interferon-gamma, rantes, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 was elevated in ...200818593295
characterization of the francisella tularensis subsp. novicida type iv pilus.francisella tularensis causes the disease tularaemia. type iv pili (tfp) genes are present in the genomes of all f. tularensis subspecies. we show that the wild-type f. tularensis subsp. novicida expresses pilus fibres on its surface, and mutations in the tfp genes pilf and pilt disrupt pilus biogenesis. mutations in other tfp genes (pilq and pilg) do not eliminate pilus expression. a mutation in pile4 eliminates pilus expression, whereas mutations in the other pilin subunits pile1-3 and pile5 d ...200818599841
tularemia in range sheep: an overlooked syndrome?abortion and death caused by francisella tularensis were well recognized in range flocks of domestic sheep in idaho, montana, and wyoming in the first 6 decades of the 20th century. the current report describes 4 episodes of tularemia in 3 range flocks in wyoming and south dakota in 1997 and 2007 (1 flock was affected twice). flock owners reported that ticks were unusually numerous and commonly present on sheep during outbreaks. tularemia presented as late-term abortions (3 episodes) or listless ...200818599860
combating the threat of anthrax: a quantitative structure-activity relationship approach.bacterial agents or products more likely to be used as biological weapons of mass destruction are bacillus anthracis, francisella tularensis, yersinia pestis, and the neurotoxin of clostridium botulinum. anthrax is an acute infectious disease with a high mortality rate caused by bacillus anthracis, reinforcing the need for better adjunctive therapy and prevention strategies. in this paper, we developed 7 qsar models on penicillin-based inhibitors of the class a and b beta-lactamases from b. anth ...200818611038
generation and characterization of an attenuated mutant in a response regulator gene of francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs).francisella tularensis is a zoonotic bacterium that must exist in diverse environments ranging from arthropod vectors to mammalian hosts. to better understand how virulence genes are regulated in these different environments, a transcriptional response regulator gene (genome locus ftl0552) was deleted in f. tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs). the ftl0552 deletion mutant exhibited slightly reduced rates of extracellular growth but was unable to replicate or survive in mouse macrophages and was ...200818613792
neisseria meningitidis porb, a toll-like receptor 2 ligand, improves the capacity of francisella tularensis lipopolysaccharide to protect mice against experimental tularemia.francisella tularensis causes severe pneumonia that can be fatal if it is left untreated. due to its potential use as a biological weapon, research is being conducted to develop an effective vaccine and to select and study adjuvant molecules able to generate a better and long-lasting protective effect. porb, a porin from neisseria meningitidis, is a well-established toll-like receptor 2 ligand and has been shown to be a promising vaccine adjuvant candidate due to its ability to enhance the t-cel ...200818614668
a bioinformatic approach to understanding antibiotic resistance in intracellular bacteria through whole genome analysis.intracellular bacteria survive within eukaryotic host cells and are difficult to kill with certain antibiotics. as a result, antibiotic resistance in intracellular bacteria is becoming commonplace in healthcare institutions. owing to the lack of methods available for transforming these bacteria, we evaluated the mechanisms of resistance using molecular methods and in silico genome analysis. the objective of this review was to understand the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance through i ...200818619818
francisella tularensis: unravelling the secrets of an intracellular pathogen.francisella tularensis has been recognized as the causative agent of tularaemia for almost a century. since its discovery in 1911, it has been shown to infect a wide range of hosts, including humans. as early as the 1920s it was suggested to be an intracellular pathogen, but it has proven to be an enigmatic organism, whose interaction with the host has been difficult to elucidate, and we still have a very limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms of virulence. however, the recent availab ...200818628490
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