Publications

multiplexed detection of pathogen dna with dna-based fluorescence nanobarcodes.	rapid, multiplexed, sensitive and specific molecular detection is of great demand in gene profiling, drug screening, clinical diagnostics and environmental analysis. one of the major challenges in multiplexed analysis is to identify each specific reaction with a distinct label or 'code'. two encoding strategies are currently used: positional encoding, in which every potential reaction is preassigned a particular position on a solid-phase support such as a dna microarray, and reaction encoding, w ...	2005	15951805
chips and snps, bugs and thugs: a molecular sleuthing perspective.	recent events both here and abroad have focused attention on the need for ensuring a safe and secure food supply. although much has been written about the potential of particular select agents in bioterrorism, we must consider seriously the more mundane pathogens, especially those that have been implicated previously in foodborne outbreaks of human disease, as possible agents of bioterrorism. given their evolutionary history, the enteric pathogens are more diverse than agents such as bacillus an ...	2005	15954721
the complete genome sequence of francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia.	francisella tularensis is one of the most infectious human pathogens known. in the past, both the former soviet union and the us had programs to develop weapons containing the bacterium. we report the complete genome sequence of a highly virulent isolate of f. tularensis (1,892,819 bp). the sequence uncovers previously uncharacterized genes encoding type iv pili, a surface polysaccharide and iron-acquisition systems. several virulence-associated genes were located in a putative pathogenicity isl ...	2005	15640799
tularemia associated with a hamster bite--colorado, 2004.	in april 2004, the colorado department of public health and environment (cdphe) was notified about a boy aged 3 years with diagnosed tularemia associated with a hamster bite. tularemia has not been associated previously with pet hamsters. cdphe conducted an investigation to determine whether other owners of hamsters were at risk. clinicians and public health officials should be aware that pet hamsters are a potential source of tularemia.	2005	15635290
the phagosomal transporter a couples threonine acquisition to differentiation and replication of legionella pneumophila in macrophages.	differentiation in response to environmental cues is integral to the success of many intracellular pathogens. by characterizing a legionella pneumophila mutant defective for differentiation in broth and replication in macrophages, we identified a subfamily of major facilitator superfamily transporters, here named pht (phagosomal transporter), that also is conserved in two other vacuolar pathogens, coxiella burnetii and francisella tularensis. biolog phenotype microarray analysis indicated that p ...	2005	15998735
[possible mechanisms of implementation of toxic potential of lipopolysaccharides of pathogenic bacteria].	the significance of variability of biological properties of lipopolysaccharides (lps) is discussed in the paper within the pathogenesis of infectious process. on the basis of an analysis of published data and of results of independent research of two microorganisms (yersinia pestis and francisella tularensis) a conclusion is made on that a biologically inert lps form (with a weak cytokine-inducing ability, apirogenicity and non-toxicity etc.) is typical of highly pathogenic bacteria. it is sugge ...	2005	15954469
the francisella tularensis pathogenicity island protein iglc and its regulator mgla are essential for modulating phagosome biogenesis and subsequent bacterial escape into the cytoplasm.	the francisella tularensis subsp. novicida-containing phagosome (fcp) matures into a late endosome-like stage that acquires the late endosomal marker lamp-2 but does not fuse to lysosomes, for the first few hours after bacterial entry. this modulation in phagosome biogenesis is followed by disruption of the phagosome and bacterial escape into the cytoplasm where they replicate. here we examined the role of the francisella pathogenicity island (fpi) protein iglc and its regulator mgla in the intr ...	2005	15953029
modulation of biogenesis of the francisella tularensis subsp. novicida-containing phagosome in quiescent human macrophages and its maturation into a phagolysosome upon activation by ifn-gamma.	francisella tularensis is a highly virulent facultative intracellular pathogen that has been categorized as a class a bioterrorism agent, and is classified into four subsp, tularensis, holarctica, mediasiatica and novicida. although the ability of f. tularensis subsp. novicida to cause tularemia in mice is similar to the virulent subsp. tularensis and holarctica, it is attenuated in humans. it is not known whether attenuation of f. tularensis subsp. novicida in humans is resulting from a differe ...	2005	15953028
structural analysis of the o-antigen of francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis strain osu 10.		2005	15947437
crystallization of acpa, a respiratory burst-inhibiting acid phosphatase from francisella tularensis.	francisella tularensis is a highly infectious bacterial pathogen that is classified as a category a pathogen by the centers for disease control and prevention. here, we report crystallization of a recombinant form of f. tularensis acpa, a unique and highly expressed acid phosphatase that is thought to play a role in intracellular survival by inhibiting the host respiratory burst. three crystal forms have been obtained, with form iii being the most suitable for high-resolution structure determina ...	2005	15935744
a multiplex polymerase chain reaction microarray assay to detect bioterror pathogens in blood.	heightened concern about the dangers of bioterrorism requires that measures be developed to ensure the safety of the blood supply. multiplex detection of such agents using a blood-screening dna microarray is a sensitive and specific method to screen simultaneously for a number of suspected agents. we have developed and optimized a multiplex polymerase chain reaction microarray assay to screen blood for three potential bioterror bacterial pathogens and a human ribosomal rna gene internal control. ...	2005	16237218
francisella tularensis in the united states.	the causative agent of tularemia, francisella tularensis, is a formidable biologic agent that occurs naturally throughout north america. we examined genetic and spatial diversity patterns among 161 us f. tularensis isolates by using a 24-marker multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (mlva) system. mlva identified 126 unique genotypes. phylogenetic analyses showed patterns similar to recently reported global-scale analyses. we observed clustering by subspecies, low genetic diversit ...	2005	16485467
proteomic analysis of anti-francisella tularensis lvs antibody response in murine model of tularemia.	francisella tularensis live vaccine strain infection of mice has been established as an experimental model of tularemia that is suitable for studies of immune mechanisms against the intracellular pathogen. in this study, the model was used to explore immunogenic repertoire of f. tularensis with the aim of identifying new molecules able to activate the host immune system, potential bacterial markers with vaccine, and diagnostic applications. immunoproteomic approach based on the combination of tw ...	2005	15892173
[incidence of zoonoses in petting zoos and evaluation of hygiene measures to prevent the transmission to humans].	in summer 2003, a study was performed in thirty swiss petting zoos with the objective to determine the prevalence of zoonotic agents, and to describe hygiene measures implemented to reduce the risk of human infection. fecal samples from different animal species were collected from the floor of pens to determine the prevalence of salmonella spp., campylobacter spp., verocytotoxin producing e. coli/ vtec and francisella tularensis. a questionnaire on hygiene measures, number of animals per species ...	2005	16398191
[tularemia].		2005	16209241
tularemia in a kidney transplant recipient: an unsuspected case and literature review.	tularemia is a zoonotic infection that has rarely been reported in transplant recipients. the authors present a case of unsuspected tularemia in a kidney transplant patient that was diagnosed by isolation of francisella tularensis in the blood. the patient was treated successfully with antibiotics. during diagnostic workup, a laboratory technician was exposed to tularemia by inhalation of the culture plate and received postexposure prophylaxis. this report emphasizes the importance of exposure h ...	2005	15861359
[rickettsia helvetica: an emerging tick-borne pathogen in hungary and europe].	rickettsia helvetica belonging to spotted fever group rickettsiae was recently detected by polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing in european sheep ticks (ixodes ricinus) from hungary. current knowledge on these rickettsiae and the clinical and diagnostic aspects of r. helvetica infection is summarized. in acute cases, r. helvetica is generally responsible for flu-like symptoms. nevertheless, recent data indicate that in chronic cases, these rickettsiae can be responsible for perimyoca ...	2005	16440500
[tularemia. the disease and its epidemiology in france].	this study had for aim to determine whether the epidemiologic features of animal and human tularemia observed in france could explain its re-emergence since 1993.	2005	15878815
serologic survey of select infectious diseases in coyotes and raccoons in nebraska.	to obtain data about select zoonotic and other infectious diseases in free-ranging predators in five ecoregions in nebraska, sera were collected from 67 coyotes (canis latrans) and 63 raccoons (procyon lotor) from november 2002 through january 2003. for coyotes, antibodies were detected against canine distemper virus (cdv, 61%), francisella tularensis (32%), rickettsia rickettsi (13%), and flaviviruses (48%). none of the coyote sera had antibodies to borrelia burgdorferi, brucella canis, or six ...	2005	16456169
innate immunity against francisella tularensis is dependent on the asc/caspase-1 axis.	francisella tularensis is a highly infectious gram-negative coccobacillus that causes the zoonosis tularemia. this bacterial pathogen causes a plague-like disease in humans after exposure to as few as 10 cells. many of the mechanisms by which the innate immune system fights francisella are unknown. here we show that wild-type francisella, which reach the cytosol, but not francisella mutants that remain localized to the vacuole, induced a host defense response in macrophages, which is dependent o ...	2005	16230474
[the interaction of dynamic speckles with suspensions of gram-negative cells].	the role of temporal coherence at photodynamic action of light on living cells was investigated. a mathematical model describing the interaction of low-coherent speckles with bacterial cells was suggested and its parameters were determined based on experimental data. the interrelation between the life time of dynamic optical speckles and the degree of photodestruction of illuminated cells was established by computer simulations. the conditions were determined under which the photoinactivation of ...	2005	16248164
low dose aerosol infection of mice with virulent type a francisella tularensis induces severe thymus atrophy and cd4+cd8+ thymocyte depletion.	francisella tularensis is a gram-negative facultative intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of tularemia. two subspecies (type a and b strains) of the pathogen exist, the former being much more virulent than the latter for humans and other higher mammals. in this study, we examined the effect of virulent strains of f. tularensis infection on the thymus and thymocytes and the potential mechanisms involved. low-dose aerosol exposure of c57bl/6 mice with type a, but not type b, f. tularen ...	2005	16257504
a 12-case outbreak of pharyngeal plague following the consumption of camel meat, in north-eastern jordan.	between late january and early february 1997, an outbreak of plague, associated with cervical lymphadenopathy and fever, occurred in the jordanian village of azraq ad-druze, which lies about 50 km west of the border with saudi arabia. the 12 cases who presented at hospital were initially assumed to have tularaemia, and all were successfully treated with gentamicin. when, however, their sera were tested for evidence of yersinia pestis or francisella tularensis infection (using haemagglutination, ...	2005	16297292
francisella tularensis proteome: low levels of asb-14 facilitate the visualization of membrane proteins in total protein extracts.	proteomic analysis of bacterial pathogens isolated from in vivo sources, such as infected tissues, provides many challenges not the least of which is the limited quantity of sample available for analysis. it is, therefore, highly desirable to develop a one-step cellular lysis and protein solubilization method that minimizes protein losses and allows the maximum possible coverage of the proteome. here, we have used standard sample buffer constituents including urea, thiourea and dtt, but varied t ...	2005	16212441
[evaluation of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the serodiagnosis of tularemia].	the usefulness of the elisa using as antigen prepared in our laboratory supernatant obtained after centrifugation of sonicated f. tularensis cell suspension was compared with the tube agglutination test with commercial available antigen. paired serum specimens obtained from 6 patients with ulceroglandular syndrome of tularemia were tested in both tests. the cut-off limit of serum antibodies was set at mean antibody titre determined in the sera of 115 blood donors exceeded by three standard devia ...	2005	16773836
detection of diverse new francisella-like bacteria in environmental samples.	following detection of putative francisella species in aerosol samples from houston, texas, we surveyed soil and water samples from the area for the agent of tularemia, francisella tularensis, and related species. the initial survey used 16s rrna gene primers to detect francisella species and related organisms by pcr amplification of dna extracts from environmental samples. this analysis indicated that sequences related to francisella were present in one water and seven soil samples. this is the ...	2005	16151142
a new francisella (beggiatiales: francisellaceae) inquiline within dermacentor variabilis say (acari: ixodidae).	while estimating the prevalence of the dermacentor variabilis (say) symbiont (dvs) in dog ticks on martha's vineyard, ma, we identified dna that may represent a heretofore unrecognized francisella sp. polymerase chain reaction targeting a portion of the 16s rdna specific for dvs yielded an amplicon that was only 96.6% similar to that of dvs accessioned in genbank. phylogenetic analysis of the 16s and 23s rdna genes suggests the presence of a distinct bacterium closely related to the other endosy ...	2005	15962806
francisella tularensis enters macrophages via a novel process involving pseudopod loops.	intracellular bacterial pathogens employ a variety of strategies to invade their eukaryotic host cells. from an ultrastructural standpoint, the processes that bacteria employ to invade their host cells include conventional phagocytosis, coiling phagocytosis, and ruffling/triggered macropinocytosis. in this paper, we describe a novel process by which francisella tularensis, the agent of tularemia, enters host macrophages. f. tularensis is a remarkably infectious facultative intracellular bacteria ...	2005	16113308
antimicrobial susceptibilities of austrian francisella tularensis holarctica biovar ii strains.	the antibiotic susceptibilities of 50 francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica biovar ii strains isolated from hares and human patients from the eastern part of austria were examined. minimum inhibitory concentrations (mics) of 24 antimicrobial agents were determined using eteststrade mark on cysteine heart agar plates supplemented with 10% sheep blood. all isolates were sensitive to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, quinolones, chloramphenicol and rifampicin. resistance was observed in all isolat ...	2005	16143497
natural killer and cd8 t cells dominate the response by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to inactivated francisella tularensis live vaccine strain.	francisella tularensis is a category a biothreat agent, and as a result, it has recently generated much research interest. f. tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs) is an attenuated form of the virulent f. tularensis organism and has previously been used as a vaccine. however, because of safety concerns, it is no longer approved for this purpose. thus, the use of inactivated organisms is preferable for vaccine purposes. although many studies have been performed that examine human peripheral blood ...	2005	16386645
diagnostic procedures in tularaemia with special focus on molecular and immunological techniques.	tularaemia is a severe bacterial zoonosis caused by the highly infectious agent francisella tularensis. it is endemic in countries of the northern hemisphere ranging from north america to europe, asia and japan. very recently, francisella-like strains causing disease in humans were described from tropical northern australia. in the last decade, efforts have been made to develop sensitive and specific immunological and molecular techniques for the laboratory diagnosis of tularaemia and also for t ...	2005	16219088
francisella tularensis live vaccine strain: proteomic analysis of membrane proteins enriched fraction.	proteome analysis of gram-negative facultative intracellular pathogen francisella tularensis (f. tularensis) live vaccine strain has been performed only on whole-cell extracts so far. this is the first study dealing with the analysis of the membrane subproteome of this microorganism. a fraction enriched in membrane proteins obtained by carbonate extraction was separated using two-dimensional electrophoresis and all visualized spots were identified by mass spectrometry. the reference map is the b ...	2005	15937965
francisella philomiragia adenitis and pulmonary nodules in a child with chronic granulomatous disease.	francisella philomiragia is a rare and opportunistic pathogen capable of producing invasive infection in patients with compromised neutrophil function and in patients that have survived a near-drowning. a case of f philomiragia adenitis and lung nodules, refractory to cephalosporin therapy, is reported in a 10-year-old boy with chronic granulomatous disease following a facial abrasion from a saltwater crab. to the authors' knowledge, this is the first canadian clinical isolate to be reported. ge ...	2005	18159552
early activation of nk cells after lung infection with the intracellular bacterium, francisella tularensis lvs.	francisella tularensis is a gram-negative intracellular bacterium that has been classified as a category a biothreat because of its ability to induce deadly pneumonic tularemia when inhaled. in the present study, an experimental model of f. tularensis lvs intranasal infection was used to study the immune cells involved in cytokine secretion in the lungs after infection. dramatic increases in the numbers of cells secreting ifn-gamma were observed 72 h after intranasal infection of balb/c and c57b ...	2004	15922718
a multiplexed pcr-coupled liquid bead array for the simultaneous detection of four biothreat agents.	we have developed a 10-plexed pcr assay coupled to a 12-plexed liquid bead array to rapidly screen environmental samples for b. anthracis, y. pestis, f. tularensis, and b. melitensis. highly validated species-specific primer sets were used to simultaneously amplify multiple diagnostic regions unique to each individual pathogen. resolution of the mix of amplified products was achieved by pcr product hybridization to corresponding probe sequences, attached to unique sets of fluorescent beads. the ...	2004	15680215
the development of tools for diagnosis of tularemia and typing of francisella tularensis.	rapid development of molecular techniques for the diagnosis of infections and typing of microbes has been seen during the last 10 years. the present review exemplifies this development by presenting the work of the authors and others regarding techniques for the diagnosis of tularemia and typing of francisella tularensis. the lack of rapid and safe methods for the laboratory diagnosis of tularemia was the rationale behind the development of methods for the direct detection of f. tularensis in cl ...	2004	15638842
use of transposon-transposase complexes to create stable insertion mutant strains of francisella tularensis lvs.	francisella tularensis is a highly virulent zoonotic bacterial pathogen capable of infecting numerous different mammalian species, including humans. elucidation of the pathogenic mechanisms of f. tularensis has been hampered by a lack of tools to genetically manipulate this organism. herein we describe the use of transposome complexes to create insertion mutations in the chromosome of the f. tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs). a tn5-derived transposon encoding kanamycin resistance and lacking ...	2004	15528561
genotypic diversity of francisella tularensis infecting dermacentor variabilis ticks on martha's vineyard, massachusetts.	martha's vineyard, mass., has been the site of two outbreaks of tularemia (1978 and 2000). although most patients from both outbreaks presented with pneumonic disease and although aerosol transmission has been suggested, the bite of a dog tick and exposure to rabbits remain the only proven modes of transmission. the factors that precipitated the tularemia outbreaks or the proximal determinants of human risk remain undescribed. we sought to test the hypothesis that the ongoing outbreak is due to ...	2004	15528681
construction and characterization of a highly efficient francisella shuttle plasmid.	francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular pathogen that infects a wide variety of mammals and causes tularemia in humans. it is recognized as a potential agent of bioterrorism due to its low infectious dose and multiple routes of transmission. to date, genetic manipulation in francisella spp. has been limited due to the inefficiency of dna transformation, the relative lack of useful selective markers, and the lack of stably replicating plasmids. therefore, the goal of this study was ...	2004	15574954
broth microdilution susceptibility testing of francisella tularensis: quality control limits for nine antimicrobial agents and three standard quality control strains.	for broth microdilution susceptibility tests of francisella tularensis, mueller-hinton broth with 2% isovitalex is recommended. using that medium, we studied three standard control strains tested with nine antimicrobial agents potentially efficacious for treating tularemia. an eight-laboratory collaborative study generated the data needed to propose appropriate mic control limits.	2004	15583330
the bartonella henselae sucb gene encodes a dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase protein reactive with sera from patients with cat-scratch disease.	bartonella henselae is a recently recognized pathogenic bacterium associated with cat-scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis and bacillary peliosis. a recombinant clone expressing an immunoreactive antigen of b. henselae was isolated by screening a genomic dna cosmid library by western blotting with sera pooled from patients positive for b. henselae igg antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence (ifa). the deduced amino acid sequence of the 43.7 kda encoded protein was found to be 76.3 % identic ...	2004	15585501
variable presentation of the cause of lymphadenopathy in two children.		2004	15602207
[bite wound infections].	the lifetime risk of experiencing a bite wound, human or animal, is approximately 50%, and bite wounds account for approximately 1% of all visits to emergency departments. the majority of bite wounds are inflicted by dogs and cats.	2004	15608763
[tularemia from a cat bite].	we report the first case in norway of a man who developed ulceroglandular tularaemia following a cat bite. if after feline contact, patients develop skin and soft-tissue infections that fail to respond to therapy with penicillin, physicians should consider the possibility of tularaemia. our patient was successfully treated with ciprofloxacin, which is effective against francisella tularensis and most pathogens associated with feline infections. a greater awareness of infections following a cat b ...	2004	15608764
the influence of low-level sarin inhalation exposure on the host resistance and immune reaction of inbred balb/c mice after their infection with francisella tularensis lvs.	to study the influence of low-level sarin inhalation exposure on immune functions, inbred balb/c mice were exposed to two low concentrations of sarin for 60 minutes in the inhalation chamber and then infected with francisella tularensis lvs on the 7th day following the exposure to sarin. 24 hours after infection, the level of some isotypes of antibodies (igm, iga) against tularaemia was significantly decreased regardless of the sarin concentration used while the lymphoproliferation was significa ...	2004	15141973
serologic survey for selected disease agents in wolves (canis lupus) from alaska and the yukon territory, 1984-2000.	wolves (canis lupus) were captured in several geographic areas of alaska (usa) and the yukon territory (canada) during 1984-2000. blood was collected from 1,122 animals. sera were tested for antibodies against infectious canine hepatitis virus (ich), canine distemper virus (cdv), canine parvovirus (cpv), francisella tularensis, and serovars of leptospira interrogans. antibody prevalence for ich was >84% for all areas. area-specific prevalences of antibodies ranged from 12% to 70% for cpv, from 0 ...	2004	15650081
serologic survey for canine infectious diseases among sympatric swift foxes (vulpes velox) and coyotes (canis latrans) in southeastern colorado.	swift foxes (vulpes velox) and coyotes (canis latrans) are sympatric canids distributed throughout many regions of the great plains of north america. the prevalence of canid diseases among these two species where they occur sympatrically is presently unknown. from january 1997 to january 2001, we collected blood samples from 89 swift foxes and 122 coyotes on the us army piñon canyon maneuver site, las animas county, se colorado (usa). seroprevalence of antibodies against canine parvovirus (cpv) ...	2004	15650093
francisella tularensis peritonitis in stomach cancer patient.	tularemia with peritonitis developed in a 50-year-old man soon after diagnosis of stomach cancer with metastasis. the ascites grew francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica, which was identified by sequencing analysis of the 16s rdna. the infection resolved with antimicrobial treatment. antibodies detected 4 weeks after onset disappeared after chemotherapy-associated lymphopenia.	2004	15663872
biochemical characterisation of francisella tularensis strains isolated in spain.		2004	14758833
localized cutaneous infection with francisella tularensis resembling ulceroglandular tularemia in a cat.	a chronically draining subcutaneous mass was removed from the ventral cervical region of a 6-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat. the histopathologic diagnosis was severe locally extensive pyogranulomatous and necrotizing cellulitis. bacterial culture yielded francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis as the causative agent. immunohistochemical evaluation of sections for f. tularensis was negative. one year later, the cat was euthanized because of progressive lethargy found to be due to ...	2004	14974853
histologic and molecular diagnosis of tularemia: a potential bioterrorism agent endemic to north america.	francisella tularensis (ft), a zoonotic bacterium that causes tularemia, has received attention as a possible bioterrorism threat. we developed a pcr assay for use in fixed, processed tissues, which are safer to handle and allow archival testing. pcr analysis for a 211-bp fragment of the ft lipoprotein gene was performed on tissues from 16 cases of tularemia. in all, 14/15 cases with intact dna (93%) were positive for ft by pcr. frequent histologic findings in pcr-positive tissues included irreg ...	2004	15001997
an outbreak of tularemia in western black sea region of turkey.	the aim of this study was to investigate the source and the size of a tularemia outbreak in a village located in a non-endemic area. five patients from the same village were admitted to hospital with the same complaints all within one week of september 2001. tularemia was suspected and a diagnosis was made after physical and anamnesis examinations. the village was visited the same week that the patients were admitted to the hospital, in the january and april 2002. the villagers were examined and ...	2004	15004863
mgla regulates transcription of virulence factors necessary for francisella tularensis intraamoebae and intramacrophage survival.	francisella tularensis is able to survive and grow within macrophages, a trait that contributes to pathogenesis. several genes have been identified that are important for intramacrophage survival, including mgla and iglc. f. tularensis is also able to survive within amoebae. it is shown here that f. tularensis mgla and iglc mutant strains are not only defective for survival and replication within the macrophage-like cell line j774, but also within acanthamoebae castellanii. moreover, these strai ...	2004	15010524
francisella tularensis: possible agent in bioterrorism.	francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, is a highly infectious gram-negative coccobacillus. due to its high infectivity it is of major concern to public health officials as a possible biological weapon. although accidental exposure can occur through arthropod bites, handling infected animals, or breathing in aerosols, cases are usually isolated and contained. in the event of an intentional exposure such as in a bioterrorist attack, inhalation of aerosols can result in devastati ...	2004	15011979
characterization of the lipopolysaccharide o-antigen of francisella novicida (u112).	francisella novicida (u112), a close relative of the highly virulent bacterium f. tularensis, was shown to produce a lipopolysaccharide in which the antigenic o-polysaccharide component was found by chemical, 1h and 13c nmr and ms analyses to be an unbranched neutral linear polymer of a repeating tetrasaccharide unit composed of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-galacturonamide (d-galnacan) and 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-glucose (d-qui2nac4nac, di-n-acetylbacillosamine) residues (3:1) and had the stru ...	2004	15013402
[diagnostic suspension for detection of the infective agent of tularemia].	the matrix for obtaining silica-based diagnosticum was selected, its activation with surfactant was optimized and its immobilization with tularemia immunoglobulins was carried out. in the glass suspension agglutination test (sat) the sensitivity of the diagnosticum was 3.125 x 10(6) to 6.25 x 10(6) microbial cells per ml; the duration of sat, including the evaluation of its results, was 1-5 minutes.	2004	15024986
commentary: wherry wb, lamb bh. infection of man with bacterium tularense. j infect dis 1914; 15:331-40.		2004	15031803
in vitro susceptibility of field isolates of francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica recovered in spain to several antimicrobial agents.	forty-two recent (1997-1999) spanish isolates of francisella tularensis subsp.holarctica were tested in a broth microdilution method for their susceptibilities to 29 antimicrobial agents, including penicillins, cephalosporins, cephamicins, monobactams, penems, aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, macrolides, quinolones, chloramphenicol and fosfomycin. the isolates were resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics and susceptible to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and norfloxacin.	2004	15046952
an outbreak of francisella tularensis in captive prairie dogs: an immunohistochemical analysis.	an immunohistochemical assay was developed and tested for detection of francisella tularensis lipopolysaccaride antigen in tissues of captive prairie dogs (cynomys ludovicianus). tissues from 59 cases of f. tularensis were examined by this technique, which was corroborated by direct fluorescent antibody assay and direct isolation of the organism. in infected prairie dogs, studies indicated multiple, severe, necroprurulent foci occurring in the liver, lung, spleen, terminal ileum, and mandibular ...	2004	15053367
vaccines against biologic agents: uses and developments.	although the geneva protocol that prohibits the use of chemical and biologic weapons was ratified in 1925, many countries failed to accept this protocol: others stipulated retaliation, and some, like the united states, did not ratify the protocol for decades. this delay allowed the continued development of chemical and biologic agents. members of the health care community are responsible for determining the best way to protect society from the potentially devastating effects of these biologic ag ...	2004	15062232
problems in identification of francisella philomiragia associated with fatal bacteremia in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease.	francisella philomiragia is a rare gram-negative, halophilic coccobacillus with bizarre spherical forms on primary isolation. a case of f. philomiragia bacteremia in a 24-year-old patient with chronic granulomatous disease is reported. identification of f. philomiragia was problematic with conventional tests but was done correctly and rapidly by kit 16s ribosomal dna sequencing.	2004	15071065
microorganisms resistant to free-living amoebae.	free-living amoebae feed on bacteria, fungi, and algae. however, some microorganisms have evolved to become resistant to these protists. these amoeba-resistant microorganisms include established pathogens, such as cryptococcus neoformans, legionella spp., chlamydophila pneumoniae, mycobacterium avium, listeria monocytogenes, pseudomonas aeruginosa, and francisella tularensis, and emerging pathogens, such as bosea spp., simkania negevensis, parachlamydia acanthamoebae, and legionella-like amoebal ...	2004	15084508
[tularemia live vaccine as a modifier of tumorigenesis and carcinogenesis].		2004	15088516
[the use of tularemia live vaccine in clinical oncology].		2004	15088525
hemochromatosis and the enigma of misplaced iron: implications for infectious disease and survival.	the mystery surrounding the apparent lack of iron within the macrophages of individuals with hereditary hemochromatosis, a condition of excessive uptake of dietary iron, has yet to be fully explained. we have suggested that iron deficiency of macrophages in people with hereditary hemochromatosis mutations is associated with increased resistance to infection by yersinia and other intracellular pathogens, a selection pressure resulting in unusually high current population frequencies of hereditary ...	2004	15088940
a young man from nantucket.		2004	15101387
presence of pili on the surface of francisella tularensis.	francisella tularensis is a highly infectious gram-negative bacterium with potential for use as a bioweapon. analysis of the f. tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs) ultrastructure by electron microscopy revealed the presence of long, thin fibers, similar in appearance to type 4 pili. the highly virulent f. tularensis schu s4 strain was found to contain type 4 pilus genes, and we confirmed that these genes are present and expressed in the lvs.	2004	15102818
infection of man with bacterium tularense. 1914.		2004	15108712
laboratory analysis of tularemia in wild-trapped, commercially traded prairie dogs, texas, 2002.	oropharyngeal tularemia was identified as the cause of a die-off in captured wild prairie dogs at a commercial exotic animal facility in texas. from this point source, francisella tularensis-infected prairie dogs were traced to animals distributed to the czech republic and to a texas pet shop. f. tularensis culture isolates were recovered tissue specimens from 63 prairie dogs, including one each from the secondary distribution sites. molecular and biochemical subtyping indicated that all isolate ...	2004	15109407
first reported prairie dog-to-human tularemia transmission, texas, 2002.	a tularemia outbreak, caused by francisella tularensis type b, occurred among wild-caught, commercially traded prairie dogs. f. tularensis microagglutination titers in one exposed person indicated recent infection. these findings represent the first evidence for prairie-dog-to-human tularemia transmission and demonstrate potential human health risks of the exotic pet trade.	2004	15109417
susceptibility of immunodeficient mice to aerosol and systemic infection with virulent strains of francisella tularensis.	previous studies have shown that ifn-gamma, tnf-alpha and nos-2, but not b cells, are crucial for host defense against primary systemic infection with the attenuated live vaccine strain (lvs) of francisella tularensis. in this study, we examined the importance of these and additional immune components in host resistance against infection with virulent strains of f. tularensis initiated by systemic and airborne routes. wild-type (wt) mice and mice deficient in ifn-gamma, tnfr1r2, nos-2, or b cell ...	2004	15120157
[development of magnetic biosorbents and their application in microbial antigen immunoassays].	the feasibility of rendering erythrocytes magnetic and thereby creating magnetic biosorbents (mb ss) through room temperature exposure to 25-37% iron (ii) sulfate solution for 48 +/- 2 h, followed by exposure to 15-35% ammonia water solution for 48 +/- 2 h (with drying after each procedure) was demonstrated. the feasibility of immobilizing ligands on magnetic erythrocytes (me) and obtaining biological magnetic immunosorbents (bmiss) for further use in eias for plague and tularemia antigens was d ...	2004	15125202
identification of francisella tularensis using real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction.	a francisella tularensis-specific, taqman probe-based, real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assay required approximately 60 minutes and consistently achieved a sensitivity of < or = 10 fg of f. tularensis genomic dna (five genome equivalents). specificity testing against a genomic dna cross-reaction panel comprised of 22 bacterial organisms representing closely related species, diverse genera, and human genomic dna resulted in no false positives of significance. the assay was c ...	2004	15132239
susceptibility of various mouse strains to systemically- or aerosol-initiated tularemia by virulent type a francisella tularensis before and after immunization with the attenuated live vaccine strain of the pathogen.	the following study determined whether commonly available mouse strains could be used to reveal vaccines capable of protecting against aerosol exposure to virulent type a strains of francisella tularensis. the attenuated live vaccine strain (lvs) of the pathogen, f. tularensis lvs, was used as the model vaccine for these studies. the results showed that most mouse strains survived intradermal immunization with 10(5)cfu of lvs, except for a/j mice the majority of which died following exposure to ...	2004	15149767
molecular beacons for multiplex detection of four bacterial bioterrorism agents.		2004	15161722
[genotyping of the francisella tularensis strains isolated from natural foci of tularemia in the rostov region by multilocus vntr analysis].	on the basis of an analysis of the vntr alleles' distribution in 109 strains of f. tularensis it was established that 19 genotypes of the disease causative agent circulated in the rostov region from 1945 to 2002. the microbe-provoked infection episodes can be divided into polyclonal, monoclonal and cluster ones. a retrospective analysis of the genotypes' distribution is indicative of that strains of similar or of closely-related genotypes circulate simultaneously in the studied territory. all in ...	2004	15164717
vaccines against francisella tularensis--past, present and future.	francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen capable of causing a spectrum of human diseases collectively called tularemia. the pathogen is highly infectious and some strains can cause rapidly lethal infection especially when inhaled. the latter were developed as biological weapons in the past and nowadays cause concern as potential bioterrorism agents. a live attenuated strain of the pathogen was developed more that 40 years ago and remains the sole prophylactic meas ...	2004	15176947
characterisation of the core part of the lipopolysaccharide o-antigen of francisella novicida (u112).	francisella novicida (u112), a close relative of the highly virulent bacterium f. tularensis, is known to produce a lipopolysaccharide that is significantly different in biological properties from the lps of f. tularensis. here we present the results of the structural analysis of the f. novicida lps core part, which is found to be similar to that of f. tularensis, differing only by one additional alpha-glc residue:where r is an o-chain, linked via a beta-bacillosamine (2,4-diamino-2,4,6-trideoxy ...	2004	15183739
methods for enhanced culture recovery of francisella tularensis.	francisella tularensis is found in a wide variety of hosts and extrahost environments, making culture recovery a diagnostic challenge. here we demonstrate improved recovery times and good sensitivity (90%) when cultures were inoculated on the site of an investigation using fresh tissues. for contaminated specimens, antibiotic supplementation of enriched cysteine heart agar blood culture medium improved recovery of f. tularensis by 81.1%. for transport of tissues, immediate freezing yielded cultu ...	2004	15184180
[multilocus vntr-typing of francisella tularensis strains].	in the analysis of f. tularensis genome with the use of the specially developed program "dna" a great number of loci containing tandem repeats were found. for analysis, 3 of them were selected and designated as fta, ftb, ftc. the study of dna of 40 f. tularensis strains in the polymerase chain reaction with specific primers to these loci a great variability in the number of repeats was established, the presence of 17 alleles being found in locus fta, 5 alleles in locus ftb and 5 alleles in locus ...	2004	15188553
[experimental study on the possibility of using live tularemia vaccine to increase resistance to heterologous infection disease].	in experiments on guinea pigs immunized with francisella tularensis 15, or live tularemia vaccine (ltv), the level of heterologous protective effect to dangerous infectious diseases caused by yersinia pestis, burkholderia pseudomallei, b. mallei, mycobacterium tuberculosis was studied. the study revealed that during the first 4 weeks after the subcutaneous immunization with ltv the level of resistance of the immunized animals to heterologous infective agent reliably increased as indicated by the ...	2004	15188557
immunobiology of the tomatine adjuvant.	soluble or sub-unit protein vaccines alone are incapable of generating antigen-specific cellular immune responses. this failure can be attributed to the manner in which the immune system processes antigen; endogenous antigens are cycled through the mhc class i pathway to stimulate cd8+ restricted responses and exogenous antigens are processed through the mhc class ii pathway to generate humoral immunity. traditionally sub-unit vaccines have been formulated with adjuvants to enhance immunogenicit ...	2004	15193398
[francisella tularensis infection transmitted by prairie dog].	tularemia is a zoonosis caused by francisella tularensis; it mainly affects wild animals and only occasionally affects human beings. uncontrolled trade involving "exotic" animals could become a new route of acquisition. we report the case of a 3-year-old boy who contracted the disease through a bite from a prairie dog. outbreaks of tularemia have recently been described in some of these animals captured in texas (usa) and subsequently sold to other countries. infection due to yersinia pestis has ...	2004	15207172
protection afforded by heat shock protein 60 from francisella tularensis is due to copurified lipopolysaccharide.	heat shock proteins (hsps) have attracted significant attention as protective antigens against a range of diseases caused by bacterial pathogens. however, more recently there have been suggestions that the protective response is due to the presence of peptide components other than hsps. we have shown that mice that had been immunized with purified heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) isolated from francisella tularensis were protected against a subsequent challenge with some strains of the bacterium. h ...	2004	15213156
genome diversity among regional populations of francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis and francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica isolated from the us.	francisella tularensis is a highly infectious facultative intracellular pathogen that is considered a potential agent of bioterrorism. four different f. tularensis subspecies have been identified and they appear to display different ecological and virulence characteristics as well as differences in geographical distribution. one simple explanation for the variation in ecological and virulence characteristics is that they are conferred by differences in genome content. to characterize genome cont ...	2004	15268932
tularaemia in a captive golden-headed lion tamarin (leontopithecus chrysomelas) in switzerland.		2004	15285287
tularaemia in europe: an epidemiological overview.	tularaemia exists endemically in most european countries. in some areas, such as finland and sweden, outbreaks comprising hundreds of cases are recorded at least once a decade. in other areas, outbreaks of such a magnitude occur only occasionally, except in times of war. between outbreaks, the natural reservoir of the causative agent, francisella tularensis, is unknown. the organism replicates intracellularly in protozoans. an association of tularaemia to natural water may be of significance in ...	2004	15287379
[tick borne zoonosis: selected clinical and diagnostic aspects].	tick-borne zoonotic infections are among the most diffuse vector borne diseases: these large group of infections is caused by different microorganisms: babesia spp., borrelia spp., rickettsia spp., ehrlichia spp., francisella tularensis, coxiella burnetii) and tick-borne encephalitis virus. babesiosis is caused by the protozoa (sporozoa) babesia microti and it is quite rare in humans in europe. the ixodids ticks are the competent vectors. a few symptomatic cases have been reported, mainly in spl ...	2004	15305697
novel modification of lipid a of francisella tularensis.	we have investigated the lipid a of francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica strain 1547-57, a type b strain, by using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry, nanoelectrospray quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometry, and chemical methods. in accordance with the previously published structures of the lipid a from f. tularensis live vaccine strain (lvs) (atcc 29684) (e. vinogradov et al., eur. j. biochem. 269:6112-6118, 2002), all of the major lipid a forms from ...	2004	15322031
msba transporter-dependent lipid a 1-dephosphorylation on the periplasmic surface of the inner membrane: topography of francisella novicida lpxe expressed in escherichia coli.	the lipid a anchor of francisella tularensis lipopolysaccharide (lps) lacks both phosphate groups present in escherichia coli lipid a. membranes of francisella novicida (an environmental strain related to f. tularensis) contain enzymes that dephosphorylate lipid a and its precursors at the 1- and 4'-positions. we now report the cloning and characterization of a membrane-bound phosphatase of f. novicida that selectively dephosphorylates the 1-position. by transferring an f. novicida genomic dna l ...	2004	15339914
naturally occurring tularemia in a dog.	a 4-year-old spayed female irish setter was examined because of acute onset of lethargy, anorexia, and weakness. the dog had eaten an adult rabbit 36 hours earlier. tularemia was suspected because of the rabbit exposure; however, other common diseases characterized by fever, malaise, and lymphadenopathy of acute onset were also considered (ie, ehrlichiosis and rocky mountain spotted fever). the dog was treated with doxycycline (5 mg/kg [2.3 mg/lb], po, q 24 h) for 14 days as well as supportive t ...	2004	15344361
a francisella tularensis pathogenicity island required for intramacrophage growth.	francisella tularensis is a gram-negative, facultative intracellular pathogen that causes the highly infectious zoonotic disease tularemia. we have discovered a ca. 30-kb pathogenicity island of f. tularensis (fpi) that includes four large open reading frames (orfs) of 2.5 to 3.9 kb and 13 orfs of 1.5 kb or smaller. previously, two small genes located near the center of the fpi were shown to be needed for intramacrophage growth. in this work we show that two of the large orfs, located toward the ...	2004	15375123
identification of francisella tularensis genes encoding exported membrane-associated proteins using tnphoa mutagenesis of a genomic library.	francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, is a highly infectious pathogen of humans and animals, yet little is known about the surface proteins of this organism that mediate mechanisms of pathogenicity. lambdatnphoa was used to generate random alkaline phosphatase gene fusions in a f. tularensis subsp. tularensis (strain schu s4) genomic library to identify genes encoding exported extracytoplasmic proteins. eleven genes encoding membrane-associated proteins were identified by thi ...	2004	15458781
detection of staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin a and b genes with pcr-eia and a hand-held electrochemical sensor.	two electrochemical assays for detecting staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin a and b genes were developed. the assays are based on pcr amplification with biotinylated primers, hybridization to a fluorescein-labeled probe, and detection with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-fluorescein antibody using a hand-held electrochemical detector. the limit of detection (lod) for both assays was approximately 16 copies of the sea and seb genes. the assays were evaluated in blinded studies, each with 81 ...	2004	15488376
[screening for antibodies against zoonotic agents among employees of the zoological garden of vienna, schönbrunn, austria].	the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antibodies against zoonotic agents in employees of the zoological garden of vienna, schönbrunn, austria. sixty out of 120 employees participated in the study. in 97% of them antibodies to at least one zoonotic agent were identified. only two participants were free of antibodies to the zoonotic agents tested. the following seroprevalences (in brackets) were obtained: viral zoonotic (and potentially zoonotic) agents: influenzavirus a/h1n1 ...	2004	15495931
phylogenetic analysis of the francisella-like endosymbionts of dermacentor ticks.	bacterial endosymbionts with significant homology to francisella tularensis (gamma-proteobacteria) have been described from at least five species of ticks in three different genera, including two north american dermacentor species [d. andersoni stiles and d. variabilis (say)]. the evolutionary relationships among the francisella-like endosymbionts (fle) from different hosts and between fle and the arthropod-borne pathogen f. tularensis are not known. a 1,169-base fragment of the 16s rdna and a 7 ...	2004	15185926
virulent and avirulent strains of francisella tularensis prevent acidification and maturation of their phagosomes and escape into the cytoplasm in human macrophages.	francisella tularensis, the agent of tularemia, is an intracellular pathogen, but little is known about the compartment in which it resides in human macrophages. we have examined the interaction of a recent virulent clinical isolate of f. tularensis subsp. tularensis and the live vaccine strain with human macrophages by immunoelectron and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. we assessed the maturation of the f. tularensis phagosome by examining its acquisition of the lysosome-associated membr ...	2004	15155622
transfer of specific antibodies results in increased expression of tnf-alpha and il12 and recruitment of neutrophils to the site of a cutaneous francisella tularensis infection.	this study demonstrates that passive transfer of francisella tularensis-specific antibodies before experimental cutaneous infection with the live vaccine strain of f. tularensis has profound effects. recipient mice showed stronger staining for tnf-alpha and il12, and larger numbers of neutrophils in skin samples after infection than control mice.	2004	15150328
mice sublethally infected with francisella novicida u112 develop only marginal protective immunity against systemic or aerosol challenge with virulent type a or b strains of f. tularensis.	the current study determined the ability of francisella novicida to act as a live vaccine against the much more virulent, but closely related pathogen, francisella tularensis. live attenuated strains of the latter are effective vaccines against human tularemia. however, the molecular cause of their attenuation remains unknown, and this is a regulatory barrier for licensing such vaccines. moreover, f. tularensis is exceptionally difficult to manipulate genetically. this is hampering the developme ...	2004	15312850
[evolution of serological characteristics in 26 patients with tularemia three years after the outbreak].	tularemia was an unknown zoonosis in our region until the first quarter of 1998. the outbreak that took place on those dates has made possible to study some scantly known characteristics of the disease, as are the determinants for the persistence of a high antibody titer.	2004	15274779