Publications

boiling and bacillus spores.		2004	15515252
correlation of mass spectrometry identified bacterial biomarkers from a fielded pyrolysis-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry biodetector with the microbiological gram stain classification scheme.	a pyrolysis-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (py-gc-ims) briefcase system has been shown to detect and classify deliberately released bioaerosols in outdoor field scenarios. the bioaerosols included gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, ms-2 coliphage virus, and ovalbumin protein species. however, the origin and structural identities of the pyrolysate peaks in the gc-ims data space, their microbiological information content, and taxonomic importance with respect to biodetection h ...	2004	15516146
the bcr1 dna repeat element is specific to the bacillus cereus group and exhibits mobile element characteristics.	bacillus cereus strains atcc 10987 and atcc 14579 harbor an approximately 155-bp repeated element, bcr1, which is conserved in b. cereus, b. anthracis, b. thuringiensis, and b. mycoides but not in b. subtilis and b. licheniformis. in this study, we show by southern blot hybridizations that bcr1 is present in all 54 b. cereus group strains tested but absent in 11 bacillus strains outside the group, suggesting that bcr1 may be specific and ubiquitous to the b. cereus group. by comparative analysis ...	2004	15516586
[anthrax--continuous threat to humans and animals].	gram-positive, spore-forming, aerobic bacterium bacillus anthracis is an etiological agent of anthrax a disease very dangerous to humans and all warm-blooded animals. the spore forms are markedly resistant to unfavourable environmental extremes of heat, cold, desiccation, chemicals, irradiation etc. the vegetative forms characterised virulence factors: the antiphagocytic poly-gamma-d-polipeptide capsule and three proteins, edema factor (ef), lethal factor (lf) and protective antigen (pa). anthra ...	2004	15517814
mass spectrometry provides accurate characterization of two genetic marker types in bacillus anthracis.	epidemiological and forensic analyses of bioterrorism events involving bacillus anthracis could be improved if both variable number tandem repeats (vntrs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) could be combined on a single analysis platform. here we present the use of electrospray ionization fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (esi-fticr-ms) to characterize 24 alleles from 6 vntr loci and 11 alleles from 7 snp loci in b. anthracis. the results obtained with esi-fticr ...	2004	15517976
organism identification using a genome sequence-independent universal microarray probe set.	there has been increasing interest and efforts devoted to developing biosensor technologies for identifying pathogens, particularly in the biothreat area. in this study, a universal set of short 12- and 13-mer oligonucleotide probes was derived independently of a priori genomic sequence information and used to generate unique species-dependent genomic hybridization signatures. the probe set sequences were algorithmically generated to be maximally distant in sequence space and not dependent on th ...	2004	15517977
[anthrax as a bioweapon].	the risk of biological and chemical terrorism is growing according to availability of modern biotechnologies and financial resources. the most potent biological weapon mentioned in the last decade is anthrax. the number of naturally acquired infections in humans is constantly reduced, however endemic areas are located in south and middle americas, south europe, asia and africa. in any case of infection laboratory confirmation is indicated. primary basic testing is available in all microbiology l ...	2004	15518328
anthrax capsule vaccine protects against experimental infection.	efficacy of a poly-gamma-d-glutamic acid anthrax capsule vaccine was assessed in a mouse model of infection. capsule by itself was protective against lethal challenge with a toxin(-), capsule(+) bacillus anthracis strain. conjugation of capsule to bovine serum albumin resulted in enhanced igg anti-capsule antibodies measured by elisa, but completely abrogated the protection. the protective unconjugated capsule vaccine elicited significantly higher igm titers and opsonic activity than did the non ...	2004	15519706
oligonucleotide microarray for identification of bacillus anthracis based on intergenic transcribed spacers in ribosomal dna.	we developed a dna microarray for identification of bacillus anthracis and other phylogenetic groupings within the "bacillus cereus group". nucleotide sequences of 16s-23s ribosomal dna internal transcribed spacers containing genes for trna(ile) from 52 b. anthracis strains were found to be identical to sequences from seven strains published previously and different from all other bacteria. when 42 oligonucleotide probes targeting polymorphic sites were immobilized on glass slides and hybridized ...	2004	15522510
virulence signatures: microarray-based approaches to discovery and analysis.	rapid, accurate, and sensitive detection of biothreat agents requires a broad-spectrum assay capable of discriminating between closely related microbial or viral pathogens. moreover, in cases where a biological agent release has been identified, forensic analysis demands detailed genetic signature data for accurate strain identification and attribution. to date, nucleic acid sequences have provided the most robust and phylogentically illuminating signature information. nucleic acid signature seq ...	2004	15522585
modeling of seb-induced host gene expression to correlate in vitro to in vivo responses.	detection of exposure to biological threat agents has relied on ever more sensitive methods for pathogen identification, but that usually requires pathogen proliferation to dangerous, near untreatable levels. recent events have demonstrated that assessing exposure to a biological threat agent well in advance of onset of illness or at various stages post-exposure is invaluable among the diagnostic options. there is an urgent need for better diagnostic tools that will be sensitive, rapid, and unam ...	2004	15522586
identification and characterization of bacillus anthracis by multiplex pcr on dna chip.	bacillus anthracis can be identified by detecting virulence factor genes located on two plasmids, pxo1 and pxo2. combining multiplex pcr with arrayed anchored primer pcr and biotin-avidin alkaline phosphatase indicator system, we developed a qualitative dna chip method for characterization of b. anthracis, and simultaneous confirmation of the species identity independent of plasmid contents. the assay amplifies pag gene (in pxo1), cap gene (in pxo2) and ba813 gene (a b. anthracis specific chromo ...	2004	15522596
us judge halts compulsory anthrax vaccination for soldiers.		2004	15528600
large-scale structural changes accompany binding of lethal factor to anthrax protective antigen: a cryo-electron microscopic study.	anthrax toxin (at), secreted by bacillus anthracis, is a three-protein cocktail of lethal factor (lf, 90 kda), edema factor (ef, 89 kda), and the protective antigen (pa, 83 kda). steps in anthrax toxicity involve (1) binding of ligand (ef/lf) to a heptamer of pa63 (pa63h) generated after n-terminal proteolytic cleavage of pa and, (2) following endocytosis of the complex, translocation of the ligand into the cytosol by an as yet unknown mechanism. the pa63h.lf complex was directly visualized from ...	2004	15530370
media coverage of anthrax vaccination refusal by australian defence force personnel.	during february 2003 a number of australian sailors were returned home from their deployment to the persian gulf after refusing anthrax vaccination. this paper examines the media coverage of this episode as a case study in how controversies about vaccine safety escalate.	2004	15530688
health effects of anthrax vaccination in the canadian forces.	the objective of this study was to determine whether anthrax vaccine resulted in adverse health effects in canadian forces members 8 months after vaccination.	2004	15532351
acid-induced unfolding of the amino-terminal domains of the lethal and edema factors of anthrax toxin.	the two enzymatic components of anthrax toxin, lethal factor (lf) and edema factor (ef), are transported to the cytosol of mammalian cells by the third component, protective antigen (pa). a heptameric form of pa binds lf and/or ef and, under the acidic conditions encountered in endosomes, generates a membrane-spanning pore that is thought to serve as a passageway for these enzymes to enter the cytosol. the pore contains a 14-stranded transmembrane beta-barrel that is too narrow to accommodate a ...	2004	15533442
validation of an anti-pa-elisa for the potency testing of anthrax vaccine in mice.	the potency test for the anthrax vaccine currently licensed for human use in the united states (anthrax vaccine adsorbed) involves the protection of actively immunized guinea pigs from a lethal challenge with a virulent strain of bacillus anthracis. lethal challenge tests entail the use of specialized containment facilities for the safe and secure handling of the challenge strain. this potential difficulty, plus humane considerations, have prompted us to investigate non-lethal, alternative immun ...	2004	15536047
development of anthrax dna vaccines.	over 120 years ago, pasteur and greenfield developed an in vitro procedure for producing a live-attenuated bacillus anthracis bacterial culture capable of protecting livestock from anthrax disease. since then, anthrax has become one of the best characterized bacterial pathogens with regard to mechanism of toxicity and vaccine development. most developments have used live-attenuated strains, bacterial supernatants or protein subunit approaches. recently, novel plasmid dna (pdna) approaches to a s ...	2004	15537052
[threat or creation of panic? disease agents as terror weapons].		2004	15540528
synthesis and assembly of anthrax lethal factor-cholera toxin b-subunit fusion protein in transgenic potato.	a dna encoding the 27-kda domain i of anthrax lethal factor protein (lf), was linked to the carboxyl terminus of the cholera toxin b-subunit (ctb-lf). the ctb-lf fusion gene was transferred into solanum tuberosum cells by agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated in vivo transformation methods and antibiotic-resistant plants were regenerated. the ctb-lf fusion gene was detected in transformed potato leaf genomic dna by polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-mediated dna amplification. immunoblot analysis with ...	2004	15542917
population structure and evolution of the bacillus cereus group.	representative strains of the bacillus cereus group of bacteria, including bacillus anthracis (11 isolates), b. cereus (38 isolates), bacillus mycoides (1 isolate), bacillus thuringiensis (53 isolates from 17 serovars), and bacillus weihenstephanensis (2 isolates) were assigned to 59 sequence types (sts) derived from the nucleotide sequences of seven alleles, glpf, gmk, ilvd, pta, pur, pyca, and tpi. comparisons of the maximum likelihood (ml) tree of the concatenated sequences with individual ge ...	2004	15547268
evidence that translocation of anthrax toxin's lethal factor is initiated by entry of its n terminus into the protective antigen channel.	entry of the enzymatic components of anthrax toxin [lethal factor (lf) and edema factor] into the cytosol of mammalian cells depends on the ability of the activated protective antigen (pa63) component to form a channel (pore) in the membrane of an acidic intracellular compartment. to investigate the mechanism of translocation, we characterized n-terminally truncated forms of the pa63-binding domain of lf (lfn). deleting 27 or 36 residues strongly inhibited acid-triggered translocation of lfn acr ...	2004	15548616
anthrax toxins.	bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, secretes three polypeptides that assemble into toxic complexes on the cell surfaces of the host it infects. one of these polypeptides, protective antigen (pa), binds to the integrin-like domains of ubiquitously expressed membrane proteins of mammalian cells. pa is then cleaved by membrane endoproteases of the furin family. cleaved pa molecules assemble into heptamers, which can then associate with the two other secreted polypeptides: edema fa ...	2004	15549606
combining the benefits of decision science and financial analysis in public health management: a county-specific budgeting and planning model.	state public health agencies are charged with providing and overseeing the management of basic public health services on a population-wide basis. these activities have a re-emphasized focus as a result of the events of september 11, 2001, the subsequent anthrax events, and the continuing importance placed on bioterrorism preparedness, west nile virus, and emerging infectious diseases (eg, monkeypox, sars). this has added to the tension that exists in budgeting and planning, given the diverse con ...	2004	15552764
[considerations on the evolution of the concept of zoonoses].	the existence of diseases common to humans and animals has been known since the beginning of history. the disease transmission from animals to people was first observed on rabies ("the mother of all zoonoses") and later on in occupational diseases (anthrax, glanders, "mange"); in time, also certain food-borne infections were included in this category. the microbiological era has first brought along the concept of infection, then that of zoonoses, which has extended and now numbers some 200 infec ...	2004	15554545
expanded interaction fingerprint method for analyzing ligand binding modes in docking and structure-based drug design.	an expanded interaction fingerprint method has been developed for analyzing the binding modes of ligands in docking and structure-based design methods. taking the basic premise of representing a ligand in terms of a binary string that denotes its interactions with a target protein, we have expanded the method to include additional interaction-specific information. by considering the hydrogen-bonding strength and/or accessibility of the hydrogen bonding groups within a binding site as well as the ...	2004	15554663
rapid profiling of the infection of bacillus anthracis on human macrophages using seldi-tof mass spectroscopy.	anthrax is an infectious disease caused by toxigenic strains of the gram-positive bacterium bacillus anthracis, which is mainly present in the environment in the form of highly resistant spores. in order to elucidate a surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (seldi-tof) mass spectroscopy analysis to profile different expressed proteins when b. anthracis spores are infected in human macrophages, we analyzed human macrophage cytosolic fractions for the infection of b. anthracis ...	2004	15555558
adaptation of the endogenous salmonella enterica serovar typhi clya-encoded hemolysin for antigen export enhances the immunogenicity of anthrax protective antigen domain 4 expressed by the attenuated live-vector vaccine strain cvd 908-htra.	bacterial live-vector vaccines aim to deliver foreign antigens to the immune system and induce protective immune responses, and surface-expressed or secreted antigens are generally more immunogenic than cytoplasmic constructs. we hypothesize that an optimum expression system will use an endogenous export system to avoid the need for large amounts of heterologous dna encoding additional proteins. here we describe the cryptic chromosomally encoded 34-kda cytolysin a hemolysin of salmonella enteric ...	2004	15557633
anthrax lethal toxin: a weapon of multisystem destruction.	lethal toxin (lt) is a major virulence factor secreted by anthrax bacteria. it is composed of two proteins, pa (protective antigen) and lf (lethal factor). pa transports the lf inside the cell, where lf, a zinc-dependent metalloprotease cleaves the mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (mapkk) enzymes of the mitogen activated protein kinase (mapk) signaling pathway, thereby impairing their function. this disruption of the mapk pathway, which serves essential functions such as proliferation, su ...	2004	15558214
functional cloning of bacillus anthracis dihydrofolate reductase and confirmation of natural resistance to trimethoprim.	bacillus anthracis is reported to be naturally resistant to trimethoprim (tmp), a drug that inhibits dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr), a key enzyme in the folate pathway. a microdilution broth assay established that the mic of tmp for b. anthracis sterne is >2,048 but < or =4,096 microg/ml. a putative dhfr sequence was amplified from b. anthracis sterne genomic dna. the pcr product was cloned into the invitrogen pcrt7/ct-topo vector, followed by transformation into escherichia coli top10f' chemica ...	2004	15561838
beta-lactamase gene expression in a penicillin-resistant bacillus anthracis strain.	expression of the bla1 and bla2 genes in an archetypal bacillus anthracis strain is insufficient for penicillin resistance. in a penicillin-resistant clinical isolate, both genes are highly transcribed, but bla1 is the major contributor to high-level resistance to ampicillin. differential expression of the bla genes is dependent upon strain background.	2004	15561870
est-based genome-wide gene inactivation identifies arap3 as a host protein affecting cellular susceptibility to anthrax toxin.	the lethality of infection by bacillus anthracis is largely due to its plasmid-encoded toxins, which consist of a carrier protein, the protective antigen (pa), in combination with either the lethal-factor or edema-factor moiety. during b. anthracis infections, pa secreted by bacteria binds to membrane receptors of susceptible cells, is cleaved proteolytically, attaches to lethal factor or edema factor, undergoes oligomerization and internalization, and transports its toxin partners to acidic end ...	2004	15569923
[susceptibility of irradiated animals to extremely dangerous pathogens (literature review)].	the review is dedicated to the susceptibility of irradiated animals anthrax, tularemia and other extremely dangerous infection diseases. live vaccine strains application in irradiated animals and antibacterial drugs efficiency under conditions of combined effects of radiological and biological agents are reviewed. as a conclusion the list of unsolved research problems is proposed.	2004	15571042
therapy of other bacterial infections.	cutaneous bacterial disease continues to account for a significant proportion of clinical visits. the continuing emergence of strains that are resistant to available antibacterial agents creates a challenge for dermatologists, who need to keep abreast of current treatment strategies. in this article, antibacterial regimens are presented for skin infections caused by organisms such as staphylococcus, streptococcus, pseudomonas, neisseria, haemophilus ducreyi, treponema pallidum, bacillus anthraci ...	2004	15571499
inorganic polyphosphate in bacillus cereus: motility, biofilm formation, and sporulation.	chains of inorganic polyphosphate (poly-p) with hundreds of p(i) residues linked by phosphoanhydride bonds, as in atp, are found in every bacterial, fungal, plant, and animal cell, in which they perform various functions. in the spore-forming bacillus cereus, we have identified three principal enzymes and genes involved in the metabolism of poly-p, namely, (i) poly-p kinase (ppk), which synthesizes poly-p reversibly from atp, (ii) exopolyphosphatase (ppx), which hydrolyzes poly-p to p(i), and (i ...	2004	15572452
[earthworm feces-induced systemic resistance of cucumber against anthracnose].	pot experiment showed that mixing earthworm feces into soil induced a significantly lower (p < 0.05) cucumber anthracnose than mixing peat, but had no significant difference (p > 0.05) with the treatment of system acquired resistance. the activities of polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in cucumber leaves treated with and without pathogen were increased in different degrees by mixing earthworm feces, compared with by mixing peat. all these suggested that mixing with e ...	2004	15573988
evaluation of the biological sampling kit (biskit) for large-area surface sampling.	current surface sampling methods for microbial contaminants are designed to sample small areas and utilize culture analysis. the total number of microbes recovered is low because a small area is sampled, making detection of a potential pathogen more difficult. furthermore, sampling of small areas requires a greater number of samples to be collected, which delays the reporting of results, taxes laboratory resources and staffing, and increases analysis costs. a new biological surface sampling meth ...	2004	15574898
production of biologically active bacillus anthracis edema factor in escherichia coli.	anthrax is caused by the gram-positive spore-forming bacterium bacillus anthracis. the anthrax toxin consists of three proteins, protective antigen (pa), lethal factor (lf), and edema factor (ef). pa facilitates the translocation of lf and ef into the cytosol of mammalian cells. lf is thought to be a zinc-dependent metalloprotease that results in death. ef is a calmodulin- and calcium-dependent adenylate cyclase that causes edema upon entrance into the cytosol by elevating the camp levels in cel ...	2004	15575695
rickettsialpox: report of three cases and a review.	rickettsialpox is a rare mite-borne rickettsiosis that is encountered in urban populations in the eastern united states and throughout the world. it is characterized clinically by an eschar, fever, and a papulovesicular eruption. both of these cutaneous manifestations may be mimicked by infectious diseases that have been designated as bioterrorist agents by the united states centers for diseases control and prevention: the former by anthrax, and the latter by smallpox. it is thus important for c ...	2004	15577753
screening for inhalational anthrax due to bioterrorism: evaluating proposed screening protocols.	eleven known cases of bioterrorism-related inhalational anthrax (ia) were treated in the united states during 2001. we retrospectively compared 2 methods that have been proposed to screen for ia. the 2 screening protocols for ia were applied to the emergency department charts of patients who presented with possible signs or symptoms of ia at inova fairfax hospital (falls church, virginia) from 20 october 2001 through 3 november 2001. the mayer criteria would have screened 4 patients (0.4%; 95% c ...	2004	15578409
real-time pcr assay for a unique chromosomal sequence of bacillus anthracis.	real-time pcr has become an important method for the rapid identification of bacillus anthracis since the 2001 anthrax mailings. most real-time pcr assays for b. anthracis have been developed to detect virulence genes located on the pxo1 and pxo2 plasmids. in contrast, only two published chromosomal targets exist, the rpob gene and the gyra gene. in the present study, subtraction-hybridization with a plasmid-cured b. anthracis tester strain and a bacillus cereus driver was used to find a unique ...	2004	15583318
[vaccination strategies for anthrax prevention].	apart from live spore vaccines with a certain amount of residual virulence for various animal species, there are two acellular protein vaccines for immunoprophylaxis against anthrax in humans. for ethical reasons there are no experimental data available on the efficacy and duration of the immunity they induce in men. their efficacy was evaluated in laboratory animals, mainly rabbits and rhesus monkeys. furthermore, it is well known that these vaccines elicit only partial protection in guinea pig ...	2004	15584433
[indoor air quality and occupational health, past and present].	the expression "indoor pollution" of residential, office and public buildings appeared for the first time in western societies toward the end of the '60s to indicate a complex phenomenon as important to public health as that of the "outdoor air pollution" or even more so. the demonstration of the toxic effects of passive smoking, radon, and other chemical and biological pollutants present in office and residential environments has prompted a wide spectrum of research into health risks, has led t ...	2004	15584445
ethics and bioterrorism research.		2004	15832477
analysis of bacillus anthracis spores in milk using mass spectrometry.	new approaches for identifying biological threat agents in raw milk using spectroscopy were tested using bacillus anthracis (ba) sterne strain spores seeded into unpasteurized bulk tank milk. direct filtration onto tyvek membranes provided the optimal filtration approach from raw milk, but detection limits were not ideal. when beads coated with anti-ba antibodies were mixed with spores in raw milk, the beads were capable of concentrating the spores that could be later detected and characterized ...	2004	15992279
anthrax in wabessa village in the dessie zuria district of ethiopia.	in 2002 an investigation of sudden death in a goat in wabessa village in the dessie zuria district of ethiopia was undertaken using fresh blood brought to the kombolcha regional veterinary laboratory. the sample was examined using standard bacteriological techniques and animal pathogenicity tests were also performed. the laboratory investigation revealed bacillus anthracis as the cause of sudden death. information gathered from stockowners in the same village revealed other similar recent cases ...	2004	15861891
proteomics reveals that proteins expressed during the early stage of bacillus anthracis infection are potential targets for the development of vaccines and drugs.	in this review, we advance a new concept in developing vaccines and/or drugs to target specific proteins expressed during the early stage of bacillus anthracis (anthrax) infection and address existing challenges to this concept. three proteins (immune inhibitor a, gpr-like spore protease, and alanine racemase) initially identified by proteomics in our laboratory were found to have differential expressions during anthrax spore germination and early outgrowth. other studies of different bacillus s ...	2004	15862115
genetic diversity among bacillus anthracis, bacillus cereus and bacillus thuringiensis strains using repetitive element polymorphism-pcr.	repetitive element polymorphism-pcr (rep-pcr) is one of the tools that has been used to elucidate genetic diversity of related microorganisms. using the mb1 primer, rep-pcr fingerprints from 110 bacillus strains within the "b. cereus group" have identified eighteen distinct categories, while other more distantly related bacterial species fell within six additional categories. all bacillus anthracis strains tested were found to be monomorphic by fluorophore-enhanced rep-pcr (ferp) fingerprinting ...	2004	15790070
proteome analysis of mouse macrophages treated with anthrax lethal toxin.	anthrax toxin produced by bacillus anthracis is a tripartite toxin comprising of protective antigen (pa), lethal factor (lf) and edema factor (ef). pa is the receptor-binding component, which facilitates the entry of lf or ef into the cytosol. ef is a calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase that causes edema whereas lf is a zinc metalloprotease and leads to necrosis of macrophages. it is also important to note that the exact mechanism of lf action is still unclear. with this view in mind, in the ...	2004	15698949
[expression, purification and characterization of the recombinant anthrax protective antigen].	an expression plasmid carrying anthrax protective antigen (pa) gene was constructed, which has an ompa signal sequence attached to the 5' end of pa gene. the plasmid was transformed into e. coli and induced to express recombinant pa (rpa) . the recombinant protein, about 10% of the total bacterial protein in volume, was secreted to the periplasmic space of the cell. after a purification procedure including ion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and gel filtration, about 15 mg of 9 ...	2004	15973984
[expression and characterization of the recombination anthrax lethal factor].	the gene encoding anthrax lehtal factor (lf) was cloned into a secretory expression plasmid and then expressed in periplasmic space of e. coli. the recombinant lf (rlf) expressed was about 4% of the total proteins in e. coli. about 3 mg electrophoresis purity rlf could be obtained after the purification of 1 liter culure using ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. the result of sequencing assay showed that the n-terminal amino acid sequence of rlf was identical to the n-terminal sequen ...	2004	16110953
the gordon wilson lecture: using genetic medicine to regenerate diseased organs and protect against the hostile environment.		2004	17060966
houston biosecurity: building a national model.	on september 11, 2001, al qaeda terrorists committed an atrocity when they used domestic jetliners to crash into buildings in new york city and washington, dc, killing thousands of people. in october 2001, another act of savagery occurred, this time using anthrax, not airplanes, to take innocent lives. each incident demonstrates the vulnerability of an open society, and americans are left to wonder how such acts can be prevented. two years later, al qaeda operatives are reportedly regrouping, re ...	2004	17060983
cutaneous anthrax of the eyelid.		2003	17642834
anthrax: a review.		2003	15181958
gao's evaluation of the public health response to the anthrax incidents of 2001, with notes on the rhode island experience.		2003	14983545
[diagnosis, treatment and prevention of anthrax].		2003	14761343
emergency implementation of knowledge management system to support a bioterrorism response.	in a public health emergency, it becomes necessary for public health agencies to provide timely, accurate and useful information to the community. during the anthrax attacks, the public health practice program office in the centers for disease control and prevention implemented a knowledge management (km) system to respond to an increased number of inquiries from public health officials, first responders, and health care professionals as well as the general public. while it is possible to succes ...	2003	14728354
anthrax vaccine: a review.	anthrax can be a deadly disease if treatment does not begin early in the course of infection. an effective vaccine has been available in the united states since 1970, although it was not used widely until 1998. a comprehensive, peer-reviewed evaluation by the national academy of sciences affirmed the findings of multiple previous independent panels that found that the us-licensed anthrax vaccine is safe and effective.	2003	14753388
industry-related outbreak of human anthrax.		2003	14725313
emerging infectious diseases in mongolia.	since 1990, mongolia's health system has been in transition. impressive gains have been accomplished through a national immunization program, which was instituted in 1991. nevertheless, the country continues to confront four major chronic infections: hepatitis b and c, brucellosis, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted diseases (stds). as of 2001, only two cases of hiv infections had been detected in mongolia, but concern grows that the rate will increase along with the rising rates of stds and ...	2003	14720388
autonomous detection of aerosolized bacillus anthracis and yersinia pestis.	we have developed and tested a fully autonomous pathogen detection system (apds) capable of continuously monitoring the environment for airborne biological threat agents. the system is designed to provide early warning to civilians in the event of a terrorist attack. the final apds will be completely automated, offering aerosol sampling, in-line sample preparation fluidics, multiplexed detection and identification immunoassays, and orthogonal, multiplexed pcr (nucleic acid) amplification and det ...	2003	14710805
characterization of bacillus spore species and their mixtures using postsource decay with a curved-field reflectron.	a strategy is proposed for the rapid identification of bacillus spores, which relies on the selective release of a family of proteins, referred to as small, acid-soluble spore proteins (sasps). in this work, sasps were selectively solubilized from bacillus spores on the maldi sample plate by using 10% tfa. proteolytic digests of sasps generated in situ from spores of b. subtilis 168, b. globigii, b. thuringiensis subs. kurstaki hd-1, b. cereus t, and the nonpathogenic strain b. anthracis sterne ...	2003	14710846
[epidemiologic situation in the quarantine of natural focal infections in the southern federal district].	materials on the situation in quarantine natural focal infections (anthrax, plague, tularemia, brucellosis, leptospirosis, etc.) in the southern federal district are presented. experience in the provision of the epidemic safety in the above-mentioned diseases, based on the systematic surveillance on the activity of epizootological factors on the territory of the natural foci of infections, are described. the causes of the possible aggravation of the epidemiological situation in a number of nosol ...	2003	14716973
[epidemiological situation on anthrax in the regions of the southern federal district in connection with the flood in june 2002].	data on the epidemiological situation in anthrax in the regions of the southern federal district, situated in the zone of inundation, are presented. in 2002 no epidemic complications in anthrax were noted in the affected territories. the causes contributing to the appearance of anthrax cases among humans and animals are presented. recommendations on the improvement of anti-epidemic measures are given.	2003	14716976
[improvement of the method for the indication of the causative agent of anthrax].	a combined method for the indication of the causative agent of anthrax (bacillus anthracis), including the preparation of the material to be tested, the exposure of the magneto-imunosorbent in the sample, cultivation in selective medium, dna extraction with subsequent testing in the polymerase chain reaction with primers to genes cap, pag and chromosomal sequence ba813, the registration and interpretation of results, has been developed. all determinations, including the preparation of samples, l ...	2003	14716977
[gene typing of bacillus anthracis strains isolated on the territory of the countries of the confederation of independent states].	thirty eight b. anthracis strains isolated on the territory of the former ussr from different sources at different periods were studied by the method of the multilocus analysis of 6 chromosomal and 2 plasmid regions of b. anthracis genome with a variable number of tandem repeats. the strains belonged to 18 different genotypes; of these, 14 genotypes were described for the first time. the analysis of the genetic relationship of the strains gave grounds to suggest that on this territory both close ...	2003	14716978
[bacteriological provision of anti-epidemic measures in the zones of a natural disaster in southern russia in 2002].	the bacteriological provision of the prophylactic and anti-epidemic measures, taken under the conditions of the unstable sanitary and epidemiological situation which arose as the result of the emergency situation due to the high flood in the southern federal district, was carried out by the efforts and means of microbiological laboratories forming a part of the territorial system of observation and laboratory control. on the whole, more than 20,000 samples of water supplied to the population for ...	2003	14716994
which bio-weapons might be used by terrorists against the united kingdom?	the properties of potential biological weapon agents for bioterrorism include a consistent effect at low dosage and short incubation period in a population of low immunity, being difficult to treat, able to be produced in bulk, stable in storage and readily disseminated. possible agents include smallpox, haemorrhagic fever viruses, anthrax, tularaemia and plague. the example of severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) demonstrates the possible consequences of an act of bioterrorism, but also the ...	2003	14703130
cutaneous manifestations of anthrax in eastern anatolia: a review of 39 cases.	anthrax is essentially a disease of grazing herbivorous animals. the most common form of the disease is cutaneous anthrax, which accounts for 95% of all cases. we report here 39 cutaneous anthrax cases in humans that were seen in eastern anatolia over a six-year period. the clinical presentation was malignant edema in 16 of the cases (41%) and malignant pustule in 23 (59%). a secondary bacterial infection was present in 13 patients (33.3%) in the vicinity of the lesions. the agent was observed u ...	2003	14679401
minimizing pathogenic bacteria, including spores, in indoor air.	five experiments were conducted to assess whether aerosolized bacteria, including spores, respond like particulate contaminants to the primary (electrical) forces that control the distribution of small particulate contaminants in indoor air. such response would suggest an approach to minimizing infection in offices, hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities. it also would have implications for protection against intentionally introduced pathogenic bacteria, including spores. the experiments ...	2003	14679721
diagnosis of militarily relevant diseases using oral fluid and saliva antibodies: fluorescence polarization immunoassay.	this laboratory is developing fluorescence polarization (fp) methods as diagnostic tools to assay antibodies in saliva and other oral fluids. fp provides quantitation of molecular interaction, such as antigen-antibody binding, of a single, small-volume sample in real time and without prior separation of components such as blood cells. there is potential for wide-spread use of these homogeneous assays as noninvasive tests, especially as more compact, simplified fluorescence polarimeters become av ...	2003	14680048
anthrax case timeline.		2003	14692564
communication lessons learned in the emergency operations center during cdc's anthrax response: a commentary.		2003	14692567
the anthrax attacks in new york city: the "giuliani press conference model" and other communication strategies that helped.		2003	14692569
uncertain science and certain deadlines: cdc responses to the media during the anthrax attacks of 2001.	this paper presents a study in which communication personnel for the u.s. centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) provided first-hand accounts of the experience of responding to media inquiries during the 2001 anthrax attacks. in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 communication professionals who worked either at the cdc headquarters in atlanta or at field locations in the u.s. where persons were exposed to anthrax. the interviews sought cdc staff viewpoints on how the cdc handled a ...	2003	14692570
communication monitoring: shaping cdc's emergency risk communication efforts.	cdc develops and delivers health messages for a variety of audiences, including the public, health care professionals, public health researchers and practitioners, and policy makers. news media outlets--because of their broad reach and potential to influence knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors--are major channels for disseminating messages to these audiences. cdc has routinely monitored news outlets to identify message/information gaps and opportunities. the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the anthra ...	2003	14692571
communicating anthrax in 2001: a comparison of cdc information and print media accounts.	information about anthrax released by news media from october 4 to december 3, 2001, was identified, sampled, coded, and compared with information released by cdc during that period using statistical analysis. in addition, communications about two anthrax-related issues were examined in depth. the quantitative analysis showed that, overall, cdc information releases and news coverage tracked fairly closely. when weight was defined as number of mentions, both sources gave the same weight to report ...	2003	14692572
using opinion surveys to track the public's response to a bioterrorist attack.	to communicate effectively with the public during an emergency, health officials need to find out in real time what americans know and believe, whom they trust, and what actions they are taking in response to the crisis. short-duration surveys can provide vital information to guide public officials in their response to events and their communication efforts. prior research has shown that such surveys, when statistically re-weighted, can offer timely results without unacceptable risk of bias. usi ...	2003	14692573
public perceptions of information sources concerning bioterrorism before and after anthrax attacks: an analysis of national survey data.	this study examined data from six national surveys before and after the bioterrorist anthrax attacks in the fall of 2001. public perceptions of information sources regarding bioterrorism were examined. the findings highlighted the importance of local television and radio and of cable and network news channels as information sources. the findings also showed the importance of national and local health officials as spokespersons in the event of bioterrorist incidents. periodic surveys of public at ...	2003	14692574
leave no one behind: improving health and risk communication through attention to literacy.	twice in recent times, the federal government mailed critical health-related information to every household in the united states. the mailings, the 1988 brochure understanding aids and the 2001 postcard a message to americans, were designed to provide the general public with important information about needed action. this paper compares the development process undertaken for each mailing. the authors assess content and format in light of communication principles and the functional literacy skill ...	2003	14692575
questions about hypotheticals and details in reporting on anthrax.		2003	14692578
optimistic bias and perceptions of bioterrorism in michigan corporate spokespersons, fall 2001.	the notion that individuals believe that they are more likely than others to experience positive events and avoid negative ones is a well-documented phenomenon in the combined literatures of social psychology and health communication. the current study focuses on michigan corporate spokespersons' perceptions of their company's risk and potential for optimistic bias. beginning on september 10, 2001, and continuing through october 2001, telephone surveys were conducted by a professional survey res ...	2003	14692582
increased detection of rickettsialpox in a new york city hospital following the anthrax outbreak of 2001: use of immunohistochemistry for the rapid confirmation of cases in an era of bioterrorism.	rickettsialpox is a self-limited febrile illness with skin lesions that may be mistaken for signs of potentially more serious diseases, such as cutaneous anthrax or chickenpox. the cluster of cutaneous anthrax cases from bioterrorism in october 2001 likely heightened awareness of and concern for cutaneous eschars.	2003	14676069
detection and fate of bacillus anthracis (sterne) vegetative cells and spores added to bulk tank milk.	a preparation of bacillus anthracis (sterne strain) spores was used to evaluate commercially available reagents and portable equipment for detecting anthrax contamination by using real-time pcr and was used to assess the fate of spores added directly to bulk tank milk. the ruggedized advanced pathogen identification device (rapid) was employed to detect spores in raw milk down to a concentration of 2,500 spores per ml. commercially available primers and probes developed to detect either the prot ...	2003	14672236
an innovative approach to training hospital-based clinicians for bioterrorist attacks.	the recent attacks of september 11, 2001, and the subsequent dissemination event of anthrax in the united states demonstrated the necessity for hospitals to initiate bioterrorism education for clinicians. events such as the release of sarin gas into the tokyo subway by the aum shinrikyo cult provided some insight into how quickly emergency medical personnel may be overwhelmed by causalities of unconventional weapons. educational interventions to prepare hospital-based practitioners for such disa ...	2003	14647116
coding ethical behaviour: the challenges of biological weapons.	since 11 september 2001 and the anthrax attacks that followed in the us, public and policy concerns about the security threats posed by biological weapons have increased significantly. with this has come an expansion of those activities in civil society deemed as potential sites for applying security controls. this paper examines the assumptions and implications of national and international efforts in one such area: how a balance or integration can take place between security and openness in ci ...	2003	14652899
the state laboratory of hygiene's role in terrorism preparedness and response.	in the fall of 2001, the national public health system found itself responding to acts of terrorism. the intentional release of bacillus anthracis spores on the east coast tested the capacity of all state public health laboratories to respond. the impact on the public health system extended to the wisconsin state laboratory of hygiene (wslh). fortunately, participation in the national laboratory response network helped the wslh meet the challenge of 24 hour/7 days a week coverage, and subsequent ...	2003	14658571
a new epitope tag from hepatitis b virus pres1 for immunodetection, localization and affinity purification of recombinant proteins.	previously, a murine monoclonal antibody (mab) kr127 (igg2a/kappa) that binds specifically to the pres1 of hepatitis b virus (hbv) was generated and the fine epitope was mapped to amino acids (aa) 37-45 (nsnnpdwdf). in this current study, the epitope in combination with kr127 was tested for protein tagging. initially, to evaluate the importance of each residue of the kr127 epitope in antibody binding, alanine substitution mutants of the epitope were constructed and characterized for kr127 bindin ...	2003	14659901
antibiotic susceptibility of isolates of bacillus anthracis, a bacterial pathogen with the potential to be used in biowarfare.	bacillus anthracis is a bacterial species that could be used in a bioterrorist attack. we tested a collection of isolates with a range of relevant antimicrobial compounds. all isolates tested were susceptible to ciprofloxacin and doxycycline. penicillin and amoxicillin, with or without clavulanate, showed in vitro activity against all b. anthracis isolates. ceftriaxone demonstrated lower-level in vitro activity compared to penicillin-related compounds against b. anthracis. in vitro data from thi ...	2003	14616693
a fast method for the detection of penicillin resistance in bacillus anthracis.		2003	14616737
application of bacillus anthracis pcr to simulated clinical samples.	we evaluated pcr for the detection of bacillus anthracis dna from simulated clinical specimens relevant for the microbiological diagnosis of anthrax or exposure to b. anthracis spores. in simulated blood specimens, the lowest limit of detection was 400 cfu per ml of blood, which may be sufficient for samples from patients with septic anthrax. screening nasal swabs by pcr may not be sensitive enough to rule out dangerous exposure to anthrax spores, as a minimum of 2000 spores per sample was requi ...	2003	14616752
initiating informatics and gis support for a field investigation of bioterrorism: the new jersey anthrax experience.	background: the investigation of potential exposure to anthrax spores in a trenton, new jersey, mail-processing facility required rapid assessment of informatics needs and adaptation of existing informatics tools to new physical and information-processing environments. because the affected building and its computers were closed down, data to list potentially exposed persons and map building floor plans were unavailable from the primary source. results: controlling the effects of anthrax contamin ...	2003	14617376
conformational fluctuations in anthrax protective antigen: a possible role of calcium in the folding pathway of the protein.	protective antigen (pa) is the central receptor binding component of anthrax toxin, which translocates catalytic components of the toxin into the cytosol of mammalian cells. ever since the crystal structure of pa was solved, there have been speculations regarding the possible role of calcium ions present in domain i of the protein. we have carried out a systematic study to elucidate the effect of calcium removal on the structural stability of pa using various optical spectroscopic techniques, li ...	2003	14623120
mapping dominant-negative mutations of anthrax protective antigen by scanning mutagenesis.	the protective antigen (pa) moiety of anthrax toxin transports edema factor and lethal factor to the cytosol of mammalian cells by a mechanism that depends on its ability to oligomerize and form pores in the endosomal membrane. previously, some mutated forms of pa, designated dominant negative (dn), were found to coassemble with wild-type pa and generate defective heptameric pore-precursors (prepores). prepores containing dn-pa are impaired in pore formation and in translocating edema factor and ...	2003	14623961
computational identification of the spo0a-phosphate regulon that is essential for the cellular differentiation and development in gram-positive spore-forming bacteria.	spo0a-phosphate is essential for the initiation of cellular differentiation and developmental processes in gram-positive spore-forming bacteria. here we combined comparative genomics with analyses of microarray expression profiles to identify the spo0a-phosphate regulon in bacillus subtilis. the consensus spo0a-phosphate dna-binding motif identified from the training set based on different computational algorithms is an 8 bp sequence, ttgtcgaa. the same motif was identified by aligning the upstr ...	2003	14627822
the role of an advanced practice public health nurse in bioterrorism preparedness.	the 2001 anthrax events have vividly illustrated that terrorism involving the release of a biological agent is a major public health emergency requiring an immediate and well-coordinated response. if healthcare professionals and emergency responders are to be prepared to manage such attacks, unprecedented cooperative efforts at the national, state, and local levels are necessary. to aid such efforts, advanced practice public health nurses (phns) must exercise their ability to collaborate with a ...	2003	14629673
a broad-spectrum peptide inhibitor of beta-lactamase identified using phage display and peptide arrays.	hydrolysis of beta-lactam antibiotics by beta-lactamase enzymes is the most common mechanism of bacterial resistance to these agents. several small-molecule, mechanism-based inhibitors of beta-lactamases such as clavulanic acid are clinically available although resistance to these inhibitors has been increasing in bacterial populations. in addition, these inhibitors act only on class a beta-lactamases. here we utilized phage display to identify peptides that bind to the class a beta-lactamase, t ...	2003	14631075
protective immunity evoked against anthrax lethal toxin after a single intramuscular administration of an adenovirus-based vaccine encoding humanized protective antigen.	because of the need to develop a vaccine to rapidly protect the civilian population in response to a bioterrorism attack with bacillus anthracis, we designed adsechpa, a replication-deficient human serotype 5 adenovirus encoding b. anthracis protective antigen (pa) with codons optimized for expression in mammalian cells. with a single intramuscular administration to mice of 10(9) particle units of adsechpa, a dose that can be scaled to human use, anti-pa antibodies were evoked more rapidly and a ...	2003	14633409