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complete genome sequence of the model actinomycete streptomyces coelicolor a3(2).streptomyces coelicolor is a representative of the group of soil-dwelling, filamentous bacteria responsible for producing most natural antibiotics used in human and veterinary medicine. here we report the 8,667,507 base pair linear chromosome of this organism, containing the largest number of genes so far discovered in a bacterium. the 7,825 predicted genes include more than 20 clusters coding for known or predicted secondary metabolites. the genome contains an unprecedented proportion of regula ...200212000953
microbial evolution: antitoxin vaccines and pathogen virulence.in their mathematical description of vaccine-induced immunity, gandon et al. predict that the host's immunity to a microbial toxin will lead to increased virulence of the pathogen without affecting its transmission. however, results obtained using vaccines against two additional bacterial pathogens are not consistent with this prediction. the model proposed by gandon et al. may therefore be an oversimplification, with the outcome depending on the biological details of both the pathogen and the v ...200212050654
design and development of a novel genetic probe for the analysis of repressor-operator interactions.while the native diphtheria tox promoter/operator (toxpo)-lacz transcriptional fusion has allowed initial isolation and characterization of the diphtheria toxin repressor (dtxr), the low level of reporter gene expression has limited the detection and analysis of mutations affecting subtle changes in repressor-operator binding. in order to overcome this difficulty, we have constructed a novel hybrid promoter/operator-lacz transcriptional fusion in which the "-35" and spacing of the tac promoter w ...200212069891
safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of low dose haemophilus influenzae type b conjugated to the outer membrane protein complex of neisseria meningitidis group b.infants vaccinated with three doses followed by a booster of either 1.0 microg of haemophilus influenzae type b conjugated to the outer membrane protein complex of neisseria meningitidis group b or h. influenzae 10-microg oligosaccharide vaccine conjugated to 25 microg mutant toxin (crm197) isolated from corynebacterium diphtheriae had protective antipolyribosylribitol phosphate concentrations.200212075771
comparison of a multiplex flow cytometric assay with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for auantitation of antibodies to tetanus, diphtheria, and haemophilus influenzae type b.we developed a multiplexed indirect immunofluorescence assay for antibodies to haemophilus influenza type b (hib) polysaccharide and the toxoids of clostridium tetani (tet) and corynebacterium diphtheriae (dip) based on the luminex multiple-analyte profiling system. a pooled serum standard was calibrated against world health organization standards for dip and tet and an international standard for hib. the multiplexed luminex assay was compared to individual enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (el ...200212093688
penicillin tolerance amongst non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae isolated from cases of pharyngitis.twenty-four strains of non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype gravis from the throats of patients with pharyngitis/tonsillitis were assayed for susceptibility to penicillin and erythromycin using determination of mic, mbc and time-kill curves. there were no differences between the mics of penicillin for susceptible and tolerant strains. all but one strain had penicillin mbcs > or = 2 mg/l. seventy-one per cent (17/24) of the strains were tolerant to penicillin. in contrast, all strain ...200212096018
the changing epidemiology of diphtheria in the past two centuries. 200212162125
identification of a dtxr-regulated operon that is essential for siderophore-dependent iron uptake in corynebacterium diphtheriae.the diphtheria toxin repressor (dtxr) uses fe(2+) as a corepressor and inhibits transcription from iron-regulated promoters (irps) in corynebacterium diphtheriae. a new irp, designated irp6, was cloned from c. diphtheriae by a selex-like procedure. dtxr bound to irp6 in vitro only in the presence of appropriate divalent metal ions, and repression of irp6 by dtxr in an escherichia coli system was iron dependent. the open reading frames (orfs) downstream from irp6 and previously described promoter ...200212169610
[cutaneous leishmaniotic ulcers with corynebacterium diphtheriae].in a prospective study to evaluate the influence of secondary bacterial infection on the evaluation of cutaneous leishmaniasis, in corte de pedra (bahia), we isolated corynebacterium diphtheriae in 7 (8.3%) out of 84 patients with ulcers studied. due to the small number of patients with the presence of the bacteria in the ulcer, we could not conclude whether corynebacterium diphtheriae behaves only as a colonizer nor its influence on the healing of the leishmaniotic ulcer.200212170325
[diphtheria--results of an immunologic survey].the objective of the immunological survey (is) was in addition to assessment of the overall immunity of the slovak population against diphtheria to test the effectiveness of vaccination and suitability of the used vaccination pattern and to assess the persistence of antibodies against diphtheria in more advanced age, and possibly the need of revaccination. the sera were tested by means of the neutralization test on cell cultures. the level of diphtheria antitoxin was assessed quantitatively. in ...200212184194
tangential flow filtration technology applicable to large scale recovery of diphtheria toxin.the commercial preparation of purified diphtheria toxoid primarily depends on the effective separation of the toxin from a large culture volume of corynebacterium diphtheriae vaccine strain. tangential flow or cross-flow filtration is gaining momentum in the processing of biologicals. this study deals with the separation of toxins using a microporous membrane (0.45-microm pore size) with operational variables like transmembrane pressure (tmp), cross flow rate and flux. under the best conditions, ...200216233277
diphtheria due to non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae: a report of two cases.diseases due to non-toxigenic strains of corynebacterium diphtheriae are being increasingly reported. these diseases have been found to occur in vaccinated individuals. we report two cases of diphtheria with myocarditis and polyneuritis caused by non-toxigenic strains of c. diphtheriae. the virulence factors of this organism and the pitfalls in diagnosis have also been discussed.200217657027
[specificity of antibodies to diphtheria toxin subunits in children with various forms of diphtheria infections].in order to study the specificity of serum antibodies to separate subunits of diphtheria toxin, sds-electrophoresis of diphtheria toxin preliminary disintegrated on the subunits via trypsin treatment was performed, followed by immunoblotting assay. 86 blood serum samples of children with diphtheria carriers of toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains of corynebacterium diphtheriae as well as children with other infectious diseases similar to diphtheria in their clinical manifestation, and healthy one ...200112199083
diphtheria and hearing loss.to determine if infectious diseases usually experienced in childhood have an effect on hearing ability later in life.200112037265
bacterial skin infections in a tropical environment.the subject of bacterial skin infection in the tropics has shown some significant advances in the past few years, although it is still relatively understudied. of special interest is the emerging concern about the public health aspects of pyoderma, either primary or secondary to scabies, in developing countries. in addition, certain more unusual agents, such as bacillus anthracis and corynebacterium diphtheriae, continue to cause significant problems in some areas, while incidence of other tropi ...200111979120
[diphtheria]. 200111808166
[effect of lysogenic conversion of corynebacterium diphtheriae strain on its iron assimilation and spectrum of cellular proteins].growth of the isogenic pair of c. diphtheriae strains, the nontoxigenic strain c7 (-) and the toxigenic strain c7 (beta), was studied under conditions of limited availability of the iron source. the growth of the toxigenic strain was shown to depend on the concentration of iron in the medium to a lesser degree than the nontoxigenic one. lysogenic conversion results in the synthesis of additional iron-dependent proteins, absent in c. diphtheriae initial nontoxigenic strain c7 (-). special attenti ...200111871310
[specific features of diphtheria vaccinal process in children with rheumatic diseases].clinical and immunological examination of 55 children aged 6-15 years with rheumatic diseases, immunized against diphtheria, was carried out. all children were immunized at the stage of clinical and laboratory remission and in some cases while undergoing a prolonged course of cytostatic therapy or therapy with nonsteroid anti-inflammatory remedies. this examination demonstrated that in the overwhelming majority of children with rheumatic diseases the diphtheria vaccinal process took an asymptoma ...200111881495
[reactions to and immunogenic properties of the combined vaccine bubo-m for immunization of children against diphtheria, tetanus and viral hepatitis b].bubo-m, the first russian combined vaccine, was found to have low reactogenicity. the difference between the number of postvaccinal reactions in the group of children immunized with bubo-m (25.9%) and those in the group of children who had been simultaneously injected into different sites of the body with ads-m toxoid (adsorbed dt toxoid with reduced antigen content) and hepatitis b vaccine (26.7%) was not statistically significant. following immunization a considerable increase in the level of ...200111881496
sensing nitrogen limitation in corynebacterium glutamicum: the role of glnk and glnd.a novel nitrogen control system regulating the transcription of genes expressed in response to nitrogen starvation in corynebacterium glutamicum was identified by us recently. in this communication, we also show that the nitrogen regulation cascade in c. glutamicum functions by a new mechanism, although components highly similar to sensor and signal transmitter proteins of escherichia coli are used, namely uridylyltransferase and a pii-type glnk protein. the genes encoding these key components o ...200111886559
in vitro activity of ketolides hmr 3004 and hmr 3647 and seven other antimicrobial agents against corynebacterium diphtheriae.the in vitro activities of two ketolides, hmr 3004 and hmr 3647 (telithromycin), and the comparator agents erythromycin a, azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin and penicillin g were determined by an agar dilution method against 410 isolates of corynebacterium diphtheriae. test isolates originated from diverse geographical locations, including the former ussr, where epidemic diphtheria has re-emerged during the 1990s. all isolates tested were susceptible to penicil ...200111152428
construction and consequences of directed mutations affecting the hemin receptor in pathogenic corynebacterium species.genes encoding an atp-binding cassette transporter system involved in hemin iron utilization from corynebacterium ulcerans were cloned and characterized. the genes are homologous to a hemin transport system previously identified in corynebacterium diphtheriae. disruption of the hmut gene, which encodes the putative hemin receptor, resulted in greatly reduced ability of c. ulcerans to use hemin or hemoglobin as an iron source. inactivation of hmut in c. diphtheriae by site-specific recombination ...200111157965
safety and immunogenicity of improved shigella o-specific polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines in adults in israel.data suggest that the o-specific polysaccharide (o-sp) domain of the lipopolysaccharide (lps) of shigella species is both an essential virulence factor and a protective antigen and that a critical level of serum immunoglobulin g (igg) to this antigen will confer immunity to shigellosis. because covalent attachment of polysaccharides to proteins increases their immunogenicity, especially in infants and in young children, the o-sp of shigella species were bound to medically useful proteins, and th ...200111179298
crystal structure of the iron-dependent regulator from mycobacterium tuberculosis at 2.0-a resolution reveals the src homology domain 3-like fold and metal binding function of the third domain.iron-dependent regulators are primary transcriptional regulators of virulence factors and iron scavenging systems that are important for infection by several bacterial pathogens. here we present the 2.0-a crystal structure of the wild type iron-dependent regulator from mycobacterium tuberculosis in its fully active holorepressor conformation. clear, unbiased electron density for the src homology domain 3-like third domain, which is often invisible in structures of iron-dependent regulators, was ...200111053439
rapid identification of corynebacterium diphtheriae clonal group associated with diphtheria epidemic, russian federation.we used 199 corynebacterium diphtheriae isolated from 1995 to 1997 in russia to evaluate the ability of random amplified polymorphic dna (rapd) to identify the unique clonal group that emerged there in 1990. our data show that rapd can reliably, reproducibly, and rapidly screen a large number of strains to identify the epidemic clonal group.200111266304
[diphtheria toxin receptor]. 200111268653
iron and metal regulation in bacteria.in escherichia coli, the iron regulator fur is regulated by two oxidative-stress response regulators. the generation of dangerous radicals by oxygen and iron is the basis for this dual regulation, which is also found in eukaryotes. the binding of iron-regulated transcripts to apo-aconitase and results of mrna half-life studies indicate that there is post-transcriptional iron regulation in bacteria, as in eukaryotes. fur contains two metal-binding sites, one for zn2+ and one for fe2+. zinc uptake ...200111282473
persistence of a distinct corynebacterium diphtheriae clonal group within two communities in the united states and canada where diphtheria is endemic.molecular characterization of 53 u.s. and canadian corynebacterium diphtheriae isolates by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, ribotyping, and random amplified polymorphic dna showed that strains with distinct molecular subtypes have persisted in the united states and canada for at least 25 years. these strains are endemic rather than imported from countries with current endemic or epidemic diphtheria.200111283092
corynebacterium diphtheriae surface proteins as adhesins to human erythrocytes.corynebacterium diphtheriae strains express non-fimbrial surface proteins able to recognize and bind to specific host cells receptors. protein extracts were obtained from bacterial cells by mechanical process and ammonium sulfate precipitation at 25 and 45% (w/v) saturation. sds-page analysis of the extracts detected two polypeptide bands of 67 and 72 kda, named 67-72 p. the 67-72 p, rabbit anti-67-72 p igg antibodies as well as human gastric mucin, n-acetylneuraminic acid and n-acetyl d-glucosa ...200111313140
structures of three diphtheria toxin repressor (dtxr) variants with decreased repressor activity.the diphtheria toxin repressor (dtxr) from corynebacterium diphtheriae regulates the expression of the gene on corynebacteriophages that encodes diphtheria toxin (dt). other genes regulated by dtxr include those that encode proteins involved in siderophore-mediated iron uptake. dtxr requires activation by divalent metals and holo-dtxr is a dimeric regulator with two distinct metal-binding sites per three-domain monomer. at site 1, three side chains and a sulfate or phosphate anion are involved i ...200111320302
the prevalence of diphtheria immunity in healthy population in poland.the degree of seroprotection against diphtheria in poland was evaluated by determination of igg antibodies to corymebacterium diphtheriae toxin (igg-dtab). the study population consisted of 4,829 healthy subjects aged from 1 day to 85 years from 7 regions of poland. serum samples collected between 1996 and 1998 were assayed for igg-dtab antibodies using a toxoid enzyme immunoassay. neutralization of toxin in vero cells was performed as a reference method with the who standard for human diphtheri ...200111349973
corynebacterium diphtheriae: a pts view to the genome.we have surveyed the publicly available genome sequence of corynebacterium diphtheriae (www.sanger.ac.uk) to identify components of the phosphotransferase system (pts), which plays a central role in carbon metabolism in many bacteria. three gene loci were found to contain putative pts genes. these comprise: (i) the genes of the general phosphotransferases enzyme i (ptsi) and hpr (ptsh), a fructose-specific enzyme iiabc permease (frua), and a fructose 1-phosphate kinase (fruk); (ii) a gene that e ...200111361072
expression of streptococcus mutans fima is iron-responsive and regulated by a dtxr homologue.iron uptake, transport and storage in streptococcus mutans, the principal causative agent of human dental cavities, is unexplored despite early reports in the literature which predict a role for this trace metal in cariogenesis. experiments in the authors' laboratory revealed several iron-responsive proteins in s. mutans, one of which reacted with a polyclonal antiserum directed against the fima fimbrial adhesin from streptococcus parasanguis on western blots. the results of western blot and nor ...200111390691
conformational changes of the ferric uptake regulation protein upon metal activation and dna binding; first evidence of structural homologies with the diphtheria toxin repressor.fur (ferric uptake regulation protein) is a bacterial global regulator that uses iron as a cofactor to bind to specific dna sequences. it has been suggested that metal binding induces a conformational change in the protein, which is subsequently able to recognize dna. this mechanism of activation has been investigated here using selective chemical modification monitored by mass spectrometry. the reactivity of each lysine residue of the fur protein was studied, first in the apo form of the protei ...200111419938
new antioxidant and antimicrobial ellagic acid derivatives from pteleopsis hylodendron.bioassay-guided isolation of two new compounds, 3,4-methylenedioxy-3'-o-methyl-4'-o-glucoside ellagic acid (1) and the pteleoellagic acid derivative (2), from the stem bark of pteleopsis hylodendron is reported along with 3,4-methylenedioxy-3'-o-methyl ellagic acid (3), 3,3'-di-o-methyl ellagic acid (4) and 3,3',4'-tri-o-methyl ellagic acid (5), which were obtained for the first time from this plant. the structures of these compounds were elucidated with the help of spectroscopic studies. compou ...200111458450
corynebacterium diphtheriae threats in cancer patients.the aim of this study was to determine the bacteriological properties of corynebacterium diphtheriae strains isolated from bronchiole washing and cancer lesions. bacteriological characterization included fluorescence/double sugar urease (king/dsu) screening tests, pyrazinamidase (pyz), camp-reactions and radial immunodiffusion toxigenicity assay. microorganisms produced fluorescence under ultraviolet light and were catalase positive; urea and aesculin hydrolysis negative; fermentation of glucose ...200111494762
structure of the n-terminal region of haemophilus influenzae h10017: implications for function.haemophilus influenzae is a gram-negative pathogen that causes infections ranging from asymptomatic colonization of the human upper respiratory tract to serious invasive diseases such as meningitis. although the genome of haemophilus influenzae has been completely sequenced, the structure and function of many of these proteins are unknown. h10017 is one of these uncharacterized proteins. here we describe the three-dimensional solution structure of the n-terminal portion of h10017 as determined b ...200111495242
low baseline antibody level to diphtheria is associated with poor response to conjugated pneumococcal vaccine in adults.joining polysaccharide antigens to protein increases immunogenicity in infants. in older adults, using conjugation to protein carriers to improve the immune response to pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine has thus far proved disappointing. low immunity to the carrier protein in the elderly may explain the failure of conjugated vaccines to elicit a t-cell-dependent response. we immunized 49 older adults (ages 60-78) and 50 younger adults (ages 18-45) with either 23-valent pneumococcal polysacchar ...200111515767
[corynebacterium diphtheriae and conventional-pathogenic corynebacteria (lecture)]. 200111521594
safety and immunogenicity of live attenuated quadrivalent human-bovine (uk) reassortant rotavirus vaccine administered with childhood vaccines to infants.the safety and immunogenicity of an orally administered, live rotavirus vaccine comprised of four strains, each with a titer of 10(5.3) or 10(5.8) pfu, and each having 10 genes from the uk bovine strain and the vp7 gene from human rotavirus serotype 1, 2, 3, or 4, were evaluated in adults, young children and infants in randomized, double-blind phase 1 trials. three doses of rotavirus vaccine or placebo given with childhood immunizations to infants at 2, 4, and 6 months of age were well tolerated ...200111535316
onjisaponins, from the root of polygala tenuifolia willdenow, as effective adjuvants for nasal influenza and diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccines.active substances from hot water extracts from 267 different chinese and japanese medicinal herbs were screened for mucosal adjuvant activity with influenza ha vaccine in mice. the extract from the root of polygala tenuifolia was found to contain potent mucosal adjuvant activity. the active substances were purified and identified as onjisaponins a, e, f, and g. when each onjisaponin (10 microg) was intranasally (i.n.) inoculated with influenza vaccine (10 microg) in mice, serum hemagglutination- ...200111535335
[identification of corynebacterium diphtheria biovar belfanti among circulating c. diphtheriae strains in ukraine].the biochemical test of the reduction of nitrates to nitrites made it possible to identify 5.2% of strains belonging to biovar belfanti among 135 c. diphtheriae strains, initially classified within biovar mitis. out of 7 identified c. diphtheriae belfanti strains, 2 toxigenic strains were isolated from multiple foci diphtheria. according to the results of the polymerase chain reaction, 1 out of 5 non-toxigenic strains had tox gene. all c. diphtheriae belfanti strains were found to have pronounce ...200111548269
[genetic structure of corynebacterium diphtheriae strains isolated in russia during epidemics of various intensity].the genetic structure of c. dipthteriae toxigenic strains isolated in russia during the period of more than 50 years was analysed. the use of the method of ribotyping made it possible to register 17 c. diphtheriae ribotypes. the study revealed that the genetic structure of c. diphtheriae population varied in the dynamics of the epidemic process: each epidemic cycle characterized by predominant spread of epidemic strains of definite biovars and ribotypes. thus, c. diphtheriae strains of biovar gr ...200111550555
reactogenicity and immunogenicity of adult versus paediatric diphtheria and tetanus booster dose at 6 years of age.we evaluated the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of a booster dose of diphtheria-tetanus vaccine administered at the age of school-entry, comparing a low-dose vaccine (dt) to the standard paediatric dose (dt). participants were randomly assigned to receive one of the two vaccines; the study was evaluator-blinded. the frequency of side-reactions was similar when comparing the two groups, except when considering local redness and swelling, which were significantly more frequent among the dt grou ...200111567748
disordered to ordered folding in the regulation of diphtheria toxin repressor activity.understanding how metal binding regulates the activity of the diphtheria toxin repressor protein (dtxr) requires information about the structure in solution. we have prepared a dtxr mutant construct with three additional n-terminal residues, gly-ser-his-dtxr(cys-102 --> asp), that retains metal-binding capabilities, but remains monomeric in solution and does not bind dna under conditions that effect dimerization and dna binding in the functional dtxr(cys-102 --> asp) construct. although the inte ...200111572979
diphtheria in thailand in the 1990s.diphtheria remains endemic in developing countries, but there are limited published data on the subject. thailand's diphtheria surveillance data are relatively complete and may give a fuller picture of the situation in similar countries. after routine immunization began in 1977, the incidence of reported diphtheria decreased by >98% to <0.1 case per 100,000 persons annually in the 1990s. despite infant immunization coverage of >90%, diphtheria cases were reported throughout the 1990s, primarily ...200111574919
the esat-6 gene cluster of mycobacterium tuberculosis and other high g+c gram-positive bacteria.the genome of mycobacterium tuberculosis h37rv has five copies of a cluster of genes known as the esat-6 loci. these clusters contain members of the cfp-10 (lhp) and esat-6 (esat-6) gene families (encoding secreted t-cell antigens that lack detectable secretion signals) as well as genes encoding secreted, cell-wall-associated subtilisin-like serine proteases, putative abc transporters, atp-binding proteins and other membrane-associated proteins. these membrane-associated and energy-providing pro ...200111597336
influence of relative binding affinity on efficacy in a panel of anti-cd3 scfv immunotoxins.the in vitro cell killing potency of an immunotoxin reflects the aggregate of several independent biochemical properties. these include antigen binding affinity; internalization rate, intracellular processing and intrinsic toxin domain potency. this study examines the influence of antigen binding affinity on potency in various immunotoxin fusion proteins where target antigen binding is mediated by single chain antibody variable region fragments (scfv). firstly, the relationship between affinity ...200111684296
international external quality assessment scheme for the laboratory diagnosis of diphtheria.an international external quality assessment (eqa) scheme has been established so as to evaluate the proficiency of specialist, national diphtheria reference laboratories in the laboratory diagnosis of diphtheria. six simulated clinical specimens were freeze-dried and distributed to 23 participants in 20 countries. participants were asked to isolate, identify and perform toxigenicity testing on any corynebacteria present and to complete a simple questionnaire describing the procedures and reagen ...200111699587
humoral immunity to viral and bacterial antigens in lymphoma patients 4-10 years after high-dose therapy with abmt. serological responses to revaccinations according to ebmt guidelines.the aim of this study was to investigate the late effects of abmt on the immune system with regard to protective humoral immunity against common antigens and responses to recall antigens (vaccines). the vaccines were given according to ebmt guidelines from 1995. the protocol included 35 patients with malignant lymphoma in cr 4-10 years after abmt, and 35 controls. the results show that prior to abmt the proportion of patients with protective immunity against poliomyelitis, tetanus and diphtheria ...200111704791
evidence of increased carriage of corynebacterium spp. in healthy individuals with low antibody titres against diphtheria toxoid.this study evaluated whether a correlation exists between carriage of corynebacteria and the lack of immunity to diphtheria toxoid. samples of both nasal and pharyngeal secretions were taken from 500 apparently healthy subjects of both sexes and of all ages and inoculated onto tinsdale's medium. a serum sample was also taken for elisa test to determine the titre of diphtheria toxin antibodies. none of the subjects carried corynebacterium diphtheriae. ninety-three strains of corynebacterium spp. ...200011057966
diphtheritic myocarditis: clinical and laboratory parameters of prognosis and fatal outcome.of the 97 throat smear-positive cases of diphtheria treated, 16 developed evidence of myocarditis (16.5%). age, duration of illness prior to admission, anatomical extent of membrane formation, total leukocyte count and serum glutamic oxalo-acetic transaminase (sgot) levels were analysed in fatal and non-fatal cases and the differences between the two groups found to be statistically significant with regard to anatomical extent of membrane formation, total leukocyte count and sgot levels. the ext ...200011064774
degradation of heme in gram-negative bacteria: the product of the hemo gene of neisseriae is a heme oxygenase.a full-length heme oxygenase gene from the gram-negative pathogen neisseria meningitidis was cloned and expressed in escherichia coli. expression of the enzyme yielded soluble catalytically active protein and caused accumulation of biliverdin within the e. coli cells. the purified hemo forms a 1:1 complex with heme and has a heme protein spectrum similar to that previously reported for the purified heme oxygenase (hmuo) from the gram-positive pathogen corynebacterium diphtheriae and for eukaryot ...200011073924
nontoxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae: an emerging pathogen in england and wales?confirmed isolates of nontoxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae in england and wales increased substantially from 1986 to 1994. ribotyping of 121 isolates confirmed in 1995 showed that 90 were of a single strain isolated exclusively from the throat; none had previously been identified in toxigenic strains from u.k. or non-u.k. residents. the upward trend in nontoxigenic c. diphtheriae probably represented increased ascertainment, although dissemination of a particular strain or clone may have bee ...200011076724
cell surface components and adhesion in corynebacterium diphtheriae.main primary approaches and new developments in the study of the molecular basis of the adhesive process of corynebacterium diphtheriae are reviewed along with a discussion of the potential importance of hemagglutinins, exposed sugar residues, hydrophobins and trans-sialidase enzymes as adhesins of strains of the sucrose fermenting and non-fermenting biotypes.200011099937
characterization of specific nucleotide substitutions in dtxr-specific operators of corynebacterium diphtheriae that dramatically affect dtxr binding, operator function, and promoter strength.the diphtheria toxin repressor (dtxr) of corynebacterium diphtheriae uses fe(2+) as a corepressor. holo-dtxr inhibits transcription from the iron-regulated promoters (irps) designated irp1 through irp5 as well as from the promoters for the tox and hmuo genes. dtxr binds to 19-bp operators with the consensus sequence 5'-ttaggttagcctaacctaa-3', a perfect 9-bp palindrome interrupted by a single c. g base pair. among the seven known dtxr-specific operators, irp3 exhibits the weakest binding to dtxr. ...200010629190
immunosurveillance on kosovar children refugees in southern italy. 200010896621
genetic characterization of a streptococcus mutans lrai family operon and role in virulence.proteins belonging to the lrai (for "lipoprotein receptor antigen") family function as adhesins in several streptococci, as a virulence factor for endocarditis in at least one of these species, and potentially as metal transporters in many bacteria. we have identified and characterized the chromosomal locus containing the lrai family gene (designated sloc) from streptococcus mutans, an agent of dental caries and endocarditis in humans. northern blot analysis indicated that sloc is cotranscribed ...200010899841
[the characteristics of the development of immunity with a primary immunization complex using adsorbed dtp vaccine].the intensity of immunity, depending on immune response variants characterized by the definite composition of the t and b lymphocyte subpopulation in peripheral blood, was studied in 70 practically healthy young children after the primary complex of immunization with adsorbed dpt vaccine. the most stable immune reaction was shown to appear in children with the hyperergic and normoergic variants of immune response to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, while the reaction to pertussis antigen was esse ...200010925876
[the efficacy of immunizing children who are forced migrants against diphtheria and tetanus based on the results of serological studies].the results of the serological study of 2,352 children aged 1-6 years who had arrived to the territory of the region without any documents on past immunization revealed that most of these children had sufficiently pronounced specific immunity to diphtheria (66.4%) and tetanus (83.6%) thus the tactics of the prophylactic immunization of children having no relevant documents must be worked out with due regard to the results of serological studies.200010925883
epidemiology of diphtheria in south dakota.respiratory diphtheria was one of the most common causes of death among children in the pre-vaccine era. since the introduction of diphtheria toxoid vaccine in 1920s, and its widespread use by the late 1940s, diphtheria became increasingly rare in the united states. however, through the 1970s diphtheria remained endemic in some states, with reported incidence rates > 1.0 per million population in six states (alaska, arizona, montana, new mexico, south dakota, and washington). starting in 1980, l ...200010932611
methyl groups of thymine bases are important for nucleic acid recognition by dtxr.the expression of diphtheria toxin is controlled by the diphtheria toxin repressor (dtxr). under conditions of high iron concentration, dtxr binds the tox operator to inhibit transcription. to study how dna binding specificity is achieved by this repressor, we solved the crystal structure of the nickel(ii) activated dtxr(c102d) mutant complexed with a 43mer dna duplex containing the dtxr consensus binding sequence. structural analysis of this complex and comparison with a previously determined d ...200010956029
the iron dependent regulatory protein ider (dtxr) of rhodococcus equi.this paper reports the presence of an ider gene, which encodes an iron-dependent regulatory protein, in rhodococcus erythropolis and in the intracellular pathogen rhodococcus equi. the ider gene of the latter encoded a protein of 230 amino acids with a molecular mass of 25619. the alpha-helices forming the helix-turn-helix motif of the r. equi protein were identical to those of the dtxr protein of corynebacterium diphtheriae, which is an ider homologue. this indicates that the two proteins bind ...200011004391
use of amplified fragment length polymorphisms for typing corynebacterium diphtheriae.amplified fragment length polymorphism (aflp) was investigated for the differentiation of corynebacterium diphtheriae isolates. analysis using taxotron revealed 10 distinct aflp profiles among 57 isolates. strains with ribotype patterns d1, d4, and d12 could not be distinguished; however, the technique discriminated isolates of ribotype patterns d3, d6, and d7 further. aflp was rapid, fairly inexpensive, and reproducible and could be used as an alternative to ribotyping.200011015416
expression of the virulence-related sca (mn2+) permease in streptococcus gordonii is regulated by a diphtheria toxin metallorepressor-like protein scar.the acquisition of transition metal ions by pathogenic bacteria is crucial to their growth and survival within the human host, however, the mechanisms of metal ion homeostasis in streptococci are unknown. the scacba operon in the human oral bacterium streptococcus gordonii encodes the components of an abc-type transporter for manganese (mn2+). production of substrate-binding lipoprotein scaa was increased approximately fivefold in cells cultured in low mn2+ medium (< 0.1 microm mn2+), but not in ...200011029696
comparison of four serological methods for the detection of diphtheria anti-toxin antibody.the aim of this study was to compare four serological methods for the detection of corynebacterium diphtheriae igg anti-toxin antibodies (igg-dtab) in human serum. one hundred serum samples were evaluated for c. diphtheriae igg-dtab by four different methods: passive haemagglutination (pha), latex agglutination test (la), toxoid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (toxoid-elisa), and toxin-binding inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (tobi-elisa). as the external standardisation the neutra ...200011042283
diphtheria in the russian federation in the 1990s.a resurgence of diphtheria spread throughout the russian federation in the early 1990s; diphtheria had been well controlled, but circulation of toxigenic strains of corynebacterium diphtheriae had persisted since the implementation of universal childhood vaccination in the late 1950s. more than 115,000 cases and 3,000 deaths were reported from 1990 to 1997, and, in contrast to the situation in the prevaccine era, most of the cases and deaths occurred among adults. contributing factors included t ...200010657187
epidemic diphtheria in ukraine, 1991-1997.in 1991, ukraine experienced a return of epidemic diphtheria after decades of control that had resulted in <40 sporadic cases reported every year. increased incidence was first recorded in kiev, lviv, and odessa. by 1993, the epidemic had spread to >50% of the oblasts (provinces) in the country, and by 1995, all regions were affected. in 1995, at the peak of the epidemic, >5,000 cases and >200 deaths were reported. as in russia, >80% of these cases were diagnosed in persons 16-59 years old. in 1 ...200010657188
epidemic diphtheria in belarus, 1992-1997.in 1990, epidemic diphtheria reemerged in russia and spread to belarus in 1992, when 66 cases were reported. diphtheria cases doubled each year in 1993 and 1994 and peaked in 1995, when 322 cases were reported. intensified routine immunization of young children and mass vaccination of older children and selected groups of adults were conducted in 1995 and were followed by mass vaccination campaigns targeting all adults in 1996. by the end of 1996, full immunization of >95% of children and covera ...200010657189
epidemiology and control of diphtheria in the republic of moldova, 1946-1996.in 1994-1996, the republic of moldova was stricken with an epidemic of diphtheria after >30 years of routine diphtheria immunization and the near absence of the disease for nearly 20 years. the intensity of the epidemic gradually grew, reaching a peak in 1994-1995. the epidemiology of diphtheria in moldova during this period is described along with laboratory findings and control measures. pharyngeal diphtheria was the predominant clinical form of the disease (97% of cases), and it most often de ...200010657190
diphtheria in lithuania, 1986-1996.diphtheria reappeared in lithuania in 1986 and rose to epidemic levels by 1992. between 1991 and 1996, 110 cases of diphtheria were registered, with an incidence of 0.03-1.15/100,000 population. most cases (84%) and all 17 deaths occurred among persons >/=15 years, most of whom had never been vaccinated. persons 40-49 years old had the highest average annual age-specific morbidity (1.70/100,000) and mortality (0.53/100,000) rates. low levels of immunity among individuals 40-49 years old and migr ...200010657191
diphtheria in latvia, 1986-1996.after nearly two decades without a diphtheria case in latvia, the disease reappeared in 1986. from 1990 to 1996, case counts were highest among adults 40-49 years of age, school-aged children, and adolescents. nonetheless, the average annualized incidence of disease was highest among infants and preschoolers. in august 1995, mass vaccination efforts began to provide adults 25-60 years of age with at least one dose of vaccine. by the end of the year, a 77% coverage rate was achieved, resulting in ...200010657192
diphtheria in estonia, 1991-1996.clinical diphtheria reappeared in estonia in 1991. between 1991 and 1996, 61 cases and 5 deaths occurred; 19 cases were among children 5-9 years of age, and 11 were among persons 40-49 years of age. from 1993-1995, vaccine supplies donated by finland were used in vaccination programs. in 1995, the international federation of red cross and red crescent societies and the estonian red cross launched a mass vaccination campaign targeting the adult population. by the end of 1997, it was estimated tha ...200010657193
epidemic investigation of diphtheria in the republic of armenia, 1990-1996.while incidence rates of diphtheria steadily declined in armenia after world war ii, reemergence of the disease in 1990 brought about changes in public health practices and identified resource needs. the armenian ministry of health (moh) routinely collected diphtheria case reports, as a reportable health outcome. diphtheria incidence rates increased from 0.02/100,000 in 1993 to 1/100,000 (36 cases) in 1994. the distribution of cases showed that the greatest number of illnesses and deaths occurre ...200010657194
diphtheria epidemic in the republic of georgia, 1993-1997.epidemic diphtheria reemerged in the republic of georgia in 1993. from 1993 to 1997, 1405 cases were reported (28 in 1993, 312 in 1994, 429 in 1995, 348 in 1996, and 288 in 1997), with a cumulative incidence of 25.8/100,000 and a case fatality ratio of 9.5%. during 1993-1997, 53% of the diphtheria cases occurred among persons >/=15 years of age. unvaccinated patients were more likely to have toxic forms (relative risk=2.24; 95% confidence interval=1.69-2.96) or to die of diphtheria (relative ris ...200010657196
epidemic diphtheria in the kyrgyz republic, 1994-1998.the kyrgyz republic experienced a widespread diphtheria epidemic during 1994-1998. national diphtheria surveillance and vaccination coverage information were used to describe the course of the epidemic. the epidemic began in august 1994, reached a peak in 1995 with 704 cases (incidence rate: 15.4/100,000 population) and 30 deaths, and declined to an incidence rate of 4.0/100,000 during the first 8 months of 1998. age-specific incidence was highest in 1995 among persons 15-19 and 20-29 years old. ...200010657199
diphtheria epidemic in the republic of uzbekistan, 1993-1996.the republic of uzbekistan, like the other newly independent states in the 1990s, experienced epidemic diphtheria during the 1990s. the outbreak in uzbekistan began in 1993 in southern regions that bordered areas of tajikistan that were experiencing a very intense diphtheria epidemic. however, the uzbek epidemic rapidly spread and threatened to involve the entire country. from 1993-1996, 1169 cases of diphtheria were reported, compared with 58 in 1990-1992. unvaccinated or only partially vaccina ...200010657200
clinical characteristics and management of 676 hospitalized diphtheria cases, kyrgyz republic, 1995.the kyrgyz republic experienced a widespread resurgence of diphtheria during 1994-1998. to describe the clinical characteristics and management of diphtheria patients hospitalized in 1995, a retrospective chart review was conducted. physician-diagnosed cases of diphtheria were classified according to the system recommended by the world health organization and unicef. among 676 patients hospitalized with respiratory diphtheria, 163 (24%) were carriers, 186 (28%) had tonsillar forms, 78 (12%) had ...200010657201
the pathology of diphtheria.diphtheria is an acute, communicable disease caused by corynebacterium diphtheriae. the disease is generally characterized by local growth of the bacterium in the pharynx with pseudomembrane formation or, less commonly, in the stomach or lungs; systemic dissemination of toxin then invokes lesions in distant organs. acute disease of the upper respiratory tract usually involves one or more of the following: tonsillar zones, larynx, soft palate, uvula, and nasal cavities. a recent epidemic in russi ...200010657202
risk factors for diphtheria: a prospective case-control study in the republic of georgia, 1995-1996.the large-scale resurgence of diphtheria in the former soviet union offered a unique opportunity to evaluate risk factors for the transmission of respiratory diphtheria; therefore, a prospective case-control study was done in the republic of georgia. in total, 218 diphtheria cases (hospitalized between october 1995 and march 1996) and 408 matched controls participated. one hundred cases (45%) were </=14 years of age, and 118 (55%) were >/=15 years of age (range: <1 to 75 years). in the multivari ...200010657203
current approaches to the laboratory diagnosis of diphtheria.despite the success of mass immunization in many countries, diphtheria continues to play a major role as a potentially lethal resurgent infectious disease. early, accurate diagnosis is imperative since delay in specific therapy may result in death. the microbiologic diagnosis of the disease, the identification of contacts and carriers, and the appropriate clinical management of these patients are therefore crucial. the epidemiology of diseases caused by corynebacterium diphtheriae has changed dr ...200010657205
the european laboratory working group on diphtheria: a global microbiologic network.increasing international travel, migration to and from epidemic areas, and the emergence of epidemic corynebacterium diphtheriae strains globally have highlighted the need for better microbiologic surveillance and greater clinical and laboratory awareness. as part of the strategy developed by the world health organization, one major goal is particularly applicable to the microbiology and epidemiology of diphtheria: to improve surveillance for early detection of emerging and reemerging diseases b ...200010657206
direct polymerase chain reaction for detection of toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae strains from the republic of georgia after prolonged storage.a total of 226 paired nose and throat swab specimens from 113 clinical diphtheria cases from the republic of georgia were analyzed by direct polymerase chain reaction targeting both a and b subunits of the diphtheria toxin gene, tox. even after prolonged transport and extensive storage (7-14 months) of the clinical specimens in silica gel packages, direct polymerase chain reaction detected the diphtheria tox gene in 54% of the specimens. specimens obtained by throat swab were three times more li ...200010657207
biology and molecular epidemiology of diphtheria toxin and the tox gene.diphtheria toxin (dt) is an extracellular protein of corynebacterium diphtheriae that inhibits protein synthesis and kills susceptible cells. the gene that encodes dt (tox) is present in some corynephages, and dt is only produced by c. diphtheriae isolates that harbor tox+ phages. the diphtheria toxin repressor (dtxr) is a global regulatory protein that uses fe2+ as co-repressor. holo-dtxr represses production of dt, corynebacterial siderophore, heme oxygenase, and several other proteins. diagno ...200010657208
molecular epidemiology of diphtheria.molecular subtyping of corynebacterium diphtheriae identified significant genetic diversity within the species and led to the identification of a unique clonal group that emerged in russia in 1990 at the beginning of the current epidemic. strains of this group belong to a distinct electrophoretic type complex and are of ribotypes d1 and d4. identification of the group allowed for precise monitoring of the epidemic's progression and for rapid detection of cases imported to other countries. the ev ...200010657209
epidemic diphtheria in the newly independent states of the former soviet union: implications for diphtheria control in the united states.the re-emergence of diphtheria in the newly independent states of the former soviet union in the 1990s raised global awareness of the potential for resurgent disease in countries with long-standing immunization programs. in the united states, the large population of susceptible adults and the possibility of a reintroduction of toxigenic strains of diphtheria create a setting in which diphtheria could spread. in addition, at least one focus of continued circulation of endemic toxigenic corynebact ...200010657221
endocarditis caused by corynebacterium diphtheriae: case report and review of the literature. 200010694006
[molecular epidemiology of diphtheria re-emerged in russia]. 200010695349
a randomised controlled trial with a diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dtpa) vaccine in adults.the aim of this assessor-blinded trial was to compare the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a candidate diphtheria, tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine with reduced antigen content for diphtheria and pertussis (dtpa) with a licensed reduced adult-type diphtheria-tetanus vaccine td (reduced diphtheria content) and with an experimental candidate monovalent acellular pertussis vaccine with reduced antigen content (pa). the dtpa and pa vaccines had identical pertussis antigen content. ...200010715521
the 51,409-bp r-plasmid ptp10 from the multiresistant clinical isolate corynebacterium striatum m82b is composed of dna segments initially identified in soil bacteria and in plant, animal, and human pathogens.the 51,409-bp dna sequence of the multiresistance plasmid ptp10 from the gram-positive opportunistic human pathogen corynebacterium striatum m82b has been determined. fully automated genome interpretation led to the identification of 47 orfs. analysis of the genetic organization of ptp10 suggests that the plasmid is composed of eight dna segments, the boundaries of which are represented by transposons and insertion sequences. the dna segments of ptp10 are highly similar to (1) a plasmid-encoded ...200010732668
rapid enzyme immunoassay for determination of toxigenicity among clinical isolates of corynebacteria.a rapid enzyme immunoassay (eia) was developed for the phenotypic detection of diphtheria toxin among clinical isolates of corynebacteria. the assay uses equine polyclonal antitoxin as the capture antibody and an alkaline phosphatase-labeled monoclonal antibody, specific for fragment a of the toxin molecule, as the detecting antibody. the assay is rapid, sensitive, and specific: a final result is available within 3 h of colony selection, and the limits of detection are 0.1 ng of pure diphtheria ...200010747112
identification of coryneform bacterial isolates by ribosomal dna sequence analysis.identification of coryneform bacteria to the species level is important in certain circumstances for differentiating contamination and/or colonization from infection, which influences decisions regarding clinical intervention. however, methods currently used in clinical microbiology laboratories for the species identification of coryneform bacteria are often inadequate. we evaluated the microseq 500 16s bacterial sequencing kit (perkin-elmer biosystems, foster city, calif.), which is designed to ...200010747168
histidine 20, the crucial proximal axial heme ligand of bacterial heme oxygenase hmu o from corynebacterium diphtheriae.the hemin complex of hmu o, a 24-kda soluble heme degradation enzyme in corynebacterium diphtheriae, is coordinated axially to a neutral imidazole of a proximal histidine residue in hmu o. to identify which of the eight histidines in hmu o is the proximal heme ligand, we have constructed and expressed the plasmids for eight his --> ala hmu o mutants. reconstituted with hemin, the active site structures and enzymatic activity of these mutants have been examined by epr, resonance raman, and optica ...200010751393
manganese homeostasis in bacillus subtilis is regulated by mntr, a bifunctional regulator related to the diphtheria toxin repressor family of proteins.the bacillus subtilis yqhn gene encodes a metalloregulatory protein distantly related to the corynebacterium diphtheriae diphtheria toxin repressor (dtxr). while dtxr mediates the iron-dependent repression of iron uptake, we demonstrate that yqhn (herein renamed mntr) encodes a manganese modulated regulator of manganese transport. an mntr mutant strain is sensitive to both manganese and cadmium, suggesting that the transport of these metals is derepressed. we selected tn10 insertions that suppre ...200010760146
corynebacterium diphtheriae genes required for acquisition of iron from haemin and haemoglobin are homologous to abc haemin transporters.corynebacterium diphtheriae and corynebacterium ulcerans use haemin and haemoglobin as essential sources of iron during growth in iron-depleted medium. c. diphtheriae and c. ulcerans mutants defective in haemin iron utilization were isolated and characterized. four clones from a c. diphtheriae genomic library complemented several of the corynebacteria haemin utilization mutants. the complementing plasmids shared an approximately 3 kb region, and the nucleotide sequence of one of the plasmids rev ...200010760164
acellular pertussis vaccines.although whole-cell pertussis vaccines have been highly effective in preventing whooping cough, their common and burdensome adverse reactions have spurred the development of safer alternatives. seven acellular vaccines are licensed in one or more countries; four have been licensed thus far in the united states, and more may follow. although the licensed acellular pertussis vaccines differ in their immunogenicity, adverse reactions, and efficacy, all are effective and, compared with whole-cell va ...200010761506
identification of the proximal ligand his-20 in heme oxygenase (hmu o) from corynebacterium diphtheriae. oxidative cleavage of the heme macrocycle does not require the proximal histidine.the coordination and spin-state of the corynebacterium diphtheriae heme oxygenase (hmu o) and the proximal hmu o h20a mutant have been characterized by uv-visible and resonance raman (rr) spectrophotometry. at neutral ph the ferric heme-hmu o complex is a mixture of six-coordinate high spin and six-coordinate low spin species. changes in the uv-visible and high frequency rr spectra are observed as a function of ph and temperature, with the six-coordinate high spin species being converted to six- ...200010766788
atrioventricular block in a toxic child: do not forget diphtheria.we describe a 4.5-year-old girl who presented with severe febrile throat infection and who, after a few days, developed ventricular tachycardia followed by atrioventricular block. although a pacemaker was inserted, she died of cardiogenic shock. throat cultures were positive for corynebacterium diphtheriae.200010818196
toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae associated with an equine wound infection. 200010826839
retrospective diagnosis of diphtheria by detection of the corynebacterium diphtheriae tox gene in a formaldehyde-fixed throat swab using pcr and sequencing analysis.the tox gene of corynebacterium diphtheriae was detected in a formaldehyde-fixed throat swab taken from a 68-year-old man who was reported to have died of suffocation due to a pharyngeal tumor. dna templates prepared from bacterial cells fixed with 10% formaldehyde were subjected to a pcr analysis with tox gene-specific pcr primers. the resultant 112-nucleotide-long pcr product was sequenced using a dye terminator method, and an expected 57-nucleotide-long internal sequence of the tox gene was d ...200010835015
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