| leptospira interrogans icterohaemorrhagiae in a patient with crohn's disease. | | 2010 | 20186939 |
| a trk/hkt-type k+ transporter from trypanosoma brucei. | the molecular mechanisms of k(+) homeostasis are only poorly understood for protozoan parasites. trypanosoma brucei subsp. parasites, the causative agents of human sleeping sickness and nagana, are strictly extracellular and need to actively concentrate k(+) from their hosts' body fluids. the t. brucei genome contains two putative k(+) channel genes, yet the trypanosomes are insensitive to k(+) antagonists and k(+) channel-blocking agents, and they do not spontaneously depolarize in response to ... | 2010 | 20190075 |
| killing of treponema denticola by mouse peritoneal macrophages. | treponema denticola has been identified as an important cause of periodontal disease and hypothesized to be involved in extra-oral infections. the objective of this study was to investigate the role of t. denticola cell length and motility during mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro uptake. macrophages, incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, produced a similar amount of tnf-alpha when stimulated with escherichia coli lps. the uptake of flge- and cfpa-deficient mutants of t. denticola ... | 2010 | 20200417 |
| cloning and characterization of three cheb genes in leptospira interrogans. | motility and chemotaxis systems are critical for the virulence of leptospires. there were multiple copies of putative chemotaxis homologs located at leptospires large chromosome. cheb1 and cheb3 from leptospira interrogans strain lai are predicted to have a global cheb-like domain, but cheb2 is predicted to have a c-terminal effector domain only. in order to verify the function of three putative cheb genes, they were cloned into pqe31 vector and then expressed, respectively, in wild-type escheri ... | 2010 | 20213047 |
| bilateral facial palsy associated with leptospirosis. | leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide occurrence caused by the spirochete leptospira interrogans. it is an acute feverish disease with a broad clinical spectrum and follows a characteristic biphasic course. bilateral facial palsy is a rare clinical condition and the differential diagnosis of its causes is extensive. the objective of this exploratory study, presented as a case report, is to describe the occurrence of bilateral facial palsy as an unusual manifestation of leptospirosis. this sug ... | 2009 | 20232000 |
| identification of immunodominant b- and t-cell combined epitopes in outer membrane lipoproteins lipl32 and lipl21 of leptospira interrogans. | leptospirosis is a serious infectious disease caused by pathogenic leptospira. b- and t-cell-mediated immune responses contribute to the mechanisms of leptospira interrogans infection and immune intervention. lipl32 and lipl21 are the conserved outer membrane lipoproteins of l. interrogans and are considered vaccine candidates. in this study, we identified b- and t-cell combined epitopes within lipl32 and lipl21 to further develop a novel vaccine. by using a computer prediction algorithm, two b- ... | 2010 | 20237196 |
| altered linkage of hydroxyacyl chains in lipid a of campylobacter jejuni reduces tlr4 activation and antimicrobial resistance. | modification of the lipid a moiety of bacterial lipopolysaccharide influences cell wall properties, endotoxic activity, and bacterial resistance to antimicrobial peptides. known modifications are variation in the number or length of acyl chains and/or attached phosphoryl groups. here we identified two genes (gnna and gnnb) in the major foodborne pathogen campylobacter jejuni that enable the synthesis of a glcn3n precursor udp 2-acetamido-3-amino-2,3-dideoxy-alpha-d-glucopyranose (udp-glcnac3n) i ... | 2010 | 20351099 |
| use of luminescent leptospira interrogans for enumeration in biological assays. | rapid and reliable in vitro methods for the detection of pathogenic leptospires, such as leptospira interrogans, are lacking. the present study investigated the use of luminescence to replace the existing enumeration techniques. transposon tnsc189 was modified to incorporate the luxcdabe cassette from photorhabdus luminescens and was used to construct luminescent leptospira spp. there was a linear relationship between luminescence and cell number, with the theoretical detection limit being less ... | 2010 | 20375235 |
| the infective causes of hepatitis and jaundice amongst hospitalised patients in vientiane, laos. | there is little information on the diverse infectious causes of jaundice and hepatitis in the asiatic tropics. serology (hepatitis a, b, c and e, leptospirosis, dengue, rickettsia), antigen tests (dengue), pcr assays (hepatitis a, c and e) and blood cultures (septicaemia) were performed on samples from 392 patients admitted with jaundice or raised transaminases (> or =x3) to mahosot hospital, vientiane, laos over 3 years. conservative definitions suggested diagnoses of dengue (8.4%), rickettsios ... | 2010 | 20378138 |
| characterization and serologic analysis of the treponema pallidum proteome. | treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum is the causative agent of syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease characterized by widespread tissue dissemination and chronic infection. in this study, we analyzed the proteome of t. pallidum by the isoelectric focusing (ief) and nonequilibrating ph gel electrophoresis (nephge) forms of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2dge), coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (maldi-tof) analysis. we determined the identity of 148 t. ... | 2010 | 20385758 |
| translocation of borrelia burgdorferi surface lipoprotein ospa through the outer membrane requires an unfolded conformation and can initiate at the c-terminus. | borrelia burgdorferi surface lipoproteins are essential to the pathogenesis of lyme borreliosis, but the mechanisms responsible for their localization are only beginning to emerge. we have previously demonstrated the critical nature of the amino-terminal 'tether' domain of the mature lipoprotein for sorting a fluorescent reporter to the borrelia cell surface. here, we show that individual deletion of four contiguous residues within the tether of major surface lipoprotein ospa results in its inef ... | 2010 | 20398211 |
| functional characterization of lcpa, a surface-exposed protein of leptospira spp. that binds the human complement regulator c4bp. | we have previously shown that pathogenic leptospiral strains are able to bind c4b binding protein (c4bp). surface-bound c4bp retains its cofactor activity, indicating that acquisition of this complement regulator may contribute to leptospiral serum resistance. in the present study, the abilities of seven recombinant putative leptospiral outer membrane proteins to interact with c4bp were evaluated. the protein encoded by lic11947 interacted with this human complement regulator in a dose-dependent ... | 2010 | 20404075 |
| high-resolution melt-curve analysis of random-amplified-polymorphic-dna markers, for the characterisation of pathogenic leptospira. | a new test for pathogenic leptospira isolates, based on rapd-pcr and high-resolution melt (hrm) analysis (which measures the melting temperature of amplicons in real time, using a fluorescent dna-binding dye), has recently been developed. a characteristic profile of the amplicons can be used to define serovars or detect genotypes. ten serovars, of leptospires from the species leptospira interrogans (serovars australis, robinsoni, hardjo, pomona, zanoni, copenhageni and szwajizak), l. borgpeterse ... | 2010 | 20406582 |
| first isolation of human leptospira strains, azores, portugal. | the aim of this study was the first identification of leptospira isolates from azorean inpatients. | 2010 | 20413339 |
| serologic and molecular studies of leptospira and leptospirosis among rats in the philippines. | rats are known to be the most important reservoirs and transmission sources of leptospirosis. however, the status of leptospirosis in the philippines regarding reservoirs and transmission remains unknown. a survey was conducted in metro manila and laguna that analyzed samples obtained from 106 rats. using the microscopic agglutination test, we found that 92% of rat serum samples were positive for anti-leptospira antibodies; the most common infecting serovars were manilae, hebdomadis, and losbano ... | 2010 | 20439972 |
| molecular epidemiology of leptospirosis in northern iran by nested polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing methods. | this study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of leptospira species in mazandaran province of iran by using nested polymerase chain reaction (pcr)/restriction fragment length polymorphism (rflp) methods and sequencing analysis. blood samples (n = 119) were collected from humans suspected of having leptospirosis from different parts of the province in 2007. by using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (ifat), we determined that 35 (29.4%) of 119 suspected cases had leptospiral an ... | 2010 | 20439973 |
| refolding of the recombinant protein ompa70 from leptospira interrogans from inclusion bodies using high hydrostatic pressure and partial characterization of its immunological properties. | leptospira is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, a life-threatening disease that affects human populations worldwide. available vaccines have demonstrated limited effectiveness, and therapeutic interventions are complicated by the difficulty of establishing an early diagnosis. the genome of leptospira strains was sequenced, and bioinformatic analyses revealed potential vaccine and serodiagnosis candidates. the present work studied ompa70, a putative outer membrane protein from leptospira in ... | 2010 | 20450943 |
| [rare acute hepatitis in a female patient with hemochromatosis: a zoonosis?]. | a 58-year-old female patient was transferred by her general practitioner with fatigue, nausea and icterus which had begun 2 weeks prior to admission. laboratory results revealed acute hepatitis (alat [alanine aminotransferase] 3,871 u/l, asat [aspartate aminotransferase] 2,004 u/l, bilirubin 6.7 mg/dl, gamma-gt [gamma-glutamyl transferase] 503 u/l). the patient's medical history included genetic hemochromatosis (without cirrhosis). hepatitis a to c, infection with herpesviruses or leptospira int ... | 2010 | 20455055 |
| [feasibility to use of recombinant domains of immunoglobulin-like protein liga as a promising marker for serological testing of patients with leptospirosis]. | to clone the dna fragment encoding conservative domain of liga protein of leptospira interrogans into escherichia coli and to investigate antigenic properties of constructed chimeric protein. | 2010 | 20465007 |
| the cultivation of spirochaeta icterohaemorrhagiae and the production of a therapeutic anti-spirochaetal serum. | | 1919 | 20474680 |
| [construction and expression of recombinant mycobacterium bovis bcg with the ompa-like membrane protein gene loa22 of leptospira interrogans serovar]. | to study the immunity of loa22 from leptospira interrogans serovar lai strain 56601 by expressing its protein in bcg. | 2010 | 20506632 |
| effect of leptospira interrogans outer membrane proteins lipl32 on huvec. | leptospira cause disease through a toxin-mediated process by inducing vascular injury, particularly a small-vessel vasculitis. breakdown of vessel endothelial cell integrity may increase vessel permeability which is correlated with the changes of tight junction and/or apoptosis in vessel endothelial cells. the specific toxin responsible remains unidentified. in this study, we amplified outer membrane protein lipl32 from the genome of leptospira interrogans serovar lai, and it was subcloned in pe ... | 2010 | 20510346 |
| peptidoglycan crosslinking relaxation promotes helicobacter pylori's helical shape and stomach colonization. | the mechanisms by which bacterial cells generate helical cell shape and its functional role are poorly understood. helical shape of the human pathogen helicobacter pylori may facilitate penetration of the thick gastric mucus where it replicates. we identified four genes required for helical shape: three lytm peptidoglycan endopeptidase homologs (csd1-3) and a ccma homolog. surrounding the cytoplasmic membrane of most bacteria, the peptidoglycan (murein) sacculus is a meshwork of glycan strands j ... | 2010 | 20510929 |
| [molecular typing on leptospira interrogans isolates from jiangxi province, by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.]. | to perform a molecular epidemiological investigation on the types of leptospira interrogans isolates from leptospirosis patients and animal hosts in jiangxi province, using a pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge). | 2010 | 20513291 |
| herd- and animal-level risk factors for bovine leptospirosis in tanga region of tanzania. | leptospirosis is the zoonosis of worldwide distribution and common cause of economic loss and ill health among animals and human populations. a cross-sectional seroprevalence study, using a microscopic agglutination test (mat) with a threshold titre of >or=1:160, to elucidate disease magnitude, distribution and associated risk factors in cattle in tanga, tanzania was conducted from may 2003 to january 2004. serum (n = 655) samples collected from randomly selected herds (n = 130) were tested for ... | 2010 | 20517645 |
| detection of "candidatus neoehrlichia mikurensis" in two patients with severe febrile illnesses: evidence for a european sequence variant. | recently, a new genus of anaplasmataceae termed "candidatus neoehrlichia" was discovered in ticks and rodents. here, we report on two patients who suffered from febrile bacteremia due to "candidatus neoehrlichia mikurensis" associated with thrombotic or hemorrhagic events. 16s rrna and groel gene sequencing provided evidence of three groups of sequence variants. | 2010 | 20519481 |
| current concepts in biofilm formation of staphylococcus epidermidis. | staphylococcus epidermidis is a highly significant nosocomial pathogen mediating infections primarily associated with indwelling biomaterials (e.g., catheters and prostheses). in contrast to staphylococcus aureus, virulence properties associated with s. epidermidis are few and biofilm formation is the defining virulence factor associated with disease, as demonstrated by animal models of biomaterial-related infections. however, other virulence factors, such as phenol-soluble modulins and poly-gam ... | 2010 | 20521936 |
| an outbreak of severe leptospirosis in capuchin (cebus) monkeys. | naturally acquired acute leptospirosis in monkeys is uncommon. this study reports an outbreak of severe leptospirosis among 52 capuchin (cebus) monkeys that had been rescued from homes and housed in a wildlife rehabilitation center in colombia in 2007. case confirmation consisted of leptospira isolation followed by a polymerase chain reaction targeting the lipl32 gene. the attack and mortality rates were 71% and 27%, respectively. sixteen cases were confirmed. necropsy revealed diffuse jaundice ... | 2011 | 20554228 |
| characterization of leptospiral proteins that afford partial protection in hamsters against lethal challenge with leptospira interrogans. | leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by pathogenic leptospira. the whole-genome sequence of leptospira interrogans serovar copenhageni together with bioinformatic tools allow us to search for novel antigen candidates suitable for improved vaccines against leptospirosis. this study focused on three genes encoding conserved hypothetical proteins predicted to be exported to the outer membrane. the genes were amplified by pcr from six predominant pathogenic serovars in brazil. the genes were ... | 2010 | 20558583 |
| different outcomes of experimental leptospiral infection in mouse strains with distinct genotypes. | the mouse disease model has the advantage of a broad array of immunological and genetic tools available for basic research. some studies on transgenic and/or mutant mouse strains as models for experimental leptospirosis have been reported; however, the wider use of such models is hampered by a poor understanding of the outcome of experimental leptospiral infection among the different mouse strains available. here, the outcome of infection by a virulent strain of leptospira interrogans serogroup ... | 2010 | 20558584 |
| structural insights into the catalytic mechanism of bacterial guanosine-diphospho-d-mannose pyrophosphorylase and its regulation by divalent ions. | gmp catalyzes the formation of gdp-man, a fundamental precursor for protein glycosylation and bacterial cell wall and capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis. crystal structures of gmp from the thermophilic bacterium thermotoga maritima in the apo form, in complex with the substrates mannose-1-phosphate or gtp and bound with the end product gdp-man in the presence of the essential divalent cation mg(2+), were solved in the 2.1-2.8 a resolution range. the t. maritima gmp molecule is organized in two ... | 2010 | 20573954 |
| in vitro identification of novel plasminogen-binding receptors of the pathogen leptospira interrogans. | leptospirosis is a multisystem disease caused by pathogenic strains of the genus leptospira. we have reported that leptospira are able to bind plasminogen (plg), to generate active plasmin in the presence of activator, and to degrade purified extracellular matrix fibronectin. | 2010 | 20582320 |
| characterization of a lipopolysaccharide mutant of leptospira derived by growth in the presence of an anti-lipopolysaccharide monoclonal antibody. | a lipopolysaccharide mutant of leptospira interrogans (laimut) was obtained by growth in the presence of an agglutinating monoclonal antibody (mab) against lipopolysaccharide. agglutination reactions with anti-lipopolysaccharide mabs and polyclonal antibodies showed that laimut had lost some serogroup icterohaemorrhagiae agglutinating epitopes. however, laimut displayed an increased reactivity to antisera against related serogroups, suggesting that the disruption of some lipopolysaccharide epito ... | 2010 | 20584080 |
| the yellow fever vaccine: a history. | after failed attempts at producing bacteria-based vaccines, the discovery of a viral agent causing yellow fever and its isolation in monkeys opened new avenues of research. subsequent advances were the attenuation of the virus in mice and later in tissue culture; the creation of the seed lot system to avoid spontaneous mutations; the ability to produce the vaccine on a large scale in eggs; and the removal of dangerous contaminants. an important person in the story is max theiler, who was profess ... | 2010 | 20589188 |
| isolation of leptospira interrogans from suburban rats in tandil, buenos aires, argentina. | the main objective of this study was to investigate the role of wild rodents as leptospira spp. reservoirs in a suburban area of tandil city, buenos aires province (argentina), where a person had died due to pulmonary leptospirosis. the specific objectives were: to estimate the rodent density near the patient's home, to determine the serological prevalence and isolation of leptospirosis from wild rodents, and to identify the isolated strains. the area examined was a suburban neighbourhood in tan ... | 2010 | 20589335 |
| prevalence of leptospira interrogans antibodies in free-ranging tayassu pecari of the southern pantanal, brazil, an ecosystem where wildlife and cattle interact. | we surveyed a wild population of white-lipped peccaries (tayassu pecari) in the brazilian pantanal for evidence of leptospira interrogans. serum samples from 71 free-ranging t. pecari were obtained between 2003 and 2005 in the southern pantanal of mato grosso do sul state. we used microscopic microagglutination to test for antibodies against 14 l. interrogans serovars (antibody titers ≥ 1:100 were considered seropositive). seventy percent of captured animals tested positive for leptospirosis ant ... | 2010 | 20596776 |
| an alternative route for udp-diacylglucosamine hydrolysis in bacterial lipid a biosynthesis. | the outer leaflet of the outer membranes of gram-negative bacteria is composed primarily of lipid a, the hydrophobic anchor of lipopolysaccharide. like escherichia coli, most gram-negative bacteria encode one copy of each of the nine genes required for lipid a biosynthesis. an important exception exists in the case of the fourth enzyme, lpxh, a peripheral membrane protein that hydrolyzes udp-2,3-diacylglucosamine to form 2,3-diacylglucosamine 1-phosphate and ump by catalyzing the attack of water ... | 2010 | 20608695 |
| the hpk2-rrp2 two-component regulatory system of treponema denticola: a potential regulator of environmental and adaptive responses. | treponema denticola levels in the gingival crevice become elevated as periodontal disease develops. oral treponemes may account for as much as 40% of the total bacterial population in the periodontal pocket. the stimuli that trigger enhanced growth of t. denticola, and the mechanisms associated with the transmission of these signals, remain to be defined. we hypothesize that the t. denticola open reading frames tde1970 (histidine kinase) and tde1969 (response regulator) constitute a functional t ... | 2010 | 20618698 |
| experimental leptospira interrogans serovar kennewicki infection of horses. | little information is available about experimental induction of leptospirosis in horses. | 2010 | 20649749 |
| genotyping of leptospira interrogans strains from argentina by multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (mlva). | leptospirosis outbreaks occur regularly in argentina and other south american countries, but little is known about their epidemiological relationships. application of new molecular tools, such as the multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (mlva) is limited by scant available data on regional strains. we have analyzed the genetic diversity of a collection of 31 strains of leptospira interrogans isolated in argentina during the past five decades from humans and animals, including a ... | 2011 | 20674025 |
| leptospira serovar as prognostic factor. | | 2010 | 20678345 |
| preliminary characterization of mus musculus-derived pathogenic strains of leptospira borgpetersenii serogroup ballum in a hamster model. | human and animal leptospirosis caused by leptospira spp. belonging to serogroup ballum has increased worldwide in the past decade. we report the isolation and serologic and molecular characterization of four l. borgpetersenii serogroup ballum isolates obtained from mus musculus, and preliminary virulence studies. these isolates are useful for diagnosis of leptospirosis and for epidemiologic studies of its virulence and pathogenic mechanisms. | 2010 | 20682877 |
| pathogen dynamics and morbidity of striped skunks in the absence of rabies. | parasites have the potential to influence the population dynamics of mammalian hosts, either as a single devastating pathogen or as a community effect. striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) are typically host to rabies, which often regulates population numbers. we assessed micro- and macroparasite dynamics in striped skunk populations in the absence of rabies, to determine if a single pathogen, or community, was responsible for a majority of skunk deaths. we monitored mortality due to pathogens, an ... | 2010 | 20688627 |
| serosurvey for canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus, leptospira interrogans, and toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging canids in scandinavia and svalbard. | prevalence of antibodies reactive to canine distemper virus (cdv), canine adenovirus type 1 (cav-1), leptospira interrogans serovars canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae, and toxoplasma gondii were examined in free-ranging scandinavian canids. sampling included 275 red foxes (vulpes vulpes) from mainland norway, 60 arctic foxes (vulpes lagopus) from the high-arctic islands of svalbard, and 98 wolves (canis lupus) from the joint swedish-norwegian population. methods used included virus neutralization ... | 2010 | 20688639 |
| cross-reactivity of antibodies against leptospiral recurrent uveitis-associated proteins a and b (lrua and lrub) with eye proteins. | infection by leptospira interrogans has been causally associated with human and equine uveitis. studies in our laboratories have demonstrated that leptospiral lipoprotein lrua and lrub are expressed in the eyes of uveitic horses, and that antibodies directed against lrua and lrub react with equine lenticular and retinal extracts, respectively. these reactivities were investigated further by performing immunofluorescent assays on lenticular and retinal tissue sections. incubation of lens tissue s ... | 2010 | 20689825 |
| expanding the diagnostic use of pcr in leptospirosis: improved method for dna extraction from blood cultures. | leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis of ubiquitous distribution. symptoms are often non-specific and may range from flu-like symptoms to multi-organ failure. diagnosis can only be made by specific diagnostic tests like serology and pcr. in non-endemic countries, leptospirosis is often not suspected before antibiotic treatment has been initiated and consequently, relevant samples for diagnostic pcr are difficult to obtain. blood cultures are obtained from most hospitalized patients before antibi ... | 2010 | 20711446 |
| increased immunogenicity to lipl32 of leptospira interrogans when expressed as a fusion protein with the cholera toxin b subunit. | leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonosis in the world. the development of a recombinant leptospira vaccine remains a challenge. in this study, we cloned the leptospira interrogans open reading frame (orf) coding the external membrane protein lipl32, an immunodominant antigen found in all pathogenic leptospira, downstream of the highly immunogenic cholera toxin b subunit (ctb) orf. expression and assembly of the ctb-lipl32 fusion protein into oligomeric structures of pentameric size w ... | 2011 | 20721666 |
| evaluation of the use of selective pcr amplification of lps biosynthesis genes for molecular typing of leptospira at the serovar level. | leptospirosis is an important epidemic zoonosis worldwide. currently, there are more than 250 leptospira pathogenic serovars known that can potentially infect humans. conventional classification of leptospires with the serovar as the basic taxon, based on serological recognition of lipopolysaccharide (lps) composition does not correlate well with species determination, based on general genomic features. here, we investigate the selective amplification of polymorphic regions from the lps biosynth ... | 2011 | 20721667 |
| overoxidation of 2-cys peroxiredoxin in prokaryotes: cyanobacterial 2-cys peroxiredoxins sensitive to oxidative stress. | in eukaryotic organisms, hydrogen peroxide has a dual effect; it is potentially toxic for the cell but also has an important signaling activity. according to the previously proposed floodgate hypothesis, the signaling activity of hydrogen peroxide in eukaryotes requires a transient increase in its concentration, which is due to the inactivation by overoxidation of 2-cys peroxiredoxin (2-cys prx). sensitivity to overoxidation depends on the structural gglg and yf motifs present in eukaryotic 2-cy ... | 2010 | 20736168 |
| obstacles of multiplex real-time pcr for bacterial 16s rdna: primer specifity and dna decontamination of taq polymerase. | background: the detection of a broad range of bacteria by pcr is applied for the screening of blood and blood products with special attention to platelet concentrates. for practical use it is desirable that detection systems include gram-positive, gram-negative and non-gram-stainable bacteria. it is quite challenging to achieve high sensitivity along with a clear negative control with pcr reagents, because especially taq polymerase is contaminated with traces of bacterial dna. methods: bacterial ... | 2010 | 20737013 |
| diversity and abundance of zoonotic pathogens and indicators in manures of feedlot cattle in australia. | the occurrence of 10 pathogens and three fecal indicators was assessed by quantitative pcr in manures of australian feedlot cattle. most samples tested positive for one or more pathogens. for the dominant pathogens campylobacter jejuni, listeria monocytogenes, giardia spp., cryptosporidium spp., and eaea-positive escherichia coli, 10² to 10⁷ genome copies g⁻¹ (dry weight) manure were recovered. | 2010 | 20802080 |
| transcriptional response of leptospira interrogans to iron limitation and characterization of a perr homolog. | leptospirosis is a globally significant zoonosis caused by leptospira spp. iron is essential for growth of most bacterial species. since iron availability is low in the host, pathogens have evolved complex iron acquisition mechanisms to survive and establish infection. in many bacteria, expression of iron uptake and storage proteins is regulated by fur. l. interrogans encodes four predicted fur homologs; we have constructed a mutation in one of these, la1857. we conducted microarray analysis to ... | 2010 | 20805337 |
| mutations affecting leptospira interrogans lipopolysaccharide attenuate virulence. | leptospira interrogans is the causative agent of leptospirosis. lipopolysaccharide (lps) is the major outer membrane component of l. interrogans. it is the dominant antigen recognized during infection and the basis for serological classification. the structure of lps and its role in pathogenesis are unknown. we describe two defined mutants of l. interrogans serovar manilae with transposon insertions in the lps locus. mutant m895 was disrupted in gene la1641 encoding a protein with no known homol ... | 2010 | 20807198 |
| enhanced determination of streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes associated with invasive disease in laos by using a real-time polymerase chain reaction serotyping assay with cerebrospinal fluid. | a prospective hospital-based study was undertaken to define the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (ipd) and circulating serotypes in laos. of 10,799 patients with hemocultures and 353 patients with cerebrospinal fluid samples, 0.21% and 5.4%, respectively, were positive for streptococcus pneumoniae, giving a total of 35 ipd patients. we developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect serotypes represented in the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine. a blinded evaluation comparing se ... | 2010 | 20810803 |
| plasmodium immunomics. | the plasmodium parasite, the causative agent of malaria, is an excellent model for immunomic-based approaches to vaccine development. the plasmodium parasite has a complex life cycle with multiple stages and stage-specific expression of ∼5300 putative proteins. no malaria vaccine has yet been licensed. many believe that an effective vaccine will need to target several antigens and multiple stages, and will require the generation of both antibody and cellular immune responses. vaccine efforts to ... | 2011 | 20816843 |
| plasmodium immunomics. | the plasmodium parasite, the causative agent of malaria, is an excellent model for immunomic-based approaches to vaccine development. the plasmodium parasite has a complex life cycle with multiple stages and stage-specific expression of ∼5300 putative proteins. no malaria vaccine has yet been licensed. many believe that an effective vaccine will need to target several antigens and multiple stages, and will require the generation of both antibody and cellular immune responses. vaccine efforts to ... | 2011 | 20816843 |
| the ompl37 surface-exposed protein is expressed by pathogenic leptospira during infection and binds skin and vascular elastin. | pathogenic leptospira spp. shed in the urine of reservoir hosts into freshwater can be transmitted to a susceptible host through skin abrasions or mucous membranes causing leptospirosis. the infection process involves the ability of leptospires to adhere to cell surface and extracellular matrix components, a crucial step for dissemination and colonization of host tissues. therefore, the elucidation of novel mediators of host-pathogen interaction is important in the discovery of virulence factors ... | 2010 | 20844573 |
| evidence for a novel marine harmful algal bloom: cyanotoxin (microcystin) transfer from land to sea otters. | "super-blooms" of cyanobacteria that produce potent and environmentally persistent biotoxins (microcystins) are an emerging global health issue in freshwater habitats. monitoring of the marine environment for secondary impacts has been minimal, although microcystin-contaminated freshwater is known to be entering marine ecosystems. here we confirm deaths of marine mammals from microcystin intoxication and provide evidence implicating land-sea flow with trophic transfer through marine invertebrate ... | 2010 | 20844747 |
| serum lipoproteins attenuate macrophage activation and toll-like receptor stimulation by bacterial lipoproteins. | chlamydia trachomatis was previously shown to express a lipoprotein, the macrophage infectivity potentiator (mip), exposed at the bacterial surface, and able to stimulate human primary monocytes/macrophages through toll like receptor (tlr)2/tlr1/tlr6, and cd14. in pma-differentiated thp-1 cells the proinflammatory activity of mip was significantly higher in the absence than in the presence of serum. the present study aims to investigate the ability of different serum factors to attenuate mip pro ... | 2010 | 20846396 |
| cellular architecture of treponema pallidum: novel flagellum, periplasmic cone, and cell envelope as revealed by cryo electron tomography. | high-resolution cryo electron tomography (cryo-et) was utilized to visualize treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, at the molecular level. three-dimensional (3d) reconstructions from 304 infectious organisms revealed unprecedented cellular structures of this unusual member of the spirochetal family. high-resolution cryo-et reconstructions provided detailed structures of the cell envelope, which is significantly different from that of gram-negative bacteria. the 4-nm lipid bilayer ... | 2010 | 20850455 |
| in vitro sensitivity and resistance of 46 leptospira strains isolated from rats in the philippines to 14 antimicrobial agents. | the in vitro susceptibilities of 46 leptospira isolates from rats to 14 antimicrobial agents were tested. all of the strains were found to be sensitive to ampicillin, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, doxycycline, erythromycin, and streptomycin. in contrast, the tested isolates showed resistance to amphotericin b, 5-fluorouracil, fosfomycin, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, neomycin, and vancomycin. these findings will help in selecting effective and ineffective antimicrobials for treatment ... | 2010 | 20855741 |
| leptospira as an emerging pathogen: a review of its biology, pathogenesis and host immune responses. | leptospirosis, the most widespread zoonosis in the world, is an emerging public health problem, particularly in large urban centers of developing countries. several pathogenic species of the genus leptospira can cause a wide range of clinical manifestations, from a mild, flu-like illness to a severe disease form characterized by multiorgan system complications leading to death. however, the mechanisms of pathogenesis of leptospira are largely unknown. this article will address the animal models ... | 2010 | 20860485 |
| a phenomenological model for predicting melting temperatures of dna sequences. | we report here a novel method for predicting melting temperatures of dna sequences based on a molecular-level hypothesis on the phenomena underlying the thermal denaturation of dna. the model presented here attempts to quantify the energetic components stabilizing the structure of dna such as base pairing, stacking, and ionic environment which are partially disrupted during the process of thermal denaturation. the model gives a pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) of approximately ... | 2010 | 20865157 |
| visual proteomics. | visual proteomics attempts to generate molecular atlases by providing the position and angular orientation of protein complexes inside of cells. this is accomplished by template matching (pattern recognition), a cross-correlation-based process that matches the structure of a specific protein complex to the densities of the whole volume or subvolume of a cell, that is typically acquired by cryoelectron tomography. thereby, a search is performed that scans the entire volume for structural template ... | 2010 | 20888477 |
| a low molecular weight lipopolysaccharide antigen preparation reactive to acute leptospirosis heterologous sera. | there is a need for identification of new infection markers against common leptospira isolates in malaysia. to achieve this goal, seven-day-old cultures of leptospira interrogans serogroup icterohemorrhagiae (l44) and leptospira interrogans serogroup javanica (l55) were used for antigen preparation by sequential extraction method using 40 mm tris, 8m urea and 2m thiourea. immunoblot analysis of the antigens were performed using serum samples from 46 local patients with confirmed acute leptospiro ... | 2010 | 20962722 |
| leptospirosis in free-ranging endangered european mink (mustela lutreola) and other small carnivores (mustelidae, viverridae) from southwestern france. | to study the possible role of disease in the decline of endangered european mink (mustela lutreola), we conducted a survey of antibody prevalence and renal carriage of pathogenic leptospira (leptospira interrogans sensu lato) using serum and kidney samples collected from 1990 to 2007 from several free-ranging small carnivores and farmed american mink (mustela vison) in southwestern france. an indirect microscopic agglutination test using a panel of 16 serovars belonging to 6 serogroups (australi ... | 2010 | 20966265 |
| serologic evaluation of new zealand sea lions for exposure to brucella and leptospira spp. | a serologic survey of anti-brucella and antileptospiral antibodies was conducted on 147 adult, female new zealand sea lions (phocarctos hookeri). most sea lions (n=138) were sampled at sandy bay, enderby island, auckland islands (50°30's, 166°17'e), january 2000-march 2005. nine were sampled at otago, new zealand (46°0's, 170°40'e); four in april 2008 and five in march 2009. serum from one of the enderby island females was weakly positive for antibodies to brucella abortus using the competitive ... | 2010 | 20966283 |
| the crystal structure of the leptospiral hypothetical protein lic12922 reveals homology with the periplasmic chaperone sura. | leptospirosis is a world spread zoonosis caused by members of the genus leptospira. although leptospires were identified as the causal agent of leptospirosis almost 100 years ago, little is known about their biology, which hinders the development of new treatment and prevention strategies. one of the several aspects of the leptospiral biology not yet elucidated is the process by which outer membrane proteins (omps) traverse the periplasm and are inserted into the outer membrane. the crystal stru ... | 2010 | 20970503 |
| leptospirosis: an unusual cause of ards. | severe leptospirosis usually associates shock, jaundice, renal failure, and thrombocytopenia. massive hemoptysis due to diffuse alveolar haemorrhage may rarely occur leading to an acute respiratory failure and multiple organ failure. we present the case of an acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by a severe leptospirosis. the severity of the respiratory failure contrasted with the absence of significant liver or renal dysfunction. bedside open lung biopsy was only consistent with a postinf ... | 2010 | 20981324 |
| expanding the genetic toolbox for leptospira species by generation of fluorescent bacteria. | our knowledge of the genetics and molecular basis of the pathogenesis associated with leptospira, in comparison to those of other bacterial species, is very limited. an improved understanding of pathogenic mechanisms requires reliable genetic tools for functional genetic analysis. here, we report the expression of gfp and mrfp1 genes under the control of constitutive spirochetal promoters in both saprophytic and pathogenic leptospira strains. we were able to reliably measure the fluorescence of ... | 2010 | 21037299 |
| transcriptional responses of leptospira interrogans to host innate immunity: significant changes in metabolism, oxygen tolerance, and outer membrane. | leptospira interrogans is the major causative agent of leptospirosis. phagocytosis plays important roles in the innate immune responses to l. interrogans infection, and l. interrogans can evade the killing of phagocytes. however, little is known about the adaptation of l. interrogans during this process. | 2010 | 21049008 |
| characterization of novel bovine gastrointestinal tract treponema isolates and comparison with bovine digital dermatitis treponemes. | this study aimed to isolate and characterize treponemes present in the bovine gastrointestinal (gi) tract and compare them with bovine digital dermatitis (bdd) treponemes. seven spirochete isolates were obtained from the bovine gi tract, which, on the basis of 16s rrna gene comparisons, clustered within the genus treponema as four novel phylotypes. one phylotype was isolated from several different gi tract regions, including the omasum, colon, rumen, and rectum. these four phylotypes could be di ... | 2010 | 21057019 |
| characterization of novel bovine gastrointestinal tract treponema isolates and comparison with bovine digital dermatitis treponemes. | this study aimed to isolate and characterize treponemes present in the bovine gastrointestinal (gi) tract and compare them with bovine digital dermatitis (bdd) treponemes. seven spirochete isolates were obtained from the bovine gi tract, which, on the basis of 16s rrna gene comparisons, clustered within the genus treponema as four novel phylotypes. one phylotype was isolated from several different gi tract regions, including the omasum, colon, rumen, and rectum. these four phylotypes could be di ... | 2010 | 21057019 |
| the photosensor protein ppr of rhodocista centenaria is linked to the chemotaxis signalling pathway. | rhodocista centenaria is a phototrophic α-proteobacterium exhibiting a phototactic behaviour visible as colony movement on agar plates directed to red light. as many phototrophic purple bacteria r. centenaria possesses a soluble photoactive yellow protein (pyp). it exists as a long fusion protein, designated ppr, consisting of three domains, the pyp domain, a putative bilin binding domain (bbd) and a histidine kinase domain (pph). the ppr protein is involved in the regulation of polyketide synth ... | 2010 | 21062468 |
| manganese binds to clostridium difficile fbp68 and is essential for fibronectin binding. | clostridium difficile is an etiological agent of pseudomembranous colitis and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. adhesion is the crucial first step in bacterial infection. thus, in addition to toxins, the importance of colonization factors in c. difficile-associated disease is recognized. in this study, we identified fbp68, one of the colonization factors that bind to fibronectin (fn), as a manganese-binding protein (k(d) = 52.70 ± 1.97 nm). furthermore, the conformation of fbp68 changed dramatical ... | 2010 | 21062746 |
| manganese binds to clostridium difficile fbp68 and is essential for fibronectin binding. | clostridium difficile is an etiological agent of pseudomembranous colitis and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. adhesion is the crucial first step in bacterial infection. thus, in addition to toxins, the importance of colonization factors in c. difficile-associated disease is recognized. in this study, we identified fbp68, one of the colonization factors that bind to fibronectin (fn), as a manganese-binding protein (k(d) = 52.70 ± 1.97 nm). furthermore, the conformation of fbp68 changed dramatical ... | 2010 | 21062746 |
| comparison of conventional, nested, and real-time quantitative pcr for diagnosis of scrub typhus. | orientia tsutsugamushi is the causative agent of scrub typhus. for the diagnosis of scrub typhus, we investigated the performances of conventional pcr (c-pcr), nested pcr (n-pcr), and real-time quantitative pcr (q-pcr) targeting the o. tsutsugamushi-specific 47-kda gene. to compare the detection sensitivities of the three techniques, we used two template systems that used plasmid dna (plasmid detection sensitivity), including a partial region of the 47-kda gene, and genomic dna (genomic detectio ... | 2010 | 21068287 |
| acute parvovirus b19 infection causes nonspecificity frequently in borrelia and less often in salmonella and campylobacter serology, posing a problem in diagnosis of infectious arthropathy. | several infectious agents may cause arthritis or arthropathy. for example, infection with borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of lyme disease, may in the late phase manifest as arthropathy. infections with campylobacter, salmonella, or yersinia may result in a postinfectious reactive arthritis. acute infection with parvovirus b19 (b19v) may likewise initiate transient or chronic arthropathy. all these conditions may be clinically indistinguishable from rheumatoid arthritis. here, we presen ... | 2010 | 21106777 |
| acute parvovirus b19 infection causes nonspecificity frequently in borrelia and less often in salmonella and campylobacter serology, posing a problem in diagnosis of infectious arthropathy. | several infectious agents may cause arthritis or arthropathy. for example, infection with borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of lyme disease, may in the late phase manifest as arthropathy. infections with campylobacter, salmonella, or yersinia may result in a postinfectious reactive arthritis. acute infection with parvovirus b19 (b19v) may likewise initiate transient or chronic arthropathy. all these conditions may be clinically indistinguishable from rheumatoid arthritis. here, we presen ... | 2010 | 21106777 |
| first isolation and direct evidence for the existence of large small-mammal reservoirs of leptospira sp. in madagascar. | leptospirosis has long been a major public health concern in the southwestern indian ocean. however, in madagascar, only a few, old studies have provided indirect serological evidence of the disease in humans or animals. | 2010 | 21124843 |
| high yield expression of leptospirosis vaccine candidates liga and lipl32 in the methylotrophic yeast pichia pastoris. | leptospirosis, a zoonosis caused by leptospira spp., is recognized as an emergent infectious disease. due to the lack of adequate diagnostic tools, vaccines are an attractive intervention strategy. recombinant proteins produced in escherichia coli have demonstrated promising results, albeit with variable efficacy. pichia pastoris is an alternative host with several advantages for the production of recombinant proteins. | 2010 | 21134266 |
| investigation of localisation of leptospira spp. in uterine and fetal tissues of non-pregnant and pregnant farmed deer. | to find evidence for localisation in the uterus, and fetal infection, of leptospira spp. in farmed deer in the lower north island of new zealand during and shortly after the breeding season. | 2010 | 21151213 |
| structures of domains i and iv from ybbr are representative of a widely distributed protein family. | ybbr domains are widespread throughout eubacteria and are expressed as monomeric units, linked in tandem repeats or cotranslated with other domains. although the precise role of these domains remains undefined, the location of the multiple ybbr domain-encoding ybbr gene in the bacillus subtilis glmm operon and its previous identification as a substrate for a surfactin-type phosphopantetheinyl transferase suggests a role in cell growth, division, and virulence. to further characterize the ybbr do ... | 2011 | 21154411 |
| structures of domains i and iv from ybbr are representative of a widely distributed protein family. | ybbr domains are widespread throughout eubacteria and are expressed as monomeric units, linked in tandem repeats or cotranslated with other domains. although the precise role of these domains remains undefined, the location of the multiple ybbr domain-encoding ybbr gene in the bacillus subtilis glmm operon and its previous identification as a substrate for a surfactin-type phosphopantetheinyl transferase suggests a role in cell growth, division, and virulence. to further characterize the ybbr do ... | 2011 | 21154411 |
| leptospira interrogans associated with hydrallantois in 2 pluriparous thoroughbred mares. | | 2010 | 21155889 |
| 2010 acvim small animal consensus statement on leptospirosis: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment, and prevention. | this report offers a consensus opinion on the diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment, and prevention of leptospirosis in dogs, an important zoonosis. clinical signs of leptospirosis in dogs relate to development of renal disease, hepatic disease, uveitis, and pulmonary hemorrhage. disease may follow periods of high rainfall, and can occur in dogs roaming in proximity to water sources, farm animals, or wildlife, or dogs residing in suburban environments. diagnosis is based on acute and convalescent p ... | 2010 | 21155890 |
| stable expression of leptospira interrogans antigens in auxotrophic mycobacterium bovis bcg. | mycobacterium bovis bcg has been proposed as an effective live vector for multivalent vaccines. the development of mycobacterial genetic systems to express foreign antigens and the adjuvanticity of bcg are the basis for the potential use of this attenuated mycobacterium as a recombinant vaccine vector. stable plasmid vectors without antibiotic resistance markers are needed for heterologous antigen expression in bcg. our group recently described the construction of a bcg expression system using a ... | 2010 | 21157628 |
| methylthioadenosine/s-adenosylhomocysteine nucleosidase, a critical enzyme for bacterial metabolism. | the importance of methylthioadenosine/s-adenosylhomocysteine (mta/sah) nucleosidase in bacteria has started to be appreciated only in the past decade. a comprehensive analysis of its various roles here demonstrates that it is an integral component of the activated methyl cycle, which recycles adenine and methionine through s-adenosylmethionine (sam)-mediated methylation reactions, and also produces the universal quorum-sensing signal, autoinducer-2 (ai-2). sam is also essential for synthesis of ... | 2010 | 21166890 |
| methylthioadenosine/s-adenosylhomocysteine nucleosidase, a critical enzyme for bacterial metabolism. | the importance of methylthioadenosine/s-adenosylhomocysteine (mta/sah) nucleosidase in bacteria has started to be appreciated only in the past decade. a comprehensive analysis of its various roles here demonstrates that it is an integral component of the activated methyl cycle, which recycles adenine and methionine through s-adenosylmethionine (sam)-mediated methylation reactions, and also produces the universal quorum-sensing signal, autoinducer-2 (ai-2). sam is also essential for synthesis of ... | 2010 | 21166890 |
| responses of human endothelial cells to pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospira species. | leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic infection that primarily affects residents of tropical regions, but causes infections in animals and humans in temperate regions as well. the agents of leptospirosis comprise several members of the genus leptospira, which also includes non-pathogenic, saprophytic species. leptospirosis can vary in severity from a mild, non-specific illness to severe disease that includes multi-organ failure and widespread endothelial damage and hemorrhage. to begin to inves ... | 2010 | 21179504 |
| leptospirosis: a toll road from b lymphocytes. | leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by leptospira interrogans, a pathogen transmitted by asymptomatic infected rodents. leptospiral lipoproteins and lipopolysaccharide (lps) have been shown to stimulate murine cells via toll-like receptors (tlrs) 2 and 4. host defense mechanisms remain obscure, although tlr4 has been associated with clearing leptospira. in a recent study, we showed that in response to leptospira infection, double (tlr2 and tlr4) knock-out (dko) mice unexpectedly develo ... | 2010 | 21199604 |
| self-mating in the definitive host potentiates clonal outbreaks of the apicomplexan parasites sarcocystis neurona and toxoplasma gondii. | tissue-encysting coccidia, including toxoplasma gondii and sarcocystis neurona, are heterogamous parasites with sexual and asexual life stages in definitive and intermediate hosts, respectively. during its sexual life stage, t. gondii reproduces either by genetic out-crossing or via clonal amplification of a single strain through self-mating. out-crossing has been experimentally verified as a potent mechanism capable of producing offspring possessing a range of adaptive and virulence potentials. ... | 2010 | 21203443 |
| big domains are novel ca²+-binding modules: evidences from big domains of leptospira immunoglobulin-like (lig) proteins. | many bacterial surface exposed proteins mediate the host-pathogen interaction more effectively in the presence of ca²+. leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (lig) proteins, liga and ligb, are surface exposed proteins containing bacterial immunoglobulin like (big) domains. the function of proteins which contain big fold is not known. based on the possible similarities of immunoglobulin and βγ-crystallin folds, we here explore the important question whether ca²+ binds to a big domains, which would prov ... | 2010 | 21206924 |
| plasmids with a chromosome-like role in rhizobia. | replicon architecture in bacteria is commonly comprised of one indispensable chromosome and several dispensable plasmids. this view has been enriched by the discovery of additional chromosomes, identified mainly by localization of rrna and/or trna genes, and also by experimental demonstration of their requirement for cell growth. the genome of rhizobium etli cfn42 is constituted by one chromosome and six large plasmids, ranging in size from 184 to 642 kb. five of the six plasmids are dispensable ... | 2011 | 21217003 |
| cross-protective immunity against leptospirosis elicited by a live, attenuated lipopolysaccharide mutant. | leptospira species cause leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease found worldwide. current vaccines against leptospirosis provide protection only against closely related serovars. | 2011 | 21220775 |
| characterization of the immunogenic and antigenic potential of putative lipoproteins from leptospira interrogans. | the search for a vaccine capable of conferring heterologous protection, through the identification of conserved and cross-protective antigens, remains an ongoing priority in leptospirosis research. in the present study, an in silico analysis was used to identify potentially protective lipoproteins from leptospira interrogans serovar copenhageni. eight putative lipoproteins were selected (lic10009, lic10054, lic10091, lic11058, lic11567, lic13059, lic13305, and lic20172), cloned and expressed in ... | 2011 | 21221970 |
| fulminant leptospirosis (weil's disease) in an urban setting as an overlooked cause of multiorgan failure: a case report. | | 2011 | 21235739 |
| patterns and regulation of ribosomal rna transcription in borrelia burgdorferi. | borrelia burgdorferi contains one 16s and two tandem sets of 23s-5s ribosomal (r) rna genes whose patterns of transcription and regulation are unknown but are likely to be critical for survival and persistence in its hosts. | 2011 | 21251259 |
| characterization of conserved combined t and b cell epitopes in leptospira interrogans major outer membrane proteins ompl1 and lipl41. | leptospira interrogans are bacterial pathogens of animal that cause zoonotic infections in human. outer membrane proteins of leptospire are among the most effective antigens which can stimulate remarkable immune responses during the infection processes, and thus are currently considered leading candidate vaccine antigens. the objective of the present study is to predict and confirm major combined b and t cell epitopes of leptospiral outer membrane proteins ompl1 and lipl41, as well as to evaluat ... | 2011 | 21269437 |
| functional analysis of borrelia burgdorferi uvra in dna damage protection. | bacterial pathogens face constant challenges from dna-damaging agents generated by host phagocytes. although borrelia burgdorferi appears to have much fewer dna repair enzymes than pathogens with larger genomes, it does contain homologues of uvra and uvrb (subunits a and b of excinuclease abc). as a first step to exploring the physiologic function of uvra(bbu) and its possible role in survival in the host in the face of dna-damaging agents, a partially deleted uvra mutant was isolated by targete ... | 2011 | 21272060 |