MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases' source. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:27:52 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3352030&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2010%2F254159.html Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) are quite heterogeneous category of an emerging enteric pathogen associated with cases of acute or persistent diarrhea worldwide in children and adults, and over the past decade has received increasing attention as a cause of watery diarrhea, which is often persistent. EAEC infection is an important cause of diarrhea in outbreak and non-outbreak settings in developing and developed countries. Recently, EAEC has been implicated in the development of irritable bowel syndrome, but this remains to be confirmed. EAEC is defined as a diarrheal pathogen based on its characteristic aggregative adherence (AA) to HEp-2 cells in culture and its biofilm formation on the intestinal mucosa with a “stacked-brick” adherence phenotype, which is related ... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3352030 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:45:00 +0100 3352030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3315581&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2010%2F632513.html Listeriosis is an emerging zoonotic infection of humans and ruminants worldwide caused by Listeria monocytogenes (LM). In both host species, CNS disease accounts for the high mortality associated with listeriosis and includes rhombencephalitis, whose neuropathology is strikingly similar in humans and ruminants. This review discusses the current knowledge about listeric encephalitis, and involved host and bacterial factors. There is an urgent need to study the molecular mechanisms of neuropathogenesis, which are poorly understood. Such studies will provide a basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies that aim to prevent LM from invading the brain and spread within the CNS. (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3315581 Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:26:57 +0100 3315581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3299828&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2010%2F709791.html Borna disease (BD), caused by the neurotropic RNA virus, Borna Disease virus, is an affliction ranging from asymptomatic to fatal meningoencephalitis across naturally and experimentally infected warmblooded (mammalian and bird) species. More than 100 years after the first clinical descriptions of Borna disease in horses and studies beginning in the 1980's linking Borna disease virus to human neuropsychiatric diseases, experimentally infected rodents have been used as models for examining behavioral, neuropharmacological, and neurochemical responses to viral challenge at different stages of life. These studies have contributed to understanding ... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3299828 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:48:39 +0100 3299828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3291620&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2010%2F273573.html Chlamydophila pneumoniae is an intracellular pathogen responsible for a number of different acute and chronic infections. The recent deepening of knowledge on the biology and the use of increasingly more sensitive and specific molecular techniques has allowed demonstration of C. pneumoniae in a large number of persons suffering from different diseases including cardiovascular (atherosclerosis and stroke) and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Despite this, many important issues remain unanswered with regard to the role that C. pneumoniae may play in initiating atheroma or in the progression of the disease. A growing body of evidence concerns the involvement of this pathogen in chronic neurological disorders and particularly in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). ... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3291620 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:26:13 +0100 3291620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3274051&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F372691.html Bhanja virus (BHAV) is pathogenic for young domestic ruminants and also for humans, causing fever and affections of the central nervous system. This generally neglected arbovirus of the family Bunyaviridae is transmitted by metastriate ticks of the genera Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus, Boophilus, and Amblyomma. Geographic distribution of BHAV covers southern and Central Asia, Africa, and southern (partially also central) Europe. Comparative biogeographic study of eight known natural foci of BHAV infections in Europe (in Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovakia) has revealed their common features. (1) submediterranean climatic pattern with dry growing season and wet mild winter (or microlimatically similar conditions, e.g., limestone karst areas in central Europe), (2) xerot... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3274051 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:33:27 +0100 3274051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3271909&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2010%2F262415.html Infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) can cause clinical symptoms in the peripheral and central nervous system. Recurrent ocular shedding can lead to corneal scarring and vision loss making HSV-1 a leading cause of corneal blindness due to an infectious agent. The primary site of HSV-1 latency is sensory neurons within trigeminal ganglia. Periodically, reactivation from latency occurs resulting in virus transmission and recurrent disease. During latency, the latency-associated transcript (LAT) is abundantly expressed. LAT expression is important for the latency-reactivation cycle in animal models, in part, because it inhibits apoptosis, viral gene expression, and productive infection. A novel transcript within LAT coding sequences (AL3) and small nonprotein coding RNAs are also ... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3271909 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:27:21 +0100 3271909 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3256611&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2010%2F478461.html Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a replication-competent human retrovirus associated with two distinct types of disease only in a minority of infected individuals: the malignancy known as adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and a chronic inflammatory central nervous system disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Although the factors that cause these different manifestations of HTLV-1 infection are not fully understood, accumulating evidence suggests that complex virus-host interactions play an important role in determining the risk of HAM/TSP. This review focuses on the role of the immune response in controlling or limiting viral persistence in HAM/TSP patients, and the reason why some HTLV-1-infected people develop HAM/TSP whereas the majority re... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3256611 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:30:16 +0100 3256611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3157095&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F893890.html (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3157095 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:21:48 +0100 3157095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3137111&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2010%2F678648.html Catechol-O-methyltransferease (COMT) metabolizes prefrontal cortex dopamine (DA), a neurotransmitter involved in executive behavior; the Val158Met genotype has been linked to executive dysfunction, which might increase sexual risk behaviors favoring HIV transmission. Main and interaction effects of COMT genotype and executive functioning on sexual risk behavior were examined. 192 sexually active nonmonogamous men completed a sexual behavior questionnaire, executive functioning tests, and were genotyped using blood-derived DNA. Main effects for executive dysfunction but not COMT on number of sexual partners were observed. A COMT x executive dysfunction interaction was found for number of sexual partners and insertive anal sex, significant for carriers of the Met/Met and to a lesser extent V... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3137111 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:20:13 +0100 3137111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3127691&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F278246.html Methods for the diagnosis of infectious diseases have stagnated in the last 20–30 years. Few major advances in clinical diagnostic testing have been made since the introduction of PCR, although new technologies are being investigated. Many tests that form the backbone of the “modern” microbiology laboratory are based on very old and labour-intensive technologies such as microscopy for malaria. Pressing needs include more rapid tests without sacrificing sensitivity, value-added tests, and point-of-care tests for both high- and low-resource settings. In recent years, research has been focused on alternative methods to improve the diagnosis of parasitic diseases. These include immunoassays, molecular-based approaches, and proteomics using mass spectrometry platforms technolo... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3127691 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:22:04 +0100 3127691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3001626&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F137609.html Fever in a returned traveller may be the manifestation of a self-limiting, trivial infection but it can also presage an infection that can be rapidly progressive and lethal. We studied the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) as a biomarker for a bacterial cause of fever in a cohort of 157 consecutive travellers with fever after a stay in the (sub)tropics. Elevated procalcitonin levels were observed not only in about 50% of travellers with proven bacterial infection, but also in a significant proportion of travellers with a likely infection. Using a cutoff point of 0.5 ng/mL, procalcitonin had a sensitivity of 0.52 and a specificity of 0.76 for a bacterial cause of fever on admission. Interestingly, only 1 out of 16 patients with a proven viral infection had a marginally e... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3001626 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:29:31 +0100 3001626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2971543&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F984934.html In vitro synergy testing using levofloxacin (LVX) plus piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP) was performed by Etest and time-kill assay (TKA) for 31 unique fluoroquinolone-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. The Etest method showed synergy for 9/31 (29%) of isolates, while TKA showed synergy with 14/31 (45%) of isolates. When comparing the Etest method and TKA, concordant results for synergy, antagonism, and indifference were obtained for 24/31 (77%) of the isolates tested. (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2971543 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:26:18 +0100 2971543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2947973&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F474368.html Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a widespread chronic endemic helminthic disease caused by infection with metacestodes of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. CE affects humans and has a worldwide prevalence of approximately six million. In this review, we discuss current findings in diagnosis and clinical management of CE and new concepts relating to E. granulosus molecules that directly modulate the host immune responses favouring a strong anti-inflammatory response and perpetuating parasite survival in the host. New insights into the molecular biology of E. granulosus will improve considerably our knowledge of the disease and will provide new potential therapeutic applications to treat or prevent inflammatory immune-mediated disease. (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious D... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2947973 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:29:34 +0100 2947973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2924254&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F864359.html Periodontal disease is one of the most common infectious diseases of humans. Immune responses to infection trigger loss of alveolar bone from the jaw and eventual tooth loss. We investigated the contribution of B cell IgD to alveolar bone loss by comparing the response of B cell normal BALB/cJ mice and IgD deficient BALB/c-Igh-5−/−J mice to oral infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis, a gram-negative periodontopathic bacterium from humans. P. gingivalis-infected normal mice lost bone. Specific antibody to P. gingivalis was lower and oral colonization was higher in IgD deficient mice; yet bone loss was completely absent. Infection increased the proportion of CD69+ activated B cells and CD4+ T cells in immune normal mice compared to IgD deficient mice. These data suggest tha... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2924254 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:23:44 +0100 2924254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2780170&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F476150.html This study aimed at detecting the presence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negatives in samples of meals delivered at the University General Hospital of Palermo, Italy. Antibiotic resistant Gram negatives were isolated in July—September 2007 ffrom cold dishes and food contact surfaces and utensils. Bacterial strains were submitted to susceptibility test and subtyped by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Forty-six of 55 (83.6%) food samples and 14 of 17 (82.3%) environmental swabs were culture positive for Gram negative bacilli resistant to at least one group of antibacterial drugs. A total of 134 antibiotic resistant strains, 51 fermenters and 83 non-fermenters, were recovered. Fermenters and non-fermenters showed frequencies as high as 97.8% of resistance to ... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2780170 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:39:33 +0100 2780170 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2735871&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F984568.html Human babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne infectious disease caused by intraerythrocytic protozoan species of the genus Babesia with many clinical features similar to those of malaria. Over the last 50 years, the epidemiology of human babesiosis has changed from a few isolated cases to the establishment of endemic areas in the northeastern and midwestern United States. Episodic cases are reported in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. The severity of infection ranges from asymptomatic infection to fulminant disease resulting in death, although the majority of healthy adults experience a mild-to-moderate illness. People over the age of 50 years and immunocompromised individuals are at the highest risk of severe disease, including those with malignancy, HIV, lacking a spleen, or receiv... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2735871 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:13:54 +0100 2735871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2735870&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F180742.html This article reviews the current literature on neurocysticercosis, including newer diagnostics and treatment developments. (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2735870 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:13:54 +0100 2735870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2717852&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F195040.html This article presents an update of classic chemotherapeutic agents, in use for >50 years and the recent development of promising non-toxic combination chemotherapy suitable for use in rural clinics. (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2717852 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:31:18 +0100 2717852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2684654&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F617954.html HIV and malaria have similar global distributions. Annually, 500 million are infected and 1 million die because of malaria. 33 million have HIV and 2 million die from it each year. Minor effects of one infection on the disease course or outcome for the other would significantly impact public health because of the sheer number of people at risk for coinfection. While early population-based studies showed no difference in outcomes between HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals with malaria, more recent work suggests that those with HIV have more frequent episodes of symptomatic malaria and that malaria increases HIV plasma viral load and decreases CD4+ T cells. HIV and malaria each interact with the host's immune system, resulting in a complex activation of immune cells, and subsequen... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2684654 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:32:47 +0100 2684654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2672844&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F642502.html Sterols are constituents of the cellular membranes that are essential for their normal structure and function. In mammalian cells, cholesterol is the main sterol found in the various membranes. However, other sterols predominate in eukaryotic microorganisms such as fungi and protozoa. It is now well established that an important metabolic pathway in fungi and in members of the Trypanosomatidae family is one that produces a special class of sterols, including ergosterol, and other 24-methyl sterols, which are required for parasitic growth and viability, but are absent from mammalian host cells. Currently, there are several drugs that interfere with sterol biosynthesis (SB) that are in use to treat diseases such as high cholesterol in humans and fungal infections. In this review, we analyze ... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2672844 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:09:39 +0100 2672844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2663415&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F926521.html This report reviews the molecular diagnostic tests that have been described for the identification of the microsporidia that infect humans. (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2663415 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:08:54 +0100 2663415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2663414&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F251406.html Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba spp., Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Sappinia sp. are pathogenic free-living amoebae. N. fowleri causes Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, a rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system, while Acanthamoeba spp. and B. mandrillaris cause chronic granulomatous encephalitis. Acanthamoeba spp. also can cause cutaneous lesions and Amoebic Keratitis, a sight-threatening infection of the cornea that is associated with contact lens use or corneal trauma. Sappinia pedata has been identified as the cause of a nonlethal case of amoebic encephalitis. In view of the potential health consequences due to infection with these amoebae, rapid diagnosis is critical for early treatment. Microscopic examination and culture of biopsy specimens, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF),... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2663414 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:08:54 +0100 2663414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2640833&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F824324.html The contribution of adipose tissue an autocrine and endocrine organ in the pathogenesis of infectious disease and metabolic syndrome is gaining attention. Adipose tissue and adipocytes are one of the major targets of T. cruzi infection. Parasites are detected 300 days postinfection in adipose tissue. Infection of adipose tissue and cultured adipocytes triggered local expression of inflammatory mediators resulting in the upregulation of cytokine and chemokine levels. Adipose tissue obtained from infected mice display an increased infiltration of inflammatory cells. Adiponectin, an adipocyte specific protein, which exerts antiinflammatory effects, is reduced during the acute phase of infection. The antiinflammatory regulator peroxisome proliferator ac... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2640833 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:04:23 +0100 2640833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2574495&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F415953.abs.html Malaria's global impact is expansive and includes the extremes of the healthcare system ranging from international travelers returning to nonendemic regions with tertiary referral medical care to residents in hyperendemic regions without access to medical care. Implementation of prompt and accurate diagnosis is needed to curb the expanding global impact of malaria associated with ever-increasing antimalarial drug resistance. Traditionally, malaria is diagnosed using clinical criteria and/or light microscopy even though both strategies are clearly inadequate in many healthcare settings. Hand held immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been recognized as an ideal alternative method for diagnosing malaria. Numerous malaria RDTs have been developed and are widely availabl... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2574495 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:01:31 +0100 2574495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2574494&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F484358.abs.html Chagas disease which is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is an important cause of cardiomyopathy in Latin America. In later stages chagasic cardiomyopathy is associated with congestive heart failure which is often refractory to medical therapy. In these individuals heart transplantation has been attempted. However, this procedure is fraught with many problems attributable to the surgery and the postsurgical administration of immunosuppressive drugs. Studies in mice suggest that the transplantation of bone-marrow-derived cells ameliorates the inflammation and fibrosis in the heart associated with this infection. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging reveals that bone marrow transplantation ameliorates the infection induced right ventricular enlargement. On the basis of these animal stu... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2574494 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:01:31 +0100 2574494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2574493&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F513609.abs.html Georgia, a country of 4.5 million people, has a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB) including drug resistant cases. Easy access and inappropriate use of anti-TB drugs are risk factors for further development of multidrug resistant (MDR)-TB. We carried out an investigation to assess the availability of over the counter anti-TB agents in pharmacies in Tbilisi. During February 2006, 15 pharmacies were randomly selected and the pharmacist at each store was interviewed. We found that all anti-TB medications stocked by these pharmacies were available and sold without a prescription. All 15 pharmacies sold isoniazid, rifampicin, and streptomycin; 13 (87%) of 15 pharmacies also sold pyrazinamide, ethambutol. Second line anti-TB drugs such as amikacin and kanamycin (injectable agents) and olde... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2574493 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:01:31 +0100 2574493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2574492&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F190354.abs.html There is growing evidence to suggest that chagasic myocardia are exposed to sustained oxidative stress induced injuries that may contribute to disease progression. Trypanosoma cruzi invasion- and replication-mediated cellular injuries and immune-mediated cytotoxic reactions are the common source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during acute infection. Mitochondria are proposed to be the major source of ROS in chronic chagasic hearts. However, it has not been established yet, whether mitochondrial dysfunction is a causative factor in chagasic cardiomyopathy or a consequence of other pathological events. A better understanding of oxidative stress in relation to cardiac tissue damage would be useful in the evaluation of its true role in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease and other heart disea... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2574492 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:01:31 +0100 2574492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2574491&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F547090.abs.html Entamoeba histolytica is an invasive intestinal pathogenic parasitic protozoan that causes amebiasis. It must be distinguished from Entamoeba dispar and E. moshkovskii, nonpathogenic commensal parasites of the human gut lumen that are morphologically identical to E. histolytica. Detection of specific E. histolytica antigens in stools is a fast, sensitive technique that should be considered as the method of choice. Stool real-time PCR is a highly sensitive and specific technique but its high cost make it unsuitable for use in endemic areas where there are economic constraints. Serology is an important component of the diagnosis of intestinal and especially extraintestinal amebiasis as it is a sensitive test that complements the detection of the parasite antigens or DNA. Circulating Gal/GalN... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2574491 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:01:31 +0100 2574491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2514018&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F547090.html Entamoeba histolytica is an invasive intestinal pathogenic parasitic protozoan that causes amebiasis. It must be distinguished from Entamoeba dispar and E. moshkovskii, nonpathogenic commensal parasites of the human gut lumen that are morphologically identical to E. histolytica. Detection of specific E. histolytica antigens in stools is a fast, sensitive technique that should be considered as the method of choice. Stool real-time PCR is a highly sensitive and specific technique but its high cost make it unsuitable for use in endemic areas where there are economic constraints. Serology is an important component of the diagnosis of intestinal and especially extraintestinal amebiasis as it is a sensitive test that complements the detection of the parasite antigens or DNA. Circulating Gal/GalN... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2514018 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:07:42 +0100 2514018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2479818&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F415953.html Malaria's global impact is expansive and includes the extremes of the healthcare system ranging from international travelers returning to nonendemic regions with tertiary referral medical care to residents in hyperendemic regions without access to medical care. Implementation of prompt and accurate diagnosis is needed to curb the expanding global impact of malaria associated with ever-increasing antimalarial drug resistance. Traditionally, malaria is diagnosed using clinical criteria and/or light microscopy even though both strategies are clearly inadequate in many healthcare settings. Hand held immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been recognized as an ideal alternative method for diagnosing malaria. Numerous malaria RDTs have been developed and are widely availabl... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2479818 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0100 2479818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2479817&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F484358.html Chagas disease which is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is an important cause of cardiomyopathy in Latin America. In later stages chagasic cardiomyopathy is associated with congestive heart failure which is often refractory to medical therapy. In these individuals heart transplantation has been attempted. However, this procedure is fraught with many problems attributable to the surgery and the postsurgical administration of immunosuppressive drugs. Studies in mice suggest that the transplantation of bone-marrow-derived cells ameliorates the inflammation and fibrosis in the heart associated with this infection. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging reveals that bone marrow transplantation ameliorates the infection induced right ventricular enlargement. On the basis of these animal stu... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2479817 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0100 2479817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2479816&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F513609.html Georgia, a country of 4.5 million people, has a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB) including drug resistant cases. Easy access and inappropriate use of anti-TB drugs are risk factors for further development of multidrug resistant (MDR)-TB. We carried out an investigation to assess the availability of over the counter anti-TB agents in pharmacies in Tbilisi. During February 2006, 15 pharmacies were randomly selected and the pharmacist at each store was interviewed. We found that all anti-TB medications stocked by these pharmacies were available and sold without a prescription. All 15 pharmacies sold isoniazid, rifampicin, and streptomycin; 13 (87%) of 15 pharmacies also sold pyrazinamide, ethambutol. Second line anti-TB drugs such as amikacin and kanamycin (injectable agents) and olde... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2479816 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0100 2479816 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2479815&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F190354.html There is growing evidence to suggest that chagasic myocardia are exposed to sustained oxidative stress induced injuries that may contribute to disease progression. Trypanosoma cruzi invasion- and replication-mediated cellular injuries and immune-mediated cytotoxic reactions are the common source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during acute infection. Mitochondria are proposed to be the major source of ROS in chronic chagasic hearts. However, it has not been established yet, whether mitochondrial dysfunction is a causative factor in chagasic cardiomyopathy or a consequence of other pathological events. A better understanding of oxidative stress in relation to cardiac tissue damage would be useful in the evaluation of its true role in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease and other heart disea... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2479815 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0100 2479815 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465624&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F314762.html Many bacterial species function as both commensals and pathogens; we used this dual nature to develop a high-throughput molecular epidemiological approach to identifying bacterial virulence genes. We applied our approach to Group B Streptococcus (GBS). Three representative commensal and one invasive GBS isolates were selected as tester strains from a population-based collection. We used microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization to identify open reading frames (ORFs) present in two sequenced invasive strains, but absent or divergent in tester strains. We screened 23 variable ORFs against 949 GBS isolates using a GBS Library on a Slide (LOS) microarray platform. Four ORFs occurred more frequently in invasive than commensal isolates, and one appeared more frequently in commensal isol... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465624 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465624 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465623&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F626827.html The mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract harbor a vast number of commensal microbiota that have coevolved with the host, and in addition display one of the most complex relationships with the host. This relationship affects several important aspects of the biology of the host including the synthesis of nutrients, protection against infection, and the development of the immune system. On the other hand, despite the existence of several lines of mucosal defense mechanisms, pathogenic organisms such as Shigella and Salmonella have evolved sophisticated virulence strategies for breaching these barriers. The constant challenge from these pathogens and the attempts by the host to counter them set up a dynamic equilibrium of cellular and molecular crosstalk. Even slight perturbations in... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465623 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465622&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F613979.html The microbiota of a typical, healthy human contains 10 times as many cells as the human body and incorporates bacteria, viruses, archea, protozoans, and fungi. This diverse microbiome (the collective genomes of the microbial symbionts that inhabit a human host) is essential for human functioning. We discuss the unstated assumptions and implications of current conceptualizations of human microbiota: (1) a single unit that interacts with the host and the external environment; a multicelled organ; (2) an assemblage of multiple taxa, but considered as a single unit in its interactions with the host; (3) an assemblage of multiple taxa, which each interacts with the host and the environment independently; and (4) a dynamic ecological community consisting of multiple taxa each potentially interac... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465622 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465621&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F839501.html In healthy humans, many microbial consortia constitute rich ecosystems with dozens to hundreds of species, finely tuned to functions relevant to human health. Medical interventions, lifestyle changes, and the normal rhythms of life sometimes upset the balance in microbial ecosystems, facilitating pathogen invasions or causing other clinically relevant problems. Some diseases, such as bacterial vaginosis, have exactly this sort of community etiology. Mathematical network theory is ideal for studying the ecological networks of interacting species that comprise the human microbiome. Theoretical networks require little consortia specific data to provide insight into both normal and disturbed microbial community functions, but it is easy to incorporate additional empirical data as it becomes av... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465621 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465620&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F175285.html Probiotics have a range of proposed health benefits for the consumer, which may include modulating the levels of beneficial elements in the microbiota. Recent investigations using molecular approaches have revealed a human intestinal microbiota comprising over 1000 phylotypes. Mechanisms whereby probiotics impact on the intestinal microbiota include competition for substrates, direct antagonism by inhibitory substances, competitive exclusion, and potentially host-mediated effects such as improved barrier function and altered immune response. We now have the microbial inventories and genetic blueprints to begin tackling intestinal microbial ecology at an unprecedented level of detail, aided by the understanding that dietary components may be utilized differentially by individual phylotypes.... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465620 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465619&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F829101.html Obesity is a major public health issue as it enhances the risk of suffering several chronic diseases of increasing prevalence. Obesity results from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, associated with a chronic low-grade inflammation. Gut microbes are considered to contribute to body weight regulation and related disorders by influencing metabolic and immune host functions. The gut microbiota as a whole improves the host's ability to extract and store energy from the diet leading to body weight gain, while specific commensal microbes seem to exert beneficial effects on bile salt, lipoprotein, and cholesterol metabolism. The gut microbiota and some probiotics also regulate immune functions, protecting the host form infections and chronic inflammation. In contrast, dysbios... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465619 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465618&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F125081.html Antibiotics are the main, and often only, clinical intervention for prophylactic and active treatment of bacterial infections in humans. Perhaps it is not surprising that these drugs also shift the composition of commensal bacteria inside our bodies, especially those within the gut microbial community (microbiota). How these dynamics ultimately affect the function of the gut microbiota, however, is not fully appreciated. Likewise, how antibiotic induced changes facilitate the outgrowth and pathogenicity of certain bacterial strains remains largely enigmatic. Here, we discuss the merits of a microbial ecology approach toward understanding a common side effect of antibiotic use, antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), and the opportunistic bacterial infections that sometimes underlie it. As an... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465618 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465617&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F597603.html Sequence-dependent electrophoresis (SDE) fingerprinting techniques such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) have become commonplace in the field of molecular microbial ecology. The success of the SDE technology lays in the fact that it allows visualization of the predominant members of complex microbial ecosystems independent of their culturability and without prior knowledge on the complexity and diversity of the ecosystem. Mainly using the prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene as PCR amplification target, SDE-based community fingerprinting turned into one of the leading molecular tools to unravel the diversity and population dynamics of human intestinal microbiota. The first part of this review covers the methodological concept of SDE fingerprinting and the technical hurdles for analyz... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465617 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465616&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F385487.html This article examines the potential for changes in imported and autochthonous malaria incidence in Canada as a consequence of climate change. Drawing on a systems framework, we qualitatively characterize and assess the potential direct and indirect impact of climate change on malaria in Canada within the context of other concurrent ecological and social trends. Competent malaria vectors currently exist in southern Canada, including within this range several major urban centres, and conditions here have historically supported endemic malaria transmission. Climate change will increase the occurrence of temperature conditions suitable for malaria transmission in Canada, which, combined with trends in international travel, immigration, drug resistance, and inexperience in both clinical and lab... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465616 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465615&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F591935.html Seasonal variation in smallpox transmission is one of the most pressing ecological questions and is relevant to bioterrorism preparedness. The present study reanalyzed 7 historical datasets which recorded monthly cases or deaths. In addition to time series analyses of reported data, an estimation and spectral analysis of the effective reproduction number at calendar time t, R(t), were made. Meteorological variables were extracted from a report in India from 1890–1921 and compared with smallpox mortality as well as R(t). Annual cycles of smallpox transmission were clearly shown not only in monthly reports but also in the estimates of R(t). Even short-term epidemic data clearly exhibited an annual peak every January. Both mortality and R(t) revealed significant negative association (P&... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465615 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465614&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F593232.html Zoonotic tick-borne diseases are an increasing health burden in Europe and there is speculation that this is partly due to climate change affecting vector biology and disease transmission. Data on the vector tick Ixodes ricinus suggest that an extension of its northern and altitude range has been accompanied by an increased prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis. Climate change may also be partly responsible for the change in distribution of Dermacentor reticulatus. Increased winter activity of  I. ricinus is probably due to warmer winters and a retrospective study suggests that hotter summers will change the dynamics and pattern of seasonal activity, resulting in the bulk of the tick population becoming active in the latter part of the year. Climate suitability models predict that e... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465614 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465613&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F149694.html We used terminal restriction fragment polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis to assess (1) stability of the fecal microbiota in dogs living in environments characterized by varying degrees of exposure to factors that might alter the microbiota and (2) changes in the microbiota associated with acute episodes of diarrhea. Results showed that the healthy canine GI tract harbors potential enteric pathogens. Dogs living in an environment providing minimal exposure to factors that might alter the microbiota had similar microbiotas; the microbiotas of dogs kept in more variable environments were more variable. Substantial changes in the microbiota occurred during diarrheic episodes, including increased levels of Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus faecium. When diet and medic... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465613 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465612&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F176532.html The relatively uncommon fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii recently emerged as a significant cause of cryptococcal disease in human and animals in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Although genetic studies indicated its possible presence in the Pacific Northwest for more than 30 years, C. gattii as an etiological agent was largely unknown in this region prior to 1999. The recent emergence may have been encouraged by changing conditions of climate or land use and/or host susceptibility, and predictive ecological niche modeling indicates a potentially wider spread. C. gattii can survive wide climatic variations and colonize the environment in tropical, subtropical, temperate, and dry climates. Long-term climate changes, such as the significantly elevated global temperature in the last... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465612 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465611&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F181253.html Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been described as an increase in the number of anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria relative to lactobacilli in the vaginal tract. Several undesirable consequences of this community shift can include irritation, white discharge, an elevated pH, and increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections. While the etiology of the condition remains ill defined, BV has been associated with adverse reproductive and pregnancy outcomes. In order to describe the structure of vaginal communities over time we determined the phylogenetic composition of vaginal communities from seven women sampled at multiple points using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We found that women with no evidence of BV had communities dominated by lactobacilli that appeared stable over ... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465611 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465610&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F290769.html Gastrointestinal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. The use of probiotics to prevent and treat a variety of diarrheal diseases has gained favor in recent years. Examples where probiotics have positively impacted gastroenteritis will be highlighted. However, the overall efficacy of these treatments and the mechanisms by which probiotics ameliorate gastrointestinal infections are mostly unknown. We will discuss possible mechanisms by which probiotics could have a beneficial impact by enhancing the prevention or treatment of diarrheal diseases. (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465610 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465609&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F750479.html The bacterial biota of the human vagina can have a profound impact on the health of women and their neonates. Changes in the vaginal microbiota have been associated with several adverse health outcomes including premature birth, pelvic inflammatory disease, and acquisition of HIV infection. Cultivation-independent molecular methods have provided new insights regarding bacterial diversity in this important niche, particularly in women with the common condition bacterial vaginosis (BV). PCR methods have shown that women with BV have complex communities of vaginal bacteria that include many fastidious species, particularly from the phyla Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. Healthy women are mostly colonized with lactobacilli such as Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus jensenii, and Lactobaci... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465609 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465608&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F256490.html The human vagina is inhabited by a range of microbes from a pool of over 50 species. Lactobacilli are the most common, particularly in healthy women. The microbiota can change composition rapidly, for reasons that are not fully clear. This can lead to infection or to a state in which organisms with pathogenic potential coexist with other commensals. The most common urogenital infection in premenopausal women is bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition characterized by a depletion of lactobacilli population and the presence of Gram-negative anaerobes, or in some cases Gram-positive cocci, and aerobic pathogens. Treatment of BV traditionally involves the antibiotics metronidazole or clindamycin, however, the recurrence rate remains high, and this treatment is not designed to restore the lactoba... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465608 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465607&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2008%2F296873.html (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465607 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465606&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F437187.html Both origin and evolution of tuberculosis and its pathogens (Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex) are not fully understood. The paleopathological investigation of human remains offers a unique insight into the molecular evolution and spread including correlative data of the environment. The molecular analysis of material from Egypt (3000–500 BC), Sudan (200–600 AD), Hungary (600–1700 AD), Latvia (1200–1600 AD), and South Germany (1400–1800 AD) urprisingly revealed constantly high frequencies of tuberculosis in all different time periods excluding significant environmental influence on tuberculosis spread. The typing of various mycobacteria strains provides evidence for ancestral M. tuberculosis strains in Pre- to early Egyptian dynastic material (3500–265... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465606 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465605&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F976403.html (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465605 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465604&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F840452.html During the latter half of the twentieth century, fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans were increasingly recognized as a significant threat to the health of immune compromised populations throughout the world. Until recently, the closely related species C. gattii was considered to be a low-level endemic pathogen that was confined to tropical regions such as Australia. Since 1999, C. gattii has emerged in the Pacific Northwest region of North America and has been responsible for a large disease epidemic among generally healthy individuals. The changing epidemiology of C. gattii infection is likely to be a consequence of alterations in fungal ecology and biology and illustrates its potential to cause serious human disease. This review summarizes selected biological and clinical as... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465604 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465603&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F214216.html Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of community-acquired meningitis worldwide. Despite optimal antibiotic therapy and supportive care, the mortality of this condition remains very high at 20–30% in the developed world and over 60% in under-resourced hospitals. In developed countries, approximately half of the survivors suffer intellectual impairment, hearing loss, or other neurological damage. There is an urgent need for more information about the mechanisms of brain damage and death in pneumococcal meningitis so that new treatments can be designed. Using proteomic techniques and bioinformatics, the protein content of cerebrospinal fluid can be examined in great detail. Animal models have added greatly to our knowledge of possible mechanisms and shown... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465603 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2465602&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2Fjournals%2Fipid%2F2009%2F802712.html At present it is not possible to determine in advance the outcome of Leishmania infantum infection. Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), caused by Le. infantum, is a natural disease process which offers a insight into the interaction of the host and resultant disease outcome. Canine VL results in the same altered pathophysiology and immunodysregulation seen in humans. VL in US dogs is likely to be transmitted primarily via nontraditional, nonvector means. VL mediated by Le. infantum is endemic in U.S. Foxhound dogs, with vertical transmission likely to be the novel primary means of transmission. This population of dogs offers an opportunity to identify host factors of natural disease. Prevention of human clinical visceral leishmaniasis can occur only by better understanding the disease ecol... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2465602 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:05:24 +0100 2465602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2460290&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F802712 At present it is not possible to determine in advance the outcome of Leishmania infantum infection. Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), caused by Le. infantum, is a natural disease process which offers a insight into the interaction of the host and resultant disease outcome. Canine VL results in the same altered pathophysiology and immunodysregulation seen in humans. VL in US dogs is likely to be transmitted primarily via nontraditional, nonvector means. VL mediated by Le. infantum is endemic in U.S. Foxhound dogs, with vertical transmission likely to be the novel primary means of transmission. This population of dogs offers an opportunity to identify host factors of natural disease. Prevention of human clinical visceral leishmaniasis can occur only by better understanding the disease ecol... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2460290 Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:23:16 +0100 2460290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2437830&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F214216 Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of community-acquired meningitis worldwide. Despite optimal antibiotic therapy and supportive care, the mortality of this condition remains very high at 20–30% in the developed world and over 60% in under-resourced hospitals. In developed countries, approximately half of the survivors suffer intellectual impairment, hearing loss, or other neurological damage. There is an urgent need for more information about the mechanisms of brain damage and death in pneumococcal meningitis so that new treatments can be designed. Using proteomic techniques and bioinformatics, the protein content of cerebrospinal fluid can be examined in great detail. Animal models have added greatly to our knowledge of possible mechanisms and shown... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2437830 Thu, 28 May 2009 03:40:54 +0100 2437830 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2434442&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F840452 During the latter half of the twentieth century, fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans were increasingly recognized as a significant threat to the health of immune compromised populations throughout the world. Until recently, the closely related species C. gattii was considered to be a low-level endemic pathogen that was confined to tropical regions such as Australia. Since 1999, C. gattii has emerged in the Pacific Northwest region of North America and has been responsible for a large disease epidemic among generally healthy individuals. The changing epidemiology of C. gattii infection is likely to be a consequence of alterations in fungal ecology and biology and illustrates its potential to cause serious human disease. This review summarizes selected biological and clinical as... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2434442 Wed, 27 May 2009 01:47:12 +0100 2434442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2334194&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F976403 (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2334194 Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:29:00 +0100 2334194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2309637&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F256490 The human vagina is inhabited by a range of microbes from a pool of over 50 species. Lactobacilli are the most common, particularly in healthy women. The microbiota can change composition rapidly, for reasons that are not fully clear. This can lead to infection or to a state in which organisms with pathogenic potential coexist with other commensals. The most common urogenital infection in premenopausal women is bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition characterized by a depletion of lactobacilli population and the presence of Gram-negative anaerobes, or in some cases Gram-positive cocci, and aerobic pathogens. Treatment of BV traditionally involves the antibiotics metronidazole or clindamycin, however, the recurrence rate remains high, and this treatment is not designed to restore the lactoba... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2309637 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 05:08:34 +0100 2309637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2309635&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F296873 (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2309635 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 05:08:34 +0100 2309635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2309633&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F437187 Both origin and evolution of tuberculosis and its pathogens (Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex) are not fully understood. The paleopathological investigation of human remains offers a unique insight into the molecular evolution and spread including correlative data of the environment. The molecular analysis of material from Egypt (3000–500 BC), Sudan (200–600 AD), Hungary (600–1700 AD), Latvia (1200–1600 AD), and South Germany (1400–1800 AD) urprisingly revealed constantly high frequencies of tuberculosis in all different time periods excluding significant environmental influence on tuberculosis spread. The typing of various mycobacteria strains provides evidence for ancestral M. tuberculosis strains in Pre- to early Egyptian dynastic material (3500–265... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2309633 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 05:08:34 +0100 2309633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2191740&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F750479 The bacterial biota of the human vagina can have a profound impact on the health of women and their neonates. Changes in the vaginal microbiota have been associated with several adverse health outcomes including premature birth, pelvic inflammatory disease, and acquisition of HIV infection. Cultivation-independent molecular methods have provided new insights regarding bacterial diversity in this important niche, particularly in women with the common condition bacterial vaginosis (BV). PCR methods have shown that women with BV have complex communities of vaginal bacteria that include many fastidious species, particularly from the phyla Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. Healthy women are mostly colonized with lactobacilli such as Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus jensenii, and Lactobaci... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2191740 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:57:22 +0100 2191740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2157449&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F290769 Gastrointestinal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. The use of probiotics to prevent and treat a variety of diarrheal diseases has gained favor in recent years. Examples where probiotics have positively impacted gastroenteritis will be highlighted. However, the overall efficacy of these treatments and the mechanisms by which probiotics ameliorate gastrointestinal infections are mostly unknown. We will discuss possible mechanisms by which probiotics could have a beneficial impact by enhancing the prevention or treatment of diarrheal diseases. (Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2157449 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:58:19 +0100 2157449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2135179&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F181253 Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been described as an increase in the number of anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria relative to lactobacilli in the vaginal tract. Several undesirable consequences of this community shift can include irritation, white discharge, an elevated pH, and increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections. While the etiology of the condition remains ill defined, BV has been associated with adverse reproductive and pregnancy outcomes. In order to describe the structure of vaginal communities over time we determined the phylogenetic composition of vaginal communities from seven women sampled at multiple points using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We found that women with no evidence of BV had communities dominated by lactobacilli that appeared stable over ... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2135179 Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:10:45 +0100 2135179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2108337&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F176532 The relatively uncommon fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii recently emerged as a significant cause of cryptococcal disease in human and animals in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Although genetic studies indicated its possible presence in the Pacific Northwest for more than 30 years, C. gattii as an etiological agent was largely unknown in this region prior to 1999. The recent emergence may have been encouraged by changing conditions of climate or land use and/or host susceptibility, and predictive ecological niche modeling indicates a potentially wider spread. C. gattii can survive wide climatic variations and colonize the environment in tropical, subtropical, temperate, and dry climates. Long-term climate changes, such as the significantly elevated global temperature in the last... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2108337 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:05:47 +0100 2108337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098438&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F149694 We used terminal restriction fragment polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis to assess (1) stability of the fecal microbiota in dogs living in environments characterized by varying degrees of exposure to factors that might alter the microbiota and (2) changes in the microbiota associated with acute episodes of diarrhea. Results showed that the healthy canine GI tract harbors potential enteric pathogens. Dogs living in an environment providing minimal exposure to factors that might alter the microbiota had similar microbiotas; the microbiotas of dogs kept in more variable environments were more variable. Substantial changes in the microbiota occurred during diarrheic episodes, including increased levels of Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus faecium. When diet and medic... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098438 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:51:22 +0100 2098438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2078391&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F385487 This article examines the potential for changes in imported and autochthonous malaria incidence in Canada as a consequence of climate change. Drawing on a systems framework, we qualitatively characterize and assess the potential direct and indirect impact of climate change on malaria in Canada within the context of other concurrent ecological and social trends. Competent malaria vectors currently exist in southern Canada, including within this range several major urban centres, and conditions here have historically supported endemic malaria transmission. Climate change will increase the occurrence of temperature conditions suitable for malaria transmission in Canada, which, combined with trends in international travel, immigration, drug resistance, and inexperience in both clinical and lab... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2078391 Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:30:01 +0100 2078391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2078390&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F591935 Seasonal variation in smallpox transmission is one of the most pressing ecological questions and is relevant to bioterrorism preparedness. The present study reanalyzed 7 historical datasets which recorded monthly cases or deaths. In addition to time series analyses of reported data, an estimation and spectral analysis of the effective reproduction number at calendar time t, R(t), were made. Meteorological variables were extracted from a report in India from 1890–1921 and compared with smallpox mortality as well as R(t). Annual cycles of smallpox transmission were clearly shown not only in monthly reports but also in the estimates of R(t). Even short-term epidemic data clearly exhibited an annual peak every January. Both mortality and R(t) revealed significant negative association (P&... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2078390 Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:30:01 +0100 2078390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2078389&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2009%2F593232 Zoonotic tick-borne diseases are an increasing health burden in Europe and there is speculation that this is partly due to climate change affecting vector biology and disease transmission. Data on the vector tick Ixodes ricinus suggest that an extension of its northern and altitude range has been accompanied by an increased prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis. Climate change may also be partly responsible for the change in distribution of Dermacentor reticulatus. Increased winter activity of  I. ricinus is probably due to warmer winters and a retrospective study suggests that hotter summers will change the dynamics and pattern of seasonal activity, resulting in the bulk of the tick population becoming active in the latter part of the year. Climate suitability models predict that e... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2078389 Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:30:01 +0100 2078389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2036160&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F597603 Sequence-dependent electrophoresis (SDE) fingerprinting techniques such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) have become commonplace in the field of molecular microbial ecology. The success of the SDE technology lays in the fact that it allows visualization of the predominant members of complex microbial ecosystems independent of their culturability and without prior knowledge on the complexity and diversity of the ecosystem. Mainly using the prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene as PCR amplification target, SDE-based community fingerprinting turned into one of the leading molecular tools to unravel the diversity and population dynamics of human intestinal microbiota. The first part of this review covers the methodological concept of SDE fingerprinting and the technical hurdles for analyz... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2036160 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:51:47 +0100 2036160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2012041&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F125081 Antibiotics are the main, and often only, clinical intervention for prophylactic and active treatment of bacterial infections in humans. Perhaps it is not surprising that these drugs also shift the composition of commensal bacteria inside our bodies, especially those within the gut microbial community (microbiota). How these dynamics ultimately affect the function of the gut microbiota, however, is not fully appreciated. Likewise, how antibiotic induced changes facilitate the outgrowth and pathogenicity of certain bacterial strains remains largely enigmatic. Here, we discuss the merits of a microbial ecology approach toward understanding a common side effect of antibiotic use, antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), and the opportunistic bacterial infections that sometimes underlie it. As an... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2012041 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:30:39 +0100 2012041 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2007263&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F175285 Probiotics have a range of proposed health benefits for the consumer, which may include modulating the levels of beneficial elements in the microbiota. Recent investigations using molecular approaches have revealed a human intestinal microbiota comprising over 1000 phylotypes. Mechanisms whereby probiotics impact on the intestinal microbiota include competition for substrates, direct antagonism by inhibitory substances, competitive exclusion, and potentially host-mediated effects such as improved barrier function and altered immune response. We now have the microbial inventories and genetic blueprints to begin tackling intestinal microbial ecology at an unprecedented level of detail, aided by the understanding that dietary components may be utilized differentially by individual phylotypes.... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2007263 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:16:37 +0100 2007263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2007262&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F829101 Obesity is a major public health issue as it enhances the risk of suffering several chronic diseases of increasing prevalence. Obesity results from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, associated with a chronic low-grade inflammation. Gut microbes are considered to contribute to body weight regulation and related disorders by influencing metabolic and immune host functions. The gut microbiota as a whole improves the host's ability to extract and store energy from the diet leading to body weight gain, while specific commensal microbes seem to exert beneficial effects on bile salt, lipoprotein, and cholesterol metabolism. The gut microbiota and some probiotics also regulate immune functions, protecting the host form infections and chronic inflammation. In contrast, dysbios... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2007262 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:16:37 +0100 2007262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1915509&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F626827 The mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract harbor a vast number of commensal microbiota that have coevolved with the host, and in addition display one of the most complex relationships with the host. This relationship affects several important aspects of the biology of the host including the synthesis of nutrients, protection against infection, and the development of the immune system. On the other hand, despite the existence of several lines of mucosal defense mechanisms, pathogenic organisms such as Shigella and Salmonella have evolved sophisticated virulence strategies for breaching these barriers. The constant challenge from these pathogens and the attempts by the host to counter them set up a dynamic equilibrium of cellular and molecular crosstalk. Even slight perturbations in... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1915509 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:14:04 +0100 1915509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1915508&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F613979 The microbiota of a typical, healthy human contains 10 times as many cells as the human body and incorporates bacteria, viruses, archea, protozoans, and fungi. This diverse microbiome (the collective genomes of the microbial symbionts that inhabit a human host) is essential for human functioning. We discuss the unstated assumptions and implications of current conceptualizations of human microbiota: (1) a single unit that interacts with the host and the external environment; a multicelled organ; (2) an assemblage of multiple taxa, but considered as a single unit in its interactions with the host; (3) an assemblage of multiple taxa, which each interacts with the host and the environment independently; and (4) a dynamic ecological community consisting of multiple taxa each potentially interac... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1915508 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:14:04 +0100 1915508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1915507&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F839501 In healthy humans, many microbial consortia constitute rich ecosystems with dozens to hundreds of species, finely tuned to functions relevant to human health. Medical interventions, lifestyle changes, and the normal rhythms of life sometimes upset the balance in microbial ecosystems, facilitating pathogen invasions or causing other clinically relevant problems. Some diseases, such as bacterial vaginosis, have exactly this sort of community etiology. Mathematical network theory is ideal for studying the ecological networks of interacting species that comprise the human microbiome. Theoretical networks require little consortia specific data to provide insight into both normal and disturbed microbial community functions, but it is easy to incorporate additional empirical data as it becomes av... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1915507 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:14:04 +0100 1915507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1489679&cid=s_37030_20_f&fid=37030&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindawi.com%2FGetArticle.aspx%3Fdoi%3D10.1155%2F2008%2F314762 Many bacterial species function as both commensals and pathogens; we used this dual nature to develop a high-throughput molecular epidemiological approach to identifying bacterial virulence genes. We applied our approach to Group B Streptococcus (GBS). Three representative commensal and one invasive GBS isolates were selected as tester strains from a population-based collection. We used microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization to identify open reading frames (ORFs) present in two sequenced invasive strains, but absent or divergent in tester strains. We screened 23 variable ORFs against 949 GBS isolates using a GBS Library on a Slide (LOS) microarray platform. Four ORFs occurred more frequently in invasive than commensal isolates, and one appeared more frequently in commensal isol... Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1489679 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:23:59 +0100 1489679