Ulrich Desselberger Supplements, but They Are Now Being Considered for Cats and Animals Are Both Real and Potential Sources of Human Virus Dogs

microbiologytoday

microbiology today vol36|nov09 quarterly magazine of the society for general

microbiology vol 36 | nov 09

microbes and companion animals Toxoplasma gondii Prebiotics for pets Viruses in coldwater ornamental fish Are our homes safe for cats and dogs? Decline in global amphibian biodiversity Zoonotic transmission of viruses contents

vol36(4) regular features 178 News 229 Addresses 186 Microshorts 230 Going Public 216 Conferences 234 Hot off the Press 218 Schoolzone 237 Reviews 224 Gradline other items 222 You say goodbye and I say hello articles 188 The SGM Council and other 204 Are our homes companion animals microbiologically safe Robin Weiss for cats and dogs? The outgoing President takes a look back at his term in Charles Penn office. The health of companion animals could be at risk from their owners. 192 A century of Toxoplasma gondii research 208 Disease-driven declines in Fiona L. Henriquez and global amphibian biodiversity Craig W. Roberts Matthew C. Fisher A fungus infection is threatening amphibians around the globe. People can catch this parasite from cats, sometimes with long-lasting results. 212 The significance of zoonotic 196 Prebiotics for pets transmission of viruses in Bob Rastall human disease Functional foods are increasingly popular as human dietary Ulrich Desselberger supplements, but they are now being considered for cats and Animals are both real and potential sources of human virus dogs. infections. 200 Viruses in coldwater 240 Comment: ornamental fish Redevelopment of the IAH Keith Way Keith Gull Fishkeepers need to be aware of the different The new IAH facility will offer a major opportunity to virus diseases that can affect their pets. improve animal health research.

Cover image Cat’s eyes. Stockxpert / Jupiter Images The views expressed

Editor Dr Paul Hoskisson––Editorial Board Dr Kim Hardie, Professor Mark Harris, Professor Jo Verran Managing Editor Janet Hurst by contributors are not Editorial Assistant Yvonne Taylor––Design & Production Ian Atherton––Contributions are always welcome and should be addressed to the Editor c/o SGM HQ, Marlborough House, necessarily those of the Basingstoke Road, Spencers Wood, Reading RG7 1AG–Tel. 0118 988 1809–Fax 0118 988 5656–email [email protected]–web www.sgm.ac.uk Society; nor can the Advertising David Lancaster, Ten Alps Publishing, London Office, 10 Savoy Street, London WC2E 7HR–t 0207 878 2316–f 0207 379 7118–e [email protected] Regular feature images pp. 179 SGM; 217, 219, 237 Comstock / Jupiter Images; 225, 235 Stockbyte; 231, AbleStock claims of advertisers © 2009 The Society for General Microbiology––ISSN 1464-0570––Printed by Latimer Trend & Company Ltd, Plymouth, UK be guaranteed. news

On the ball SGM Prize Medallist 2010 – The cover photograph Sir Paul Nurse of the August issue Professor Sir Paul Nurse is to be the recipient of the SGM of Microbiology Today Medal, awarded annually to a microbiologist of international provoked an unexpected standing whose work has had a far-reaching impact beyond reaction. Readers may microbiology. He will deliver his talk Controlling the Cell remember that, to illustrate Introducing Cycle on Monday 29 March 2010 at the Edinburgh meeting. the ‘microbes and sport’ A special complementary symposium on the same theme is Microbiology Today’s theme of the magazine, to be held that day, with talks delivered by speakers of it featured a rugby team. new Editor international renown in the field. The picture was obtained from a photo library, and Paul Nurse’s research focuses on the molecular machinery chosen for its artistic that drives the cell cycle. His major accomplishment was the appeal and because it was identification of the genes acting as the key regulators of the appropriate. Little did I cell cycle in both yeast and human cells. The major regulator and Production Editor, Ian molecule, called CDK (cyclin-dependent kinase) is essential Atherton, know that there to life in all eukaryotes and is conserved over hundreds of It doesn’t seem that long ago as an undergraduate that my first copy of the, then SGM was an SGM connection millions of years of evolution. Quarterly landed on my hall floor. In little over 10 years I have progressed from a PhD with the team. A phone student in the Laboratory of Glyn Hobbs and George Sharples at Liverpool John Moores For this work he shared the 2001 Nobel Prize with Leland call from retired member University working on development and antibiotic production in Micromonospora, to H. Hartwell and R. Timothy Hunt. The Nobel Prize in John Garrett revealed that studying Streptomyces development in Mark Buttner’s laboratory at the John Innes Physiology or Medicine recognized the three scientists for he was ex-President of the Centre and then on to Maggie Smith’s group at the University of Aberdeen, working on advancing scientific understanding about the biological process by which cells make copies of themselves both in health and Club shown – Long Buckby bacteriophage defence, again in Streptomyces. In 2007, I moved south to Glasgow where in diseases such as cancer. in Northamptonshire. I began to set up my own group at the University of Strathclyde, again maintaining my Born in 1949 in Norwich, Great Britain, Paul Nurse graduated from Birmingham University in biology. In 1973, he received interest in Streptomyces and other actinobacteria. In this time, not only have I undergone a PhD in cell biology/biochemistry at the University of East Anglia. major progressions but the SGM Quarterly has become the award-winning Microbiology Today. After completing postdoctoral studies at universities in Bern, Edinburgh and Sussex, Paul Nurse joined the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) in 1984. For the next 4 years, he headed ICRF’s cell cycle control laboratory. It is a great honour and privilege to succeed Matt Hutchings as Editor of Microbiology Today, and also quite a daunting task to fill such capable shoes. It is nice to take something from In 1988, he joined the University of Oxford to chair its Department Matt for a change, instead of him taking from me; my reagents when we were postdoctoral of Microbiology. Five years later, he returned to ICRF as its Director researchers together at the John Innes Centre spring to mind! of Research. In 1996, he was promoted to Director General. In 2002, In recent years Microbiology Today has gone from strength to strength and become the he was appointed Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, which was flagship of the SGM. I believe the magazine brings the Society’s membership together, formed from the merger of ICRF and the Cancer Research Campaign. introducing new ideas and outlooks on diverse areas of microbiology, not only to our He became President of Rockefeller University, New York in 2003. academic research active members, but also to our ever-increasing school membership. This In addition to the Nobel Prize, Paul Nurse has received the Albert area of the SGM is vitally important as we seek to increase awareness and enthusiasm for Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, the General Motors Cancer microbiology within the Society and society at large. This can only help to encourage more Research Foundation Alfred P. Sloan Jr Prize and Medal, the Royal students to study microbiology at university and also increase public awareness and combat Society Copley, Wellcome and Royal Medals (UK), Pezcoller Award microbiological misinformation in the mass media. The story didn’t end there, (Italy), Rosenstiel Award and Medal, Heineken Prize (Netherlands), My vision for Microbiology Today is to build on the work of Matt, and Gavin Thomas as the photographer also Jimenez Diaz Medal (Spain), Jeantet Prize (Switzerland) and the before him, and showcase the breadth and depth of microbiology as a discipline. As called quite independently Gairdner Foundation International Award (Canada). microbiologists we know how important our subject has been to some of the greatest of John to ask if we could A Fellow of the Royal Society, Paul Nurse is a member of the Council discoveries in the biological sciences. Currently at the forefront of the systems and synthetic send some complimentary for Science and Technology, which advises the Prime Minister and biology revolution in biological sciences are microbiologists, pioneering this area along copies to the players. Off the Cabinet of Great Britain. He also is a member of the European with the help of mathematicians, physicists and modellers. Therefore, the SGM, as our these duly went and we Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), a foreign associate of the learned society and us, as its members, have the duty to fulfil a key goal of the Society to hope they weren’t too US National Academy of Sciences, and a founding member of the UK further ‘promote the art and science of microbiology’ for the future. Hopefully through scared by the article on Academy of Medical Sciences. He was honoured with a knighthood in Microbiology Today we can encourage this. ‘scrumpox’ in the magazine! Great Britain in 1999 for services to cancer research and cell biology, Paul Hoskisson (e [email protected]) Janet Hurst and he was awarded the Legion d’Honneur (France) in 2002.

178 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 179 New Honorary Member July meeting highlights SGM Council Professor Julian Davies The SGM Prize Medal New member of Council devoted a significant amount of time to Council has been pleased to confer Honorary Membership training in biochemistry. Over the next 13 years, with were prompted to examine Council careful consideration of nominations for the SGM Prize on Professor Julian Davies, in recognition of his long and excellent students and postdoctorals we developed a the transcriptional effects of Medal to be awarded in 2010. Council agreed that the distinguished service to microbiology and service to the number of successful projects, including ribosome mapping, antibiotics at sub-inhibitory President should approach Professor Sir Paul Nurse SGM mechanisms of antibiotic resistance to antibiotics, the concentrations. This led to (Rockefeller University, USA) and he has been pleased discovery of antibiotic resistance genes in antibiotic- the notion that antibiotics to accept. A profile of Sir Paul appears on p. 179 of producing streptomycetes, the mode of action of a variety 50 years of microbiology: behave as cell–cell signalling this issue of Microbiology Today. of translation inhibitors and the development of selective my life and good times agents in nature. Methods markers for gene cloning studies, in particular geneticin to detect diffusible chemical European Society of Virology (ESV) It is an honour to have been made an Honorary Member (G418) for use in recombinant studies in eukaryotic cells. signals in microbiomes are Council agreed that SGM should become a corporate of SGM, especially since I have never taken a course of We also discovered the restriction enzymes PstI and KpnI. being explored and applied member of the newly formed ESV. Members of SGM microbiology! I was born in Neath (Nydd), South Wales, Talk about being a dilettante! to the discovery of potential will then have all the privileges of ESV membership and after several ‘evacuations’ during the Second World therapeutic agents. apart from individual voting rights, but SGM will have In 1980, the thrilling prospects of the fledgling War settled in West Wales, receiving my secondary 20 votes. Professor Mark Harris noted that the Virology biotechnology industry led me to join Biogen in education at Milford Haven Grammar School. Chemistry was It has been a privilege to Division intended to apply for a grant from the SGM Dr Karen Robinson, University Switzerland for a very exciting (but often frustrating) my ambition at that time and I received my BSc and PhD have had so many people Joint Meetings Fund and to organize a joint session at of Nottingham, has been 5 years during which the company developed several in Chemistry at the University of Nottingham followed by to learn from; osmosis the Eurovirology Congress at Lake Como in April 2010. elected to serve on Council valuable recombinant pharmaceuticals. In 1986, academia postdoctoral stints with Gilbert Stork (Columbia University) is better than textbooks. for a term of 4 years from called and I joined the new biotechnology department at SGM finances and Gene van Tamelen (University of Wisconsin), before Microbiology as a science 8 September 2009. She writes: Institut Pasteur, Paris, where I was able to set up an active Despite the continuing low return on investments and joining the UMIST Chemistry Department as a Lecturer in has evolved through many international group in ‘microbial engineering’, working on general global economic uncertainties, the Treasurer I obtained a BSc in Bacteriology 1959. By this time I was married and a father. conceptual phases in a half many topics, including M. tuberculosis, L. monocytogenes, reported that Society finances were in good order and Virology, followed by a century: DNA, the genetic Bacillus spp., yeasts, and of course antibiotics and a number and that commercial journal sales were holding up PhD on synthetic peptide My life was changed when I met Milton Salton at code, molecular biology, of Streptomyces strains! This was another productive chapter well. It was agreed that a sum of money being held vaccines, from Manchester. Manchester and became interested in microbial cell wall genetic engineering, in my life, in terms of science, scientists and the pleasures in cash, on which the return was currently very low, Since then I have been studying structure. Milton and I left Manchester in 1962; he went biotechnology, sequencing, of living in Paris. should be transferred to a corporate bond fund with host–pathogen interactions back to Australia and I became an Associate in Bernie cellular microbiology, a much higher rate of interest. Council agreed to the and vaccines at Cambridge and Davis’ group (Bacteriology and Immunology) at Harvard I moved to the University of British Columbia in genomics, proteomics, membership subscription rates for 2010 proposed by Nottingham. I have worked on Medical School to carry out studies on the mode of action Vancouver to become Head of Microbiology and metagenomics, chemical Treasurer’s Committee, which represent very modest mucosal vaccine technologies and mechanism of resistance to streptomycin. This work Immunology in 1992, never having been the chair of a biology and others. Where increases on the 2009 rates. and delivery systems, such led to a fruitful collaboration with Luigi Gorini and Walter department. UBC offered many opportunities, including next? as recombinant lactic acid Gilbert on the aminoglycosides and the discovery of their starting a small centre to investigate microbial diversity in Retiring members of Council bacteria, and studied a variety mistranslation activity, thus demonstrating the key role collaboration with the National University of Singapore. Throughout my career The President Robin Weiss thanked the retiring elected of infectious organisms, of the ribosome in reading the genetic code. This was This involved metagenomic studies of soil bacterial the friendship and aid members of Council, Professor Petra Oyston and including N. meningitidis confirmed in a 1-month visit to Gobind communities and other environments, of numerous established Professor Neil Gow and the retiring officers, Dr Ulrich and intestinal nematode Khorana’s laboratory in Wisconsin where with the objective of direct cloning and scientists, constant and Desselberger as General Secretary, Dr Sue Assinder as parasites. My research group is the specific effects of aminoglycosides on expression of the biosynthetic pathways essential encouragement Education Officer and Dr Matt Hutchings as Editor of currently focused on H. pylori, defined coding triplets were identified. from my wife Dorothy and for novel antibiotics. The centre then Microbiology Today for all the excellent work they had my family, together with attempting to understand how became TerraGen Diversity, a small done for the Society. He also conveyed his gratitude to I was fortunate to meet François Jacob financial support from the infection persists, and why biotech company focused on finding the three Editors-in-Chief, Professor Charles Dorman, at Harvard and he invited me to spend NIH and NSF in the US, some people develop stomach antibiotics using metagenomics; in 2000 Professor Richard Elliott and Professor Charles Penn a year at Institut Pasteur working on several European agencies, ulcers or gastric cancer as a the company was acquired by Cubist who were retiring from Council, but not from their genetic mapping of the regulatory region and CIHR and NSERC in consequence of their infection. Pharmaceuticals. editorial positions or Publications Committee. Professor of the lac operon. We used X-Gal as a Canada, have allowed me to We are also studying H. pylori- Hilary Lappin-Scott, although completing her term as screen for mutants in the repressor gene My laboratory at UBC has continued to enjoy the benefits of being mediated protective effects Scientific Meetings Officer during a very challenging and the identification of trans-dominant develop methods for antibiotic discovery a member of the wonderful against asthma and allergy. We time for the Society, would be returning to Council as repressor mutations. Now, I was a and has explored the microbial diversity and changing world of are examining how the host is President in September after the AGM. She would be microbial geneticist! In 1967 I accepted associated with lichens, mosses and microbiology. influenced by virulence factors a faculty position in Biochemistry at liverworts. (British Columbia is a rich overseeing changes in this role, as the newly structured expressed by the bacteria, the University of Wisconsin in Madison: source of these organisms.) In the course Julian Davies Council evolved its practices. and human mucosal immune another deception since I had no of studies of antibiotic resistance, we (e [email protected]) Janet Hurst, Deputy Chief Executive responses to the infection.

180 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 181 Letter to the Editor into the scientific issues concerned with their projects. images the children saw, discussed and wrote about. The Society of Biology launched She comments that maybe ‘some of the topics were too output was generally not terribly scientific, but that was not Dear Editor difficult for the age group’ and exemplifies this by saying the intention; the children created artwork and poems that On 5 October the Institute of Biology and the BioSciences that ‘your average 8-year old will be none the wiser about were inspired by the scientific images. I recommend that Federation united to form the Society of Biology. Review of SAW Showcase (Anne Osbourn) by Gemma Sims topoisomerases’ (my own research area). Again this is the reviewer hosts a SAW day at her school and it will be The new body aims to be a single, unified voice for As a contributor to the SAW Showcase book and participator wrong. In this case the theme concerned ‘packaging’, i.e. readily apparent what the benefits are. biology, advising government and influencing policy, in the SAW events, I was pleased to see this review, but how you package DNA into cells, and they looked at other advancing education and professional development and Yours faithfully, disappointed by its content. The reviewer ‘had concerns’ ways of packaging objects. The children had no problem encouraging public engagement with the life sciences. about the project and feared that ‘it did little to enhance grasping this concept and had huge fun wrapping diverse Professor Anthony Maxwell The Society represents a diverse membership of over the learning and understanding of scientific concepts’. This objects to make unexpected shapes, and making DNA from Head, Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes 80,000, as individuals or through learned societies and was not the case, the children hugely enjoyed the exercise onions. She quotes a poem about DNA and asks ‘where is Centre, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH (t 01603 450771; other organizations. For further information: and, from my experience, gained considerable insight the science?’ The science was in the classroom and in the f 01603 450018; e [email protected]) www.societyofbiology.org

People Congratulations to… SGM Staff On the plinth Professor C. Neil Hunter, Department of Molecular Biology Welcome to Jane Maguire Artist Anthony Gormley’s One and Other project took 2,400 randomly selected people from and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield on his election to (right) who has been recruited across the UK to make up a living piece of artwork. His vision was for the ‘…uninterrupted Fellowship of the Royal Society. to the journals sales office to occupation of the fourth plinth for 100 days and nights…’. Each ‘plinther’ spent 1 hour alone help with the tiered pricing on the usually empty fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, London. Plinthers undertook a range of Professor Anne Glover, University of Aberdeen and Chief project and new marketing activities; from political speeches to sleeping, nudity to painting. Scientific Adviser for Scotland, on her appointment as initiatives. Her experience with chair of the UK Collaborative on Development Sciences, SGM staff editor Rachel Walker successfully applied for a place… introducing new computer an organization that aims to provide a more co-ordinated ‘My randomly allocated slot (8–9 pm on Thursday 8 October) was on my Mum’s birthday, so systems will also be very approach to development sciences in the UK. a birthday party seemed like a good choice of activity! A lot of other people I know were also helpful. Professor Hugh Pennington, former SGM President, for his born on 8 October, so my party included them. I also invited people to text me birthday wishes appearance on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 in July. Welcome also to new External for their friends born that day; I received 16 birthday wishes, including one for a Canadian man Relations Administrator who was celebrating his 97th birthday. Professor Mark Buttner, John Innes Centre, Norwich on Laura Udakis (below), who being elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Once people were decked out for the party with hats, balloons and glow sticks, we played some joined SGM in September Microbiology. games! Grandma’s footsteps and a rocket balloon race proved very popular, and the party-goers on completion of an MSc in were very eager to join in the ‘hokey-cokey’ (amazing what people will do for someone shouting Deaths Science Communication instructions from up high). We ended by singing happy birthday to my Mum and then I proved The Society notes with regret the death of Dr Donald from the University of very popular by giving out cakes! Rachel on the fourth plinth. Pauline Stevenson Black (member since 1972) who worked at the Institute the West of England. Since I first heard about this project, I have been fascinated by the concept. I of Animal Health, Pirbright for many years before moving Laura’s first degree was was incredibly lucky to have been able to take part in this crazy adventure and to the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Oxford, from in Biochemistry from the feel immense pride in having done so. Being on the plinth was exhilarating and it which he retired in 2001. An obituary of Dr Black appears University of York and she was an experience that will always be with me. And it was so much fun!’ on the Microbiology Today website (www.sgm.ac.uk/pubs/ has extensive experience micro_today/obituaries.cfm) of hands-on science www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/rachiegwalker promotion activities and Sadly, Professor Tom Barrett (member since 1980), who Lucy Goodchild, who used to work in the SGM External Relations Office but writing. also worked at the Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright is now a press officer at Imperial College London, also took to the plinth. For Lucy, science writer, beekeeper and self-confessed professional geek, this was where he had been head of the Morbillivirus Group since We are also pleased to a dream come true. ‘When I heard about this project, my initial reaction was 1985, died on 19 September. His work on rinderpest (cattle see staff editor Ashreena ‘great … get me up there and give me a megaphone!’ It’s an exciting, off-the- plague) was integral to the success of the Global Rinderpest Osman back after a period wall, innovative venture and I was so excited I’d been chosen! I really wanted Eradication Programme and the forthcoming formal of maternity leave. announcement in 2010 that the virus has been eradicated. to be part of something that would make history.’ Lucy dressed as a bee and This will make rinderpest the first virus in veterinary science Congratulations to Gemma Sims and her husband Tom on talked mainly about the plight of bees, spiced with bee tales galore, plus some and only the second virus after smallpox, to have officially the birth of twins, Charlotte Constance and Robert Thomas, exciting, fascinating scientific research news thrown in for good measure. For been eradicated from the planet. He was a Member of the on 9 October. Gemma, a qualified science teacher, worked example, did you know that the pheromone a queen bee makes to tell her Editorial Board of Journal of General Virology and a regular at the SGM for a year to develop a microbiology teaching workers to attack an enemy smells like bananas? contributor to SGM meetings. resource for post-16 students. Lucy being a bee. Lucy Goodchild www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/lucy_googlechild

182 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 183 Grants Livestock infectious diseases and zoonoses The Royal Society has devoted the current issue of and surveillance, and vaccine development. The Medical Trainee Student Schemes SGM has a wide range of grant schemes to support Philosophical Transactions B to the topic of livestock infectious introduction is available free of charge and sets out the Support Grants microbiology. See www.sgm.ac.uk/grants for details Hayes–Burnet diseases and zoonoses. Edited by Professors Martin Shirley social changes in our modern world that facilitate the Funding for medical Travel Award and closing dates. and Fiona Tomley, Director and Deputy Director (Science), movement of pathogens. microbiology trainees A limited grant of up Enquiries should be made to the: Grants Office, SGM, respectively, of the Institute for Animal Health, the papers (during foundation or to £3,000 is available Marlborough House, Basingstoke Road, Spencers Wood, look at viruses, bacteria, protozoa and helminths that cause For details of how to access this special issue and specialist training) to carry to present work at the Reading RG7 1AG (t 0118 988 1821; f 0118 988 5656; disease in animals or have originated in animals and spread to read the introductory chapter see: http://rstb. out short lab-based projects Annual Scientific Meeting e [email protected]). to people. Areas where technology can be brought to bear royalsocietypublishing.org/site/2009/livestock_disease. on a microbiological of the Australian Society to minimize the adverse effects of emerging pathogens are xhtml (please note that to qualify for the special offer, you topic. The grant covers for Microbiology (ASM) covered, such as state-of-the-art approaches to diagnoses will need to enter the code TB 1530 on the online shop). a contribution towards and make a short research Elective Grants costs may also awarded. consumables costs only. visit of up to 3 weeks at a Funding for medical/dental/ Applications must be from Closing dates: 19 March laboratory in Australia. This veterinary students to work SGM members on behalf of and 24 September 2010. scheme is offered jointly on microbiological projects named students. The closing SGM membership subscriptions 2010 in their elective periods. The date for applications is 20 with the ASM and supports The following rates were agreed at the AGM of the Society on 8 September 2009. Scientific Meetings the reciprocal exchange of closing dates for applications February 2010. Travel Grants one postgraduate student in 2010 are 19 March and Membership category Annual Additional subscriptions for publications (print only) Student Society subscription This scheme is open to member to present their 24 September. Sponsored Lectures Microbiology JGV IJSEM JMM £ US$ £ US$ £ US$ £ US$ £ US$ a range of early-career research at the other Vacation Studentships These cover the travel and microbiologists resident society’s main conference Ordinary 55 108 108 212 108 212 108 212 63 120 The 2010 scheme is other expenses of up to two within the EU, ranging and to visit a research lab in Associate now open for applications. speakers on microbiological from postgraduate students that country. Closing date: Postgraduate Student As described on pp. 226– topics per Society each year through to first postdocs 12 February 2010 Retired 25 50 50 96 50 96 50 96 50 96 228 the scheme offers at student society meetings. and newly appointed Microbiologist with A similar scheme, the a great opportunity for annual salary <£27.5k lecturers. Funding is tiered Heatley–Payne Award, undergraduates to work on Other schemes according to the location of Undergraduate 10 na na na na na na na na na has been set up with microbiological research Public Engagement the meeting. The maximum School 10 na na na na na na na na na the American Society of projects during the summer with Science Awards grants are: UK (or country Corporate Tier 1 350 na na na na na na na na na Microbiology, but the vacation before their final Are you planning any of residence) – £200; within Tier 2 500 na na na na na na na na na deadline for applications has year. The awards, which projects to promote the Europe – £350; Rest of passed for this year. Watch are made by competition, public understanding of For airmail despatch of Microbiology Today, add £20/US$36 to subscription. World – £500. These grants out for the next closing date aim to give students microbiology? Have you Members are reminded that their 2010 subscriptions are due for payment by 1 December 2009. may also be used to support to be announced in 2010. experience of research got a National Science attendance on short courses. As in previous years, no journal or meetings information will be despatched to members who are in arrears, and there will and to encourage them to Week event in mind? SGM Student Meetings Grants be no guarantee of provision of back numbers of journals for members who pay their subscription late. President’s Fund consider a career in this can help. Grants of up to Grants contribute towards £1,000 are available to Payment against invoice subscription notice and returned it to the membership for Research Visits area. The studentships travel, registration and provide support at a rate fund appropriate activities. Invoices were despatched recently to all members who pay office by 12 November 2009. However if you have missed Grants are available to accommodation expenses of £185 per week for a Applications are considered by this method. If you did not receive one, please inform this deadline, your amended notice will be accepted if it is support short research visits for attendance at one period of up to 8 weeks. on a first come, first served the Membership Office. submitted immediately. (1–3 months) by early-career SGM meeting each year. An additional sum of up to basis throughout the Secure online credit card renewal payment Please note microbiologists resident Applicants must be £400 for specific research calendar year. If you pay against invoice, you can renew your subscription Continuous credit card payments are no longer available. within the EU, ranging Postgraduate Student online via the SGM website (www.sgm.ac.uk/members) Alternative methods are by direct debit (for UK bank from postgraduate students Associate Members with either a credit or debit card. Please see your invoice account holders) or one-off credit/debit card payment online. through to first postdocs resident and registered for Lister Institute Research Prizes for details. and newly appointed a PhD in an EU country, or Applications are now invited from young clinicians and Income tax relief on membership subscriptions lecturers. Funding is limited Undergraduate Members biomedical scientists for the 2010 Lister Research Prizes. Payment by direct debit Members who are liable for UK income tax are reminded to a maximum of £3,000. based at a university in the The Prizes offer £200,000 to be spent on the recipient’s Subscription notices were despatched recently to all that their annual subscriptions to the Society have been Retrospective applications UK or Ireland accepted to research in whatever way they choose, other than for members paying by direct debit. To continue your present approved by the HMRC as qualifying for income tax relief. will not be accepted. present work at the meeting. personal salary. Further information and application forms status and journal requirements, no further action is Any member who would like further information or has Closing dates: 19 March and Closing date for Edinburgh are available from the website: www.lister-institute.org.uk. necessary. To change your membership status or journal difficulty in obtaining this relief should contact the Chief 24 September 2010 Conference: 26 March 2010. Closing date for applications: 4 December 2009. requirements for 2010 you should have amended your Executive ([email protected]).

184 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 185 microshorts

Laura Udakis checks out some recent Fungal Automating evolution A new automated method of genome engineering capable of ‘evolving’ bacteria very quickly to microbiological news stories. threat to produce useful compounds has been developed in the USA. Researchers from Harvard Medical School, bats Boston produced 15 billion different strains of E. coli in just 3 days using this method. Strains were tested for their ability to produce the protein lycopene – a process involving more than 20 genes. A mysterious fungus that Strains capable of producing five times as much protein were isolated. The novel technique, called Save the has wiped out one million Multiplex Automated Genome Engineering (MAGE) uses a single-stranded section of synthetic DNA hibernating bats in the designed to target a region of the bacterial chromosome. A jolt of electricity to the cell allows the DNA red squirrel north-east USA could have to enter, where upon it is taken up into the bacterial genome. By repeating this process many times, Squirrelpox virus is thought to be one of the reasons why the red fatal consequences for the with different sections of synthetic DNA a huge variety of strains can be produced very quickly. The squirrel population is in rapid decline. A better understanding of bat population. Although the researchers think that MAGE could be more useful for isolating industrially useful bacterial strains than squirrelpox may help reduce its spread and potentially prevent fungus that causes ‘white nose designing genomes from scratch, as the process is much less complicated. extinction of the red squirrel. Epidemiologists at the University syndrome’ has been isolated, www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/cellfactories/ of Liverpool are investigating why the disease can be lethal in red scientists still have no idea how squirrels, yet grey squirrels are relatively unaffected by it. The to prevent it from destroying www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327194.800-superevolved-bug-factories-could-yield-drugs.html study based at Formby near Liverpool will also look at how the the entire bat population in disease is spread between the grey and red squirrel populations. the US. Around 160,000 red squirrels remain in the UK, compared to White nose syndrome is 2.5 million grey squirrels. so-called because of the white www.liv.ac.uk/news/press_releases/2009/10/red-squirrel-research.htm fungus found on the snouts and wings of affected bats. m Little brown bat with white-nose syndrome in Greeley Mine, Since 2006 the disease has Vermont, USA, in March 2009. Marvin Moriarty / US Fish and killed 90% of the bats in Wildlife Service affected caves in nine states b Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). Simon Fraser / Science Photo Library according to federal authorities. www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/ Nanoparticles reduce federal_lawmakers_ask_obama_ burn infection ad.html A nanoemulsion lotion developed and patented by the c Schoolchildren get the University of Michigan has been shown to curb bacterial infection first glimpse of ‘Sue’ at the unveiling ceremony at the and reduce inflammation of burns. The promising results from Field Museum of Natural first-stage laboratory studies show the lotion is able to successfully History in Chicago, USA. penetrate the skin to kill bacteria below the surface – a feat that John Zich, AFP / Getty current creams are unable to accomplish. In addition to treating Images bacterial infection, the lotion appeared to reduce inflammation by suppressing two key cytokines that play a vital role in the body’s inflammatory response. The emulsion is comprised of soybean Sore throat Sue Commuters spread mosquito- oil, alcohol and detergents, emulsified into droplets less than 400 Rather than dying in mortal combat, researchers now borne disease nanometers in diameter. Other uses for nanoemulsions include think that the world’s largest Tyrannosaurus rex may have A mathematician from the University of Bath has teamed up with treatments for cold sores (now in phase 3 clinical trials) and toenail died from a throat infection that commonly affects birds. researchers in Hawaii to study how commuting patterns in large cities fungus as well as vaccines against influenza and bioterrorism agents. The dinosaur known as ‘Sue’, on display at the Field Museum in Chicago, is the largest and most complete affect the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue fever. Ben www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914151627.htm example of the prehistoric predator ever found. Gouge Adams from Bath, together with experts from the University of Hawaii marks in her jaws, thought to be battle wounds, were at Monoa, has developed a mathematical model to examine how human examined by a team of researchers led by Dr Ewan movement between patches of infected mosquitoes impacts on persistence Hot microbes slow down decontamination Wolff from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and of vector-borne diseases on a large urban scale. Traditional studies of the Microbes that degrade contaminants in groundwater are being inhibited by dangerously high temperatures underground. Researchers at Dr Steven Salisbury from the University of Queensland, epidemiology of such diseases have focused on the vector rather than the CSIRO in Perth, Australia showed that in areas of diesel fuel contamination, at 3.5 metres below the ground surface, temperatures reach as Australia. The holes resembled those seen in the jaws host, yet this study highlights the important role of the host in transmitting high as 47°C. Growth of microbes found at this depth is compromised at 52°C. The study shows groundwater remediation systems may of modern birds such as pigeons and doves, which are infection. In comparison with mosquitoes, people inhabiting urban need to be redesigned if they are to be effective. Contaminants such as fuel and household chemicals are consumed by micro-organisms caused by a common protozoan parasite causing mouth areas move over much larger spatial scales and this movement between and metabolized with the help of air injections in a technique called ‘biosparging’. Growth of the microbes is enhanced further by the and throat infection. The disease called trichomoniasis unaffected and affected areas will keep the disease circulating. The study addition of extra nutrients and it is this practice that can raise temperatures underground. Simply increasing the flow of air in groundwater may eventually lead to bone loss in the jaw and was helps to explain why despite great resources being invested in vector to decrease temperatures is not feasible as this air can also generate hazardous vapours. Optimization of operating conditions and careful probably spread between dinosaurs through their bites. control the incidence of vector-borne diseases is still high. timing nutrient addition is currently the best solution for keeping microbes cool. www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090918101238.htm www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090918100006.htm and www.csiro.au/science/Hot-Microbes.html pone.0007288 www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0006763

186 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 187 SGM Council and other companion animals Robin Weiss looks back with affection to his term as SGM President.

n his first book,My Family and enrolling for a PhD that eventually led m A black rat (Rattus rattus). Tom McHugh/ against following the lead of the alpha-animal, supposedly First, there are the staff at our headquarters, Marlborough Other Animals, the zoologist Gerald me into virology, involved population Science Photo Library the President, they unfailingly considered the good of the House, who provide the day-to-day running of the Durrell included many amusing genetics of Rattus rattus, the black rat. Society as a whole rather than their special interests. Debate Society’s affairs with quiet and competent professionalism. stories from his boyhood in Greece I was drawn to the project because it But space alone would preclude the was vigorous, but never personal or ill-tempered. The Conferences don’t just happen, neither do journal issues about the live animals he collected offered a free trip to the backwaters of inclusion of infections of rats from this occasional nudge by our zoo keeper, Ron Fraser and our automatically appear, company regulations have to be and about his older brother Law- Kerala in India where certain regions issue of Microbiology Today. trainer, Janet Hurst, ensured that common sense prevailed. noted, and best charitable practice needs to be monitored. Irence who became a renowned author. had high levels of radioactivity owing Like Durrell, I am tempted to look In retrospect, I think we achieved some useful reforms, of the The Society offers advice nationally and internationally on David Attenborough is the younger to thorium deposits in the sand. back on my 3 years as President of format of the Society’s meetings, our journals, management all matters microbiological and seeks good relations with brother of actor–director Richard and Regarding rats, shouldn’t we regard the SGM to view my fellow Council of our financial reserves, and the structure of the Council sister organizations, such as the student exchanges recently he continues to entertain and educate these nimble creatures as companion members with the baleful eye of an itself. Perhaps the most important investment for the future instituted with the Australian and American Societies. us about the natural world. Well, I animals? They seldom live far from ethologist noting the behaviour of is the support SGM offers to young microbiologists, and the Second, there is the important contribution of the mem- am the youngest of four siblings and, human habitation, and Kerala has his companions. I must desist of best infection that we can transmit is enthusiasm. bers of Council that I have mentioned already. Last but not like these illustrious biologists, I was one of the highest human population course, other than to remark that my least, a much wider body of microbiologists give their time fascinated by natural history as a child, densities in the world. Rats carry the colleagues on Council really were Due acknowledgement and wisdom to Society activities. One must thank all those and eventually graduated in zoology at plague, Weil’s disease, typhus, Leish- most companionable indeed. While I am most grateful to the three groups of people who have who are willing to organize the various symposia and sessions university. My first research post, before mania, and a host of virus infections. they maintained a healthy scepticism ensured and continue to promote the success of the Society. that comprise our meetings, suggesting topics and speakers.

188 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 189 We must be equally grateful to editors and referees for up- holding the high standards of our journals. It has truly been a most rewarding privilege to preside over the Society’s affairs.

Women and microbiology In my first column inMicrobiology Today as President, I commented on the peculiar and rather shameful situation that the Society has only once elected a woman as President. Marjorie Stephenson was our second President, succeeding Alexander Fleming. She was a leading microbiologist and enzymologist who was one of the first two women to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1945 (the other was the chemist Kathleen Lonsdale). The Society’s biennial b Analysis of CTVT microsatellite DNA. eponymous Lecture commemorates her name. So it is a Neighbour-joining tree based on pairwise differences among wolves and ‘old’ dog particular pleasure that 50 years later we finally have a breeds. Adapted from Cell (2006), 126, second woman President. Hilary Lappin-Scott is an eminent Murgia et al., 477–487, with permission microbiologist who has pioneered research into the bacterial from Elsevier. communities we call biofilms. Moreover, Hilary has already served the Society with dedication and distinction in a Peter Rabbit and companions. Yet even establishment of inbred strains of rats whole dog needs to maintain its sense number of roles, most recently as Scientific Meetings Officer, in the field of publishing children’s and mice in the 1920s. Suspicion grew of smell? And why haven’t somatic and her leadership led to the successful re-organization of stories, Beatrix Potter faced a struggle. from chromosome studies in the 1970s cells of other species evolved to our lively conferences. Like J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter nearly and the discovery of a unique LINE-1 become transmissible parasites? In fact, Among the best known fictional companion animals are a century later, she had to tout her tales insertion in 1987 that the transmissible another example has recently emerged, Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck and friends to nine publishers before Frederick agent was not an oncogenic virus or a tumour of the marsupial carnivore, who have been in print for more than 100 years. However, I Warne accepted them. I might reflect bacterium, but was none other than the Tasmanian devil. This tumour is didn’t realize until Marilyn Roosinck told me at September’s upon this next time a journal rejects the tumour cell itself. We decided to spread via biting rather than sexually, SGM Meeting that Beatrix Potter (1866–1943) was a distin- one of my papers! Beatrix Potter stop- check out this notion using modern and it now threatens the survival of guished microbiologist before she published her Tales of ped writing animal stories in 1918 forensic DNA markers. We collected an already endangered species, for Peter Rabbit. She studied germination of fungal spores, and and turned to sheep farming and CTVT specimens from dogs in five the devil is certainly not a companion over 450 of her beautiful watercolour illustrations of lichens, environmental conservation in the continents and demonstrated that all animal. fungi, and other natural history and archaeology subjects are Lake District. She managed large tracts tumours represent a single cell clone. now housed in the Armitt Collection, based in Ambleside, for the National Trust in the 1930s and The most recent common ancestor Robin Weiss Cumbria. Until recently, it was thought that Potter supported bequeathed all her farms and land to of the extant tumours appears to Outgoing President of the SGM, Simon Schwendener’s theory that lichens were symbiotic the Trust, which constituted the largest date from about 1,000 years ago. We Division of Infection and Immunity, forms of fungi and algae, but she actually rejected dualism. ever gift at that time. Clearly, she was a analysed the relationship of CTVT’s University College London, 46 Her uncle, the chemist Sir Henry Roscoe, encouraged her far-sighted and resourceful woman. microsatellites to 85 breeds of dog and Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JF mycological investigations and helped her to obtain a student found that it probably originated from (t 0207 679 9554; e r.weiss@ucl. pass at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew where William A shaggy dog story a grey wolf rather than its domesticated, ac.uk) Massee was the Keeper of Fungi. In 1897, Potter’s paper on I shall end with an anecdote about a companionable host in which it now spore germination was read to the Linnean Society by Massee most extraordinary ‘microbe’ causing a spreads. Acknowledgement because women were refused attendance. But it is worth recal- disease of companion animals. It was Our findings on CTVT raise a I am grateful to the biographer ling that papers were often communicated by non-authors, unravelled by Claudio Murgia when number of intriguing questions. This Dr Linda Lear for information about including the papers in 1858 postulating evolution by natu- he was a research student in my lab- tumour represents the oldest known Beatrix Potter. ral selection by Charles Darwin and by Alfred Russel Wallace. oratory. The disease is canine transmis- somatic cell lineage in mammals. How Beatrix Potter continued microbial illustration until 1902 sible venereal tumour (CTVT) which can a host cell emerge as a transmissible Further reading when the success of her books preoccupied her. I suppose was first described by the Russian eukaryotic microbe which parasitizes Murgia, C., Pritchard, J.K., Kim, that while the world was deprived of the benefit of her veterinarian, Mstislav A. Novinsky, in its own host species? How does it S.Y., Fassati, A. & Weiss, R.A. (2006). further mycological studies, as few women became profes- 1876. For many years in the late 19th cross the major histocompatibility Clonal origin and evolution of a sional scientists at the time, we gained the wonderful tales of and early 20th centuries, CTVT was barrier to spread among outbred transmissible cancer. Cell, 126, a model tumour in cancer research dogs throughout the world? Has 477–487. b Examples of Beatrix Potter’s illustrations of lichens. To p. Classified because it was transplantable from dog the tumour lost non-essential genes Lear, L. (2007). Beatrix Potter: A Life in as a crust fungus or Corticiaceae. Bottom. Classified as Cladonia to dog, and even to other canine species. during its evolution to become a Nature. Allen Lane. filiformis or pixidata. These pencil and watercolour images date from December 1896. Reproduced with permission of the Armitt Gallery, Experimental transfer of this tumour parasite, for example, the thousands of Money, N.P. (2009). Beatrix Potter: Museum and Library, Ambleside (www.thearmittcollection.com) was a unique phenomenon before the 7-transmembrane receptor genes that a Victorian mycologist. Fungi 2, 63–64.

190 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 191 oxoplasma gondii (Fig. 1) is a crucial role in the discovery of the sexual cycle occurring in IgM detection in the umbilical cord greatly improved the protozoan parasite that can the intestinal tissue of the cat. Since then, T. gondii has become diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis. Congenital disease is be transmitted directly from a model parasite to dissect host–pathogen relationships and usually associated with post-natal brain disorders and ocular cats to humans through fae- the immune system. toxoplasmosis. The recognition of ocular toxoplasmosis, cal contamination of food, T. gondii was recognized as a human pathogen in the early as a result of adult-acquired infection, was described by or indirectly from cats to live- 1920s. Initial observations could not identify the parasite, Reiger in 1951. The danger of T. gondii infection in immuno- Tstock and then to humans through but in 1939 the first cases of human toxoplasmosis were compromised patients was described in the late 1960s, but undercooked meat. Around 30% of described. In the same year, Albert Sabin isolated T. gondii it was not until the 1980s that reactivation of toxoplasmosis humans in the United Kingdom are from two patients, one of which was the virulent type I was seen as critical if not treated in immunocompromised infected, and as such, harbour dormant RH strain, named after the patient’s initials and used in patients with chronic HIV infection (Fig. 3). cysts in their brain, but few have overt many laboratories worldwide to this day. Sabin and Harry symptoms of disease. Neurological Feldman developed a serological test in 1948, advancing Epidemiology disease can occur in these people if diagnosis in humans dramatically. The severity of the disease The incidence of T. gondii infection varies considerably in they become immunosuppressed (Fig. during pregnancy was recognized in the early 1950s, with humans according to geographical region. In the UK, the 2). The possibility that apparently a detailed account of fatal toxoplasmosis cases in infants incidence has been reported as around 30%. In contrast, it is healthy people with infection are with hydrocephalus. Studies into congenital transmission significantly greater in other European countries (e.g. France, more likely to develop psychiatric elucidated that mother seroconversion during each 80%; Austria, 50%). In these countries, antenatal screening disease, including schizophrenia and trimester impacts on the severity of foetal infection, with is compulsory and in recent years a decrease in cases has depression, is under investigation. primary infection during the first two trimesters the most been reported. High incidence in certain European countries Infection during pregnancy can cause damaging. Until the late 1960s, the diagnosis of congenital has been attributed to differences in food preparation abortion or foetal infection. Congenital infection depended on seroconversion of the mother, but with the increased risk being thought to be due to eating disease can result in systemic, neurological and progressive eye disease. No vaccine exists for prevention of infection or disease and current drug treatments are not entirely effective. 100 years of T. gondii research A century of T. gondii (Fig. 1) was discovered about 100 years ago in a rodent in North Africa by Nicolle and Manceaux, and later the same year in Brazil as an infection in a rabbit by Splendore. The Toxoplasma gondii protozoan was initially thought to be a new species of Leishmania (originally Leishmania gondii, but it was soon realized to be an entirely new entity). Its name was derived from the Greek research words toxon (bow- or crescent- shaped) and plasma (cell). Studies into the morphology of T. gondii by Cats are the main source of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii which infects electron microscopy began in the 1950s, and the complete life cycle many people but rarely causes disease. Fiona L. Henriquez and Craig with the identification of the feline family as the definitive host was only elucidated in the 1960s. Hutchison W. Roberts describe the harmful effects of toxoplasmosis on the unlucky and his team from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow played a few and the latest scientific research into this fascinating microbe.

m Fig. 1. A cyst containing tachyzoites bradyzoites of T. gondii. F.L. Henriquez b Fig. 2. Coloured computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain of an AIDS patient with toxoplasmosis (orange area). Sovereign, ISM / Science Photo Library

192 192 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 193 Medical advancements 1968 Diagnosis of 1951 congenital infection First description 1967 through detection of ocular Toxoplasma 1980s of IgM in umbilical Toxoplasma 1948 toxoplasmosis recognized as a danger to cord blood recognized as an Sabin Feldman immunocompromised AIDS-defining illness diagnostic test 1951 patients developed Toxoplasma recognized as a congenital infection Mitochondrion 1920s Rhoptries Toxoplasma is Model apicomplexan role in preventing invasion of the Specifically, now theT. gondii genome recognised as a and a tool to understand host cell. is essentially fully sequenced, and human pathogen Dense other important related all potential antigenic peptides are granules pathogens Current treatments and ‘known’ and available to study. This T. gondii is evolutionarily related to a future prospects information combined with ever more Apicoplast number of other important human Most people receive antifolate sophisticated predicative algorithms pathogens including Cryptosporidium therapy which normally comprises capable of predicting T cell epitopes Nucleus 1908 Micronemes and Plasmodium (the parasite that a combination of pyrimethamine and their interaction with various MHC Discovery of causes malaria). T. gondii has proved to and sulphadiazine. This is usually alleles may allow a return to synthetic Toxoplasma 1990s be one of the most tractable organisms administered with folinic acid to peptide vaccines with modern potent Endoplasmic Facile genetic manipulation to study and has consequently shed reduce bone marrow toxicity. Several vaccine adjuvants. The challenge will reticulum makes Toxoplasma the model apicomplexan parasite light on these related pathogens. It has other therapies have been used, but be to produce a vaccine that copes with 1965–70 sometimes been used as a surrogate none of these are able to eliminate the the polymorphisms in human MHC Cat identified as definitive experimental system. The T. gondii cystic stages. Targeting the ‘prokaryotic’ molecules at a population level and 1908 onwards host and sexual cycle research community has also developed processes mentioned previously may polymorphisms evident in antigenic Isolation from many host 1950s described some systems that have been directly offer better drugs. epitopes of the different strains of species by cell culture Microscopy elucidates ultrastructure Advancements in cell biology applied to, or altered to work in other T. gondii. pathogen experimental systems. Thus Vaccine prospects m Fig. 3. A century of Toxoplasma research. F. L. Henriquez infected with T. gondii can develop severe systemic, ocular it is now possible to perform targeted A vaccine has been sought for many Fiona L. Henriquez or most commonly neurological disease. This can be due to gene deletion, episomal expression, years. Not surprisingly, studies have School of Science, University of the undercooked meat. In spite of the high level of infection in reactivation of a chronic infection or due to a newly acquired and inducible gene knock-down, and been technology-dependent (and West of Scotland, Paisley PA1 2BE adults in some European countries, the occurrence of clinical infection. produce parasites containing reporter arguably driven). Early studies used disease is generally not perceived as a significant problem. The severity of congenital infection varies according to constructs, such as green fluorescent killed or homogenized parasites, or Craig W. Roberts (for correspondence) This is at least partially due to the relatively avirulent nature of several factors, including time in gestation at which infection protein (GFP). attempted attenuation. This was Strathclyde Institute for Pharmacy the strains of T. gondii causing infection in Europe. However, occurs, parasite strain and most probably host genetics. followed by crude extracts and then & Biomedical Sciences, University the general increased exposure in these countries poses a Foetuses infected early in gestation tend to be severely Immunological lessons ever-increasingly enriched or purified of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NR greater risk to expectant mothers and their foetuses. This is affected with overt neurological and ocular involvement The immune response to T. gondii parasite components. The advent of (t 0141 548 4823; e c.w.roberts@ borne out by the statistics for congenital infection, which is at birth, whereas those infected late in gestation may not is complex and multifaceted. The recombinant DNA technology allowed strath.ac.uk) reported as 1 in 2,000 births in Scotland, but as high as 1 in exhibit disease at birth. Essentially, all of these individuals organism has several pathogen- parasite proteins to be expressed 500 births in France. Atypical and/or recombinant strains of will develop ocular lesions at some point in their life, associated molecular patterns (PAMPS) and tested in experimental systems. Further reading T. gondii are associated with significant disease manifestations, usually during puberty. Again, the long-term management that interact with Toll-like receptors Ultimately, synthetic peptides were Ajioka, J.W. & Soldati, D. (editors) including pulmonary involvement, splenomegaly and ocular of these people is difficult due to the previously mentioned (TLRs) in the mammalian host to tested in some systems. During this (2007). Toxoplasma: Molecular and disease in a number of non-European countries, most limitations in current chemotherapeutics. initiate an rapid immune response time, when technology allowed Cellular Biology. London: Taylor & notably Brazil. by innate immune cells, such as progressively more defined and pure Francis. Eukaryotic microbe dependent on dendritic cells and macrophages. IL- antigenic components to be produced, Henriquez, S.A., Brett, R., Alexander, Disease ‘prokaryotic’ biochemical processes 12 produced by these cells stimulates it was noted that immunogenicity was J., Pratt, J. & Roberts, C.W. (2009). Disease outcome is dependent on a number of factors, T. gondii is a eukaryotic pathogen that has been shaped natural killer (NK) cells to produce markedly reduced. To some degree Neuropsychiatric disease and Toxoplasma including host genetics and immune status, parasite strain through endosymbiotic events and evolution into a ‘mosaic’ IFNγ which in turn acts on infect- this instigated vaccine adjuvant gondii infection. Neuroimmunomodulation and mode of transmission. T. gondii infection in the immune- made up of multiple components and processes derived ed cells to kill parasites through research, but also encouraged people 16, 122–133. competent host is generally not seen as a major problem. Mild from eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. Thus in the induction of reactive nitrogen to contemplate viral delivery systems, Jones, L.A., Alexander, J. & Roberts, ’flu-like symptoms are experienced at the onset of infection addition to the commonly found mitochondrion (derived intermediates, or restrict their growth naked DNA vaccination or a return to C.W. (2006). Ocular toxoplasmosis: in which coincide with the presence of the rapidly dividing from an alphaproteobacterial endosymbiont), T. gondii has an through selective depletion of parasite attenuation. Notably, a tissue the storm of the eye. Parasite Immunol tachyzoite form of the parasite. As the immune system apicoplast organelle, which was obtained through secondary tryptophan, which is required by the culture attenuated strain of T. gondii 28, 635–642. controls the tachyzoite stage, the parasite transforms to the endosymbiosis, most probably of a red alga. Consequently, parasite. These initial interactions (S48) has been used as a commercial Roberts, C.W., McLeod, R., Rice, D.W., bradyzoite form that encysts in various tissues throughout T. gondii has a number of biochemical processes normally control parasite replication, but are vaccine for livestock. Although Ginger, M., Chance, M.L. & Goad, L.J. the body, predominantly in the brain (Fig. 2). These tissue found in plants and or prokaryotes, including type II not sufficient to provide complete such a vaccine would never be used (2003). Fatty acid and sterol metabolism: cysts, in spite of being long-lived, are generally not perceived fatty acid biosynthesis, isoprenoid biosynthesis and haem protection – for this, T cell activation in humans, a defined, rationally potential antimicrobial targets in to cause overt disease. However, data are emerging that the biosynthesis. As these are generally absent, or evolutionarily and expansion are required. T1 attenuated parasite produced through apicomplexan and trypanosomatid cysts might contribute to psychiatric disease, including distinct from the mammalian host, they have received a great helper cells, which also provide IFNγ, gene deletion techniques, resulting parasitic protozoa. Mol Biochem Parasitol schizophrenia and depression. More subtle effects have been deal of interest as potential antimicrobial targets. In addition, and cytolytic CD8 T cells, which in auxotrophic mutants, has been 126, 129–142. reported in humans, including reduced reaction times and a number of drugs with known efficacy againstT. gondii can specifically recognize and kill very successful in murine models of Weiss, L.M. & Kim, K. (editors) personality changes. are now known to target prokaryote-like targets within the infected cells, play an important role infection. (2007). Toxoplasma gondii: The Model Immunocompromised people, such as those infected with parasite. For example, drugs such as ciprofloxin, clindamycin in mediating long-term immunity. Looking to the future, vaccine Apicomplexan. Perspectives and Methods. HIV or undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, who are and spiramycin target prokaryotic DNA replication. Antibodies might also have a minor prospects for humans are improving. London: Academic Press.

194 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 195 unctional foods to improve human health are Probiotics and Prebiotics as follows: ‘A dietary prebiotic is a Functional increasing in popularity with more and more selectively fermented ingredient that results in specific changes, in products in the supermarkets. The science behind the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, their development is also accumulating rapidly. thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health’. The stress on the foods aren’t One of the most important areas of application words dietary and gastrointestinal is to facilitate the use of the of functional foods in humans is gut health. Gut term, with a suitably modified wording for extra-intestinal just growing in Fdisorders are a very common cause of visits to the GP. The application. To date, all known prebiotics are carbohydrates. success of such products for human nutrition has inevitably They have the great advantage of being resistant to processing led to them being considered for application in companion in cooked food products – a particular advantage to the popularity with animals, most commonly in dogs, but with some developing pet food industry. The most common prebiotics are the interest in cats and fish. inulin, derived from chicory, and fructo-oligosaccharides health-conscious (FOS), derived from inulin by hydrolysis or from sucrose Probiotics vs prebiotics by synthesis. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) made from Traditionally, human functional foods for gut health have lactose are also prebiotic and mainly used in formula infant people. been based on the probiotic concept. Probiotics are live foods. bacterial supplements or food ingredients which, when taken The most important attribute of a prebiotic is that Prebiotics may in sufficient numbers, confer health benefits to the host. it is selectively fermented by certain members of the There are very many well-designed studies showing posi- gastrointestinal microbiota which are regarded as having tive effects with probiotics, although some have not shown health-positive attributes. Most attention so far has been also prove to be an effect. Probiotics have also been applied to pets, and on increasing the population levels of bifidobacteria and bacterial species from the lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, and on increasing the levels of short-chain beneficial to our enterococci are finding their way into pet foods. One big fatty acids at the expense of phenolic toxins and genotoxic disadvantage with probiotics, however, is the need to keep compounds and enzymes which may predispose towards the organisms viable in order to produce the full range of development of gastrointestinal cancers. Inhibition of pets, according potential benefits. This is overcome in the human food exogenous pathogens is a frequent target in vitro, but this is industry by the use of chilled, usually dairy, products as very difficult to demonstrate in humans or animals. to Bob Rastall. delivery vehicles, an approach that is not very practical for pet food. Prebiotics are an alternative to the use of probiotics which is gaining currency at the moment. The concept of prebiotics c Where’s my prebiotic snack? … Photos.com / Jupiter Images was originally described in 1995, and they have recently been redefined by the International Scientific Association of . Lactobacillus bulgaricus in yoghurt. Scimat / Science Photo Library Prebiotics for pets

196 196 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 197 m Dry cat food. Stockxpert / Jupiter Images

. … I’ve got it! Stockxpert / Jupiter Images

Cats and dogs bacteria have been only inconsistently isolated these effects are a result of prebiotic-induced Although giving prebiotics to from culture-based studies and inconsistently modification of the gut microbiota, as in many companion animals such as dogs and identified in molecular microbiological studies of cases these modifications were not characterized. cats is being proposed, there is some canines. This suggests that, if they are indeed a However, the available data do support the concern over the basis for applying the normal member of the gut microbiota, they are effectiveness of FOS as a prebiotic in dogs with concept in non-human species. The present at or below the detection limits of the respect to outcomes of pathogen removal and problem is that we actually know very methods used. immune status. little of the functional ecology of the The picture is even more inconsistent in felines. The few studies that have been carried out in gut microbiota in companion animals. Many studies have failed to show bifidobacteria, cats have shown that FOS results in increases Are bifidobacteria and lactobacilli but some have shown very high levels. Clearly, in bifidobacteria and lactobacilli with a decrease health-positive in the context of dogs much more research is required to clarify the in clostridia, Escherichia coli and staphylococci. and cats? status of bifidobacteria in dogs and cats. These Faecal levels of putrefactive metabolites, such Most studies on the gut microbiota microbiota studies raise the question of what as phenol, indole and ammonia, decrease and of such species have been carried the target for prebiotic intervention should be in short-chain fatty acids increase after prebiotic out using traditional culture-based dogs and cats. feeding. Studies have been rather small, involving methods with selective media which few animals, and the health consequences of are known to be inadequate for Studies on prebiotics in pets increasing saccharolytic bifidobacteria in a enumeration of bacteria from such Currently, most research and development utilizes carnivorous animal is still open to question. complex ecosystems. Molecular micro- prebiotics developed around the properties Whilst it is apparent that pet owners will pay for biological methods are giving us a of the human colonic microbiota. The most functional pet foods aimed at improving the gut much more reliable picture of the gut widely studied prebiotic in pets is FOS. Many health of their animals, there is a need for much microbiota of dogs and cats. Results studies have shown that feeding FOS results in more research on the health consequences and, of studies using techniques such as changes in the microbiota of dogs. The range perhaps, a rethink of what we mean by a prebiotic denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of carbohydrates that are currently marketed in companion animals. (DGGE) and clone libraries have as prebiotics for animal application includes shown that the major taxonomic some that are not considered to be prebiotics Robert A. Rastall groups in the gut microbiota of canines in humans. For example, manno-oligosaccha- Head of Department of Food and Nutritional are Clostridiales, Fusobacteriales, Bact- rides (MOS), derived from yeast cell walls, are Sciences, University of Reading, PO Box 226, eroidales, Enterobacteriales and Lacto- poorly supported as prebiotics by experimental bacillales. In cats the major groups data. Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP are Clostridiales, Lactobacillales, Bacter- Many experiments on prebiotics in pets have (t 0118 378 6726; e [email protected]) oidales, Campylobacterales, Actino- looked at functional outcomes in terms of animal mycetales and Fusobacteriales. health and nutrition, such as immune function Further reading Whilst lactobacilli have been markers, nutrient digestibility, faecal and urinary Barry, K.A., Vester, B.M. & Fahey, G.C. (2009). found in the guts of these companion nitrogen excretion, faecal short-chain fatty Prebiotics in companion and livestock animal animals, their function is unknown. acid concentration (mainly acetate, propionate nutrition, In Prebiotics and Probiotics Science and There is a much bigger question over and butyrate) and elimination of pathogens. It Technology. Edited by D. Charalampopoulos & the status of bifidobacteria. These has not been firmly established, however, that R.A. Rastall. Springer.

198 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 199 Keeping coldwater ornamental fish is very popular in the UK, but according to Keith Way, owners need to be aware of the wide range of virus diseases that can decimate their stock.

oldwater and tropical ornamental fish are m Fig. 1. A carp displaying epidermal hyperplasia, typical of carp pox. the third most popular pet in the UK after K. Way

cats and dogs. The English Housing Sur- c An ornamental koi carp. Stockxpert / Jupiter Images vey in 2001 estimated that over 3 million homes owned ponds with the intent of attracting wildlife. The Ornamental Aqua- caused by a herpesvirus. The presence of a virus was Ctic Trade Association (OATA) estimated in 2008 that 2.1 mil- confirmed by electron microscopy in the 1960s, but was not lion households in the UK had a garden pond containing isolated in cell culture until the 1980s. ornamental fish. With the discovery of non-filterable disease agents, or Viruses Koi carp (Cyprinus carpio koi) and goldfish Carassius( viruses, in the late 19th century there came a greater realization auratus) are the species most commonly kept in garden of the role that viruses may play in infectious diseases of ponds and coldwater aquaria. Aquatic retail outlets sell and fish. However, the breakthrough for fish virology came with distribute a wide range of ornamental fish species, including the general developments in virological techniques that many varieties of goldfish and ornamental varieties of carp, blossomed in the 1950s and 60s. In particular, visualization in orfe (Leuciscus idus), tench (Tinca tinca) and grass carp of viruses by electron microscopy, improvements in protein (Ctenopharygodon idella). and nucleic acid analysis and, most significantly, the isolation of viruses on continuous (immortal) fish cell lines. At the Virus diseases same time, aquaculture around the world developed in the coldwater The first disease of fish to be described, later recognized 1960s and 70s, and farming of fish and fish-keeping rapidly to be caused by a virus, was carp pox. The existence of a increased. With these developments and, more recently, the pox affecting carp was documented by the famous medieval global increase in trade in ornamental fish there has been an Swiss zoologist Konrad von Gessner as early as 1558. He increase in new diseases and the emergence of serious virus named the condition ‘Karpfenpocke’ because the epidermal diseases. ornamental hyperplastic lesions bore some resemblance to smallpox, Viruses that have caused serious but isolated disease which was prevalent in the human population in Europe outbreaks in cyprinid species and some ictalurid (catfish) in the 16th century. The disease will be familiar to many species, and may affect coldwater ornamental fish, include hobbyists, which is seen as raised white or translucent aquareoviruses, coronaviruses, poxviruses and iridoviruses. patches on the skin of koi and common carp in winter and More serious disease epidemics in ornamental species have fish spring (Fig. 1). Carp pox, like chicken pox in humans, is been caused by rhabdoviruses and herpesviruses.

200 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 201 Fish rhabdoviruses the viruses isolated during these outbreaks have been shown in 1998 and over the next 5 years the goldfish may be anaemic, the and hygiene measures, and effective Viruses in the family Rhabdoviridae, genus Vesiculovirus, are to be a new genetic strain distinct from the European strain the virus devastated carp populations kidney enlarged and the spleen may water disinfection and sterilization. bullet-shaped and enveloped, and contain single-stranded of SVC. in countries around the world. It is display distinctive white nodules Healthy populations of ornamental RNA. They affect a wide range of mainly freshwater fish thought that infected carp surviving (Fig. 4). fish are generally not threatened by species and cause an acute haemorrhagic disease. Cyprinid herpesviruses at low temperatures may be reservoirs virus diseases. The virus diseases des- There are two vesiculoviruses that are known to cause Viruses in the family Herpesviridae are large, complex viruses of the virus, and international trade Avoiding disease problems cribed are mostly seen when environ- serious disease in cyprinids. Spring viraemia of carp containing linear double-stranded DNA. Most animal in ornamental carp has facilitated the Disease outbreaks caused by aquatic mental conditions change or other stress (SVC; Fig. 2) in the past was known by several names species are hosts to at least one herpesvirus – humans host rapid global spread of the disease. viruses serve to remind the ornamental factors affect the fish. Outbreaks of including infectious ascites, infectious dropsy and rubella. nine herpesviruses, including viruses causing cold sores Similar to CyHV-2, the disease signs fish industry of the need for avoidance viral disease are most often observed The vesiculovirus causing the acute form of the disease and chicken pox. Herpesviruses are also found in a number associated with CyHV-3 infection are or prevention of disease through good in fish recently introduced into a (SVCV) was isolated in 1971, and the chronic form of the of fish species, including pike, catfish, walleye, sturgeon, seen at water temperatures between 16 hygiene and biosecurity practices. pond or retail facility and suffering disease characterized by skin ulcers, caused primarily by salmon and turbot. Ornamental cyprinid species, such as and 25 °C. Fish suffering from these Poor fish transport conditions, rapid from handling and transport stress. the bacterium Aeromonas salmonicida, was renamed carp koi and goldfish, are hosts to at least three herpesviruses, diseases display signs of lethargy, turnover of imported stock and lack Fish under stress or at low water erythrodermatitis. Naturally occurring SVC infections have including carp pox (cyprinid herpesvirus 1, CyHV-1). anorexia and pale patches on the skin of quarantine facilities all contribute temperatures also experience suppres- been reported from a number of cyprinid hosts, including Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) causes a disease known and gills. During CyHV-3 infections, to the spread of disease. No licensed sion of their immune system. The poor common and koi carp, crucian carp (Carassius carassius), as herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis (HVHN). This disease signs also include marked enoph- antiviral vaccines are available for physiological and immunological con- goldfish and grass carp. was first reported as the cause of epizootics in juvenile thalmia (sunken eyes) and pale dis- ornamental fish, and chemical and dition of fish undoubtedly contributes Tench rhabdovirus (TenRV) is closely genetically related to goldfish in Japan in 1992 and 1993, and reports followed colouration or reddening of the skin, antibiotic treatments, used to treat to the severity of disease outbreaks SVCV and has been isolated from a number of cyprinid hosts, of isolated cases, with similar disease aetiology and high which often has a rough texture. How- bacterial, fungal and parasite infections, as has been shown in carp popula- including species that are often kept as ornamental fish, such mortality (50–100%), in the USA, Taiwan, Australia and the ever, the most consistent changes are are ineffective. OATA advise hobbyists tions during SVC and KHV outbreaks. as tench, orfe and rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus). Both UK. Although not associated with large disease epidemics, seen in the gills (Fig. 3), which may be and retailers to adopt a biosecurity SVC and TenRV exhibit similar symptoms where fish appear CyHV-2 appears to be globally distributed and present at swollen, discoloured, necrotic and policy to reduce the risk of introducing Keith Way darker in colour and may display exophthalmia (pop-eye), a high prevalence in cultured goldfish populations. The covered in excess mucus. Internally, and spreading disease. This includes Centre for Environment, Fisheries & haemorrhages on the skin and base of the fins, pale gills and disease occurs when fish are subjected to stress and held at the fish may show very few disease buying fish from reliable sources with a Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack abdominal distension or dropsy. water temperatures permissive for virus replication. signs, but during CyHV-2 infections known disease history, strict quarantine Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, The geographical range of SVC and TenRV was for many Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the cause of koi Dorset DT4 8UB (e keith.way@ years limited to European countries that experience low herpesvirus disease (KHVD), a contagious and acute b Fig. 2. Electron micrograph of SVC rhabdovirus particles. K. Way b Fig. 3. Gills of (a) a healthy koi carp, and (b) of a koi carp suffering from koi herpesvirus cefas.co.uk) water temperatures in winter. However, since 1998, Brazil, viraemia first seen in common and koi carp, and affecting disease. K. Way the USA and Canada have reported SVC disease outbreaks other varieties such as mirror and ghost carp (Cyprinus . Fig. 4. White nodules in the spleen of a goldfish suffering from herpesviral haematopoietic Further reading and the virus has been detected in carp in China. Some of carpio goi). The first serious disease epidemics were seen necrosis. K. Way CABI (2006). Aquaculture Compendium. www.cabi.org/compendia/ac/

2 3a 3b 4 Dixon, P.F. (2008). Virus diseases of cyprinids. In Fish Diseases, Vol. 1, pp. 87–184. Edited by J.C. Eiras, H. Segner, T. Wahli & B.G. Kappor. Enfield, New Hampshire: Science Publishers. Hoole, D., Bucke, D., Burgess, P. & Wellby, I. (editors) (2001). Diseases of carp and other cyprinid fishes. Oxford: Fishing News Books. Jeffery, K.R., Bateman, K., Bayley, A., Feist, S.W., Hulland, J., Longshaw, C., Stone, D., Woolford, G. & Way, K. (2007). Isolation of a cyprinid herpesvirus (CyHV-2) from goldfish Carrasius auratus in the UK. J Fish Dis 30, 649–656. Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (2006). Biosecurity and the Ornamental Fish Industry: www.ornamentalfish.org/ Wolf, K. (1988). Fish Viruses and Fish Viral Diseases. New York: Cornell University Press.

202 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 203 umans and their dog and cat companion d the animal itself – excreta and other external secretions, animals have been closely associated for respiratory and salivary (licking and washing the fur and millennia, as the evidence for domestication skin, coprophagy and licking of perianal regions may of these species clearly shows. But how has significantly contaminate saliva) Are our homes the cost and benefit of this association worked d associated biota – internal parasites; associated arthropods out, not only for humans, but for the animals such as fleas, and free-living insects like flies that may be Htoo? Microbiologically, we intuitively think of the animals attracted to the animal itself or to uncovered food with their irrational behaviour and sometimes outrageous d rhe animal’s food – often this is poorly controlled and habits of personal hygiene, as a potential hazard for the may include table scraps or uneaten items which may or microbiologically humans in their shared living environment. Sources of may not be fresh, spoiled food that has been stored too microbial hazards that can contaminate or enter the home long to be attractive for human consumption, raw meat through animal care and activity are many and varied. They trimmings from food preparation, deliberately raw meat include: that may be thought ‘more natural’ for the animal, and safe for our pets? We tend to think of domestic pets as potential sources of human infection, but Charles Penn asks if the animals are just as much at risk of disease from living with us.

dried ‘chews’ of, for example, unsterilized animal material carrying pathogens d the external environment – muddy paws, perhaps from agricultural land with a liberal mix of faecal material from farm animals can quickly contaminate floors, furniture and surfaces d contact with prey – for example, birds and rodents which may carry a wide range of pathogens potentially harmful to humans

Human infection from pets Not surprisingly then, there is some level of public awareness (albeit not universally accepted!) of the risk of human infection in the home from companion animal sources. We are discouraged from allowing pets onto our soft furnishings and bedding, and especially onto surfaces where food is prepared. Indeed, there have been numerous studies investigating the role of pets as a possible source of infections in humans. Gastrointestinal infections are an obvious example, where household pets have been considered as possible sources of Salmonella, Campylobacter and pathogenic Escherichia coli, among others. Less well known is that cold-blooded animal pets like snakes and turtles can carry pathogens, notably Salmonellae

b Digital Vision / Jupiter Images

204 204 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 205 of various kinds. One of the most bizarre mishaps of Salmonella, for example in dogs, is nowadays mouth, digestive tract, urogenital tract and body surfaces has has been a multi-state outbreak in the USA of quite rare in a domestic setting. One large-scale been impossible, due to the immense technical difficulty of Salmonella enterica Typhimurium arising from study involved sampling faecal specimens every culturing, identifying and quantifying the micro-organisms contaminated frozen vacuum-packed rodents 2 months for a year. In dogs fed raw poultry meat, present. Over the past couple of years, however, it has supplied as feed for pet snakes! The reptiles, which is commonly contaminated with Salmonella, become possible to detect molecular ‘signatures’ from the although not affected themselves by their carriage the isolation rate for the bacteria increased about DNA sequences of all the hundreds of species present, of the food poisoning pathogen, passed on the eightfold, yet remained low at less than one without the need to culture them individually. Further- infection to their human handlers. isolation per dog per year of sampling. more, they can be quantified, over a range of abundances In soon-to-be published studies undertaken of many orders of magnitude, by simply counting the Are pets really a serious source of by Jenny Jennings at the WALTHAM Centre for number of times a particular sequence is found when mil- pathogens for people? Pet Nutrition in Leicestershire, faecal samples lions of sequence ‘reads’ are determined from samples of The underlying assumption in the great majority from substantial numbers of cats and dogs kept DNA derived and amplified from, for example, samples of these studies has been that the animal is the under semi-domestic conditions were tested for of faeces or dental plaque. This is made possible by the source of human infection, and if the same the presence of Campylobacter jejuni, the most application of ‘next generation’ DNA sequencing technol- pathogen is found in both hosts the animal almost frequent cause of bacterial diarrhoeal disease in ogies like pyrosequencing. As a result we can expect over automatically gets the blame for passing it on to the UK. Somewhat unexpectedly, this pathogenic the next few years to make huge leaps forward in dissecting the human! But is this rational? Is it not possible species was rarely isolated, although a moderate the intricacies of not only pathogen detection and carriage, that pet animals might equally be infected with number of animals did harbour the less pathogenic but the entire microbial ecosystem of host-associated pathogens emanating from ourselves, or acquired species Campylobacter upsaliensis, which is rarely microbiota. as a result of our uninformed practices in ‘caring’ associated with human disease. for our pets? Charles Penn Taking a step back, several issues have to be The biter bitten? Professor of Molecular Microbiology, School of explored before these questions can be answered. A tentative conclusion then is that carriage of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham Are healthy dogs and cats routinely carriers and the more serious bacterial pathogens associated B15 2TT (t 0121 414 6562; e [email protected]) sources of the zoonotic pathogens we fear? Or with intestinal disease in humans is uncommon do they get sick as we do when infected, and in companion animals. Is there any evidence perhaps cease to carry or shed these organisms that these animals do acquire infections from Acknowledgements Thanks to Dr Zoe Marshall-Jones and Dr Corrin Wallis from the when they recover? Can these pathogens be their human hosts? Several studies do suggest WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, for help in preparing the transiently excreted by pets after exposure to food that this is likely. While the available evidence article and to Dr Jenny Jennings who carried out some of the or environmental or other sources? suggests that intestinal carriage or on occasion research mentioned. The scientific literature on these topics is intestinal disease in these animals is more likely surprisingly sparse, and like any investigation of to result from injudicious feeding than from complex and variable phenomena in populations, direct human contact, the same conclusions Further reading Hackett, T. & Lappin, M.R. (2003). Prevalence of enteric different studies can give different answers and cannot necessarily be drawn about, for example, pathogens in dogs of north-central Colorado. J Am Anim Hosp may be difficult to reconcile. Most authors agree respiratory infections. A recently described case Assoc 39, 52–56. that diarrhoeal disease in these animals attributable of Mycobacterium bovis infection in both humans to organisms like Salmonella or Campylobacter is and a dog in the same household was highly Johnson, J.R., Johnston, B., Clabots, C.R., Kuskowski, rare. This may be because they rarely have these suggestive of transmission from human to animal. M.A., Roberts, E. & DebRoy, C. (2008). Virulence genotypes and phylogenetic background of Escherichia coli serogroup organisms in their digestive tracts, or because they So perhaps it is not unreasonable to keep an O6 isolates from humans, dogs, and cats. J Clin Microbiol 46, are generally not susceptible to disease when these open mind about the direction of transmission of 417–422. organisms are present. First then, how commonly pathogens between humans and pet animals! are these key pathogens present in cats and dogs? Lefebvre, S.L., Reid-Smith, R., Boerlin, P. & Weese, J.S. A simplistic generalization from the literature is The key to future research (2008). Evaluation of the risks of shedding Salmonellae and that yes, a substantial number of pathogens can It is perhaps appropriate to end this article with other potential pathogens by therapy dogs fed raw diets in Ontario and Alberta. Zoonoses Public Health 55, 470–480. indeed be isolated from some cats and dogs when a few words about an impending technical large numbers of animals are tested. However, revolution in molecular biology which will Mayr, A. (1989). Infections which humans in the household this doesn’t mean they are universally present, or open up new dimensions in knowledge of transmit to dogs and cats. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg B 187, that these pet animals represent an unacceptable host-associated microbiota, particularly of the 508–526. hazard in the home. gastrointestinal tract. Until very recently, a Rabinowitz, P.M., Gordon, Z. & Odofin, L. (2007). Pet-related A search of recent scientific literature suggests comprehensive understanding of the complex infections. Am Fam Physician 76, 1314–1322 that at least in some circumstances, the presence microbial communities present in the nose, Shrikrishna, D., de la Rua-Domenech, R., Smith, N.H., Colloff, A. & Coutts, I. (2009). Human and canine pulmonary m A pet female grey-banded kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna). Paul Hoskisson Mycobacterium bovis infection in the same household: re- c Animals may pass infections on to us, but do we also pass our infections on to them? WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition emergence of an old zoonotic threat? Thorax 64, 89–91.

206 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 207 Amphibian species worldwide are being driven to extinction by an aquatic fungus. As Matthew Fisher explains, if control measures are not put in place, this pathogen could have a devastating effect on the biodiversity of amphibians.

c Top. A giant African bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus). M. Fisher c Bottom. The chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Louise Walker/Neil Gow

mphibians became the most ancient class of of up to 43 km per year. These patterns of decline were land-dwelling vertebrates when, 360 million suggestive of an epidemic, spreading pathogen, and in 1997 years ago, Ichthyostega first hauled itself onto an international team of scientists discovered a new organism what was then Greenland. Since then, the that appeared to be associated with many previously ‘enig- amphibia have diversified into over 6,300 matic’ amphibian extinctions in two regions: Central America Disease- species that not only settled all continents and north-eastern Australia. In 1999, the mycologist Joyce Aexcept Antarctica, but also survived the catastrophic Longcore formally described this organism as new species of extinction events that overwhelmed their sister group, the aquatic fungus and named it Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis – dinosaurs. However, longevity of species is no guarantee of a name that is usually abbreviated to Bd for obvious reasons! their future success; modern-day amphibians are suffering driven rates of extinction that far exceed those of any other class of So what is Bd? vertebrates, including mammals and birds. Nearly one-third We are most familiar with the fruiting fungi (the Basidiomycetes, of amphibian species are threatened. such as the common mushroom Agaricus) and the moulds The question of why amphibians are becoming extinct (the Ascomycetes like Penicillium). However, Bd is neither of declines at these accelerated rates has puzzled scientists for three these. This fungus belongs the chytrids – these are an ancient, decades. While it is now clear that we are heading for a new basal lineage of fungi that tend to be aquatic with a motile, anthropocene mass-extinction event as a consequence of flagellate aquatic zoospore stage in their life-cycle. It is this human-driven planetary degradation, it has not been clear zoospore that seeks, then infects amphibians by penetrating why this should be affecting amphibians more than other their skin and forming a zoosporangium. However, despite in global taxa. Further, many amphibian declines and extinctions a decade of research on Bd, much of its biology remains a were observed to occur in pristine environments that are mystery and key questions still exist. When and where did relatively untouched by humans, such as rainforests and Bd arise? How is Bd spreading across the world? How does montane systems. the chytrid infect over 350 species of amphibians and why A clue to the mystery came about when scientists working do only some manifest the disease, chytridiomycosis? What amphibian in Central America noted that the declines in amphibian is the genetic basis underlying virulence in Bd? To answer biodiversity appeared to be occurring in a wave-like manner, such questions, researchers need to be able to ‘discipline- with the initial losses being observed in Costa Rica, then hop’ in order to draw together strands of information from spreading southwards towards the Panama Canal at rates disparate fields such as montane ecology through to ‘omics biodiversity

208 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 209 b Left. Testing a Mallorcan midwife toad (Alytes muletensis) for infection by Bd. M. Fisher b Centre. A midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans). Jaime Bosch b Right. Fieldworkers at an infected lake in the Pyrenees. M. Fisher . Chytridiomycosis mortality in the Pyrenees. M. Fisher and invasive-species biology in order to identify the major Overall, studies of archived amphibians have found the What can be done to stem from a country known to have Bd must catching and treating all the tadpoles factors that are causing this emerging pathogen to drive following continental sequence of detections: Africa (1938), this panzootic? be certified free of infection. in infected populations, using the collapses in amphibian biodiversity. North America (1961), Australia (1978), South America Once it was realized that the global However, while this legislation has antifungal drug itraconazole, in an (Ecuador 1980), Central America (Mexico 1983), Europe amphibian trade was the most likely the potential to limit the further spread attempt to clear infection. If successful, Bd genetics point to a single and recent origin (Spain 1997), Oceania (1999), and South-east Asia (2007). culprit for the spread of Bd worldwide, of Bd, it does nothing to mitigate the this approach could be used to clear of a panzootic lineage These broad-scale data, while suggestive of a globalization changes to international policy were infection in natural populations. This, infection in small, isolated infected Recently, the Joint Genome Institute and the Broad Institute of Bd from an African origin, are not conclusive: museum sought to limit the spread of infection. much more difficult task, is currently populations of amphibians. have sequenced genomes of Bd from isolates recovered from collections tend to be very patchy in their sampling and The Aquatic Code has been developed a hot topic for scientists working on Other approaches that are proving two species of amphibian: Phyllomedusa lemur in Panama many regions of the world remain unscreened, especially for by the World Organization for Animal Bd. One solution is being tested on promising are the use of ‘probiotic’ and Rana muscosa in California. These genomes have the early years of the last century. Also, isolates of Bd from Health (the WOAH; also known as the Balearic island of Mallorca, where bacteria that exist on the skin of some provided a scaffold upon which patterns of genetic diversity South Africa would be expected to harbour higher levels of the OIE) and lists infections that need Bd has been introduced and infects amphibians and secrete antifungal from isolates of Bd that have been recovered from infected genetic diversity than are seen in other parts of the world. to be tested for in animal imports. In populations of the highly endangered metabolites. These bacteria could amphibian populations across the globe can be aligned. This signature is not seen in the genetic data so, unfortunately, 2008, Bd was listed by the WOAH, Mallorcan midwife toad, Alytes mule- potentially be introduced into infected Studies on these patterns of genetic diversity have provided we still do not know where Bd originally emerged from! meaning that amphibians imported tensis. Teams of researchers have been communities in an effort to combat a striking answer: Bd appears to have evolved once as the infection. However, many species product of a single mating event between two closely related Where is Bd going? of amphibians are declining at rates but non-identical parental strains. This lineage then appears It is clear that Bd has the capability for inter-continental that preclude such approaches. For to have become rapidly globalized into naïve amphibian travel via the human trade in infected amphibians and, these species, ex situ captive-breeding communities, with the consequence that all isolates of Bd are once introduced, has the potential to spread rapidly. This programmes are the only option. Such extremely closely related, and show little phylogeographic has been clearly demonstrated in Central America, where ‘Amphibian Arks’ (www.amphibianark. relationship between patterns of genetic diversity and the David Attenborough’s BBC team filmed the extinction of org/) are likely to be the only places regions from where isolates were recovered. the Panamanian golden frog in their series ‘Life in Cold Blood’ where much of the world’s amphibian following the arrival of Bd in the region. Introduced North biodiversity is able to reside in the Does Bd come from ‘Out of Africa’? American bullfrogs have vectored the infection into the UK, future until scientists can develop Several studies have focused on histopathological screens of and the disease has ‘jumped’ into local populations of toads an effective method for clearing the museum collections of preserved amphibians in an effort to and newts in Kent. Ongoing projects with the Institute infection from nature. identify the original source of the infection. Currently, the of Zoology, Imperial College and Natural England are earliest published record of Bd is from a specimen of an attempting to determine whether the infection is spreading Matthew C. Fisher African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, collected in 1938 from further in the UK, and what effect it may have on indigenous Department of Infectious the Western Cape lowlands of South Africa. Other studies of species of amphibians. historical collections of African amphibians have uncovered However, despite the global occurrence of Bd, the infection Disease Epidemiology, St Mary’s similarly early occurrences of Bd-infected amphibians from has not spread everywhere yet. With over 465 species, the Hospital, Norfolk Place, London the 1920s and 1930s, showing that the pathogen had a island of Madagascar is the most amphibian-rich place on W2 1PG (e matthew.fisher@ widespread African distribution in the early half of the 20th earth. Surveys have shown that Bd does not occur on the imperial.ac.uk) century. Around this time, Xenopus was exported around the island, and the potential for Bd to extirpate this unique world in large numbers from South Africa for use in an early community has led to international calls for a high degree Further reading version of a human pregnancy test. This trade in clawed frogs of biosecurity to be implemented to prevent the fungus from Fisher, M.C., Garner, T.W.J. & Walker, would have potentially spread Bd widely as most clawed being accidentally introduced to the island. S.F. (2009). The global emergence of frogs in South Africa are infected by Bd (but do not die from Worldwide, teams of experts have formed to map the Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and the infection). As infected Xenopus release zoospores into presence, and absence, of Bd in amphibian communities. amphibian chytridiomycosis in space, their tank water, these zoospores could potentially transmit This global mapping project for the disease can be viewed at time and host. Annu Rev Microbiol 63, infection once the tank water is emptied into water supplies. www.spatialepidemiology.net/bd-maps 291–310.

210 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 211 Influenza Since the early days Influenza viruses of several human pandemics have been (a) recognized as reassortants containing several genes from of modern virology animal influenza viruses or as complete animal viruses. The 1957 H2N2 influenza virus (‘Asian ’flu’) and the 1968 H3N2 animals have been influenza virus (‘Hong Kong ’flu’) have picked up the viral haemagglutinin (HA) and several other genes from avian recognized as real or influenza viruses. On the other hand, analysis of the recently reconstructed H1N1 influenza virus that caused the 1918 ost of the viral human infections pandemic (‘Spanish ’flu’) strongly suggested that it was an potential reservoirs and diseases which have emerged avian influenza virus which had been transmitted directly to over the past 25 years have zoonotic humans. Similarly, the H5N1 influenza viruses causing small of viruses which can transmissions as their origin (Table ’flu outbreaks in humans in Asia and Europe since 1997 are 1). Almost three-quarters of zoonotic also completely of avian origin, most likely affecting people be transmitted to transmissions are caused by pathogens who raise and sell domestic birds for a living (Figs 2, 3). Mof wildlife origin, mainly in the areas of sub-Saharan Africa, The 2009 swine origin influenza A H1N1 virus (S-OIV) is humans, as Ulrich India and China, and to a lesser extent in North America and itself a triple reassortant, arising from decades of circulation Europe (Fig. 1), and viruses comprise approximately 20% in pigs. Starting in Mexico, this virus spread to the US and of all emerging infections. Zoonotic transmission is favoured Canada, then to Europe and elsewhere in 2009, and has now Desselberger by close contact between humans and animals, and insect been declared the cause of a new pandemic by the World (b) vectors may be involved (Table 1). Health Organization (WHO). describes. The significance of zoonotic

m Fig. 1. Global distribution of relative risk transmission of of an emerging infectious disease event caused by (a) zoonotic pathogens from wildlife, (b) zoonotic pathogens from non-wildlife. The linear scale ranges from green (lowest risk) via yellow to red (highest risk). Adapted with permission of Macmillan Publishing Ltd from Jones, viruses in human K.E. et al., Nature (2008), 451, 990–994.

c Fig. 2. Health authority workers attempting to prevent the spread of an avian ’flu outbreak in China. Mike disease Clarke, AFP / Getty Images

212 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 213 b Fig. 3. Poultry markets in China. Peter Parks, AFP / Getty Images (left); China Photos / Getty Images (right)

Table 1. Confirmed or probable zoonotic transmissions of viruses to humans HIV reassortment events, or as whole animal viruses trans- Year Virus Disease Species Transmission pathway References HIV-1 and HIV-2 (human immunodeficiency virus), mitted to humans. members of the subfamily Lentivirinae of the Retroviridae, 1918 Influenza A virus Spanish ’flu Birds? Direct transmission of an avian Stevens et al., Science 2004, 303, and the causative agents of AIDS, have been recognized as Surveillance influenza virus 1866–1870 having originated from African monkeys: HIV-1 is closely The above are only the most prominent examples of 1957 Influenza A virus Asian ’flu Birds Reassortment with avian Scholtissek et al., Virology 1978, 87, related to the simian immunodeficiency virus of chimpan- transmission of whole animal viruses or of parts of their influenza virus 13–20 zees (SIVcpz), and HIV-2 to the SIV of sooty mangabeys genomes to humans. Many other cases of such transmission 1968 Influenza A virus Hong Kong ’flu Birds Reassortment with avian Scholtissek et al., Virology 1978, 87, (SIVsm). events have been reported in the literature. The issue is big influenza virus 13–20 enough to expand the epidemiological surveillance of human viral pathogens to that of animal viruses which have been 1997 Influenza A virus Avian ’flu Goose? Close contact in Hong Kong Claas et al., Lancet 1998, 351, 472–477 Other viruses Since 1976, Hantaviruses (of the family Bunyaviridae) have proven or have the potential to be transmitted to humans. 2009 Influenza A virus Swine ’flu Swine Close contact with animals in Shinde et al., N Engl J Med 2009, 360, been recognized as being causally associated with outbreaks Indeed, such surveillance programmes are increasingly recog- Mexico? 2616–2625; Zimmer & Burke, N Engl J of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), a disease nized as being worth the effort, and have been established Med 2009, 361, 279–285 particularly prevalent among military personnel since the for major pathogens like retroviruses and influenza 1931? HIV-1 AIDS Chimpanzee Close contact, use as food Gao et al., Nature 1999, 397, 436–441 First World War. These viruses are endemic in rodents and viruses (for example: www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/ voles, and are mainly transmitted by aerosols of rodent notifiable/ai/wildbirds/survey.htm and www.defra.gov.uk/ 1940? HIV-2 AIDS Sooty Close contact Chen et al., J Virol 1997, 71, 3953–3960 excreta. animalh/diseases/notifiable/ai/keptbirds/index.htm). mangabey In 1993, a severe pulmonary syndrome occurred in 1976ff Hantavirus a.o. Haemorrhagic fever with Rodents Close contact with rodent Lee & van der Groen, Prog Med Virol several south-western states of the US (‘four border disease’), Ulrich Desselberger renal syndrome (HFRS) excretions (aerosols) 1989, 36, 62–102 caused by zoonotic transmission of another Bunyavirus, Sin Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, 1993 Sin nombre virus Hantavirus pulmonary Rodents Close contact with rodent Nichol et al., Science 1993, 262, 914–917 nombre virus, which is endemic in rodents and co-evolves Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ (t 01223 (Bunyavirus) syndrome excretions (aerosols) with them. 763403; e [email protected]) 1993ff Rotavirus Acute gastroenteritis Cats, piglets, Close contact with animals Das et al., Virology 1993, 194, 374–379; During the late 1990s, Hendra and Nipah viruses, both group A calves, rabbits Matthijnssens et al., J Virol 2006, 80, viruses of the Paramyxoviridae family, were transmitted from References Jones, K.E., Patel, N.G., Levy, M.A., Storeygard, A., Balk, D., 3801–3810; Steyer et al., J Gen Virol fruit bats to horses, pigs and humans. The SARS coronavirus, Gittleman, J.L. & Daszak, P. (2008). Global trends in emerging 2008, 89, 1690–1698 producing severe respiratory disease in humans in 2003, is infectious diseases. Nature 451, 990–993. 1994 Hendra virus Acute respiratory distress Fruit bats, Close contact with horses Murray et al., Science 1995, 268, 94–97 likely to have been transmitted from palm civets and spread Mahy, B.W.J. (2009). Emerging virus infections. In Principles and (Paramyxovirus) syndrome; encephalitis horses from south-east Asia to Canada and Europe. West Nile virus, affecting crows and horses, was transmitted Practice of Clinical Virology, 6th edn, pp 69–79. Edited by 1999 Nipah virus Severe respiratory disease; Fruit bats, pigs Close contact with pigs Chua et al., Lancet 1999, 354, 1257–1259 A.J. Zuckerman, J.E. Banatvala, B.D. Schoub, P.D. Griffiths & (Paramyxovirus) encephalitis by insect vectors to humans and caused outbreaks of febrile encephalitis in the USA since 1999. In 1999, an outbreak of P. Mortimer. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. 1999 West Nile Virus Fever; encephalitis Crows, horses Close contact with animals; Lanciotti et al., Science 1999; 286, human encephalitis occurred in the eastern USA which was Mahy, B.W.J. & Murphy, F.A. (2005). The emergence and re- (Flavivirus) transmission by mosquitoes 2333–2337 also due to infection with West Nile virus, transmitted by emergence of viral diseases. In Topley & Wilson’s Microbiology & 2002 SARS Severe acute respiratory Palm civets? Originating in China Ksiazek et al., N Engl J Med 2003, 348, mosquitoes from Corvus (crow) species where it circulates Microbial Infections, Virology, 10th edn. Edited by B.M.J. Mahy coronavirus distress syndrome Close contact with animals? 1953–1966; Drosten et al., N Engl J Med naturally. & V. ter Meulen. London: Hodder Arnold. 2003, 348, 1967–1976; Peiris et al., Group A rotaviruses of animal origin have been recognized Wolfe, N.D., Dunavan, C.P. & Diamond, J. (2007). Origins Lancet 2003, 361, 1319–1325; Kan et al., in rotaviruses isolated from children with acute gastro- of major human infectious diseases. Nature 447, 279–283. J Virol 2005, 79, 11892–11900 enteritis as donors of individual genome segments after A full list of references is available upon request from the author.

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Spring10 Edinburgh International Autumn10 University of Meetings Committee Scientific Meetings Officer Conference Centre Nottingham Professor Chris Hewitt (e [email protected]) 29 March–1 April 2010 www.sgmeicc2010.org.uk 6–9 September 2010 Deputy Scientific Meetings Officer Dr Evelyn Doyle Systems, Mechanisms and Micro-organisms www.sgmnottingham2010.org.uk (e [email protected]) Education Division Top international speakers will consider Systems & cells Metals and Microbes Dr Sue Assinder current challenges and developments in j Signalling and systems biology j Regulatory networks (e [email protected]) a wide range of sessions related to the j Environmentally-induced morphogenesis j Small regulatory RNAs Eukaryotic Microbiology Division theme – and beyond. j Applications of ‘omics j Gene function analysis Professor Neil Gow PLUS – Virology: a packed programme Clinical & Medical Microbiology OtherEvents (e [email protected]) of symposia, workshops and posters at j Parasites and pathogens: how to hijack the host and evade the immune Irish Division this premier meeting of virologists in the response j STIs: now! Regional Meeting jointly sponsored by SGM and SfAM Dr John McGrath UK. j Workshop for infection trainees: MRC Path and beyond University of Birmingham, 7–8 January 2010 (e [email protected]) j Gut microbes and health: from molecular to metabolic impact Who should attend? j Virus workshops: Epidemiology and modelling | Global challenges of virus Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Archaea Prokaryotic Microbiology Division Anyone who wants to keep up to date infection Contact [email protected] Dr Ian Henderson (e [email protected]) with modern microbial science, no matter Environment Virology Division what their field or stage of their career. j Microbiology of oceans The conference will also provide a great Professor Mark Harris Industry opportunity for networking. (e [email protected]) j Renewables (joint with Biological & Environmental Systems Group) IrishDivision Suggestions for topics for future Where is it? Virology 15–16 April 2010 symposia are always welcome. j The ‘omics revolution: elucidating the pathways of virus infection Located in the heart of historic Edinburgh, Meetings Administrator j The global challenges of virus infection National University of Ireland, Galway the International Conference Centre Mrs Josiane Dunn j Workshops: Positive-stranded RNA viruses | Negative-stranded RNA New insights into molecular microbiology through the manipulation of protein has excellent facilities. There is plentiful (t 0118 988 1805; f 0118 988 viruses | DNA viruses | RNA viruses | Retroviruses | Epidemiology and structure and function overnight accommodation close by. 5656; e [email protected]). modelling | Global challenges of virus infection Edinburgh has convenient rail, air and Organizer Gerard Wall (e [email protected]) road transport links. j Posters Abstracts 2–3 September 2010 Titles and abstracts for all Accommodation SGM Prize Medal University of Maynooth, Ireland presentations must be submitted Rooms to suit all pockets are available Sir Paul Nurse, FRS: Prize Medal Symposium: Controlling the Cell Cycle Insect-mediated microbial diseases of humans and animals: current problems and through the SGM website by from Reservation Highway. Education and Personal Development future threats the advertised deadlines. For further information contact the Organizer Kevin Kavanagh (e [email protected]) Grants Innovations in Microbiology Learning & Teaching (joint event with HEA Centre Administrator. for Bioscience) Conference grants are available to SGM Spring 2011 Autumn 2011 www.sgm.ac.uk/meetings Infection trainees’ workshop Postgraduate Student Associate Members. Workshop for early career microbiologists: Effective presentation skills Queen’s University Belfast University of Cork Deadlines Other highlights Phages Marine biotechnology Abstract submission 22 January 2010 j Prize Lectures j Poster sessions with drinks For details of all Irish Division activities, contact John McGrath Earlybird registration 26 February 2010 j Gala Dinner at the Dynamic Earth j Trade exhibition (e [email protected]).

216 216 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 217 schoolzone

Schools Membership costs only £10 a year. Benefits include the Intel ISEF prize, which involved product to be available in a hospital. travelling to Reno, USA, to attend My scientific knowledge and practical Microbiology Today, advance copies of new teaching resources the world’s largest pre-university skills improved greatly, and I also got SGM at Evolution and discounted fees on SGM INSET courses. To join see science competition, bringing together to experience life in a real scientific students from around the globe. Rosy workplace. www.sgm.ac.uk/membership. Enquiries: [email protected] was pleased to answer some questions How have you shared your East Midlands about her experience. or go to www.microbiologyonline.org.uk for full details of Q bursary experience with others How did you get involved with at school? 24 June saw Dariel Burdass and Janet Hurst of the External Relations Office resources and activities. Q the Nuffield Bursary Scheme? I’ve put up a display about my work in Nottingham, at the invitation of SGM member Gina Manning, running a The leaflet was shown at my school, and have also encouraged more workshop on hand hygiene for a group of enthusiastic post-16 school students. and I really liked the idea of having students from my school to get The event was part of the Evolution East Midlands conference, a day of lectures, workshops and poster displays aimed at promoting bioscience to pupils from the opportunity to work in a real involved with the scheme. science setting. I was the first person nearly 20 schools from the local area. Sir Alec Jefferies, the inventer of DNA How did your bursary experience fingerprinting, was the keynote speaker, with Ben Valsler ofNaked Scientist fame at my school to have ever done a affect your future plans? bursary so I was a little unsure as Q one of the supporting lecturers. Our workshop, which stressed the importance The Nuffield bursary determined that Projecting to what would be expected. I have of good hand hygiene in preventing the spread of infections such as swine ’flu, I want to work in science. Although always enjoyed science and wanted to proved popular, and we also gave away leaflets and posters during the lunch I enjoyed the laboratory work, it see what working in a science setting break. Evolution East Midlands took place at Biocity Nottingham, a bio-incubator showed me that I would prefer a job would be like. founded by Nottingham Trent University (NTU), the University of Nottingham that was really people-based. However, and East Midlands Development Agency which houses 60 companies in this microbiology What were the aims of your I definitely want to be involved in fast-moving field. Q project, and how did you go about research at some point in my career. achieving these? Thanks to Gina Manning and her colleagues of NTU for inviting us to participate The SGM funds 10 How does it feel to have won the in a very enjoyable and worthwhile day. I worked at Bio Products Laboratory Q Intel ISEF award at the Big Bang (BPL) – a company that produces a Fair? . School students at the Evolution East Midlands workshop with Janet (2nd from left) and Dariel Science Bursaries each year wide range of medicinal products (2nd from right). Integra Communications I still cannot believe it! I really enjoyed derived from blood plasma. All explaining my work to the judges and organized by the Nuffield products are injected into the human public at the fair. I think winning was body and therefore need to be of just a huge bonus! And I’m glad that Foundation. Students work high sterile quality. I worked in the judges saw the importance of my the microbiology department on a project as well as the effort I had put project to determine a method for alongside practising scientists to into it. I’m really looking forward to testing the disinfectants used in the going to Reno and being able to meet production areas of BPL. The purpose take part in microbiology-based lots of new people, and to share my of the project was to ensure BPL’s experience at BPL. projects, lasting 4–6 weeks, in use of disinfectants is both necessary and effective. If ineffective, it can be universities, industry or research assumed that various classes of micro- Since winning the Intel ISEF organism would be found within award, Rosy has received a letter of institutions during the summer production areas. I had to find a way congratulations from her local MP. to neutralize the disinfectants so that The Nuffield Foundation are always holidays. Rosy Halfyard, a recipient microbial growth could be obtained. looking for project supervisors and I went about this by doing research welcome enquiries from scientists on the disinfectants and micro- of SGM support, found that her willing to host a student in their organisms being tested, and having laboratory. meetings with my mentor to discuss Thanks to the Nuffield Foundation for bursary opened up many doors. my findings. permission to reproduce the content of What did you learn most from this article. Rosy Halfyard from the Cavendish History for her A-levels and has gone Q your bursary experience? School in Hertfordshire spent four on to do medicine at university. She I learnt so much from my bursary Further information weeks in Summer 2008 working at Bio presented her project as a finalist experience. It really opened my eyes to www.nuffieldfoundation.org/go/grants/ Products Laboratory (BPL) in Elstree. in the BA CREST awards at the Big the processes and variety of jobs that nsbsc/page_394.html She studied Biology, Chemistry and Bang Fair in London and received are required in order for a medicinal b Image of Rosy courtesy Nuffield Foundation

218 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 219 Review In brief The Good, the Bad & the Ugly: Microbes Measuring microbial growth Influenza: Published by SGM 2009 Advanced practical microbiology course for teachers and technicians a seasonal disease 15 January 2010, University of Cardiff This is the latest factfile to 68 pp. and CD Bookings are now being taken for this course. The cost is £75 per be compiled in the SGM ISBN: 978-0-9536838-5-7 person to include lunch, refreshments and all course materials, but education office. In eight there is a discount of £15 per head for school members of the SGM. brightly illustrated pages Contact Yvonne Taylor for details (e [email protected]) it covers the importance Far from a sterile read! THE GOOD, THE BAD & of the disease, the causal This is an absolutely tremendous on the roles of microbes in food MiSAC Competition 2010 virus, how it is transmitted, book, which introduces the wonderful production and, less appetizing, food THE UGLY how it replicates, symptoms world of the very small but with poisoning. The next chapter ventures Food Safety and Barbecues is the theme of this year’s schools of the infection, treatment beautiful big colour photographs. In into the great outdoors to explore competition. Pupils are asked to produce a storyboard for a television and prevention (vaccines). advertisement describing how food poisoning can be prevented at Epidemics and pandemics, this respect, The Good, The Bad and how bacteria contribute to the carbon MICROBES INFLUENZA The Ugly is worlds apart from the and nitrogen cycles, how they help barbecues through sufficient cooking and good hygiene. including swine ’flu, A seasonal disease majority of microbiology texts, which, to clean up sewage and the basics of The closing date is 19 February 2010. Good cash prizes, sponsored receive a two-page spread. for generations of editions, have bioremediation. The closing chapter by SfAM are up for grabs. Contact [email protected] to receive Single copies are free failed dismally to make this subject is devoted to climate change and, true DARIEL BURDASS a flier and entry form. (e [email protected]). compelling, either for specialists or for the title of the book, looks at how the younger people who have yet to do microbial world can help and hinder their first Gram stain! The trap many in this process. competing books fall into is that they What I especially liked about this Slightly disappointing was the fact News for SGM School are either achingly over-detailed – and book was the nice smattering of that the book under-emphasized lose readers in a mire of microbial history charting the key milestones the world of viruses which, whilst taxonomy – or, ironically, they’re and contributions of some of the big strictly not ‘microbes’, cause enough Corporate Members so sterile in the way they’re written names, like Pasteur and Fleming, confusion amongst the general public that readers’ minds fall victim to the together with the use of additional to warrant more attention than they Free with this issue: HIV & AIDS resource cognitive equivalent of a saprophyte ‘factlet’ boxes to emphasize the received. There are also some other that recycles interest elsewhere! That, importance of some aspect of what points in the book that probably To mark World AIDS Day on 1 December 2009, a copy of this new 12-page full-colour resource is being distributed to all School Members of the SGM. MICROBIOLOGY or the content is so over-simplified was being presented. The whole deserve more explicit coverage than A RESOURCE that the reader is still left wondering thing is exceedingly well written and they have been afforded. The section It has been compiled by education office staff and takes a broad-ranging look FOR what the difference is between a virus the use of images contrives to make on antibiotic resistance is a bit at this devastating disease. KEY STAGE and a bacterium. the content into, quite literally, an weak, given its importance, and the The resource clarifies the difference 5 The presentation of The Good, The Bad infectious and engaging read. Some of issue of hospital superbugs is quite between HIV and AIDS, describes the and The Ugly, however, is captivating. the images are more decorative than superficially covered, confining itself virus, how it replicates and how it The page size is large – A4 – and factual, but if it stimulates a young solely to MRSA. Likewise, the question causes the disease. The stages of the so is the text, which is succinct and person to keep reading that’s hardly a of how life on Earth began received infection are charted and transmission clear. The book itself is short and problem. less than half a page. of HIV is explained, together with 0 Introduction Cover.indd 1 04/11/2009 14:45 sections covering tests, treatments Coming soon… condenses the microbial world into Which brings me to the question of, But these relatively trivial points five punchy chapters. It opens by at whom is this book aimed? Without and work on developing an effective A factfile onSuperbugs . do not tarnish what is otherwise a vaccine. The booklet also explores the setting the microbiological stage with doubt the target market is school Renew your School Membership for sparkling book, which will definitely origins of HIV. an introduction to the organisms that children and the accompanying CD appeal to its target market and 2010, to make sure that you don’t fall under the umbrella term ‘microbe’ contains a host of materials that beyond. I’m a clinical lecturer in New to this resource are some miss out on this fascinating new and how we name and classify them. could be used in class to bolster the datasets for 2008 supplied by the virology and I thoroughly enjoyed it HIV resource. Then it’s down the nearest human educational experience. But the overall (and learned a few things too!). United Nations that will enable throat to find out how the body works level of the content is quite high & students to consider the real facts The Annual Subscription for schools is still only a bargain £10. both with and against the different and would certainly satisfy a GCSE Dr Chris Smith, The Naked AIDS about the global distribution of people elements of the microbial world before and (these days) probably an A-level Scientists, Cambridge University living with HIV and the incidence of Also in the pipeline: Microbiology – presenting some tantalizing morsels syllabus. (www.thenakedscientists.com) the disease. A resource for Key Stage 5

220 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 221 You say goodbye and I say hello Two big players in SGM and training in bioinformatics, work gave more evidence of the at national level, as a member of microscopy and medical/dental achievements of our group. the team who produced the National educational activities are student training, but have also hosted I’ve worked closely with Janet and Subject profile for higher education swapping places. Jo Verran more overtly ‘educational’ events, the staff at Marlborough house, and programmes in microbiology (2008) – showcasing innovative and successful Sue produced the final report. is taking over as Education am really grateful for their friendship, approaches to learning (e.g. laboratory ideas and help. This relationship It has been a privilege and a joy and Public Affairs Officer on classes in virology, and e-learning). has enabled SGM to be involved in to have been involved with It is hard to pinpoint particular education events beyond the UK, microbiology education via SGM, Council from Sue Assinder, highlights, but Communicating particularly via FEMS, but also and I think there have been many who is assuming Jo’s former microbiology (Edinburgh 2008) through ASMCUE (Conference on beneficiaries of the work of the attracted some really charismatic Undergraduate Education) meetings, Education and Training Group – job as Chair of the Education presenters, and the biofilm event was and a joint conference with the and now the Education Division. Sue (left) and Jo (right) at a meeting in Bergen, Norway. Sue Assinder Division. a bonus for me, since it linked both Norwegian Microbiology societies in I am delighted to be able to pass on my research and teaching interests. Bergen. Through my role, I have also my role to Sue Assinder, and assume Sue Assinder writes: with one of the famous SGM glo-bugs. on activity. The key will be to deliver The provision of a new annual award had opportunities to impact on and a new role as Education and Public by Yakult for early career outreach contribute to microbiology education Affairs Officer on Council. One Monday morning 6 years ago, I have been fortunate to go to several an education programme that will I had a telephone call from the then meetings of the American Society be attractive both to members whose SGM President, Sir David Hopwood. It for Microbiology and to witness the professional roles focus on teaching had been suggested to him by SGM international impact of the SGM and also to those whose primary Council that I might be an appropriate in microbiology education. And interests are in research. person to become the new Education underpinning all of these activities The FerMac 310/60 Fermenter/Bioreactor Jo Verran gives her Officer – would I be interested? My has been the pleasure of working available for cell culture or bacteriological work perspective: first reaction was that I already had with Janet Hurst and her staff to plan enough challenges in my ‘day job’ resources and events. I was elected to be Convener of the given that I was just on the point of There have been many occasions in SGM Education & Training Group taking over as Head of School, so I the past 6 years when working for at the Norwich meeting in 2001. I delayed giving an answer until I’d the SGM has been an island of sanity was thrilled to be so actively involved sought advice from the current Head in a sea of academic madness. It has with microbiology education. The as to whether he thought I would have been a period during which many Education Group hosted a symposium PREPARED CULTURE MEDIA time. His view was very clear – no, you microbiology departments have been at every SGM meeting, with the won’t have time, but don’t let that stop restructured, microbiology degrees committee members (many thanks to STAINS AND REAGENTS you! I took his advice and have not have become an endangered species all!) enthusiastically running with their FOR EVERY MICROBIOLOGIST regretted it for one moment. and microbiology lecturers have interests, or being nobbled, to develop and organize events on a range of A few particular highlights come struggled to maintain teaching quality topics as workshops, demonstrations, to mind. My involvement in the in the face of RAE-itis. Throughout, debates or in lectures. Microbiology Awareness Campaign led SGM has maintained a commitment to me speaking at unexpected venues, to promoting microbiology education The first meeting I organized was including both Houses of Parliament. at all levels, and it has been a privilege for over 200 postgraduates at When I signed up for the role, I had to be part of that endeavour. I hand Edinburgh; the last comprised a certainly not expected to be educating over to Jo with sadness that my time is series of introductory talks on Biofilm peers of the realm about the properties over, but with confidence that the role basics in Dublin, which preceded the of body glitter gel (as a model for will be in safe hands. plenary. It was the largest audience an Convenience education event had ever had, and it rhinovirus in mucus, not for personal Turning to the future, I look forward Electrolab for fermenters, gas analysers, peristaltic you can trust! adornment). I have had enormous fun to taking over Jo’s role as Chair of was really exciting to wave the flag for pumps, cell culture systems and glucose measurement at public science events, seeing the the Education & Training Division microbiology education to almost all Southern Group Laboratory Limited fascination of young children when at a time when the SGM is aiming to the conference delegates! For more information contact Ian on 01684 291007 t: +44 (0)1536 403815 shown bioluminescent bacteria and embed education within its scientific We have often run joint meetings with [email protected] www. electrolab.biz f: +44 (0)1536 403814 e: [email protected] www.sglab.co.uk their delight upon being presented meetings, rather than it being a bolt- other SGM groups, providing updating

222 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 223 gradline

Gradline aims to inform and entertain members in the early Professor Julian Rood who works at a plenary session, which was rather better equipped to overcome them locals meant that I could explore Monash University in Melbourne on daunting but a great experience. I also now that I am back in the UK. I was Melbourne with the very valuable stages of their career in microbiology. If you have any news clostridial genetics. His laboratory’s enjoyed listening to many stimulating also stimulated to think about my PhD addition of local knowledge! Overall recent work on Clostridium difficile presentations from both Australian project from different angles. I feel the experience was amazing, I both or stories, or would like to see any topics featured, contact toxins, employing pioneering gene and international delegates. that my visit created a link between had a great time in Australia and knock-out technology, had just been After the conference I flew over two our two laboratories that will greatly learned a lot. I would like to thank Jane Westwell (e [email protected]). published in Nature, and the ability time zones to Melbourne where I facilitate our ability to collaborate in the SGM and the Australian Society to make such targeted gene knock- spent 3 weeks at the Rood laboratory. the future. for Microbiology for supporting my outs would be very useful for my PhD The welcome was very warm both in Fortunately I didn’t spend all my visit, as well as everyone at Monash research into surface proteins from C. the laboratory and in Melbourne itself. time in the lab though and made University who made my visit so difficile. In the lab I gained a thorough insight some great friends who I hope to enjoyable. I wholeheartedly encourage Getting the most The grant asked for proposals for into the challenges of creating C. keep in touch with both scientifically PhD students to apply for the award in a laboratory-based project of 1–3 difficile gene knock-outs and feel much and personally. Being hosted by the 2010 (closing date: 12 February 2010). three weeks where techniques and meet new people. You also could be learned and collaboration Heiko Ziebell completed a PhD in plant virology out of your SGM fostered. The relationship between learn different ways of doing at the University of Cambridge where he also held your day-to-day research, and my home laboratory of Professor a postdoctoral research fellowship. Heiko’s research look outside your own little box! Neil Fairweather at Imperial College focused on the mechanisms underlying cross-protection Everyone was very hospitable, and London and the Rood laboratory in of cucumber mosaic virus strains – a form of biological membership I never felt lonely. And I very much Australia was probably typical of an control. During his time at Cambridge, Heiko enjoyed the Buffalo wings at the Anglo–Australian link. Having both obtained funding twice from the (old and new) Brew Pub in Buffalo and harvesting SGM works hard to support early-career microbiologists by delivering a worked on clostridia for a large part President’s Fund and also a grant to attend an SGM maple sap for boiling in Ithaca! of their careers, the two lab heads conference. range of activities such as career development workshops and provision had met on numerous occasions at For both trips, my accommodation conferences and sometimes shared I chose my PhD project because I found it fascinating. I at university residences was of careers information. Also, for eligible members registered for a PhD ideas via email and reagents via was dealing with applied plant protection on the one hand, organized by the collaborators, or working in the EU, there are generous grants to support travel to airmail, but there had been no direct but also investigating the molecular mechanisms behind which was very helpful. Apart collaboration and little in the way of this control mechanism. I enjoyed both parts of science, from that, I booked all flights and conferences and short research visits. Jane Westwell recently caught personal contact between postdocs the fundamental research and its practical application for worked out the cheapest/quickest or PhD students in the two labs. This up with three SGM members who have made the most of their growers. Afterwards, I was very lucky to be awarded a schedule myself. It can be quite is primarily due to the geographical Research Fellowship at Trinity Hall in Cambridge. This a challenge to make all the membership by successfully applying for grants. distance between the two countries, enabled me to build on my PhD research and investigate a arrangements for an overseas trip, which makes meetings between the few more questions that had previously arisen. including getting someone to look more junior scientists unlikely. The President’s Fund awards made a substantial after your plants (I usually have a The Rood laboratory is one of the contribution to the success of my research. With the help lot at home and on my allotment!) Cate Reynolds, a PhD student at leading labs worldwide in the nascent of the first award, I visited Prof. Jim Berry at SUNY Buffalo and pets (leopard geckos). Imperial College London, was the field of genetic manipulation of in the USA to learn in situ hybridization of plant tissue. It is I think it was also very important first recipient of the Hayes–Burnet C. difficile. Success is still technically a very complex method and quite difficult to achieve with to be able to present my research at conferences and I am Travel Award which is a joint very challenging, but is key to pushing certain plant tissues. It took me many months to optimize very grateful to my PhD supervisor, who encouraged all venture with the Australian Society forward our understanding of the the method for our particular situation, but the results were of us to do this. The collaboration for my second USA for Microbiology (ASM). She was molecular mechanisms underpinning eventually published in the Journal of General Virology. visit started when I met Prof. Perry at the meeting of the awarded £3,000 to fund travel and the virulence of this pathogen. I American Society for Virology last year. attendance at the ASM’s annual The second award contributed to a longer research visit therefore wrote a proposal to travel to conference followed by a 3-week (3 months) in Prof. Perry’s lab at Cornell University in I am very grateful to the SGM for their funding schemes Melbourne to see how C. difficile genes research visit. She describes her Ithaca, NY. I was investigating whether or not the cucumber for early-career microbiologists, and I would advise others are knocked out down-under and to experience. mosaic virus mutant that I used for my cross-protection to attend conferences and present their work. Conferences try to knock-out a gene of interest for experiments was aphid-transmissible (aphids are the most are an excellent opportunity to meet fellow researchers, The possibility of travelling to my PhD. important vector of this virus). Prof. Perry is a leading both on a graduate and professional level, and exchange Australia in the name of microbiology I was delighted to receive the Hayes– expert on aphid transmission, so I learned quite a few skills ideas. I found the SGM meetings always very exciting as caught my eye in one of the SGM’s Burnet Travel Award, and I travelled to during my visit. He subsequently offered me a position as all UK plant virologists get to meet each other. We are a regular emails for two main reasons: Perth, Western Australia, for the ASM postdoctoral researcher in his lab starting in October this very friendly group and it is always nice to see everyone the opportunity to travel to the other Annual Conference at the beginning year. Therefore, the research visit was a great success! I also again at those meetings. And for me, going to an overseas side of the world seemed like a fun of July 2009. Here I presented my met fantastic people, with whom I still am in contact. It is conference led to some fantastic times in the USA and idea, and I had very recently met work to a large audience as part of always very interesting to explore a different country/culture even a new professional position.

224 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 225 Meghna (Meg) Dharod is a PhD Associate at University of Westminster working on foot Don’t go on a vacation – go to work! infections in diabetics – one of the most important complications of The SGM vacation studentship scheme has run successfully for many years. In 2008 we funded a bumper type 2 diabetes mellitus. Alberta Davis obtained an Upper Second Class BSc (Hons) in crop of 65 undergraduate students carrying out microbiology research projects of 6–8 weeks in the summer To find my PhD project I looked on Biomedical Science this summer the internet for researchers interested from University of Westminster. before their final year. To further enhance their research experience, all vacation students were encouraged in clinical microbiology and I found Her vacation studentship project to submit an abstract for presentation at the SGM Spring Conference in 2009. Students who presented my supervisor who is very passionate in 2007 Antimicrobial susceptibilities about research. Diabetes is increasing and molecular epidemiology of a poster were able to apply for funding to attend the conference. Jane Westwell talked to three of the and it’s one condition that cannot be Neisseria meningitidis invasive students at Harrogate who were standing by their posters and ably parrying questions from delegates. All cured, so I decided to focus on this isolates from the Gambia from 1995 area. to 2007 was supervised by three shared their experiences and thoughts on the scheme. I am very grateful to SGM for the Dr Pamela Greenwell. the subject at BSc level, I knew it was in addition to troubleshooting the President Fund, as the cohort study Serenia Horgan graduated from After completing my O levels I began the right choice for me. various experiments. I carried out in India helped me to Waterford Institute of Technology working for the UK Medical Research understand the different risk factors I had never worked on a research When I was at the Harrogate with a BSc (Hons) in Applied Council (MRC) in the Gambia as a of the diabetic foot, the huge project on my own, so my BSc conference, presenting my Biology and Quality Management. trainee laboratory assistant. I found variation in the treatment given to supervisor and I believed the SGM undergraduate project work to such Her vacation project, supervised the techniques involved in identifying the patients and the reasons for so During my research visit, time was a Vacation Studentship would be a a large gathering of microbiologists by Dr Catherine O’Reilly, was pathogens and diagnosing many many amputations. I have collected significant constraint since I only had good opportunity to gain hands-on from all over the world, I found it characterization of a number of novel disease conditions in the microbiology statistically significant data and I am 3 months. Some days I worked very experience, managing financial and absolutely amazing! I enjoyed talking TCN utilizing bacterial isolates. and haematology laboratories currently writing up my findings long hours and found myself juggling laboratory aspects of carrying one out. to scientists and other students about amazingly interesting! for publication. I have managed to complete my research as well as This also helped me when I started the work I did in the Gambia and During my secondary school to network with many leading networking with other researchers. This encouraged me to apply for work on my final year project. how the data generated are useful education I had a wonderful science diabetologists and consultants in However, after working hard and the Diploma in Biomedical Science I spent some of the project time in for epidemiological surveillance and teacher who inspired me to pursue India, who have shown interest in keeping within the time frame, offered to lab assistants then, via the Gambia. It was not easy waking treatment in a country affected by a career in the science industry, future collaborations and discussed it was satisfying to gain so much distance learning at the University of up early to get to the lab, but having meningococcal meningitis. It also so I opted for the degree course at postdoctoral projects with me. knowledge and equip myself with Westminster. I really enjoyed the first previously worked full-time at the boosted my confidence to speak Waterford. I was considering whether couple of modules I took and when in public and enhanced my or not postgraduate study was right Like many scientists, I have research endless information on diabetic foot MRC made the transition smoother. an opportunity came up to pursue presentation skills. for me, so I hoped that the vacation ideas, but lack the funds to explore infections. I made weekly plans of the various them. I applied for grants thinking I have attended several conferences methods I needed to carry out and I now work as a trainee scientific that if my ideas were good enough to and have been very pleased that all tried as much as possible to follow officer at the MRC in the Gambia, help patients, I would surely secure my posters and oral presentations through with them. Whenever working in the diagnostic TB lab some funding to organize my trip. I were accepted. Most importantly, I defaulted, I’d work during the (Category 3 containment) where I’m also occasionally used my savings to the feedback I received and the evenings and some weekends too! gaining a lot of experience. I hope to support my work, but I am grateful guidance from other scientists has Nonetheless, I always found time to begin a postgraduate degree – either to SGM for funding my attendance at been invaluable. I feel even more socialize and have some fun whilst an MSc or a PhD – next year. conferences throughout my PhD along encouraged after receiving the in the Gambia. I would advise future SGM with the grant to support my research Young Investigators Award at the It was very rewarding to obtain good vacation students to make good use visit. Before travelling, I used the 26th International Congress of and meaningful results after, for of this opportunity to learn different internet to collect information on the Chemotherapy and Infections. All example, carrying out a 2-day-long techniques (especially molecular country I was visiting and researched the conferences had a common procedure, knowing that I understood ones) as this may come in handy in the conference presenters so I could message – to wipe out diseases – the concept behind it and being able your final year projects. Manage your acknowledge their work and network but at each I met different people to present the data accurately in my time well, troubleshoot and always well. with varied experience. own words. However, I was using ask your supervisors if you don’t many different techniques – such as understand something as this will SGM grants DNA sequencing, molecular typing prevent unnecessary repetition of Full details of all schemes and deadlines can be found on the grants pages at and antimicrobial susceptibility procedures which may have financial www.sgm.ac.uk/grants/default.cfm testing – so managing my time implications. Above all, enjoy what became exceedingly challenging, you are doing!

226 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 227 studentship would help me master educational aspect of the conference, membership. Opportunities she highlighted included travel member of the Education & Training Committee. new skills and gain more confidence the social side is just as important. Going grants, prizes, presenting work, career development and Lynne’s interactive talk entertained the audience whilst in the laboratory. During the meeting I made friends networking at conferences. emphasizing the importance of developing good When I started the project, I was who are currently undertaking for it in SGM President, Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott followed presentation skills. The workshop ended with a lively familiar with the laboratory and the postgraduate studies in England, with an enlightening presentation on successful strategies question and answer session. staff, so I was able to ‘hit the ground New Zealand and America. for getting published – a subject of huge importance to any After many years of delivering career development running’. There were three other After the studentship I decided to Gothenburg researcher. After a short break delegates returned to learn workshops at SGM conferences, External Relations Office people working on different aspects pursue postgraduate study, as full-time about presentation skills from Dr Lynne Lawrance, lecturer staff were delighted to see that their activities translated of the project, so there was always research is extremely rewarding. I 3rd FEMS Congress of at University of West of England and, until recently, a successfully to a larger international audience. someone to help if any question arose. plan to do a molecular ecology-based European Microbiologists I really enjoyed doing the project; study, but this will incorporate many June 2009 the only aspect that took some time of the molecular techniques used in to adjust to was time management my project. addresses as the day passed so quickly. The lab My advice to future vacation students experience was invaluable for my is to ask as many questions as you council09–10 final year. can. Also there may be other research The Harrogate conference was groups working in close proximity so amazing – the sheer variety of take notice of what they are working officers topics and speakers. Alongside the on too – and ask questions! President – Prof. Hilary M. Lappin-Scott Scientific Meetings Officer – Prof. Chris J. Hewitt Room 11, Main Arts Building, Bangor University, College Road, Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough Emma James is studying for a BSc (Hons) in Applied Microbiology at the Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG University, Loughborough LE11 3TU University of West of England. She carried out an ad hoc funded project: e–[email protected] t–01509 222506;–e–[email protected] Hurdles and helping hands – how can universities help schools in the delivery of Treasurer – Prof. Colin R. Harwood Education and Public Affairs Officer – Prof. Joanna Verran the microbiology content of the national curriculum? supervised by Dr Lynne School of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University Department of Biology, Chemistry and Health Science, Lawrance. of Newcastle Medical School, Framlington Place, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH Manchester M1 5GD At the start of my course, I was interested in all aspects of biology, but I found t–0191 222 7708;–f–0191 222 7736 t–0161 247 1206;–f–0161 247 6325 microbiology most interesting which led me to specialize in that area. I chose this e–[email protected] e–[email protected] project because I have always been interested in science education. Also because General Secretary – Dr David J. Blackbourn Publications Officer – Prof. Howard Jenkinson my enthusiasm for microbiology began only at university, I wondered why there University of Birmingham, Cancer Research UK Institute for Department of Oral and Dental Science, University of Bristol, was so little emphasis on the subject during SATS and GCSE. Cancer Studies, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol BS1 2LY An interesting aspect of this project was interviewing the head teachers. It t–0121 415 8804;–f–0121 414 4486 t–0117 928 4358;–e–[email protected] was great that many people were interested enough in the subject to reply to e–[email protected] questionnaires. The most challenging thing was contacting people to be involved. Gothenburg. Stockxpert / Jupiter Images Luckily the SGM helped by sending out the questionnaires members which meant that we could concentrate on finding people Jane Westwell of the SGM organized Prof. Mike R. Barer Dr Paul A. Hoskisson (Editor Microbiology Today) to interview. It was rewarding to see the project recognized a workshop for early-career Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, at a conference and it was good experience to discuss the microbiologists at the conference. Medical Sciences Building, PO Box 138, University Road, University of Strathclyde, 204 George Street, Glasgow poster with people interested in this area. I also enjoyed the Called Making the Most of PhD and Leicester LE1 9HN G1 1XW diverse content of the SGM conference. Postdoctoral Years it focused on the t–0116 252 2933;–f–0116 252 5030;–e–[email protected] t–0141 548 2819;–e–[email protected] I have now returned to finish my degree having just essential areas of networking, getting Dr Richard M. Hall Dr Catherine O’Reilly completed my placement year at Oxoid Ltd. I would ideally published and effective presentation GlaxoSmithKline Biopharm R&D, Gunnels Wood Road, Dept of Chemical and Life Sciences, Waterford Institute like to combine microbiology and education in a future skills. The lecture theatre was packed, Stevenage SG1 2NY of Technology, Cork Road, Waterford, Ireland career. with over 300 postgrads and postdocs t–01438 762735; e–[email protected] t–+353 51 302858;–f–+353 51 378292;– I would advise future SGM vacation students to take the eager to learn how to enhance their Dr Kim R. Hardie e–[email protected] opportunity to complete an independent piece of research. future prospects. University of Nottingham, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, Dr Karen Robinson It is a good experience to analyse data you have collected The session was chaired by Dr Sara University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, and present it as a report. It is also a good opportunity to Burton, Teaching Fellow at Exeter t–0115 846 7958;–f–0115 586 7950 University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD work with university staff in a different situation. University and vice-Chair of the e–[email protected] t–0115 823 1094;–e–[email protected] Education & Training Division. In her Prof. Mark Harris Dr Gary Rowley Application forms for 2010 vacation studentships introduction, Sara reminded delegates Institute of Molecular & Cellular Microbiology, Faculty School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, are on the grants pages of the SGM website and the how much they can gain by exploiting of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT Norwich NR4 7TJ deadline is 19 February. the benefits of learned society t–0113 343 5632;–e–[email protected] t–01603 592889;–e–[email protected]

228 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 229 goingpublic

SGM aims to promote microbiology to a wide range of audiences and I managed to combine both careers (at only the cost of an story. This leads to a mixture of fact and fiction in which entire social life) for nearly 15 years before the MRC decided I deliberately blur the edges, something that not only to encourage members to do the same. In this issue we explore some to end funding for our group at Edinburgh. If I’d wanted to encourages the reader to believe that ‘this could actually stay in research, it would have meant a move to Cambridge happen’, but also enables me to pursue a hidden agenda. new avenues for science communication, including animated film and or London – something I had little heart for – so I became a My prime intention is always to provide a thrilling read but novels, as well as covering some more conventional outreach activities. full-time writer in 2000. This, you will appreciate, was not an I also do my very best to ensure that at the end of a Ken easy decision for a Scotsman to make, involving the giving McClure book, the lay reader knows a little bit more about up of a regular salary cheque. I can still feel the anxiety. science than they did at the beginning. Some 9 years have passed, but I still read the scientific When young people suggest that being a thriller writer and Virology) before moving onto journals to keep up with what’s going on and, of course, must be exciting, I point out to them that it wasn’t writing pastures new and becoming a research to look for new ideas. In the beginning the stories were that took me to live and work in Paris and Madrid; it wasn’t assistant in a new MRC unit being set pure flights of fancy, but as time has gone on, a pattern has writing that took me to Tel Aviv and Kansas City; it wasn’t up at Edinburgh University to study developed. I come across some little known medical or writing that allowed me to see the Taj Mahal or watch the the genetics of bacteria. Happily, the scientific fact and use this as the factual basis for a fictional sun rise over Mount Fuji. It was microbiology. job allowed me to continue study: I became a Member of the Institute of Biology and finally did a PhD in The Bad Bugs molecular genetics. White Death Book Club As time went by and the reputation Ken McClure’s latest novel is one in a series featuring Dr Steven Dunbar, a If you are interested in books, of our group studying cell division qualified doctor and former soldier who now works as a Medical Investigator for specifically novels, which have and led by Professor Willie Donachie a Home Office department called the Sci-Med Inspectorate. This hush-hush unit infectious disease as a key part of grew, we became involved in extensive looks into crimes in areas where the police lack expertise. Our hero, a widower the story, then why not join the international collaboration, something in his 30s with a teenage daughter, is called up to Scotland to investigate the Bad Bugs Book Club? It’s run by that led to me personally travelling apparent suicide of a GP in Edinburgh whose wife believes he was murdered … SGM Education and Public Affairs Courtesy Birlinn Ltd to labs all over the world as a visiting Officer Professor Jo Verran as researcher. It was after one of these A tale unfolds of children at a school outdoor centre who were vaccinated, allegedly to protect them against TB following exposure to an infected immigrant part of her outreach activities. It’s trips – an adventure-strewn visit to based in Manchester, but can be Tel Aviv University – that I discovered child, but who one after another develop a mystery skin disease which seems to lead eventually to death. Bioterrorism, underhand government activities, a rogue accessed on the web via Jo’s site – a new passion in life – writing. I sat www.sci-eng.mmu.ac.uk/intheloop How does a microbiologist turn into a successful down and wrote an adventure story genomics company, the Russian mafia, guns and exploding cars all add up to a The first meeting took place in July, set in Israel and involving medical page-turning thriller spiced with thriller writer? Ken McClure tells us how he did it. where the title under discussion science, the first of some 20 ‘medical lots of real microbial science. And was Hot Zone by Richard Preston. thrillers’ I’ve now written since the along the way, romance awaits our It is now over 40 years since I however, would have horrified present hero. This describes, graphically, the first walked through the doors of day Health and Safety inspectors, mid-1980s. White Death is not high outbreaks of Ebola that occurred the bacteriology laboratory at the perhaps causing them to suspect we People wonder if doing research literature, but it certainly makes an in the 1980s. It is very much a Edinburgh City Hospital for Infectious were operating a process of natural and writing fiction might be entertaining read. Microbiologists thriller, with plenty of scientific Diseases to begin a lifelong association selection for those who could handle incompatible, but I’ve always found might well work out the detail. The book was compared with microbiology. dangerous organisms. that the demands of science for truth dénouement before they reach with the film Outbreak which and accuracy and its insistence for Since leaving school, I’d had a I followed the in-service and night- the nail-biting conclusion. The describes, rather less scientifically, references to back up any claims made brief flirtation with the idea of school training of the time for the general reader is unlikely to do so, similar incidents. can be beautifully offset by fiction becoming an engineering officer in minimum 7 years it took to become but they will certainly have learnt The second meeting was held in writing where I can make the whole the navy followed by some time as a a Fellow of the Institute of Medical some science en route. September and took the form of professional guitarist before settling Laboratory Sciences (Bacteriology lot up! a trip to Eyam, the plague village, Janet Hurst, SGM down to a ‘proper job’ – I became followed by a meeting to discuss a student medical lab technician. White Death by Ken McClure is Year of Wonders by Geraldine Unlike the large, anonymous hospitals published by Polygon (2009) Brooks. of today where the pressures of 246 pp. ISBN 978-1-84697-125-9 Reading guides for the books meeting targets and ticking boxes studied are being posted on the take precedence over all else, the From facts See www.birlinn.co.uk for further information. website, in the hope that the ‘City’ was a pleasant, relaxed place comments and suggestions are to work where patients were people Ken has written 20 novels to date, helpful to others. Online book rather than numbers. The handling of six of which feature Dr Steven club members are welcome! high-risk pathogens in the open lab, to fiction Dunbar.

230 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 231 Kelvin Boot shows how An exciting interactive event took place at the SGM autumn meeting. The public were invited to find out the latest facts on ‘flu and the an important environmental Derek the Diatom importance of hand hygiene in stopping the spread of infections. issue is being publicized and Doctorpus take to mimic the virus, showed how easily through the medium of ’Flu and you a bug is spread by aerosols, and by touching objects and other people. A cartoon film on the terrestrials Swine ‘flu is currently a disease of member of the audience, Thomasina major concern worldwide and seasonal aged 8, ‘sneezed’ in a crowded bus Derek the Diatom, Britney Star and The chemistry of ocean acidification is the threat or change their behaviour m Students working on the animation ‘flu an ever-present infection each made of a roll of paper. Passengers process. Plymouth Marine Laboratory Doctorpus are just some of the cast quite simple: the ocean is a huge sink to combat it: the prognosis is not winter. What are the real facts about were marked by large paper circles. of marine creatures starring in an for atmospheric CO and has been encouraging. influenza? How can it be prevented? 2 DVD has been received from the The sneeze was really a generous And what can we do to stop spreading animated film highlighting ocean doing a great job for millions of years, Carol Turley, who spends much of Oak Foundation and the European squirt of the UV spray. The lights were it from person to person? acidification and the threats it poses playing its part in the global carbon her time advising policy makers about Geological Union. It has been awarded dimmed, the paper was held up and to the marine environment. The film cycle by maintaining the balance. the potential consequences of ocean the Royal Society of Chemistry These questions were all answered by Dariel shined the UV lamp on to the was made by students from Ridgeway Recently, however, its capacity has acidification is always looking for new Bill Bryson Award for Science international expert Wendy Barclay, ‘passengers’. The droplets were seen School in Plymouth, after learning become stretched. Estimates vary but ways to ‘spread the word’. Recalling Communication. Professor of Influenza Virology at to have spread a considerable distance of the phenomenon from Plymouth between 25 and 30% of additional Imperial College London, in a fascinating an award winning film about climate Merryn Hunt, one the students is along the ‘bus’. In a real situation, Marine Laboratory scientist and SGM CO2, produced by humans from talk delivered to an audience drawn change that was made by Plymouth convinced the film will have an impact: quite a few people could have inhaled member Dr Carol Turley. industrial processes such as cement from the general public, university school students, she approached Karen ‘We were shocked; we hadn’t heard of the ’flu virus and caught the infection, manufacture and the burning of staff and interested delegates to the Findlay, a teacher with an eye for an this [ocean acidification] before and for mucus droplets from a sneeze fossil fuels in vehicles and factories conference. Wendy explained about engaging educational opportunity. we felt we had to do something. We travel at an amazing 100 miles an has been absorbed by the ocean. As the different strains of the virus, how Karen contacted Sundog Media, a had heard of climate change, but now hour and spread up to 10 metres in a CO2 and seawater mix a weak acid is they are constantly mutating, how professional company, to help out with there are two threats and we have a widening arc. formed. Organisms living in the oceans the WHO tracks the different strains the technicalities of film-making, but it chance to make a difference.’ Carol Several brave volunteers also had their have evolved in naturally alkaline each year around the globe and why was the students who developed the Turley is thrilled with the result and hand-washing technique tested, by seawater but as more CO2 continues new vaccines are required annually. ideas, invented the characters, wrote the difference it has already made: ‘We seeing how much they glowed before to be taken up, the seas have become She stressed how important it is for the script and provided the voice- knew the film would be good and we and after a scrub at the sink. The 30% more acidic than before the at-risk people to have the injection overs. The result is a film that is short hoped it would make an impact, but lesson clearly went home among some industrial revolution. By the end of and reassured the audience that it is and to the point. The cast of characters even we were surprised, it obviously delegates, who were overheard talking the century ocean acidity will increase impossible to catch ’flu from the jab. bemoan the state of their oceans strikes a chord with everyone who about the importance of handwashing by 100–150% if we keep on emitting Wendy also described the effects of and look for evidence of the ocean’s watches it. It makes people, people later in the week, something that CO2 at the same rate. Experimental ’flu virus on the body and suggested changing chemistry and how it may who make decisions, realize that the microbiologists might be expected to evidence shows that many calcifying ways of preventing its spread. upcoming generation is concerned. The know already! organisms, such as corals, molluscs affect the food web from microbes children have made it clear through this The last point was reinforced by a Plans are in place to hold a public and even coralline seaweeds are upwards. short film that they want something workshop on hand hygiene delivered outreach event at future SGM negatively affected by this expected Already The Other CO Problem has 2 done. This year is going to be very by SGM Education Manager Dariel conferences, to which, of course, change in pH that restricts their ability been featured on national and local important for new climate change Burdass, who, helped by colleagues delegates are invited. So watch this to build the shells and skeletons that TV news programmes, it has been negotiations and this little film is going and a spray only visible under UV light space for details. provide support and protection. Our translated into French and German to be crucial in bringing the other CO seas have had a pretty constant pH for and is being shown on TV in Brazil. 2 problem to the forefront of the minds of possibly as long as 20 million years. It was premiered at the Copenhagen policy makers.’ It is this extent of change over just a Climate Change Congress earlier The film The Other CO Problem can be Breaking the mould few centuries that is of most concern. this year and has been shown at the 2 seen at: A television play featuring microbiology is an unusual event, but 29 July saw a It is predicted that many organisms Royal Institution, and gathering of dramatized portrayal of the work of Howard Florey’s group in wartime Oxford may not have the capacity to adapt to EPOCA (European Project on Ocean www.pml.ac.uk to develop penicillin as a life-saving treatment of infectious diseases. It starred the new ocean chemistry they face, or Acidification). www.epoca-project.eu have the flexibility to move away from Dominic West (better known for his role in The Wire) as Florey and the characters Original funding for producing www.youtube.com/ of Ernst Chain and Norman Heatley, other key players in the story, were faithfully m Students in Plymouth working on The DVDs of the film came from EPOCA, watch?v=55D8TGRs14k reproduced. Certain SGM members were consulted about the script, to ensure Other CO2 Problem. Plymouth Marine Laboratory but such has been the response to Kelvin Boot is a Science Communicator that both the science and the language of the protagonists was appropriate for the b The group of students involved in making the clear and strong message, that at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (e time. The play, shown on BBC4, was well-received by critics and will no doubt be the film. Plymouth Marine Laboratory funding for further pressings of the [email protected]) repeated for the benefit of those who missed it first time round.

232 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 233 hotoffthepress

Science writer Meriel Jones takes a look at some recent All over the world – and beyond papers in SGM journals which highlight new and exciting Mancinelli, R.L., Landheim, R., Sánchez-Porro, C., Dornmayr-Pfaffenhuemer, M., Gruber, C., Legat, A., Ventosa, A., Radax, C., Ihara, K., White, M.R. & Stan-Lotter, developments in microbiological research. H. (2009). Halorubrum chaoviator sp. nov., a haloarchaeon isolated from sea salt in Baja California, Mexico, Western Australia and Naxos, Greece. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 59, 1908–1913. Salmonella comes out of its shell One intriguing question about bacteria is whether the same species is found all over the world. An international collaboration, led by Helga Stan-Lotter from the Van Meervenne, E., Botteldoorn, N., Lokietek, S., Vatlet, M., Cupa, A., Naranjo, University of Salzburg in Austria, has recently isolated the same highly salt-tolerant M., Dierick, K. & Bertrand, S. (2009). Turtle-associated Salmonella septicaemia and species on an evaporitic salt crystal from an intertidal area in Baja California, Mexico, meningitis in a 2-month-old baby. J Med Microbiol 58, 1379–1381. from natural salt pools on the Western Australian coast and in a salt lake on the Salmonellosis is a worldwide public health problem. Its symptoms are stomach Adult raccoon dog island of Naxos in Greece. Indeed, it grew best in media containing 25% sodium cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea that usually end after a few days of unpleasant (Nyctereutes procyonoides). chloride, indicating that it was not only salt-tolerant but halophilic, requiring high US Air Force / Michael Dillon illness. However, some people experience more severe symptoms that require levels of salt in its environment. This, and other chemical and genetic characteristics, hospital treatment, and occasionally have a fatal outcome. The illness is caused by allowed the researchers to identify it as belonging to the domain Archaea, members But what about the raccoon dogs? Fei inadvertently consuming Salmonella bacteria with food or water. A group of Belgian Did SARS come from of which are frequently exceptionally tolerant to environmental stress. The tests Deng and colleagues at Wuhan Institute researchers have focused on exotic pets as a source of these bacteria. ‘Exotic pets’ raccoon dogs? showed that it was a member of the genus Halorubrum, but distinct from the of Virology in China, in collaboration encompasses a number of unusual animals, but the researchers were particularly previously known 19 species of this genus. Xu, L., Zhang, Y., Liu, Y., Chen, Z., with researchers at Peking and Hong interested in reptiles and other cold-blooded animals since, when tested, around Deng, H., Ma, Z., Wang, H., Hu, Kong Universities, have now found One further aspect of the stress tolerance of this bacterium comes from an 90% of reptiles harbour Salmonella and shed the bacteria into their faeces, even Z. & Deng, F. (2009). Angiotensin- out more about how they fit into the experiment carried out with the Baja California isolate (initially called Halo-G*T). though the animals look perfectly healthy. Parents are usually well aware of the need converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) from story. This involves a key point in the This has survived being dried onto quartz discs and flown on the Biopan facility into for hygiene when dogs or cats and young children play together, but may be less raccoon dog can serve as an efficient SARS virus life cycle, namely the step low Earth orbit. The Biopan is designed for investigations in open space because alert to dangers from unusual cold-blooded pets. receptor for the spike protein of severe at which it enters the cells of an animal it is mounted on the external surface of the Foton descent capsule owned by the Medical scientists have recorded more than 2,579 different serotypes of Salmonella, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. and can start to cause an infection. The European Space Agency. A motor-driven hinged lid opens in space to expose the mostly from patients where their illness has been severe enough to seek medical J Gen Virol 90, 2695–2703. virus attaches to one particular protein contents to the harsh environment, and then closes to protect the samples from the attention. A further reason for concern is that an increasing number of uncommon on the mammalian cell, called ACE2 heat of re-entry or contamination by other terrestrial micro-organisms. Impressively, Where do new diseases come from? serotypes associated with exotic pets are being recorded, particularly from infants (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2), via strain Halo-G*T survived the void of space. This gave the researchers inspiration to That is an obvious question when with more serious invasive disease that leads to hospitalization. a spike protein on the virus surface. The name the species Halorubrum chaoviator, after the Greek word chaos, meaning empty, serious new diseases suddenly appear, efficiency with which SARS-CoV infects void or space, and the Latin word viator, meaning traveller. Sophie Bertrand (Scientific Institute of Public Health in Brussels), with colleagues such as SARS (severe acute respiratory human, rat or mouse cells is directly in the Belgian Health Inspectorate French Community and Hospital Ambroise Paré syndrome) in November 2002, which related to how well ACE2 supports in Mons, has used one recent case to publicize the issue. This was a 2-month-old had a fatality rate of 10% over the first virus replication. girl with meningitis and septicaemia that turned out to be caused by a strain of few months. Researchers quickly found Salmonella, serotype Abony, which had only been identified in three other cases out out that it was caused by a type of virus, The researchers compared the ease with of 35,021 in Belgium between 2003 and 2007. The infant fortunately recovered coronavirus, that had not previously which SARS-CoV from humans could in a few weeks after receiving intravenous antibiotics, but when the paediatricians caused any illness in people. This made use the ACE2 enzymes from humans, realized that there was a pet turtle in the house, they tested it and found multiple its origin even more intriguing, and palm civets and raccoon dogs for entry variants of two Salmonella serotypes in its faeces, serotypes Abony and Solna. worrying. Over the following 7 years, into cells. Surprisingly, the raccoon Further tests showed that one of these serotypes was very similar to that of the researchers have inched towards an dog enzyme was the best of the three, bacteria that had infected the child. It was obviously the source of the infection. answer. They tracked the earliest SARS even better than the human enzyme. patients back to their work in live- To work out why, the researchers It was likely that the baby was infected by indirect contact with the pet turtle. animal markets in Guangdong Province compared the detailed structure of the The researchers point out that reptile import restrictions and public information in China. Among the animals for sale ACE2 proteins. There were many small campaigns have been effective public health measures against reptile-associated for the table were masked palm civets differences, and also large ones such salmonellosis in both Sweden and the USA, and advocate greater publicity of (Paguma larvata) and raccoon dogs as in the region most important for the this health risk in Europe. (Nyctereutes procyonoides). Searching for interaction between SARS-CoV and a source of the SARS virus, researchers ACE2. As a result, the researchers could eventually found that some of these not define a single reason, but the fact animals were infected with coronaviruses that the receptor from raccoon dogs that were remarkably similar to SARS- had such a high affinity for the SARS- CoV (SARS coronavirus). However, CoV that infects humans provides an further studies made it very clear that important insight into the origin of this although the masked palm civets were an new disease. It has identified a second important intermediary in the infection, animal that is an important intermediary Brand X Pictures / Jupiter Images the virus did not originate from them. in the evolution of SARS. Sample holder portion of the Biopan facility. European Space Agency

234 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 235 reviews

Sense and respond If you would like your name to be added to our database of Alhede, M., Bjarnsholt, T., Jensen, P.Ø., Phipps, K.R., Moser, C., Christophersen, L., Christensen, L.D., van Gennip, M., book reviewers, please complete the book reviewer interests Parsek, M., Høiby, N., Rasmussen, T.B. & Givskov, M. (2009). Pseudomonas aeruginosa recognizes and responds aggressively to the presence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Microbiology 155, 3500–3508. form at www.sgm.ac.uk. A classified compendium of reviews For any microbe to set up a successful infection, it must have called polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes (PMNs), from 1996 to the present is also available on the website. a way to deal with the defences of its host. The bacterium which are supposed to destroy invading bacteria, and persists Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunist that usually sets within the lung. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen developments. The amount and richness up infections on top of a pre-existing illness. Patients with and Technical University of Denmark, along with other Encyclopedia of Virology Living with Enza: of information provided does not permit cystic fibrosis are particularly likely to suffer from damaging collaborators in Denmark and the USA, have been trying to 3rd edn The forgotten story of comments to be made on individual chronic lung infections caused by this species. It somehow work out how the bacteria do this and even manage to destroy By B. Mahy contributions. Suffice it to say that for Britain and the Great Flu manages to evade cells from the human immune system the PMNs. Published by Elsevier (2008) some viruses, a few almost unavoidable Pandemic of 1918 The bacteria form a biofilm that grows like slime over the £830.00 pp. 3,234 duplications are found in related By M. Honigsbaum surface of the lungs. Within this, their virulence stays at a ISBN 978-0-12373-935-3 chapters. One particular group of viruses Published by MacMillan (2009) minimum until there are enough bacterial cells to overwhelm The third edition of the Encyclopedia is not reviewed in a single chapter, but £16.99 pp. 237 the PMNs. They use chemical messengers and a system called of Virology has been prepared 9 years in 12 different ones, making it difficult ISBN: 0-23021-774-4 quorum sensing to detect their numbers and decide when after the second edition and has been to see the large picture, although many When Mark Honigsbaum was writing there are enough to launch an attack. One question, of course, updated substantially, commensurate of these chapters are individually very this book in 2008, bird ’flu was the is how they manage to evade the PMNs up to this time. The with the enormous amount of new data good. Chapters reviewing viruses threat on everyone’s minds. By the researchers’ current project, led by Michael Givskov, has led in all areas of virology, increasing the affecting particular human organs time it was published earlier this year, them to a group of compounds called rhamnolipids that are size of the work from 3 to 5 volumes. or particular animals or plants are of a ’flu pandemic from an unexpected necessary for the bacteria to do this. The Encyclopedia has the intention interest to the generalist. This reviewer source was about to become reality. As Rhamnolipids are detergents synthesized by the bacteria that of being all-encompassing at a high is concerned about how the wealth of I review this book, once again we are can make stable emulsions with fats and oils in water, giving level of quality. This is reflected in knowledge provided in the Encyclopedia ‘living with enza’ but it is nothing like the bacterial cells better access to these substances as food a large number of specialists (over can be maximally used. An electronic the Spanish ‘flu pandemic of 1918–19 sources in the environment. Within the lungs of mice, 640; almost a Who’s Who of virology), version with a powerful search program described by Honigsbaum. Taking P. aeruginosa that could synthesize rhamnolipids were both coordinated by the two Editors-in-Chief should be considered for the next place in the final year and aftermath of better able to set up infections and more efficient at killing and 12 Associate Editors, who have edition; such a system would also allow the Great War, the infection claimed at PMNs. In contrast, mutant bacteria that lacked rhamnolipids all contributed in their areas of special continuous updating. least 50 million lives worldwide and expertise. It is amazing that viruses are were removed through the normal activity of the immune In this reviewer’s opinion, a special in Britain alone 228,000 died, many of found as obligate parasites in cells of cells. The researchers’ measurements showed that the chapter on reverse genetics would them in the prime of life. Despite the practically all branches of the tree of life rhamnolipid was concentrated in the bacterial biofilm, have been of great interest, given the devastating impact of the pandemic, (Eubacteria, Archaea and Eukarya). The which matched with their observations of tissue samples enormous progress which has been little information about it has come taken from patients. In these, PMNs were present on the Encyclopedia presents an enormous body down through the years by way of oral of knowledge in this respect in a very achieved by such systems in RNA virus surface of biofilms, but never within them, which would be research. Metagenomics would have tradition. Honigsbaum, a journalist comprehensive way. specializing in the history of disease, the case if the rhamnolipids were toxic to these mammalian been worth an entry, as much of the The chapters are alphabetically ordered, decided to redress the balance and tell cells. recent interest in this area has arisen frequently according to the names of the story through the voices of people from the discovery that traditional The implication is that the biofilm can sense and respond individual viruses or virus species, who lived through the pandemic. He microbiological methods, relying on to the presence of the PMNs by producing rhamnolipids. genera, families or orders, interspersed tracked down a collection of letters the culture of micro-organisms, have P. aeruginosa only synthesized the detergent for some of with articles on particular diseases or on in the Imperial War Museum and overlooked vast numbers of them. the time. The researchers showed that the activity of genes general virology topics. Classification used material gathered by researchers The issue of synthetic viral genomes involved in rhamnolipid biosynthesis increased when the issues have received close attention, like virologist Professor John Oxford, is marginally mentioned, but would bacteria were exposed to PMNs. They speculated that the following the ICTV 8th Report on Virus together with contemporary official also have warranted a more detailed bacteria did not produce rhamnolipids constantly because Taxonomy (2005). Glossaries preceding medical reports, papers published in they are toxic to all animal cells, inducing necrosis and death, some of the chapters are useful in discussion. medical journals and newspaper articles and would produce unprofitable damage to the animal host. explaining terms of specific significance This magnum opus represents a as his sources. The result is a fascinating These results are particularly interesting because rhamnolipids for the chapter. A list of the many tremendous effort in providing a chronicle of the Great ‘Flu Pandemic, have been suggested as a comparatively non-toxic detergent abbreviations used would have been synopsis of present knowledge in all set in its historical and scientific context with potential for environmental and food industry helpful. branches of virology. The Encyclopedia and extrapolated to the present. The applications. One outcome of this work is to open up a route With over 600 contributors, the quality should be available in the libraries of government’s approach to the crisis and for discovering new antibacterial treatments via chemicals that of chapters can be expected to differ. universities, major research institutions, the vagaries of the medical profession at block the quorum sensing system and also to show that the Most chapters are excellent and contain large schools and big laboratories in the time are also explored. toxicity of a compound can depend on the environment in references up to 2006/07. Only a few industry. The final chapters of the book speculate Human polymorphonuclear neutrophil. Don W. Fawcett / Science Photo Library which it is present. chapters do not fully review recent Ulrich Desselberger, Cambridge what might happen in the event of a ’flu

236 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 237 pandemic today. Being based around a of these diseases, which in many 41) on a perspective on A. fumigatus In summary, this text is a welcome Animalcules: The The Immune System, 3rd edn bird ’flu strain that can be transmitted instances are often forgotten among research for the next 10 years. The first addition to the library of basic and Activities, Impacts, and Detection of Highly Dangerous scientists and clinicians since the latter 40 chapters tackle the state-of-the-art in clinical scientists, graduate and medical between humans, the domesday Investigators of Microbes Pathogens: Microarray Methods for scenario predicted loses dramatic impact forms are not usually life-threatening. regard to the many subjects mentioned students, and to those of us that BSL3 and BSL4 Agents because it does not bear much similarity It is very clear that research into above. Given all of this, what is next? It teach graduate and medical students. By B. Dixon Infectious Disease: Pathogenesis, to the realities of the present swine ’flu this organism has advanced at many is clear that defining virulence factors Especially in regard to the upcoming Published by American Society for Prevention, and Case Studies outbreak. As ever, the bugs have sprung levels, especially in biochemistry and of this organism remains difficult generation of physicians, unless we Microbiology (2009) a surprise, and both the source of the molecular biology. Thus, the literature to accomplish, given the tried and tell them the significance of these US$39.95 pp. 358 Taxonomy, Phylogeny, and Ecology of current H1N1 strain and its impact on is rapidly expanding on subjects true definitions of virulence. Thus, is infections, we will only remain ISBN 978-1-55581-500-4 Bark-inhabiting and Tree-pathogenic people have been unexpected. Also the ranging from virulence to diagnostics, auxotrophy a virulence determinant? hopeful with ‘promising’ approaches Fungi in the Cryphonectriaceae In 1973, the distinguished medical scientists of today have done pretty well treatments, immune responses, with The answer is a resounding ‘no’ and to improved health care. This text is Life in Space: Astrobiology for Everyone scientist Lewis Thomas published in dealing with the disease. Antiviral long-term goals of developing novel the authors are to be given credit important to spark interest in doing a collection of his essays from the Bacterial Polysaccharides: Current drugs are available to those who need therapies and diagnostics to treat an for saying so. Are the current animal fungal research. New England Journal of Medicine as a Innovations and Future Trends them and supplies of vaccine are now otherwise very devastating disease models representatives of these diseases? Richard Calderone, Georgetown very successful book, The Lives of the Food-borne Microbes: Shaping the reaching the most vulnerable members (IA). The expansive subject matter has How does one begin to decipher University Cell. Bernard Dixon has now done of society. If a second edition of Living in part resulted in three international virulence functions among genes that Host Ecosystem the same with essays from the ASM with Enza is ever published, the author conferences on ‘Advances Against comprise large, redundant families? Practical Guide to Diagnostic publication Microbe. The vocabulary is will have to include a new chapter! Aspergillosis’, with a 4th planned for These questions not only complicate Parasitology, 2nd edn Acanthamoeba Biology more technical than that of Thomas, February 2010. Thus, this text is perfect definitions of virulence, but point to the and Pathogenesis Horizontal Gene Transfer: Genomes in Nevertheless, Honigsbaum paints a for all interested readers in that it lack of defined virulence targets for the but this should not be a problem for powerful picture in this book and it is Flux centralizes all areas of studies. development of new antifungal drugs. By N. Khan microbiologists or their students. Dixon well worth reading. Unfortunately, as has a talent for spotting important Case Studies in Infectious Disease There are 9 sections, each of which Aspergillosis scientists, and really all Published by Caister Academic seems usual in this type of publication, developments for his interestingly includes a variable number of chapters of us, need to believe in the concept of Press (2009) Viral Applications of Green Fluorescent the illustrations are sparse and of poor written and scientifically sound essays. on: 1, the species; 2, growth and avirulence therapies which have become £150.00 pp. 290 Protein: Methods and Protocols quality. On the plus side, the work is Most microbiologists will find much sensing; 3, immunity; 4, the spectrum quite fashionable among scientists that ISBN 978-1-90445-543-1 Bioinformatics for DNA Sequence fully referenced and has an excellent that is new to them, and students of disease; 5, diagnosis; 6, therapy; 7, advocate this approach with bacterial Analysis index. If you are interested in Acanthamoeba material that will help with their own timing of anti-fungal therapy; 8, disease pathogens. There is also discussion of species, then this is the book to turn essays and projects, as well as a lesson Life Strategies of Microorganisms in the Janet Hurst, SGM and patient populations; and 9, future the -omics approach to discovery, and to. Kahn explores every aspect of this in lucid writing. The book will be a Environment and in Host Organisms directions of research. There are 41 both pros and cons are discussed. New protozoan genus and, unlike many valuable addition to the libraries of Escherichia coli – Facets of a Versatile chapters in all. The authors are to be therapies and diagnostics remain at Aspergillus fumigatus and books on pathogens, he reminds individuals and universities. Pathogen cited for a good balance of material the forefront of discovery. In regard to Aspergillosis us that Acanthamoeba is essentially distributed among clinical and basic diagnostics, a theme that is developed Sequelae and Long-term Consequences an environmental organism that Michael Carlile, Bridgwater Edited by J.P. Latge & W.J. Steinbach science chapters. One of the many is the identification of specific host of Infectious Diseases is also an opportunistic pathogen. Published by American Society for outstanding features of the majority responses, rather than features of the The thoroughness of the book Antiviral Research: Strategies in Microbiology (2008) of chapters is the use of multiple fungus, i.e. galactomannan antigenemia Reviews on the web is complemented by its logical Antiviral Drug Discovery US$169.95 pp. 598 authors. This of course is harder to or PCR-based techniques. Perhaps a organization with discrete sections that Reviews of the following books are Bacteriology of Humans: An Ecological ISBN 978-1-55581-438-0 co-ordinate, given the proclivities of combination of host and fungal factor provide information on the organism’s available on the website at www.sgm. Perspective The co-editors, Drs Jean-Paul Latge and scientists to develop their own theme, diagnostics is needed. The prophecy biology, life cycle, infectious nature ac.uk/pubs/micro_today/reviews.cfm William Steinbach, are both experienced but, nevertheless, many chapters thus herein is that the development of new Illustrated Dictionary of Immunology, and mode of action, the host immune in the basic sciences of the organism reflect each viewpoint. The text is quite therapies is exciting but unrealistic, of The Dictionary of Virology, 4th edn 3rd edn response that it provokes and the and disease manifestations caused comprehensive. It is therefore difficult which one could debate this point of Living at Micro Scale: The Unexpected Clinical Virology Manual, 4th edn therapeutic strategies that are available by this fungus. The text is extremely to focus upon a critique of each chapter; view. Rather, emphasis is placed upon Physics of Being Small to us. Furthermore, the ‘Trojan Horse’ Gene Therapy of Cancer Methods and timely given the emerging interest in the however, chapters on comparative increasing the efficacy and reducing idea is explored with respect to its Plant Pathology Techniques & Protocols Protocols, 2nd edn medical mycology and infectious disease genomics (chapter 4), growth and the toxicity of current drugs. Immune ‘endosymbionts’, comprising viruses The ELISA Guidebook, 2nd edn Bacterial Sensing and Signaling community to treat and diagnose these biofilm formation (chapters 11 & 12), therapy and approaches are discussed. and numerous bacteria that not only infections. It is also important to focus the cell wall as a dynamic structure I would conclude by saying that all of Prebiotics & Probiotics: Leatherhead Virus Diseases of Plants, 2-CD set evade digestion by this microbiological upon A. fumigatus since by far it is the (chapter 14), innate defenses (chapter us who study these pathogens need Ingredients Handbook, 2nd edn Principles and Practice of Clinical predator but carry on their life style most common offending pathogen 18), allergic bronchopulmonary to become stronger advocates of this Microbial Toxins: Current Research and Virology, 6th edn with, in some cases, an enhancement of among the aspergilli. Aspergillosis is aspergillosis (chapter 26), prophylaxis, science. Fungi continue to cause disease Future Trends their pathogenicity. But before you rush Essentials of Apoptosis: A Guide for the most common infection caused by and current consensus and controversies and death, and health care costs to out to get a copy, you need to consider Biomeasurement: A Student’s Guide to Basic and Clinical Research a filamentous fungus, and in the case over IA (chapters 36, & 37) are patients and hospitals are staggering. the price (it is high), and consequently Biological Statistics, 2nd edn Defensive Mutualism in Microbial of invasive aspergillosis (IA), a high especially relevant, but in no way is this Somehow we have not convinced the there would be an expectation of higher Advanced Genetic Analysis: Genes, Symbiosis mortality is associated with outcome. comment meant to minimize the quality people who make decisions on funding quality diagrams. Overall, a book well Genomes, and Networks in Eukaryotes The text also goes beyond IA to examine of the other contributed chapters. research on fungal diseases (which is Proteases and Cancer Methods and worth considering. allergic and bronchopulmonary A critical component of the text is, not badly needed) to continue the cause of Candida albicans: Methods & Protocols Protocols manifestations, the non-invasive forms surprisingly, the last chapter (chapter delivering better health care. Roger Pickup, Lancaster University Essential Cell Biology, 3rd edn Viral Genome Replication

238 microbiology today nov 09 microbiology today nov 09 239 Keith Gull explains how the long-awaited redevelopment of the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) and a change in its strategy will provide a much-needed UK hub for the integration of studies in human and veterinary medical science. commentOne piece of the ‘one medicine agenda’:title redevelopment of the IAH The ‘one medicine agenda’ emphasizes by a synergistic and fully integrated increase the rhythm of such outbreaks. the complex interrelationships between international surveillance capability UK capacity in this area will need human and animal health and the provided by the national and continuing consolidation. The key importance of cooperation between international virus reference laboratories development for the future is to human and veterinary medicine, building already situated at Pirbright. produce a balanced, coordinated view on a common pool of knowledge in Specifically, the Institute will address of sort term basic research on infectious microbiology, immunology, physiology, four areas: large animal viral diseases, disease integrated with high-quality pathology and epidemiology (http:// including those exotic to the UK; vector- diagnostics, surveillance and long-term royalsociety.org/displaypagedoc.asp?id= borne and emerging viral diseases of research. IAH’s 20-year-long research 32574). From an initial focus on zoonotic livestock; avian viral diseases; and viral and surveillance work on bluetongue diseases, the agenda has spread to a zoonoses from the livestock perspective. disease meant that the UK was aware of wider emphasis on synergistic efforts The Institute will be a national hub the threat that this encroaching disease leading to improved public health, and for this activity, providing a UK facility posed well before it ‘landed’ in the east prevention and treatment of disease to attract strategic partnerships with of England. affecting humans and animals. These the higher education sector, provide Within 4 years the IAH will have a sectors have been separated for far too training opportunities for veterinary new, state-of-the-art, high-containment long and often are only brought together scientists, expand scientific links to facility at Pirbright, with a comprehensive, when major disease threats emerge. developing countries and be part of multi-disciplinary focus on present and Animal health research has been the growing international network of emerging viruses of animals, some of the poorer of the two sectors, both world-class facilities. which are also zoonotic. It will be able in research capacity, funding and How has this come about? Following to recruit the very best researchers from infrastructure. Now, a major change in the FMDV outbreak of 2001, BBSRC around the globe, and be part of an elite the animal health landscape has started Council accepted the recommendations group of similar laboratories in strategic with the recent announcement by the of my report that IAH Pirbright was parts of the world. It is also one of the BBSRC that the IAH at Pirbright is to be badly in need of new buildings. hubs that the UK needs to consolidate redeveloped. Currently on two sites – Government accepted the advice to into a wider ‘one medicine agenda’ for Compton and Pirbright – IAH will refurbish the Pirbright Laboratory, integration of human and veterinary consolidate onto a single site at Pirbright but inter-departmental issues in medical sciences. with the Government confirming £100m government produced delays; although funding for a new CL3 and CL4 high- some progress was made with new Keith Gull containment laboratory complex. CL4 animal facilities being completed Professor of Molecular Microbiology, In September 2009, Professor Martin this year, and some ground work for Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Shirley, Director of IAH, announced the new laboratory complex started University of Oxford, South Parks that there was to be a major change in 2007. The recent announcement of Road, Oxford OX1 3RE (e keith.gull@ in strategy for the IAH. Henceforth, the funding under BBSRC’s leadership path.ox.ac.uk) the Institute would focus exclusively should ensure efficient progress to Further reading on virus diseases. The new IAH will completion of this critical national Gull, K. (2002). Review of the Institute engage on fundamental immunology, facility. We may not be able to say what for Animal Health – Pirbright Laboratory. pathogenesis, epidemiology, molecular the next major animal disease epidemic A report for BBSRC Council. www.bbsrc. virology, computational biology and or human zoonotic episode may be, but ac.uk/organisation/policies/reviews/ bioinformatics, to be complemented we can say that environmental change operational/0207_iah_pirbright.pdf

m Architect’s impression of the new IAH and the changing patterns of human life Please note that views expressed in Comment do not facility at Pirbright. IAH in the world are conspiring to necessarily reflect official policy of the SGM Council.

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