DOCSLIB.ORG

Microbiologytoday

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Microbiologytoday microbiologytoday microbiology vol36|aug09 quarterly magazine of the society today for general microbiology vol 36 | aug 09 microbes in sport community-acquired mrsa in sport herpes gladiatorum – scrumpox improving sports turf with microbes swine ’flu update contents vol36(3) regular features 122 News 164 Going Public 132 Microshorts 169 Addresses 150 Conferences 170 Hot off the Press 152 Schoolzone 173 Reviews 160 Gradline other items 159 Diphtheria and a death mask – Peter Wildy’s Story Michael Carlile articles 134 Can I catch MRSA 144 Can microbes be used from playing sport? to produce ‘greener’ Jodi Lindsay sports turf? MRSA is a big problem in health care settings, but what Alan Gange threat does it pose in the community? Soil microbes are a different kind of player on the sports field. 138 Herpes Gladiatorum: a combative virus 176 Comment: Sw-H1N1-ng on disease about ’flu again Julia Colston & Judy Breuer Wendy Barclay Players of contact sports can sometimes end up How ready is the world to cope with the new swine ’flu with an unexpected virus after the game. pandemic? Cover image Rugby scrum. Bob Thomas / Getty Images The views expressed Editor Dr Matt Hutchings––Editorial Board Dr Sue Assinder, Dr Paul Hoskisson, Professor Mark Harris 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. 123 SGM; 151, 153, 173 Comstock / Jupiter Images; 161, 171 Stockbyte; 165, AbleStock; 169 Digital Vision / Getty claims of advertisers © 2009 The Society for General Microbiology––ISSN 1464-0570––Printed by Latimer Trend & Company Ltd, Plymouth, UK be guaranteed. news Sir Howard Dalton Prize Free access to SGM Council and Fellowship H1N1 influenza May meeting highlights Sir Howard Dalton, who was SGM President virus papers Within the next year an Advisory Council of 12 members 1997–2000 and who sadly died unexpectedly in Honorary membership Because of current public health will be formed. 2008, made a bequest of £2,000 to the Society. interest in swine influenza, SGM Council decided unanimously to support the President’s After careful deliberations, Council decided has made all papers on H1N1 nomination of Dr Julian Davies, Professor Emeritus of SGM finances that it would like use the money to support influenza viruses published in JGV Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Council accepted the 2008 Annual Accounts and attendance at an SGM meeting by a microbiology and JMM freely available online. Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, for Honorary Membership. authorized the Treasurer to sign the Letter of Representation student from The Gambia, where Sir Howard and Under normal circumstances, papers His scientific work focuses on all aspects of microbial to the auditors. They also noted that the commercial sales his wife Lady Kira were involved in educational published in these journals are ecology and he is a keen supporter of SGM; in the past tiered pricing project was underway. The general economic activities. Lady Kira was delighted to accede to under access controls for 12 months few months alone having written not only an article for recession has not left SGM untouched. However, at present this suggestion and the scheme will be put in after publication. See http://vir. Microbiology Today, but also been a keynote speaker at the its finances are stable. place. Council also decided to rename the Young sgmjournals.org/misc/news_060509 Harrogate conference. Microbiologist of the Year Competition, which Education activities fosters science communication in early career SGM Prizes The Education Officer Sue Assinder reported that in 2009 microbiologists, in honour of Sir Howard. Council members were requested to send nominations for SGM staff will continue to participate in the joint Science the 2010 SGM Prize Medal to the General Secretary in May, Swine ’flu talk at Careers stand with other bioscience organizations at the in readiness for the discussion at the July 2009 Council autumn conference Higher Education Conventions aimed at 6th-formers meeting when a decision will be made. Fred Griffith Prize Wendy Barclay, Professor of Influenza making university choices. She showed Council two new Virology at Imperial College London, SGM meetings publications. Microbiologists make a difference, a stylish and Lecture will be giving delegates at the interesting guide to careers in microbiology for the 16 year- Council heard that the Spring 2009 meeting in Harrogate Professor Jeff Errington will deliver SGM conference in Edinburgh all old, describes 9 job profiles by young microbiologists and was a great success with good attendance at the scientific his prize lecture entitled From spores to the latest news and research findings contains advice on training routes and career opportunities sessions and particularly the prize lectures. This was the first antibiotics via the cell cycle, on Tuesday, on swine ‘flu. As Microbiology Today in microbiology. The good, the bad and the ugly – microbes, conference under the new system, which was considered to 8 September at the Society’s meeting went to press, the World Health a colourful 68-page book for key stage 3 and 4 pupils which have worked well. The arrangements will be reviewed by at Edinburgh Conference Centre, Organization declared the current includes a CD on microbiology, has been sent to all school the new Scientific Meetings Officer, Chris J. Hewitt, in Heriot-Watt University. The Fred outbreak an official pandemic. Wendy members of the SGM (now over 500!), and a marketing 2010. Griffith Prize is awarded in recognition has been in much demand by the campaign aimed at all UK and Ireland secondary schools is of long and distinguished service in media to provide information about European Society for Virology (ESV) underway. any area of microbiology. the virus and the infection it causes, The President attended the First General Assembly of Dual use of micro-organisms appearing on television as well as Jeff did a BSc in Genetics and the new ESV which took place in Rome on 24 April 2009. being interviewed on radio and by the Zoology at Newcastle University He reported that the ESV sees itself as the equivalent in In the light of the Parliamentary Office of Science and press. Her talk takes place at noon on (1977) and then a PhD in microbial Europe of the American Society for Virology (ASV). It Technology (POST) canvassing opinion on this issue from Wednesday 9 September. genetics at what is now the University will be responsible for organizing the triennial European some of the SGM Editors-in-Chief for one of their ‘POST of Greenwich. In 1981 he made a Wendy has also agreed to participate Congress of Virology. The next (4th) congress will take place Notes’, Council had a general discussion. In conclusion, career-defining move to Oxford to work with Prof Joel Mandelstam on in an event for the general public in Cernobbia, Lago di Como, Italy, in April 2010. Council it saw no cogent reason to change the Policy on Scientific spore formation in Bacillus subtilis. Captivated by the power of B. subtilis as during the Heriot-Watt meeting, under agreed that SGM should support the new society and Publication, Security and Censorship that they had agreed an experimental organism, he has continued to work on fundamental aspects the banner ’Flu and You: catch it, become a corporate member. Robin Weiss was elected the on 2 May 2003 (see www.sgm.ac.uk/pubs/policy.cfm). of its cell and molecular biology ever since. In 2006 he moved his lab to bin it, kill it. She will give a talk that Chair of the European Virology Award (EVA) Committee. Ulrich Desselberger, General Secretary Newcastle to take over as Director of the Institute for Cell and Molecular covers seasonal ’flu as well as swine Biosciences and realize a dream of building a research centre focused on ’flu and provide information on ’flu fundamental studies of model bacteria – the Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology – vaccines. The talk will be followed New member of Council which will be housed in a brand new building in 2010. Jeff has published nearly by an interactive demonstration on AGM 2009 150 full research papers, many in high ranking journals including Cell, Science hand hygiene by SGM staff using their Dr Karen Robinson, Associate Professor, Centre for The AGM of the Society will be held on Tuesday, 8 and Nature. His contributions have been honoured by election to Fellowship of exciting glowing gel to show how Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, has September 2009 at the Society Meeting at Edinburgh the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the American Academy of viruses are transmitted by touch. The been elected unopposed to serve on Council for a Conference Centre, Heriot-Watt University. Agenda papers, Microbiology and EMBO. Jeff embraces the idea that basic science can provide event will take place after the end period of 4 years from 8 September 2009. A profile of including reports from Officers and Group Conveners and opportunities for drug discovery and founded Prolysis Ltd, which now has several of scientific sessions on Tuesday 8 Dr Robinson will appear in a future issue of Microbiology the Accounts of the Society for 2008 are circulated with novel antibiotics in the development pipeline. September. Today.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Role of Streptococcal and Staphylococcal Exotoxins and Proteases in Human Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
    toxins Review The Role of Streptococcal and Staphylococcal Exotoxins and Proteases in Human Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections Patience Shumba 1, Srikanth Mairpady Shambat 2 and Nikolai Siemens 1,* 1 Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, Department of Molecular Genetics and Infection Biology, University of Greifswald, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany; [email protected] 2 Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +49-3834-420-5711 Received: 20 May 2019; Accepted: 10 June 2019; Published: 11 June 2019 Abstract: Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are critical clinical conditions characterized by extensive necrosis of any layer of the soft tissue and systemic toxicity. Group A streptococci (GAS) and Staphylococcus aureus are two major pathogens associated with monomicrobial NSTIs. In the tissue environment, both Gram-positive bacteria secrete a variety of molecules, including pore-forming exotoxins, superantigens, and proteases with cytolytic and immunomodulatory functions. The present review summarizes the current knowledge about streptococcal and staphylococcal toxins in NSTIs with a special focus on their contribution to disease progression, tissue pathology, and immune evasion strategies. Keywords: Streptococcus pyogenes; group A streptococcus; Staphylococcus aureus; skin infections; necrotizing soft tissue infections; pore-forming toxins; superantigens; immunomodulatory proteases; immune responses Key Contribution: Group A streptococcal and Staphylococcus aureus toxins manipulate host physiological and immunological responses to promote disease severity and progression. 1. Introduction Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are rare and represent a more severe rapidly progressing form of soft tissue infections that account for significant morbidity and mortality [1].
    [Show full text]
  • Report from the 26Th Meeting on Toxinology,“Bioengineering Of
    toxins Meeting Report Report from the 26th Meeting on Toxinology, “Bioengineering of Toxins”, Organized by the French Society of Toxinology (SFET) and Held in Paris, France, 4–5 December 2019 Pascale Marchot 1,* , Sylvie Diochot 2, Michel R. Popoff 3 and Evelyne Benoit 4 1 Laboratoire ‘Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques’, CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université, Faculté des Sciences-Campus Luminy, 13288 Marseille CEDEX 09, France 2 Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Sophia Antipolis, 06550 Valbonne, France; [email protected] 3 Bacterial Toxins, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; michel-robert.popoff@pasteur.fr 4 Service d’Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines (SIMOPRO), CEA de Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +33-4-9182-5579 Received: 18 December 2019; Accepted: 27 December 2019; Published: 3 January 2020 1. Preface This 26th edition of the annual Meeting on Toxinology (RT26) of the SFET (http://sfet.asso.fr/ international) was held at the Institut Pasteur of Paris on 4–5 December 2019. The central theme selected for this meeting, “Bioengineering of Toxins”, gave rise to two thematic sessions: one on animal and plant toxins (one of our “core” themes), and a second one on bacterial toxins in honour of Dr. Michel R. Popoff (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France), both sessions being aimed at emphasizing the latest findings on their respective topics. Nine speakers from eight countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Russia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America) were invited as international experts to present their work, and other researchers and students presented theirs through 23 shorter lectures and 27 posters.
    [Show full text]
  • OPTIONS X Programme
    Options X for the Control of Influenza | WELCOME MESSAGES BREAKTHROUGH INFLUENZA VACCINES TAKE LARGE DOSES OF INNOVATION Protecting people from the ever-changing threat of influenza takes unwavering commitment. That’s why we’re dedicated to developing advanced technologies and vaccines that can fight influenza as it evolves. We’re with you. ON THE FRONT LINETM BREAKTHROUGH INFLUENZA VACCINES TAKE LARGE DOSES OF INNOVATION CONTENT OPTIONS X SUPPORTERS ------------------- 4 OPTIONS X EXHIBITORS & COMMITTEES ------------------- 5 AWARD INFORMATION ------------------- 6 WELCOME MESSAGES ------------------- 7 SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE ------------------- 10 CONFERENCE INFORMATION ------------------- 11 SOCIAL PROGRAMME ------------------- 14 ABOUT SINGAPORE ------------------- 15 SUNTEC FLOORPLAN ------------------- 16 SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS ------------------- 17 PROGRAMME ------------------- 19 SPEAKERS ------------------- 31 SPONSORED SYMPOSIA ------------------- 39 ORAL PRESENTATION LISTINGS ------------------- 42 POSTER PRESENTATION LISTINGS ------------------- 51 ABSTRACTS POSTER DISPLAY LISTINGS ------------------- 54 SPONSOR AND EXHIBITOR LISTINGS ------------------- 80 EXHIBITION FLOORPLAN ------------------- 83 Protecting people from the ever-changing threat of NOTE ------------------- 84 influenza takes unwavering commitment. That’s why we’re dedicated to developing advanced technologies and vaccines that can fight influenza as it evolves. We’re with you. ON THE FRONT LINETM Options X for the Control of Influenza | OPTIONS X SUPPORTERS
    [Show full text]
  • Hemolysin CB with Human C5a Receptors Γ Valentine Leukocidin
    Differential Interaction of the Staphylococcal Toxins Panton−Valentine Leukocidin and γ -Hemolysin CB with Human C5a Receptors This information is current as András N. Spaan, Ariën Schiepers, Carla J. C. de Haas, of October 1, 2021. Davy D. J. J. van Hooijdonk, Cédric Badiou, Hugues Contamin, François Vandenesch, Gérard Lina, Norma P. Gerard, Craig Gerard, Kok P. M. van Kessel, Thomas Henry and Jos A. G. van Strijp J Immunol 2015; 195:1034-1043; Prepublished online 19 June 2015; Downloaded from doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1500604 http://www.jimmunol.org/content/195/3/1034 http://www.jimmunol.org/ Supplementary http://www.jimmunol.org/content/suppl/2015/06/19/jimmunol.150060 Material 4.DCSupplemental References This article cites 46 articles, 14 of which you can access for free at: http://www.jimmunol.org/content/195/3/1034.full#ref-list-1 Why The JI? Submit online. by guest on October 1, 2021 • Rapid Reviews! 30 days* from submission to initial decision • No Triage! Every submission reviewed by practicing scientists • Fast Publication! 4 weeks from acceptance to publication *average Subscription Information about subscribing to The Journal of Immunology is online at: http://jimmunol.org/subscription Permissions Submit copyright permission requests at: http://www.aai.org/About/Publications/JI/copyright.html Email Alerts Receive free email-alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up at: http://jimmunol.org/alerts The Journal of Immunology is published twice each month by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc., 1451 Rockville Pike, Suite 650, Rockville, MD 20852 Copyright © 2015 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Bin Brook Easter 2018
    Bin Brook Draft 4 AW.qxp_Layout 1 01/08/2018 13:48 Page 1 BIN EASTER 2018 BROOK ROBINSON COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE Diversifying Robinson Bringing Focus on Medicine From bats to Travels with our students India Remembering Robinson the brightest and best to Cambridge herpes with Robinson's medics and Iraq with Zhuan and Molly Dr Mary Stewart's living legacy Bin Brook Draft 4 AW.qxp_Layout 1 01/08/2018 13:48 Page 2 02 Contents WELCOME 03 News in brief 04 Diversifying Robinson Bin Brook is Robinson’s flagship publication, keeping our alumni and friends 05 Access to Robinson Eleanor Humphrey in touch with the College and with each other. In view of its importance 06 My Robinson Dr Ben Guy we felt it was owed a facelift, and we hope you like the new look. 07 e Cancer Problem Dr Gary Doherty 08 Must all that lives die? Dr Anke Timmerman Easter 2018 is the first in a series of themed issues, focusing this time on the ground- breaking work of our Fellows in Medicine. ere can be few of us whose lives have 09 Fighting fluProfessor Wendy Barclay been untouched by illnesses such as cancer, viral disease or dementia, and it’s exciting to see that the research that may change the direction of our approaches 10 Bats in the limelight Dr Oliver Restif to these modern-day plagues may come out of Robinson. 11 Learning about memory Dr Brian McCabe Oxbridge admissions have been in the media spotlight recently and we are pleased to offer an 12 Brain Training Dr Duncan Astle insight into our outreach work, answering some of our readers’ questions on this most important 13 e Medic’s Tale Oliver Fox subject that is so close to Robinson’s heart and heritage.
    [Show full text]
  • Panton-Valentine Leukocidin: a Review
    Reprinted from www.antimicrobe.org Panton-Valentine Leukocidin: A Review Marina Morgan F.R.C.Path. Venkata Meka, M.D. Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a bi-component, pore-forming exotoxin produced by some strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Also termed a synergohymenotropic toxin (i.e. acts on membranes through the synergistic activity of 2 non-associated secretory proteins, component S and component F) (9), PVL toxin components assemble into heptamers on the neutrophil membrane, resulting in lytic pores and membrane damage. Injection of purified PVL induces histamine release from human basophilic granulocytes, enzymes (such as β-glucuronidase and lysozyme), chemotactic factors (such as leukotriene B4 and interleukin (IL-) 8), and oxygen metabolites from human neutrophilic granulocytes (5). Intradermal injection of purified PVL in rabbits causes severe inflammatory lesions with capillary dilation, chemotaxis, polymorphonuclear (PMN) infiltration, PMN karyorrhexis, and skin necrosis (17). PVL production is encoded by two contiguous and cotranscribed genes, lukS-PV and lukF-PV, found in a prophage segment integrated in the S. aureus chromosome (9). Traditionally some 2% of S. aureus produce PVL, however in certain groups in close contact with each other, such as military personnel, prisoners, and families of patients with infected skin lesions, skin to skin transmission is common resulting in a far higher carriage rates. Different PVL-positive S. aureus strains carry differing phage sequences, which can move into other strains methicillin and resistant, empowering them with PVl production genes (15). Many patients with PVL-positive necrotizing pneumonia have a preceding illness resembling influenza, with rigors pyrexia and myalgia. Expression of most S.
    [Show full text]
  • Impact of Bacterial Toxins in the Lungs
    toxins Review Impact of Bacterial Toxins in the Lungs 1,2,3, , 4,5, 3 2 Rudolf Lucas * y, Yalda Hadizamani y, Joyce Gonzales , Boris Gorshkov , Thomas Bodmer 6, Yves Berthiaume 7, Ueli Moehrlen 8, Hartmut Lode 9, Hanno Huwer 10, Martina Hudel 11, Mobarak Abu Mraheil 11, Haroldo Alfredo Flores Toque 1,2, 11 4,5,12,13, , Trinad Chakraborty and Jürg Hamacher * y 1 Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; hfl[email protected] 2 Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; [email protected] 3 Department of Medicine and Division of Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; [email protected] 4 Lungen-und Atmungsstiftung, Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; [email protected] 5 Pneumology, Clinic for General Internal Medicine, Lindenhofspital Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland 6 Labormedizinisches Zentrum Dr. Risch, Waldeggstr. 37 CH-3097 Liebefeld, Switzerland; [email protected] 7 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; [email protected] 8 Pediatric Surgery, University Children’s Hospital, Zürich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, CH-8032 Zürch, Switzerland; [email protected] 9 Insitut für klinische Pharmakologie, Charité, Universitätsklinikum Berlin, Reichsstrasse 2, D-14052 Berlin, Germany; [email protected] 10 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Voelklingen Heart Center, 66333
    [Show full text]
  • The Future of Vaccination the FUTURE of VACCINATION the FUTURE of VACCINATION
    The future of vaccination THE FUTURE OF VACCINATION THE FUTURE OF VACCINATION Vaccines are one of the greatest triumphs in modern medicine, saving up to 3m lives each year. They are widely regarded as the single most cost-effective public health intervention: every dollar spent on childhood immunisations in Africa returns $44 in economic benefits. We mostly think of vaccines as a way of protecting against communicable (infectious) childhood diseases such as measles. Professor Robin Shattock, In fact, vaccines are far more versatile. They offer hope for Professor Wendy Barclay combating HIV as well as non-communicable diseases such and Professor Jason Hallett as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, due in part to the presented their research to development of DNA and RNA vaccination techniques. the World Economic Forum in Davos. Fast-tracked vaccines have the potential to contain disease outbreaks before they escalate into epidemics or pandemics. Such research offers the opportunity to innovate in science Vaccines can also target antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and manufacturing; to save lives; enhance wellbeing; and a growing threat that jeopardises hard-won gains in public even to safeguard the future of humanity. health and could claim as many as 10m lives annually by 2050. The feature includes interviews with academics in the cross- This feature offers a broad overview on vaccines, covering disciplinary Imperial Network for Vaccine Research, and other the following five areas: researchers and policymakers. These interviews focus on future vaccine research and the policy changes needed to maximise • what is a vaccine and how does it work? the benefits of that research.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of NMR and MRI
    WELLCOME WITNESSES TO TWENTIETH CENTURY MEDICINE _____________________________________________________________________________ MAKING THE HUMAN BODY TRANSPARENT: THE IMPACT OF NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING _________________________________________________ RESEARCH IN GENERAL PRACTICE __________________________________ DRUGS IN PSYCHIATRIC PRACTICE ______________________ THE MRC COMMON COLD UNIT ____________________________________ WITNESS SEMINAR TRANSCRIPTS EDITED BY: E M TANSEY D A CHRISTIE L A REYNOLDS Volume Two – September 1998 ©The Trustee of the Wellcome Trust, London, 1998 First published by the Wellcome Trust, 1998 Occasional Publication no. 6, 1998 The Wellcome Trust is a registered charity, no. 210183. ISBN 978 186983 539 1 All volumes are freely available online at www.history.qmul.ac.uk/research/modbiomed/wellcome_witnesses/ Please cite as : Tansey E M, Christie D A, Reynolds L A. (eds) (1998) Wellcome Witnesses to Twentieth Century Medicine, vol. 2. London: Wellcome Trust. Key Front cover photographs, L to R from the top: Professor Sir Godfrey Hounsfield, speaking (NMR) Professor Robert Steiner, Professor Sir Martin Wood, Professor Sir Rex Richards (NMR) Dr Alan Broadhurst, Dr David Healy (Psy) Dr James Lovelock, Mrs Betty Porterfield (CCU) Professor Alec Jenner (Psy) Professor David Hannay (GPs) Dr Donna Chaproniere (CCU) Professor Merton Sandler (Psy) Professor George Radda (NMR) Mr Keith (Tom) Thompson (CCU) Back cover photographs, L to R, from the top: Professor Hannah Steinberg, Professor
    [Show full text]
  • Multiple Roles of Staphylococcus Aureus Enterotoxins: Pathogenicity, Superantigenic Activity, and Correlation to Antibiotic Resistance
    Toxins 2010, 2, 2117-2131; doi:10.3390/toxins2082117 OPEN ACCESS toxins ISSN 2072-6651 www.mdpi.com/journal/toxins Review Multiple Roles of Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxins: Pathogenicity, Superantigenic Activity, and Correlation to Antibiotic Resistance Elena Ortega, Hikmate Abriouel, Rosario Lucas and Antonio Gálvez * Area de Microbiología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, 23071-Jaén, Spain; E-Mails: [email protected] (E.O.); [email protected] (H.A.); [email protected] (R.L.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +34 953 212160; Fax: +34 953 212943. Received: 3 July 2010 / Accepted: 9 August 2010 / Published: 10 August 2010 Abstract: Heat-stable enterotoxins are the most notable virulence factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus, a common pathogen associated with serious community and hospital acquired diseases. Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) cause toxic shock-like syndromes and have been implicated in food poisoning. But SEs also act as superantigens that stimulate T-cell proliferation, and a high correlation between these activities has been detected. Most of the nosocomial S. aureus infections are caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, and those resistant to quinolones or multiresistant to other antibiotics are emerging, leaving a limited choice for their control. This review focuses on these diverse roles of SE, their possible correlations and the influence in disease progression and therapy. Keywords: enterotoxins; Staphylococcus aureus; superantigens; MRSA; immune response 1. Introduction Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen associated with serious community and hospital acquired diseases and has for a long time been considered as a major problem of Public Health [1].
    [Show full text]
  • Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Exotoxin Found in Intermediate Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Samples on Belmont University’S Campus
    Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Exotoxin Found in Intermediate Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Samples on Belmont University’s Campus Jordan D. Helms and Jennifer T. Thomas, Ph.D. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a pathogenic strain of Staphylococcus aureus, results in thousands of infections and associated deaths each year. A strain of MRSA, USA300, has been identified as the most common cause of skin and soft tissue infections acquired from the community in the United States. The goal of our study is to determine the prevalence of the USA300 strain, responsible for new community-associated MRSA infections, on Belmont University’s campus via PCR detection of the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) gene, a bacterial toxin. We collected isolates from different locations on Belmont’s campus, confirmed them as MRSA using Gram staining, coagulase testing, and the use of the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assay. Bacterial DNA was isolated and PCR analysis performed to identify the PVL gene. We found PVL in Intermediate Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates. This is surprising because the presence of PVL causes otherwise harmless Staph infections more severe and lethal if left untreated. In addition, there is very little literature on Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus infections alone, as well as its relationship with PVL. The presence of this exotoxin on Belmont’s campus puts individuals at greater risk of a severe infection and proper preventive protocol needs to be followed to ensure safety. INTRODUCTION Staphylococcus aureus and Staph infections Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a gram-positive, coccus shaped bacterium. Microscopically, it appears in tetrads and grapelike clusters and forms large, convex, golden colonies on growth plates (aureus is Latin for “gold”).
    [Show full text]
  • Mutations That Adapt SARS-Cov-2 to Mustelid Hosts Do Not Increase Tness in the Human Airway
    Mutations that adapt SARS-CoV-2 to mustelid hosts do not increase tness in the human airway. Jie Zhou Imperial College London Thomas Peacock ( [email protected] ) Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7077-2928 Jonathan Brown Imperial College London https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6849-3962 Daniel Goldhill Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London Ahmed Elrefaey The Pirbright Instiute Rebekah Penrice-Randal Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecology Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK Vanessa Cowton University of Glasgow https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1813-7825 Giuditta De Lorenzo MRC-University of Glasgow Wilhelm Furnon MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK William Harvey MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK Ruthiran Kugathasan Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, UK, Rebecca Frise Imperial College London Laury Baillon Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, UK, Ria Lassauniere Statens Serum https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3910-7185 Nazia Thakur The Pirbright Institute https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4450-5911 Giulia Gallo The Pirbright Institute, Woking, Surrey, UK, Hannah Goldswain Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecology Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK I'ah Donovan-Baneld Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecology Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK Xiaofeng Dong Liverpool Univ Nadine Randle University of Liverpool Fiachra Sweeney Department of Infectious
    [Show full text]