42:4 November 2015 42:4 November : breaking the spiral of infection of spiral the : breaking The problems of endemic zoonoses endemic of The problems Emerging zoonotic virus discovery zoonoses – neglected Hantaviruses pain global of a decade Chikungunya: Campylobacter Zoonotic Diseases Microbiology TODAY

Microbiology Today 42:4 November 2015 Zoonotic Diseases

Bleed: 3 mm Supply as hi-res PDF Job no: 23884 no: Job PDF hi-res as Supply mm 3 Bleed: mm 210 x 297 Size:

Journal: Journal: Microbiology Today Microbiology Essential Generics: Chloramphenical Ad Chloramphenical Generics: Essential 04/12/2014 12:06 CHL25060 O65995 ALLIANCE: MOVIANTO: AAH: CHL600B PIP: 106-5796 CAPSULES

CHLORAMPHENICOL 1 2 3 Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. be found at information can also be reported to Essential events should Adverse Generics on 01784 477167. distension, pallid cyanosis, vomiting, progressing to vasomotor collapse, distension, pallid cyanosis, vomiting, progressing to vasomotor of irregular respiration and death within a few hours of the onset symptoms. Overdose: Stop chloramphenicol immediately if signs of adverse events oral develop. Treatment is mainly supportive. If an allergy develops, Baby antihistamines may be used. In severe overdosage e.g. Gray Resin Syndrome, reduce plasma levels of chloramphenicol rapidly. increase haemoperfusion (XAD-4) has been reported to substantially chloramphenicol clearance. Pack size and Price: 60 capsules £377.00 Legal Category: POM. Market Authorisation Number: PL17736/0075. Market Authorisation Holder: Chemidex Pharma Limited, 7 Egham UK. Business Village, Crabtree Road, Egham, Surrey TW20 8RB, Date of preparation: October 2014. for See Chloramphenicol Capsules Summary of Product Characteristics full prescribing information. References: 1. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. Chloramphenicol. [Online]. Available from: http://www.medicinescomplete.com [Accessed 18th August 2014]. 2. Fluit, A.C., Wielders, C.L.C., Verhoef, J., and Schmitz, F.J. Epidemiology and susceptibility of 3,051 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from 25 university hospitals participating in the European SENTRY Study. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2001; 39(10): 3727-3732. 3. Weigel LM et al. High-level vancomycin-resistant lm. Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) associated with a polymicrobial biofi Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Published online ahead of print on 30th October 2006. http://aac.asm.org/cgi/reprint/AAC.00576- 06v1.pdf. (Accessed on 22nd August 2011). 4. Kelly, C., LaMont, T. Patient information: Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (Clostridium cile). www.uptodate.com. 2011. 5. Feder. H, Chloramphenicol: What diffi we have learned in the last decade. Southern Medical Journal. 1986; (79)9: 1129-34. 6. Ensminger, P., Counter, F., Thomas, L., Lebbehuse, P. Susceptibility, resistance development, and synergy of antimicrobial cile. Current Microbiology. combinations against Clostridium diffi 1982; 7: 59-62. 7. Poilane, I., Bert, F., Cruaud, P., Nicolas-Chanoine, MH., Collignon, A. Interest of the disk diffusion method for screening cile isolates with decreased susceptibility to antibiotics. Clostridium diffi Pathologie Biologie (Paris). 2007; 55(8-9): 429-33. 8. Cattoir, V., Ould-Hocine, ZF., Legrand, P. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridium cile clinical isolates collected from 2001 to 2007 in a French diffi university hospital. Pathologie Biologie (Paris). 2008; 56(7-8): 407-11. 9. Brazier, JS., Levett, PN., Stannard, AJ., Phillips, KD., Willis, AT. Antibiotic susceptibility of clinical isolates of clostridia. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 1985; 15(2): 181-5. 1,2 1,2 1,2 6-9 1,2 1,2 1 4 5

Effective against serious Effective against infections including: Oral levels comparable to i.v. levels to i.v. comparable Oral levels cile with C.diffi implicated Rarely Widely distributed throughout the body, including CSF including the body, throughout distributed Widely C.diffi cile C.diffi E. coli Neisseria Legionella Rickettsia MRSA VRSA H. infl uenzae H. infl Typhoid

For further information, please contact: Essential Generics, 7 Egham Business Village, Crabtree Road, Egham, Surrey TW20 8RB, UK For further information, please contact: Essential Generics, 7 Egham Business Village, Crabtree Road, Abbreviated Prescribing Information Chloramphenicol Capsules BP 250mg Presentation: Hard Gelatin Capsules. particularly Indications: Typhoid fever and life-threatening infections, uenzae, where other antibiotics will those caused by Haemophilus Infl ce. not suffi Posology: For oral administration. doses. For Adults and elderly: 50 mg/kg body weight daily in 4 divided be doubled severe infections (meningitis, septicaemia), this dose may Children: initially, but must be reduced as soon as clinically possible. Not recommended. Contra-indications: Known hypersensitivity or toxic reaction to used chloramphenicol or to any of the excipients. Should not be active for the prophylaxis or treatment of minor infections; during liable to immunisation; in porphyria patients; in patients taking drugs by breast- depress bone marrow function; during pregnancy, labour or feeding mothers. Special warnings and precautions for use: Use only if other treatments are ineffective. Use should be carefully monitored. Reduce dose and monitor plasma levels in hepatic or renal impairment; in the elderly; and in patients concurrently treated with interacting drugs. Interactions: Chloramphenicol prolongs the elimination, increasing the blood levels of drugs including warfarin, phenytoin, sulphonylureas, tolbutamide. Doses of anticonvulsants and anticoagulants may need to be adjusted if given concurrently. Complex effects (increased/ decreased plasma levels) requiring monitoring of chloramphenicol plasma levels have been reported with co-administration of penicillins and rifampicin. Paracetamol prolongs chloramphenicol half-life. Chloramphenicol may increase the plasma levels of calcineurin inhibitors e.g. ciclosporin and tacrolimus. Barbiturates such as phenobarbitone increase the metabolism of chloramphenicol, resulting in reduced plasma chloramphenicol concentrations. In addition, there may be a decrease in the metabolism of phenobarbitone with concomitant chloramphenicol use. There is a small risk that chloramphenicol may reduce the contraceptive effect of oestrogens. Chloramphenicol reduces the response to hydroxocobalamin. Chloramphenicol is contra-indicated in patients taking drugs liable to suppress bone marrow function e.g. carbamazepine, sulphonamides, phenylbutazone, penicillamine, cytotoxic agents, some antipsychotics including clozapine and particularly depot antipsychotics, procainamide, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, propylthiouracil. Pregnancy and Lactation: The use of chloramphenicol is contra- indicated as the drug crosses the placenta and is excreted in breast milk. cant effect Effects on ability to drive and use machines: No signifi on driving ability. Undesirable Effects: Reversible dose related bone marrow depression, irreversible aplastic anaemia, increased bleeding time, hypersensitivity reactions including allergic skin reactions, optic neuritis leading to blindness, ototoxicity, acidotic cardiovascular collapse, nausea, vomiting, glossitis, stomatitis, diarrhoea, enterocolitis, Gray Baby Syndrome particularly in the newborn, which consists of abdominal EG/CH/JAN/2015/09 23884_Chloramphenicol Ad_Micro Today_AW.indd 1 Editorial

In our February edition of Microbiology Today, the Comment article focused on a story that has dominated our headlines: the Ebola pandemic that swept through West Africa and migrated onto European shores. It illustrates that infectious diseases are a clear and ever present danger that demand vigilance and a worldwide response, and can have catastrophic effects on societies. Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) has also received media attention, and it is interesting that this disease started to hit the headlines as it emerged out of the Middle East to cause cases of infection in 26 countries including parts of the European Union.

any emerging diseases that are start its global journey, out across the Standards Agency publishing data on causing concern with the public islands of the Indian Ocean to India and the percentage of Campylobacter- Mand healthcare communities South-east Asia, China and the Americas. positive meat samples from retail are zoonotic diseases, but they are not The alphavirus – a small, enveloped, (64–79% of chicken meat was positive) a 21st century phenomenon. The World positive-sense RNA virus – first emerged putting pressure on the poultry sector Health Organization describes rabies as to prominence early in 2005, causing and retailers to address the problem. a vaccine-preventable, ‘neglected disease severe joint pain and general discomfort. Zoonotic diseases are a global of poor and vulnerable populations The virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti problem affecting both rich and poor whose deaths are rarely reported’, and it and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which countries. Professor Eric Fèvre has continues to cause tens of thousands of are now widely spread around the written a Comment piece describing deaths every year. Rabies has circulated world. the significant differences between for centuries. Jo Halliday, Katie Hampson Agnieszka Szemiel discusses a continent like Africa and one like and Tiziana Lembo touch on this in a another virus that has recently hit the Europe; namely the ability of national thought-provoking article that describes headlines, hantaviruses, which are and regional systems to detect and the problems of endemic zoonoses that the only bunyaviruses that are direct respond to zoonotic disease threats. have the greatest impacts in developing zoonoses. The virus is maintained in the A common theme that has emerged countries, but get limited recognition. Their environment by persistent infections of from the articles is the economic eradication could significantly improve rodents and causes little damage to its burden that zoonotic diseases place on health and livelihoods in some countries. vector. It is transmitted to humans via society, with the impact generally felt Hanna Jerome, Sreenu B. Vattipally aerosolised rodent urine, faeces, saliva, most keenly by the vulnerable and the and Emma C. Thomson begin their and occasionally by bite. Infection in poor. The articles also highlight that informative article in the 19th century humans can be fatal. science offers solutions. We continue to with Louis Pasteur, who noticed that Helen Brown and Arnoud van develop vaccines, improve prevention, rabies was caused by an agent that could Vliet’s article highlights that it is not increase surveillance and adapt not be visualised using a light microscope. just viruses that cause zoonotic diseases. detection methodologies to sophisticate The authors describe how the toolkit Although Campylobacter was, arguably, information. As mankind continues its for identification of zoonotic viruses has the least known of the common bacterial impact on earth and its interactions, new evolved substantially over the last century, food pathogens and very rarely made the zoonotic diseases will emerge. Maybe we leading to the current scenario where headlines, the number of Campylobacter are more ready now than we have ever we may be able to predict which viruses cases has remained relatively steady been to meet these challenges? might cross the species barrier to present over the last few decades (an annual a significant risk to the human population. incidence of ~280,000 UK cases). Laura Bowater John Fazakerley describes In the past year public awareness Editor chikungunya, a disease that has emerged of Campylobacter has been raised [email protected] recently from the forests of Africa to significantly, mainly due to the Food

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 137 Contents

Microbiology TODAY Articles Invisible and ignored: lifting the lid on the 146 problems of endemic zoonoses Jo Halliday, Katie Hampson & Tiziana Lembo Improving the global impact of zoonoses.

Can we identify potential viral zoonoses 150 before they cross the species barrier? Hanna Jerome, Sreenu B. Vattipally & Emma C. Thomson Identifying pathogens in animal reservoirs.

Hantaviruses – neglected zoonoses 154 Agnieszka Szemiel Detecting mis- or under-diagnosed pathogens.

Chikungunya: a decade of global pain 158 John Fazakerley Pathogenesis, structure and transmission.

Campylobacter: breaking the spiral of 162 infection Helen Brown & Arnoud van Vliet Raising awareness to prevent infection. 42:4 November 2015 Features Regulars 143 We are the Microbiology Society and 137 Editorial Professor Neil Gow to be new Society 140 Council 2015 President Questions answered about our new name, and introducing Professor Gow. 141 From the President 166 A great start to the #MGeneration 142 From the Chief Executive Our new pioneering open access journal. 144 News 170 Outreach – The tale of the 13-week-old cheese and pickled egg sandwich 168 Conferences Outreach at the Manchester Children’s Book Festival. 182 Reviews 171 Member careers: Vivian Moses An overview of one member’s career. Editor Dr Laura Bowater 172 Schoolzone – Teaching zoonoses in schools Managing Editor Ruth Paget Some thought-provoking classroom activities. Editorial Board Phil Aldridge, David Bhella, Helen Brown, Lorena Fernández-Martínez, Ian Henderson, Paul Hoskisson, 174 Disease outbreaks: preparedness Gavin Thomas through policy Address Microbiology Society, Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, The Society’s policy response. London WC1N 2JU T +44 (0)20 7685 2683 E [email protected] Design Ian Atherton, Corbicula Design (www.corbiculadesign.co.uk) 176 Outreach – Small World Initiative: Printed by Charlesworth Press, Wakefield pop-up events © 2015 Microbiology Society A summer focused on antibiotic awareness. ISSN 1464-0570 178 Are you a postgraduate student? The views expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect official policy of the Society; nor can Get your reduced rate Conference ticket. the claims of advertisers be guaranteed. 179 Obituary – Richard Elliott Richard’s career and many contributions to the Society. FSC Logo 180 Membership Q&A PhD student Angharad Ellen Green. 181 Best of the blog Self-healing concrete, forensics and elephant herpes. Coloured scanning electron 183 Comment – Zoonoses in Africa micrograph of the proboscis of Eric Fèvre an Anopheles gambiae mosquito. A One Health approach to tackling zoonotic diseases. Science Photo Library Council 2015

Executive Officers President – Professor Nigel L. Brown University of Edinburgh, c/o Microbiology Society, Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, London WC1N 2JU; [email protected] General Secretary – Dr Evelyn M. Doyle School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland; [email protected] Treasurer – Professor Chris Thomas School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT; [email protected]

Elected Members Professor Andrew Davison MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Church Street, Glasgow G11 5JR; [email protected] Dr Stephen Diggle School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD; [email protected] Dr Pat Goodwin C3 Collaborating for Health, c/o Microbiology Society, Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, London WC1N 2JU Professor Ian R. Henderson Division of Immunity & Infection, University of Birmingham Medical School, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2QU; [email protected] Professor David Pearce Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 8ST; [email protected] Dr Mike Skinner Section of Virology, Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, St Mary’s Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG; [email protected]

Chairs of Committees Communications Committee – Dr Paul A. Hoskisson Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE; [email protected] Finance Committee – Professor Chris Thomas See ‘Treasurer’ above Professional Development Committee – Dr David Whitworth Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences Room S22, Cledwyn Building, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion SY23 3FG; [email protected] Policy Committee – Professor Maggie Smith Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD; [email protected] Publishing Committee – Professor Charles Dorman Department of Microbiology, Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland; [email protected] Scientific Conferences Committee – Professor Mark Harris School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT; [email protected]

140 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org From the President

This is my last column in Microbiology Today as your President, and I have been reflecting on what the Society has achieved over the last three years. Our future is in the hands of the new President, together with the refreshed Council, Committees and Divisions, and I am delighted to hand the non-existent presidential chain-of-office to Professor Neil Gow. I know that Neil will work with the best interests of the Society at heart and will further develop our strategic aims and direction. Ian Atherton

y first column in November Conference and a series of Focused Of course, one of the biggest 2012 identified some of the Meetings. In addition, our engagement changes that has affected the Society Mchanges that the Society with other learned societies, research in the last three years is our change was proposing in publishing and in councils, government departments, of name. At our AGM in September it our web presence, and the changes policy-makers and opinion-formers was agreed that we should become that had just occurred in Committee has increased considerably since our the Microbiology Society. I applaud the structure to address the 2012–2017 relocation to London. forward vision of our staff who ensured Strategic Plan. I flagged the importance I am pleased that we now have that we had captured the web and email of ensuring equality and diversity, much better and more transparent addresses relevant to a change of name one of several actions continued from communication with the membership, and who made sure that the logo adopted Hilary Lappin-Scott’s presidency. I also and that our membership is increasing. during our rebranding could be modified mentioned how raising awareness The role of the Society’s Champions very simply to accommodate a name of microbiological issues to policy- has been important in developing our change. makers was an important role for member engagement, and I thank Some progress is rapid and the Society and I proposed that we them for their work. However, there some is more hesitant. Fast or slow, engaged more with government and is still some way to go in enlarging the different activities of the Society public bodies. our membership beyond academic are moving forward in line with our Of course, things have moved on molecular and cell microbiologists to vision and mission as embodied in the considerably since then. In publishing embrace other aspects of academic, Strategic Plan. For that I would like to we now have two new journals – JMM clinical and industrial microbiology. thank the current and past members of Case Reports and Microbial Genomics We also need to engage with Council, Committees and Divisions and – and a new journals platform. We are early career microbiologists better in our excellent and dedicated staff, all of happily ensconced in London with our all our activities, not just in attendance whom work hard to realise the Society’s sister societies, with many new staff at meetings. They are the future of objective “to advance the art and science working in a new internal structure microbiology and of the Society, and of microbiology”. under a new Chief Executive. We have I know that Neil Gow sees this as a just opened a second building in London priority for the immediate future. I Nigel Brown which can be used for conferences am pleased to be able to help in this President and meetings and we have changed work when I become a member of the [email protected] our conference structure from two Professional Development Committee full Meetings a year to an Annual from 1 January.

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 141 From the Chief Executive

At the Annual General Meeting in September, the members voted to change the name of the organisation. After 70 successful years, you agreed that a more straightforward name – Microbiology Society – would serve us better in the future and that the word ‘General’ had outlived its usefulness. But while the Society’s title might have been updated, our long-standing commitment to serving all microbiology communities has remained constant. Over the past few months, I have very much enjoyed seeing that commitment in action at a variety of events and conferences.

ack in June, it was a great countries and five different continents have spoken to microbiologists working pleasure to attend the Irish were represented among the speakers on prokaryotes, eukaryotes, viruses and BDivision meeting in Galway on and poster-presenters, who came parasites, some working on fundamental Microbial Interfaces. The range of topics from hospitals, universities, public discovery research and some on was impressive, but perhaps even more sector agencies and private sector questions with clinical, environmental, so was the extent to which members companies. It was a pleasure to meet and industrial relevance. were engaging with microbiologists and listen to people from all career The take-home messages are outside of their own field. Clinical stages, from Mariana Almeida, a PhD simple. You value opportunities to work being shared with environmental student at Aberdeen who gave her first network, both professionally and microbiologists, ecologists swapping presentation at a major conference, scientifically. The Society must strive to experiences with geneticists and speaking about fungal hyphae, to Carol ensure that the conference programme molecular biologists interacting with Blair, a virologist from Colorado with has something for everyone, and we epidemiologists. decades of experience and wisdom must offer as many chances as we In July, it was inspiring to meet to share. can for you to develop your careers. the teachers at the Small World And, of course, at the AGM itself, That means not just grants – although Initiative Summer School in Reading, we heard from eight inspiring finalists in they are crucially important – but also who will encourage the next generation the Howard Dalton Young Microbiologist events and resources that allow you all of microbiologists, and in September, of the Year competition. They conveyed to tap into the strength and depth of the it was great when 12 of the Society’s their passion for their work on viruses, knowledge and experience of the wider Champions came together to share bacteria and parasites with applications membership. experiences of representing the in animal and human health and in As we plan for the coming months Society on the ground in hospitals and food microbiology. I hope that their and years, we are making sure that universities. Linda Oyama even found careers will be helped not merely by these messages are taken on board. We the time to come while preparing for being finalists in the competition, but also need to continue listening to the her PhD viva a few days later. also by learning from one another and views of microbiology communities, and There have been two Focused from the contacts they have made at I am always keen to accept invitations to Meetings recently – one on arboviruses the Society. visit members, so please let me know if in Glasgow and one on invasive fungi Perhaps most of all, I have you and your colleagues would like me in Manchester. Since they were held enjoyed visiting you in your own habitats. to visit your laboratory. on the same two days as each other, it Over the past few months, I have been was a challenge to attend both, but it to Nottingham, Glasgow, Dublin and Peter Cotgreave was worth it to hear about such a wide Aberdeen to speak to members at all Chief Executive range of the microbiological questions career stages about what matters to [email protected] that you are studying. Twenty different you and how the Society can help. I

142 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org We are now the

that the public, policy-makers, school www.microbiologyresearch.org pupils, teachers and others can engage and staff emails are now in the form: At this point you’ve no doubt with the crucial importance of our [email protected], seen that the Society has made subject. To these groups, our former but our phone numbers remain the same. name was slightly opaque. Our Twitter handle has been changed to a major change: we are now @MicrobioSoc the Microbiology Society. The Other than the name, will anything else about the Society be changing? Will this affect my membership change was made at our AGM, Renaming the Society is not about or grant application? when 89% of votes cast were in changing our core identity; it is about Your membership will be unaffected by preserving it and helping us to do the name change, and we will continue favour of renaming the Society. our job even more effectively in the to offer grants to microbiologists at all future. We will continue to host world- stages of their careers. You can find class conferences, publish journals of out more information by visiting Why has this change been made? international repute and engage with www.microbiologysociety.org/grants 70 years ago, when the Society was policy-makers, educators, journalists and founded, the word ‘General’ was the public. The Society will continue to Will this affect my journal subscription used to describe a learned society advance its vision of “A world in which or manuscript submission? that encompassed all disciplines of the science of microbiology provides The peer review and publication of microbiology. Over time, people’s maximum benefit to society”. your papers will be unaffected, and any perceptions of the word have changed open access fees will be automatically and to some ‘General’ implied a lack Have the Society’s contact updated by Rightslink. The indexing of focus. Also, while we will always details changed? of your paper in Pubmed, or similar, remain a membership organisation Our homepage is now: will also be unaffected. To email that champions microbiology and www.microbiologysociety.org the Editorial Office, please contact microbiologists, we need to ensure with our journals now found at: [email protected] Professor Neil Gow to be new Society President The Microbiology Society is delighted to announce that our of the Candida genus. He gained new President will be Professor Neil Gow from the University his undergraduate degree in of Aberdeen. Professor Gow’s presidency will run for three Microbiology from the University years, beginning on 1 January 2016, when our current of Edinburgh before undertaking a President, Professor Nigel Brown, steps down. PhD at the University of Aberdeen. Neil has a strong affiliation with the Society, having joined Previously, Neil has been President as a PhD student in 1980. He has been a Senior Editor of the of the British Mycological Society and Society’s journal Microbiology, a member of Council, and Chair the International Society for Human of the Eukaryotic Division. and Animal Mycology. He said of his appointment: “I am delighted and honoured Dr Peter Cotgreave, Chief Executive of the Microbiology to be elected President of a society that I have had a lifelong Society, added: “I am delighted that the strong leadership relationship with. I’m looking forward to working with old shown by Nigel Brown will be followed by someone of the friends and new colleagues to continue to ensure that the vital standing and calibre of Neil Gow. He is not just an outstanding science of microbiology is supported, stimulated and has a scientist, but someone who understands how to bring people strong voice in science and medicine.” together to achieve more than they could on their own. I Neil is a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator and Director have absolutely no doubt that his presidency will be good of a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award in Medical Mycology and for microbiologists, good for microbiology, and good for the Fungal Immunology. His research group is mainly focused application of microbial science to everyday challenges in on fungal cell wall biosynthesis and the pathogenic species society.”

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 143 News Young Microbiologist of the Year honoured 2015 Society Outreach Prize Joe Kirk, a PhD student from Dr Adam Roberts from the UCL the University of Sheffield, is the Eastman Dental Institute has been Microbiology Society’s Young awarded the Society’s 2015 Outreach Microbiologist of the Year 2015. The Prize. Adam founded the ‘Swab and Society’s Annual General Meeting heard Send’ citizen science project aimed at all eight finalists present their talks; increasing awareness of antimicrobial Joe‘s was entitled ‘Scratching the resistance with the public and is Surface; Targeting the Crystal Shell of involved with the Society’s own Small Clostridium difficile’. World Initiative. He gave a talk entitled ‘Engagement by Participation’ at the Second place went to Samantha Society’s AGM, where he shared his Chui Sang Lee from the National experiences and latest results. University Ireland, with Christopher Miller from the University of Kent taking third place. Conferences

You can read more about the Two new Focused Meetings will be Young Microbiologist of the Year finalists taking place in 2016: Joe Kirk receives his prize from on the Society’s website: Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis Professor Dame Anne Glover. http://microb.io/1Jrxwlz of Avian Viruses, 27–29 September Molecular Biology of Archaea 5, Parliamentary briefings 1–3 August. Our Annual Conference 2016 will be 2015 is the International Year of Soils; to mark this, the Society will publish a held 21–24 March at the ACC, Liverpool. Parliamentary briefing on UK soil health in December. With a growing population Visit pages 168–169 for more details. and the threat of climate change impacting our agricultural industry, sustainable crop production is vital. Utilising the microbes present in soil to selectively enhance the health and growth of crop plants will reduce the need for fertilisers Deaths and biocides, which damage the diversity of our soil microbiome. It is with sadness that we note the deaths of the following members: Our Policy intern, Rebecca Philp from The Pirbright Institute, has summarised the issues. In addition, in June 2015, the Society published a Parliamentary Professor George Tennant Macfarlane, briefing on emerging zoonotic diseases. Both briefings can be downloaded Centre for Oncology & Molecular Science, here: www.microbiologysociety.org/briefings University of Dundee, who joined the Society in 1983. Dr Forbes Robert Wardrop, Parliamentary events foster relations between science Biotechnology Research Institute, who and policy joined in 1995. The Society’s Policy team recently Chemistry in cooperation with Dr Elizabeth Margaret Ellis, attended Science and Stormont in other science organisations, including Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Belfast, and Science and the Parliament the Microbiology Society. Biomedical Sciences, University of in Edinburgh. The respective themes of Strathclyde, who joined in 1988. the events, which included networking Members interested in attending Please contact mtoday@ opportunities and talks, were ‘Energy next year’s events in Wales, Northern microbiologysociety.org if you wish and the Environment’ and ‘Science Ireland and Scotland can contact the to notify the Society of the death of a and the Scottish Election’. The events Society’s Policy Officer, Paul Richards member whose details can be included are organised by the Royal Society of ([email protected]). in this section.

144 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Upcoming grant deadlines Small World Initiative at Number 10

Date Grant Notes Downing Street and citizen science 30 November 2015 Hayes–Burnet and To support postdoctoral pop-up events Heatley–Payne researcher members The Society visited Number 10 Downing Street to dig in Awards wishing to establish/ the garden there, as part of the Small World Initiative strengthen collaborations project’s search for antibiotic-producing bacteria. This in Australia or the USA follows the Society receiving letters of support for the 1 December 2015 Travel Grants For conferences from project from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Science 1 January 2016 onwards* Minister Jo Johnson and the Department of Health. The sample has been sent for analysis at the University of 10 December 2015 Harry Smith Vacation For undergraduate East Anglia, joining over 300 samples collected during Studentships summer research projects the summer by members of the public who visited the in 2016 Society’s citizen science events at High Lodge, Thetford Society Conference Forest and Alice Holt Forest, Surrey. The public, and the Grants To support eligible Prime Minister, will be able to follow and contribute to Undergraduate members to attend the the analysis of their samples online. Find out more on 29 January 2016 Student Conference Annual Conference 2016, pages 176–177. Grants Liverpool Inclusion Grants 1 March 2016 Travel Grants For conferences from 1 April 2016 (including the Annual Conference 2016 for Full Members) 15 March 2016 Microbiology in For visits and events from Schools Fund 1 December onwards

Rolling application Local Microbiology Event Sponsorship Eligible members can apply for funds to support microbiology-related events, e.g. sponsored talks.

*Please note, you do not need to have received confirmation of abstract acceptance to apply for these grants as conditional offers will be made. In Microbiology Society President Nigel Brown takes a soil sample with this case, evidence of acceptance is required to claim your grant. Rory Spence, aged four. Biosciences Athena SWAN workshop Contributions and feedback The Microbiology Society, in partnership with the Biochemical Society, British The Society welcomes contributions and Ecological Society, Royal Society of Biology and Society for Experimental Biology, is feedback from members. Please contact running a workshop for university and research institute bioscience departments [email protected] with on best practice and the challenges in applying for an Athena SWAN award on 11 ideas. December 2015 at Charles Darwin House. The event will be chaired by Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott. Participants will hear Benjamin Thompson Head of Communications from current Athena SWAN award holders, panel members and the Athena SWAN team and will take part in interactive activities aimed at producing high quality [email protected] applications to the Athena SWAN process.

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 145 Invisible and ignored: lifting the lid on the problems of endemic zoonoses

Livestock form an integral part of people’s livelihoods, particularly in rural areas of the developing world. Tiziana Lembo. University of Glasgow. Jo Halliday, Katie Hampson & Tiziana Lembo Worldwide the lives of billions of people are affected by zoonoses – diseases transmitted from animals. These diseases have the greatest impacts in developing countries, but are poorly recognised and largely ignored as human health problems. Improved clinical management of human cases and preventive interventions targeted at animal populations have the potential to achieve major improvements for both human health and livelihoods.

146 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org umankind has long depended on animals for their livelihoods, Hnutrition, trade and protection. The relationships between people and animals are multi-faceted, but on balance, these interactions are overwhelmingly positive. Unfortunately, the close association of humans and animals also provides opportunities for the transmission of zoonoses, which account for two-thirds of all human infectious diseases. The animal sources of zoonoses are varied, and include the companion animals in our homes, the rats in our sewers, the livestock that feed us, and the wild animals that enrich our natural world. The zoonotic pathogens that attract media attention are normally those that are described as emerging and raise concern of global spread. These include, for example, Ebola virus, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronaviruses, and highly pathogenic influenza viruses. In contrast, there is surprisingly little awareness of the considerable burden which endemic zoonoses impose day in, day out. Although endemic zoonoses Small stock are an important livestock resource for women in traditional livestock-keeping systems in rural occur worldwide, they are particularly Africa. Maasai woman tending to a flock of goats in Tanzania.Tiziana Lembo. University of Glasgow. problematic in the developing world, highly debilitating diseases that cause are currently insufficient diagnostic where hundreds of millions of people prolonged suffering and disability. tests available to accurately and rapidly live in close contact with animals and identify the cause of these non-specific where animal disease control strategies The invisibility of zoonoses clinical presentations. Furthermore, are often insufficient. In contrast to Why are endemic zoonoses invisible? many zoonoses have complex ecology the zoonoses with pandemic potential Very few zoonoses have distinctive and epidemiology, which limits our ability that receive the greatest global diagnostic signs, making clinical to clearly observe and understand their attention, many less visible endemic diagnosis impossible for both human infection dynamics. As a result, zoonoses zoonoses, such as rabies, leptospirosis, and animal infections. Non-specific suffer ongoing neglect in terms of leishmaniasis, Japanese encephalitis symptoms and signs in humans, such training, research and surveillance and human African trypanosomiasis, as fever, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, efforts, and raising awareness. exert a much higher global death toll. malaise, lack of appetite, weight loss There are also strong associations Many others, including cysticercosis, and generic neurological signs can be between zoonoses and poverty and echinococcosis and brucellosis are caused by a range of zoonoses. There the populations most afflicted by these

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 147

diseases are the same populations context. An often overlooked feature of “ that have least voice. Poor people often zoonoses is their effect on livelihoods, lack political agency and are rarely owing to the impacts they have on the Unveiling the magnitude able to mobilise resources or galvanise health and productivity of the animals of the existing problem action to control these diseases. The on which humans depend. Brucellosis diseases themselves are diagnostically and leptospirosis, for example, cause of endemic zoonoses is challenging, particularly at more reductions in growth and milk yield, and chronic stages of infections, which is also affect the fertility of livestock. a crucial first step in when people from poor and remote Only a limited number of studies communities are mostly likely to reach have robustly quantified the multiple increasing awareness health facilities. impacts of a given zoonosis. A recent study that estimated the global burden about and action towards The multiple impacts of zoonoses of endemic canine rabies is one of the There is growing recognition of the few studies to have addressed these minimising the multiple impacts of zoonoses on both people knowledge gaps. Considering the direct and animals that extend beyond clinical health impacts first, rabies is the most impacts of these zoonoses. Diseases of animal origin pose increased risks to human health in areas where people and animals live in close disease to a wider socio-economic deadly viral disease, killing almost 100% proximity. Pastoralist farmer herding cattle in Tanzania. Tiziana Lembo. University of Glasgow. “of people affected. The vast majority of human rabies deaths, around 59,000 per year, result from dog-transmitted rabies in Asia and Africa. A similar death toll has been estimated for human leptospirosis, with a particularly high incidence of cases in Oceania, South-east Asia, the Caribbean and East Africa. Like many other zoonoses, rabies exerts substantial economic burdens. The estimated overall economic cost of canine rabies is ~8.6 billion US Dollars (USD) per year. Much of this cost (2.27 billion USD) arises from lost economic productivity – a result of the premature deaths caused by this disease. Following a bite by a suspect rabid animal, the administration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can save lives. However, direct global expenditure on PEP is approximately 1.7 billion USD, with a further 1.3 billion USD lost from the incomes of those travelling for multiple doses of PEP, which often has poor local availability.

We have the tools to control zoonoses Raw animal products may be a source of exposure to zoonotic pathogens. Maasai woman milking a cow in The wider value to controlling zoonoses northern Tanzania. Tiziana Lembo. University of Glasgow. is in the multiple health and wealth

148 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Diseases of animal origin pose increased risks to human health in areas where people and animals live in close proximity. Pastoralist farmer herding cattle in Tanzania. Tiziana Lembo. University of Glasgow. gains for both populations at risk and Conclusions – seek and you shall find Acknowledgements governments. The maximum benefits The relative impacts and importance We are grateful to Jim Caryl and Sarah are realised when preventive strategies of different zoonoses vary between Cleaveland for discussions leading to tackle the disease problem in animal different countries and regions. this article. reservoir populations, and so address Communities that keep a range of animal the problem at the source. The tools species are vulnerable to different sets Jo Halliday, Katie Hampson & exist to prevent animal infection with of pathogens. However, it is invariably Tiziana Lembo many zoonoses – vaccination and mass the case that when efforts are made to Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health treatment approaches have been used quantify the prevalence and impacts of and Comparative Medicine, University successfully to control zoonoses in one or more zoonoses in communities of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow higher income countries. with close human–animal associations, G12 8QQ, UK Preventing human African substantial disease burdens are [email protected] trypanosomiasis by treating cattle can revealed. [email protected] provide substantial benefits in terms Many tools to control endemic [email protected] of human lives and treatment costs zoonoses exist, and have been applied saved, as well as improved livestock successfully in higher income countries. Further reading productivity. For rabies, investment in Unveiling the magnitude of the Hampson, K. & others (2015). Estimating the the control of disease in domestic dog existing problem of endemic zoonoses global burden of endemic canine rabies. PLoS populations – by mass vaccinations – is a crucial first step in increasing Negl Trop Dis 9, e0003709. saves human lives and can eliminate awareness about and action towards World Health Organization & Department rabies as a human health problem minimising the multiple impacts of these for International Development (2006). The entirely. This is very well illustrated zoonoses. By revealing and adding up control of neglected zoonotic diseases – a route by the situation in Latin America and the true burdens of endemic zoonoses to poverty alleviation. Report of a joint WHO/ the Caribbean, where dog vaccination we strengthen the case for sustained DFID-Animal Health Programme meeting programmes, regularly implemented efforts to reduce the global impacts of with the participation of FAO and OIE, Geneva since the 1980s, have reduced human these zoonoses, on both humanitarian 20 and 21 September 2005. deaths by >99%. and economic grounds.

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 149 Can we identify potential viral zoonoses before they cross the species barrier?

Hanna Jerome, Sreenu B. Vattipally & Emma C. Thomson

The toolkit for the identification of zoonotic viruses has evolved substantially over the last century. In the early days of pathogen research, the presence of a viral pathogen was suspected if filtered bodily fluids could be used to infect experimental animals (filtration was used to remove bacterial pathogens). Subsequently, serological assays, in vitro culture in cell lines, such as Vero cells, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were added to the armamentarium.

he field is now being revolutionised viral sequences deposited in the NCBI Chamberland filter (Fig. 2) contained by next generation sequencing database has risen exponentially (Fig. 1). an agent infectious to tobacco plants. T(NGS), an extremely powerful Beijerinck called this agent a virus technique that can be used to generate History of the discovery of although it was not until the 1930s that millions of sequence reads in a matter zoonotic viruses the structure of the tobacco mosaic of hours. As little as 1 ng of DNA can be In the 19th century, Louis Pasteur virus was described using electron used to identify multiple pathogens in realised that rabies was caused by an microscopy and X-ray crystallography. a sample, without the need for specific agent that could not be visualised using During the 20th century, inoculation primer-based amplification. Since NGS a light microscope. Dmitry Ivanovsky of experimental animals and tissues became routinely available at the start and Martinus Beijerinck later showed with filtered materials from infected of the millennium, the number of new that fluid passing through a porcelain individuals allowed scientists to

150 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 5,000 relapsed shortly afterwards with severe Illumina malaria. In both of these studies, Koch’s sequencing postulates were fulfilled for the first time 2005 4,000 for viral infection. However, sequencing of the viral genomes of these organisms Number of viral genomes was not carried out until 1985, using 454 3,000 cloning and chemical sequencing. Polymerase chain Pyrosequencing In vitro techniques for culturing reaction (PCR) 2000 viruses were developed in the middle 1983 of the 20th century. Vero cells derived Sanger 2,000 from Chlorocebus African green monkey sequencing kidneys became available in 1962 and 1977 Lassa fever was one of the first zoonotic Maxam–Gilbert 1,000 viruses to be identified using Vero cell sequencing culture in 1970 by Buckley and Casals. 1970 The presence of a virus was confirmed by filtration and in vivo infection in 0 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 experimental mice (rodents of the Year of submission Mastomys natalensis species were later found to be the natural reservoir; Fig. 3). By this time, a number of additional techniques were available to confirm Fig. 1. Number of viral genomes submitted to NCBI 1970–2014. infection. Serological assays including postulate that viruses were responsible days of storage. In this study, all the complement fixation and neutralisation for several zoonotic infections. In 1927, investigators also subsequently became assays were carried out, and the virus blood samples from humans with yellow infected and, in an experiment reflecting was additionally visualised by electron fever were used to infect Macacus sinicus the ethical standards of the day, a microscopy. Two of the laboratory and Macacus rhesus monkeys (this was deliberate infection of a patient suffering workers in Buckley and Casals lab at the first rhesus monkey experiment). from recurrent malaria was carried out the Yale Arbovirus Research Unit (YARU) These were further passaged in vivo to see if he would be cured; he was not in New Haven became infected and one by inoculation of filtered plasma or - he developed Rift Valley fever and then died of the illness. exposure to Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The likely viral aetiology of yellow fever was solved in this series of experiments, lasting only three months. Sadly, the senior author of the paper, Adrian Stokes, was accidentally infected during the study and died of yellow fever prior to publication of the report. Shortly after this, Rift Valley fever was identified in sheep in a farm in rural Kenya. Dilutions of plasma filtered through Berkefeld and Chamberland filters were found to infect sheep, cows and a goat experimentally Fig. 2. Chamberland–Pasteur filter.Courtesy of the Division of Medicine & Science, National Museum of American (but not horses or pigs), even after 54 History, Smithsonian Institution

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 151

“

NGS is emerging as a powerful technique for the identification of infectious pathogens and has great Sequences of viral pathogen genomes were not commonly published potential as a surveillance tool. until the 1980s. HIV infection was sequenced at the time of discovery by Francoise Barré-Sinoussi and colleagues PCR primers. In 1994, PCR-based requires that these bind to conserved although the sequence itself was not sequencing using conserved primers regions of viral genetic material present actually included in the first report. from the Paramyxoviridae family allowed in infected samples. The advent of Later virus discovery publications have identification of Hendra and Nipah unbiased next generation sequencing almost always described the viral genetic viruses. Hendra was identified during (sequencing of all the RNA or DNA in a sequence. When related genomes have an outbreak of severe neurological sample including human- and pathogen- been available, a common approach has and respiratory illness in horses and derived DNA and RNA) that is not based been to amplify viral genomic segments stable workers near Brisbane and an on the presence of specific PCR primers using random or conserved PCR primer “outbreak of encephalitis in humans and means that many more pathogens are sets from multiple virus families. Sin respiratory illness in pigs in Malaysia likely to be discovered over the coming Nombre virus was identified in clinical was found to be associated with the years. samples and Peromyscus maniculatus closely related but distinct Nipah virus. deer mice after an outbreak of severe This use of conserved primers is based Next generation sequencing respiratory illness in patients in the USA on a best guess of which primer sets to One of the first emerging zoonotic in 1993 using conserved hantavirus use to detect an unknown pathogen and viral pathogens to be identified using unbiased NGS was Lujo virus, following an outbreak of viral haemorrhagic fever in five individuals (an index case from Zambia, a paramedic, two nurses and a cleaner). Within 72 hours, a new arenavirus was identified. This was one of the first studies to harness the power of NGS to make a rapid diagnosis during an outbreak. Unbiased Illumina NGS during the recent outbreak of Ebola virus in West Africa also resulted in the rapid publication of multiple full genome sequences, contributing hugely to the international effort to develop a vaccine and other therapeutic interventions.

Predicting the next epidemic NGS is emerging as a powerful technique for the identification of infectious pathogens and has great potential as a surveillance tool. It has been estimated by scientists at Columbia University that as many as 320,000 viruses in mammals remain undiscovered. In a single study, 58 new viruses from nine virus families were Fig. 3. The multimammate mouse Mastomys natalensis. Tom McHugh/Science Photo Library identified in a single species (the Indian

152 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Virus families

Discovery methods

Fig. 4. Examples of zoonotic viruses and method of discovery over time. Hanna Jerome, Vattipally B. Sreenu & Emma C. Thomson flying fox bat Pteropus giganteus). The have the potential to transfer across Acknowledgements majority of emerging viral pathogens the species barrier into humans. Emma Thomson is funded by the Wellcome are zoonotic and future research Combining high-throughput NGS data Trust and the Medical Research Council (MRC). now aims to identify viruses in the with functional virological assays, for zoonotic pool before they transit into example, whether or not a cognate Further reading human populations. This pool is deep, receptor is present in humans, may help Anthony, S. J. & others (2013). A strategy to however, and much work remains to be us to predict which viruses present a estimate unknown viral diversity in mammals. carried out. While some investigators significant risk to the human population. mBio 4, e00598-13. aim to target outbreaks of disease Canine distemper virus, as an example, Briese, T. & others (2009). Genetic detection causing deaths in wildlife, zoonotic has crossed from dogs into several other and characterization of Lujo virus, a new pathogens such as Ebola virus may not species including seals, tigers, foxes hemorrhagic fever-associated arenavirus cause disease in their natural host, so and non-human primates but has not from southern Africa. PLoS Pathog 5, predicting the possibility of spillover entered the human population despite e1000455. events before they happen will require the presence of the receptor in human Daubney, R. & others (1931). Enzootic surveillance of high-risk reservoir cells. Many other potential pathogens hepatitis or rift valley fever. An undescribed hosts such as bats. Such events are await discovery. virus disease of sheep cattle and man from more likely to occur in association with east Africa. J Pathol Bacteriol 34, 545–579. changes in environmental equilibrium; Hanna Jerome, Sreenu B. Vattipally Gire, S. K. & others (2014). Genomic deforestation, for example, may have & Emma C. Thomson surveillance elucidates Ebola virus origin contributed to the recent Ebola outbreak MRC University of Glasgow Centre for and transmission during the 2014 outbreak. in West Africa, resulting in increased Virus Research, Sir Michael Stoker Science 345, 1369–1372. contact between bats and humans. Building, University of Glasgow, 464 Sakai, K. & others (2013). Canine distemper Several ongoing studies such as Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK virus associated with a lethal outbreak in the Wellcome Trust VIZIONS project are [email protected] monkeys can readily adapt to use human now attempting to identify pathogens [email protected] receptors. J Virol 87, 7170–7175. present in animal reservoirs that [email protected]

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 153 Zoonotic diseases are defined as infections that are transmitted Hantaviruses from vertebrate animal sources to humans, sometimes by way of an arthropod vector. – neglected Approximately 60% of infectious human pathogens are zoonotic. These diseases can be caused by zoonoses viruses, bacteria, fungi and other Bank vole, taken at British Wildlife Centre, parasitic organisms. Agnieszka Szemiel Newchapel, Surrey. Peter Trimming

154 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org he most commonly mentioned three are maintained in nature by a sweating sickness in England recorded zoonotic viruses are influenza, propagative cycle involving blood- between 1485 and 1551. The disease Trabies, severe acute respiratory feeding arthropods (such as mosquitoes, must have already been known earlier, syndrome (SARS), and more recently, ticks, midges) and susceptible warm- as Lord Stanley, an influential Welsh Middle East respiratory syndrome blooded vertebrate species, and Lord, used sweating sickness as an (MERS) and Ebola. However, there are include a number of human and animal excuse to withdraw from the Battle of many other emerging viral zoonoses, pathogens such as La Crosse virus, Bosworth Field in the Wars of the Roses some of which belong to the largest Oropouche virus, Schmallenberg virus, in 1485. The outbreaks occurred during RNA virus family, the Bunyaviridae, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever summer months, preceded by harsh comprising over 350 known isolates. virus and Rift Valley fever virus. The fifth winters and periods of prolonged rainfall, The family is classified into five genera, genus, the tospoviruses, are important which probably resulted in spikes in the Orthobunyavirus, Nairovirus, Phlebovirus, plant pathogens. numbers of small insectivore mammals. Hantavirus and Tospovirus. The first Hantaviruses are the only This is consistent with current bunyaviruses that are direct zoonoses. observations of hantavirus epidemics, They are maintained in the environment which coincide with fluctuations in Bank vole, taken at British Wildlife Centre, as persistent infections of rodents rodent populations. Looking back at the Newchapel, Surrey. Peter Trimming (voles, field mice, rats), which cause English sweat, Seoul hantavirus and little damage to their rodent vector. its vector, the black rat (Rattus rattus), a They are transmitted to humans via common rodent in Europe, could have aerosolised rodent urine, faeces, been the culprit. saliva, and occasionally by bite. In 1718, another similar, but less Infection in humans can be fatal. lethal, infection was recorded in France Based on symptoms, hantaviruses and, later on, around Europe. It was are classified into two groups: the named ‘Picardy sweat’ after the region Eurasian Old World hantaviruses, which where it first occurred. It was also cause haemorrhagic fever with renal referred to as military fever. Outbreaks syndrome (HFRS) and are associated mainly occurred in rural areas, and were with approximately 0.1–15% fatality; subsequently linked to fluctuations in and the New World hantaviruses with field rodent populations. Some scientists almost 40% fatality, causing Hantavirus suggest that Picardy sweat could have cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) been caused by Puumala virus or similar, in the Americas. which still occurs in these regions. Hantavirus disease was also A brief history suggested to be the causative agent of Although formally described half a many cases of epidemic nephritis during century ago, history suggests that the American Civil War and World War hantaviruses have been around for I. The first clinical descriptions of HFRS much longer. A disease with symptoms can be found in hospital records from resembling HFRS was mentioned in 1913 in eastern Russia and in 1932 a Chinese medical book dating back the disease was linked to exposure to as early as 960 AD. Although there is rodents. During World War II outbreaks no direct evidence, English sweating of nephritis among German troops sickness, a mysterious illness that on the Eastern front and in Finland, struck England in the 15th century, is where hantaviruses are endemic, were consistent with a hantavirus infection. classified as rodent-borne. During the There were five major epidemics of Korean War in the summer of 1951, an

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 155 outbreak of haemorrhagic fever with kidney failure, the disease demonstrates which is related to Puumala and Tula renal syndrome struck United Nations as flu-like symptoms, and may easily hantaviruses, which was previously not troops. Later the pathogen was identified pass unnoticed. Recent studies by detected in the UK. Interestingly, rodents as a virus and named Hantaan after the Public Health England showed that, from the Arvicolinae family, that spread river where the wild rats harbouring the although they don’t pose a major Puumala and Tula hantaviruses, are also virus had been captured. In the 1980s, threat, hantaviruses are widely spread found across mainland UK and Ireland. based on the genome analyses, the in the UK. Sero-surveillance studies Looking at distribution maps of rodents group of viruses causing HFRS were showed that over 30% of pet rat owners that are known hantavirus vectors, it assigned to the Bunyaviridae family as had antibodies against hantaviruses, is striking that there have been so few the Hantavirus genus. In the summer suggesting previous infection. In the confirmed hantavirus cases in the UK. of 1993 the first cases of HCPS were case of occupationally exposed people recorded in the Four Corners region of like farmers, sewage and waste disposal Future outlook the USA. The disease was caused by a workers, veterinarians, pest control, Although hantaviruses don’t pose an

new hantavirus later called Sin Nombre forestry and nature conservation immediate threat to the UK, rodent

virus, which was spread by deer mice. workers, only 1–3% were sero-positive, surveillance studies should be carried which was similar to the numbers out on a regular basis. Some viruses, Hantaviruses in the UK obtained for the general public. There are including hantaviruses, can spread Several hantaviruses circulate in no extensive studies on the percentages to new areas, including the UK, and Europe: Seoul (carried by rats), Puumala of pets and wild rodents persistently are associated with climate and (bank vole), Tula (common vole), infected with hantaviruses. Though environmental changes. With a growing

Saaremaa and Dobrava (both in wild whenever human cases of HFRS are human population and increasing mice). diagnosed, animals in the surrounding urbanisation, natural habitats of Hantaviruses very rarely appear environment test positive. In the last 4 indigenous rodents are disrupted, which in the news headlines in the UK. Also, years there were a few pet rat acquired causes changes in behaviour and animal when we look at distribution maps of cases of Seoul hantavirus which had to migration. Change in land use may lead hantaviruses in Europe, the UK is one be hospitalised in North Wales, Yorkshire, to the emergence of viruses previously of the few countries with little or no Humberside and Scotland. On the other not known or not common in certain

epidemiological data. General consensus hand,“ studies of rodents trapped in the environments. Such changes may also is that HFRS is under-diagnosed in Tattenhall area, in Cheshire, showed put pressure on pathogen evolution, the UK, as, unless the patient develops the existence of a novel hantavirus, which could result in increased

Although hantaviruses don’t pose an immediate threat to the UK, rodent surveillance studies should be carried out on a regular basis. “ Pet rat. Artur Malinowski 156 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) Bank vole (Myodes glareolus) Dobrava virus Puumala virus

Striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) Common vole (Microtus arvalis) Saaremaa virus Tula virus

Geographical distribution of European hantaviruses and their vectors. Light-coloured areas indicate distribution of the rodent host species, and the darker coloured areas show where appropriate virus has been found. Areas not filled indicate that there is either no data available or neither host nor virus is present.Adapted from Olsson et al. (2010), Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 10, 549–561 pathogenicity or even switching to a Advances in diagnostics can lead to the Further reading different vector. discovery of novel viruses, but it also Heyman, P., Simons, L. & Cochez, C. (2014). In most cases European hantavirus allows for the detection of previously Were the English sweating sickness and infections result in a mild form of the mis- or under-diagnosed pathogens. the Picardy sweat caused by hantaviruses? disease. However, with easy access Hantaviruses are just one example of Viruses 6, 151–171. to cheap international travel, there is emerging diseases that present an Olsson, G. E., Leirs, H. & Henttonen, H. (2010). a risk of importing more dangerous increasing threat to human health. Like Hantaviruses and their hosts in hantaviruses and other pathogens into the hantaviruses, there are many other Europe: reservoirs here and there, but not the UK. For example, last year a rare case zoonoses lurking around that are worth everywhere? Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome studying or still await discovery. In our 10, 549–561. (HCPS), caused by Choclo virus, was rapidly changing world it is evermore Public Health England (2014). Hantavirus diagnosed in a UK resident who returned important to keep up surveillance. infection in people: sero-surveillance study from Panama. Similarly, pathogens could in England. http://microb.io/1MR4xPJ. Last be imported with exotic pets. Agnieszka Szemiel accessed 25 August 2015. Currently there are no vaccines Medical Research Council – University Vaheri, A. & others (2013). Hantavirus or antivirals available to combat of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, infections in Europe and their impact on hantaviruses, as the molecular biology Glasgow G61 1QH, UK public health. Rev Med Virol 23, 35–49. of hantaviruses in not very well studied. [email protected]

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 157 Coloured transmission electron micrograph of chikungunya virus particles. John Fazakerley CDC/Cynthia Goldsmith, James A. Comer and Barbara Johnson/Science Photo Library Chikungunya: a decade of global pain

a Réunion, an island off It is has been 10 years since chikungunya emerged from the Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, forests of Africa and started its global journey, from Africa out Lis part of France and has a population of around 750,000. In 2005, a across the islands of the Indian Ocean to India and Southeast third of the population became infected with chikungunya virus and there Asia, China and the Americas. The virus first emerged to were 237 deaths (approximately 1 per prominence early in 2005 on the French island of La Réunion. 1,000 cases). Healthcare workers and scientists were rushed to La Réunion from France to deal with the outbreak.

158 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org as they prefer to bite humans, they are very effective disease vectors and are responsible for most cases of chikungunya. Generally, at least for the ECSA strain, A. aegypti is the vector in urban areas and A. albopictus is the vector in suburban and rural areas. In the 2005 epidemic in La Réunion, a point mutation in the E1 virus envelope glycoprotein of an ECSA virus increased the ability of this virus to replicate in A. albopictus. This almost certainly contributed to the massive outbreak on La Réunion. The Asian strain of the virus, currently circulating in the Americas, predominantly in the Caribbean, is transmitted preferentially by A. aegypti. Differences in the genome between ECSA and the Asian strain seem to be preventing the same point mutation in the E1 glycoprotein adapting the Asian strain to transmission by A. albopictus. Chikungunya derives its name from Coloured transmission electron micrograph of chikungunya virus particles. an outbreak of the disease in Tanzania CDC/Cynthia Goldsmith, James A. Comer and Barbara Johnson/Science Photo Library in the 1950s. The name derives from the local language Makonde and translates There are three major strains of include Eastern, Western and as ‘that which bends up’. It refers to the virus: East Central South African Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses. the fact that people with chikunguyna, (ECSA), West African and Asian. These These are more dangerous; they cause due to pain in their joints and muscles, differ in their geographical distribution, encephalitis (brain inflammation) and have a stooping, bent posture. The transmission by mosquitoes and can be fatal. majority of infections are symptomatic genome sequence. Chikungunya virus and the incubation period is 2 to 7 days. is classified as an alphavirus within Transmission Chikungunya causes an abrupt onset the family Togaviridae. These are small, Chikungunya virus is transmitted severe fever and debilitating joint and enveloped positive-sense RNA viruses. by mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, muscle pains, which are generally Related viruses include Semliki Forest specificallyAedes aegypti and Aedes asymmetric and affect the ankles, virus, Sindbis virus, Ross River virus and albopictus. These two mosquitoes are wrists, fingers, knees, shoulders and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. now widely spread around the world. elbows. Frequently there is also a rash. Chikungunya, Sindbis and Ross River A. albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, Headache, fatigue, nausea, conjunctivitis, viruses are often grouped as ‘Old World was disseminated from South-east and in newborns, meningitis and alphaviruses’ since, until recently, they Asia through international trade encephalitis, have also been described. were not present in the Americas. The in houseplants and tyres in which The acute disease generally lasts for Old World alphaviruses generally cause mosquito larvae survive in pools of a couple of weeks. The differential arthralgia (joint pain). The ‘New World water. These two mosquitoes transmit diagnosis is dengue fever. Indeed, it is alphaviruses’ found in the Americas both chikungunya and dengue and, likely that some of the epidemics of

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 159 fever, described since colonial times proteins, a capsid protein and two or We also know relatively little about throughout the tropics as dengue fever, three virus envelope glycoproteins. The the pathogenesis of the human disease. were caused not by what we now term envelope glycoproteins mediate entry There is a transient high titre viraemia dengue virus but by chikungunya virus. into cells and are determinants of host (virus in the blood), which peaks 1 to 2 range and transmission. As with many, days post-infection and can last for a Structure and pathogenesis perhaps all, RNA viruses, in order to week. This drives acute inflammatory We know relatively little about the replicate in mammalian cells, the virus and immune responses with most molecular virology of chikungunya. must suppress the interferon response. commonly high levels of interferon- In contrast, other alphaviruses have For the alphaviruses, non-structural alpha and interleukins-1, -6, -12 and been much studied for many decades, protein 2 (nsP2) is responsible for this. -18. The virus is observed in monocytes particularly Semliki Forest virus, a The alphavirus capsid and nsP3 proteins in the blood and in fibroblasts and close relative of chikungunya virus, also have important roles to play in macrophages in tissues. Interestingly, Sindbis virus and Venezuelan equine modulating the functions of mammalian macrophages are infected by the uptake encephalitis virus. The alphaviruses have cells. For the mosquito vectors, as for of apoptotic debris from virus-infected relatively few proteins. A polyprotein all invertebrates and plants, the key cells, not by purified virus. Whereas is processed into four functional suppressor of virus replication is not the acute infection, as characterised proteins, which together act as the interferon but RNA interference (RNAi). by fever, generally resolves within 2 virus replicase replicating the virus Arboviruses, at least most of them, do weeks, the polyarthralgia generally RNA and transcribing a subgenomic not, or do not strongly, antagonise the lasts longer; one study estimated a RNA. The subgenomic RNA provides an RNAi response resulting in a low-level mean duration of 90 days. For some amplification mechanism for producing persistent infection with minimal fitness people there is chronic disease with large numbers of viral structural cost to this virus distribution system. long-term arthralgia and in some cases

j, Countries and territories where chikungunya cases have been reported (as of 10 March 2015). Does not include countries or territories where only imported cases have been documented. This map is updated weekly if there are new countries or territories that report local chikungunya virus transmission. Taken from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)/Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD)

160 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org

arthritis. The immunological findings in “ these patients are different to those of rheumatoid arthritis with no C-reactive It is estimated by the European Centre for Disease protein, no rheumatoid factor, a different cytokine profile in the blood and joints Prevention and Control that within a few decades the and no evidence of autoimmunity. Anti- chikungunya virus IGM antibodies can range of the Aedes albopictus vector could extend persist for years, indicative perhaps of a persistent infection. Consistent with this, across northern Europe into southern Britain. in one case, virus RNA and proteins were detected in synovial macrophages 18 months post-infection. We know that in and proteins in lymphoid tissues and It will probably resolve with time and the mouse models alphaviruses can persist liver. virus will disappear back into the forests in tissues for long periods of time. It of Africa and Southern Asia, where it would not be surprising if chikungunya The outlook presumably persists in an arboreal cycle virus can do so in a tissue such as the At present there are no licenced between monkeys and mosquitoes; joint. Studying this is not easy for ethical vaccines for chikungunya though whether the monkeys and mosquitoes of reasons and most people with joint several candidates have been shown South America are also able to sustain “to be efficacious in pre-clinical this virus remains to be seen. pain are sensitive to having their joints biopsied. Close cooperation between testing including in macaques. There So far chikungunya cases have virologists and surgeons undertaking are vaccines based on attenuated been recorded in 60 countries with, elective surgery in locations which chikungunya virus and other according to some estimates, over five have had many cases of chikungunya alphaviruses, virus-like particle systems, million cases. Europe hasn’t escaped the might further inform the pathogenesis RNA and DNA constructs, and other pain. There was an outbreak in Italy in of the chronic disease. The chronic engineered virus vector systems 2007. A traveller from India introduced joint disease in chikungunya raises the including vaccinia (MVA) virus and the virus into the Po river delta where interesting question; could viruses be measles virus. At least three candidate there are plenty of mosquitoes. This responsible for a subset of arthritic vaccines have been through or are in resulted in local transmission and almost diseases worldwide? Phase I human clinical trials. It should three hundred cases. Vector control As with many infectious diseases, be relatively easy to protect against by the local public health authorities an understanding of the pathogenesis the acute disease since we know for brought the outbreak under control. In is greatly facilitated by the study of most alphaviruses that good antibody 2010, there were autochthonous cases in animal model systems. Mice are not responses correlate with protection. southern France. Aedes albopictus is now easily infected with chikungunya virus More difficult factors might be longevity established around the northern shores but inoculation close to a joint results in of immunity, distribution in the tropics of the Mediterranean and it is estimated local joint swelling. Infection of mice with and cost per dose. Until the virus hit the by the European Centre for Disease poor type-I interferon responses has Americas, developing a vaccine for this Prevention and Control that within a few been studied as a more disseminated disease was generally not considered to decades the range of this vector could model of infection. Macaque monkeys be commercially viable. extend across northern Europe into experimentally infected with In December 2013, the virus southern Britain. chikungunya provide a better model of reached the Caribbean. Since then there the human disease. As with humans, have been an estimated 1.5 million cases John Fazakerley acute disease is characterised by a high- in the Americas, mostly in the Caribbean Director, The Pirbright Institute, level transient viraemia with virus in but also in the countries in South Pirbright GU24 0NF, UK monocytes, rash, severe fever and joint America. As elsewhere, this has been an [email protected] swelling with persistence of virus RNA explosive epidemic in a naïve population.

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 161 Campylobacter: breaking the spiral of infection

Helen Brown & Arnoud van Vliet

Campylobacter jejuni is hose of us who grew up in the UK to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the late 1980s may remember publishing data on the percentage of an excellent example of a Tthe injustice of no longer being Campylobacter-positive meat samples allowed to eat uncooked cake mix, due from retail sources. While insiders zoonotic pathogen, but for to the risk of Salmonella infection. More were not surprised by the levels of recently, many will recall headlines Campylobacter reported (64–79% of many years it was arguably about the 2011 German Escherichia coli chicken meat was positive), the numbers the least known of the outbreak. Campylobacter very rarely were widely publicised, putting pressure makes the national headlines, although on the poultry sector and retailers to common bacterial food the number of Campylobacter cases have address the problem. remained relatively steady over the last pathogens. few decades, with an estimated annual Why is tackling Campylobacter so incidence of ~280,000 UK cases. important? In 2012, the BBC Face the Facts For such a common pathogen, it may programme asked the public to name seem surprising that there is so little bacteria that cause foodborne illness. public awareness. There may be several Not surprisingly, many people mentioned reasons for this: firstly, Campylobacter Salmonella and E. coli, some people even infection is typically a self-limiting named Listeria, but Campylobacter was illness. Symptoms usually last between the great unknown. However, that picture 3 and 10 days and include fever, is changing rapidly and in the past year stomach cramps and diarrhoea, but the public profile of Campylobacter has rarely vomiting. Although infection can been raised significantly, mainly due lead to potentially severe autoimmune

162 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org complications, these are rare and illness is typically self-resolving, requiring little professional attention. This means that the infection burden is economic rather than medical, costing an estimated £900 million each year in the UK, an amount the recovering economy could put to much better use! Secondly, Campylobacter is ever- present and hard to eradicate. Food safety measures implemented to reduce Salmonella, another zoonotic pathogen linked to poultry, have had little effect on Campylobacter levels. Birds show few symptoms when infected, so poultry producers have no outward signs of infection. Additionally, as a result of the rapid slaughter and processing methods, uninfected birds may become contaminated during processing. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a Campylobacter jejuni biofilm forming on a soiled surface. The The Campylobacter conundrum Campylobacter is able to attach to the soiling particulates more easily that it can to a clean surface, and so In addition to the Campylobacter retail the biofilm can grow much quicker.Dr Louise Salt, IFR survey, the FSA have been active with several public awareness campaigns, focusing on how people should handle raw chicken. The food industry has argued against the policy of ‘naming and shaming’, and to an extent we sympathise. Campylobacter has had many millions of years to learn its trade, and they are now expected to produce immediate results. Campylobacter is a fastidious organism, requiring a rich growth medium, a narrow range of temperatures and modified atmospheric conditions for growth. Researchers working with the bacterium have many anecdotes of how Campylobacter cultures left on the bench for a few hours die and how opening an incubator door one too many times led to the loss of a weeks’ worth of experiments. Yet, despite In this SEM image, a C. jejuni biofilm has formed around a small wooden splinter. This splinter could not been this fastidious nature, Campylobacter seen by eye. This highlights that any surface imperfections or debris (however small) may help Campylobacter form a biofilm and improve its chances of survival both in the abattoir or on surfaces in the home. This is why is able to survive for extended periods thorough cleaning of hands and equipment after handling raw poultry is so important. Dr Louise Salt, IFR within the food chain (a contradiction,

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 163

It should be stressed though “ that the consumer plays a central role in breaking the infection cycle and is firmly in control of their health.

protect themselves with good kitchen Schematic representation of two different types of biofilm and key components. Biofilms can either be free “hygiene and food preparation. Retailers floating (pellicles) or attached to a surface, typically near the interface between air and liquid. Biofilms are are doing their bit, for instance with the often comprised of several different types of bacteria and surrounded by a complex matrix which they produce ‘double-bagged whole chicken’, where themselves. Mature biofilms are usually highly structured, with a level of cooperation and metabolite sharing consumers don’t touch the chicken until between the inhabitants. As a biofilm becomes more dense a diffusion gradient occurs, where the outer levels it’s fully cooked. of the biofilm are more rich in nutrients and have atmospheric conditions similar to those found in the external environment. In deeper layers of the biofilm, the atmospheric conditions can be very different to those in the A potential Campylobacter surrounding environment, potentially allowing species such as Campylobacter to survive in conditions that survival strategy would quickly kill an individual cell. Equally, antimicrobials are less able to penetrate the deeper layers of Biofilms, formed of bacterial the biofilm, meaning that at least some of the biofilm’s population will likely still be viable after cleaning and communities enveloped by an disinfection routines are carried out. extracellular matrix, are an important which, within the field is nicknamed the In the kitchen the bacteria either mechanism for bacterial survival of ‘Campylobacter conundrum’). We still cross-contaminate other foodstuffs suboptimal conditions. Typically, biofilms don’t fully understand how this survival and equipment (one reason why you contain multiple bacterial species and is achieved, or how to interfere with shouldn’t wash your chicken!), or survive can be dense enough to see with the these mechanisms. This is not good when the meat is improperly cooked. naked eye. Reduced oxygen levels can news for poultry producers who serve There are several points in the process be found in the deeper levels of biofilms, the consumer demand for low-cost where interventions may be successful. perfect for survival of microaerobic chicken, but want to avoid possible Firstly, preventing birds from becoming bacteria such as Campylobacter. future government sanctions for infected. This is currently attempted Similarly, multispecies biofilms produce non-compliance. The ACT (Acting on by strict biosecurity measures, but the a wide range of metabolites, allowing Campylobacter Together, #actonfarm FSA results show these measure are many different bacteria to thrive by on Twitter) campaign shows the drive unsuccessful in their current form. co-operatively producing the nutrients of regulators and industry to solve this Other interventions being trialled required by the community. There is problem. include feed additives and improved now a large body of evidence indicating disinfection procedures. Secondly, that Campylobacter is able to not only Where can we stop Campylobacter? contamination of meat may be prevented integrate into existing multi-species Campylobacter is commonly found at the abattoir stage, and we discuss biofilms, but can form de novo biofilms in the intestine of birds and animals, some ideas on how Campylobacter on food chain relevant surfaces such as and also survives in agricultural survives in that environment in the stainless steel. Surface soiling with meat environments. Flocks commonly diagram above. Promising interventions juices or other organic matter increases become Campylobacter-positive in include surface chilling, disinfectant Campylobacter’s ability to attach to the latter stage of their growth, and rinses and combinations of steam and surfaces, increasing biofilm formation. infection spreads rapidly within flocks. ultrasound. Finally, consumers can We, and others, have shown that DNA

164 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org is an important component of the multi-species biofilm communities are consumption will reduce the number extracellular matrix, and its enzymic able to thrive. These new technologies of viable bacteria on the meat. Washing degradation allows rapid dispersal of should increase our understanding of raw chicken should be avoided, as attached Campylobacter populations. Campylobacter and how it is transiting contaminated water could be splashed Motility also appears to be an important the food chain, and may lead to onto surfaces or other foods. Fortunately, factor in biofilm formation, allowing the development of knowledge-led Campylobacter is also relatively easy bacterial cells to migrate towards, and Campylobacter eradication strategies to destroy by cooking, so ensuring that away from, surfaces and helping to form throughout the food chain. chicken is cooked adequately before surface attachments in the initial stages consumption should be enough to of biofilm formation. What should we do until then? stop infection. Following these simple It should be stressed though that guidelines should be adequate to ensure The future of biofilm investigation the consumer plays a central role in that you stay Campylobacter-free! The majority of bacteria exist in mixed breaking the infection cycle and is firmly species biofilms, and we expect in control of their health. They must Helen Brown Campylobacter to behave no differently. be aware of the risk posed by zoonotic Cardiff School of Health Sciences, Multi-species biofilms are, by their pathogens such as Campylobacter. Llandaff Campus, Cardiff Metropolitan very nature, extremely complex, and Consumers should be cautious when University, Western Avenue, Cardiff this complexity has, until recently, handling raw chicken and wash their CF5 2YB, UK hindered their study. Advances in ‘omics hands and utensils immediately [email protected] technologies, in silico modelling and the afterwards in order to ensure that development of techniques which allow cross contamination does not occur. Arnoud van Vliet single cell interactions to be studied are Campylobacter does not tolerate freezing Institute of Food Research, Colney Lane, allowing us to better understand how very well and so freezing chicken before Norwich NR4 7UA, UK [email protected]

Further reading Acting on Campylobacter Together. Food Standards Agency. http://microb.io/ 1JVwg0U. Last accessed 25 August 2015. Brown, H. L. & others (2014). Chicken juice enhances surface attachment and biofilm formation of Campylobacter jejuni. Applied Environmental Microbiology 80, 7053–7060. Campylobacter. Food Standards Agency. http://microb.io/1PwuwJA. Last accessed 25 August 2015. Okshevsky, M. Regina, V. R. & Meyer, R. L. (2015). Extracellular DNA as a target for biofilm control. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 33, 73–80. Teh, A. H. T., Lee, S. M. & Dykes, G. A. (2014). Does Campylobacter jejuni form SEM image of a C. jejuni biofilm forming on a plastic surface. This picture highlights how structured and biofilms in food-related environments? organised the cells within a biofilm can be. The long threads that link the microcolonies are the extracellular Applied Environmental Microbiology 80, matrix. They look like threads because of the method of processing used to prepare the biofilms for 5154–5160. microscopy. Dr Louise Salt, IFR

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 165 Publishing A great start to the #MGeneration

The Society’s new open access

journal, Microbial Genomics, Bases to Biology launched earlier this year. This article highlights some of the latest papers and gives an update on the journal’s pioneering Open Data policy.

icrobial Genomics (MGen) collection of a single Streptococcus with the journal’s mission to support launched this summer with a pneumoniae serotype to date to the discoverability and accessibility of Mselection of innovative published show how country-specific selective research data, the Editorial Board – papers. These included an article on pressures have driven the evolution and led by Professors Nicholas Thomson chromosome remodelling during a diversification of this important pathogen and Stephen Bentley, both at the protracted MRSA infection, which Dr within Africa. MGen aims to reach a first Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute – William Hanage, an Editor for MGen, decision on submitted papers within 4 decided that a mandatory open data

summarised as “showing us a trick a weeks, with Accepted Papers published as policy would be necessary to achieve drug-resistant pathogen used to make the author version within 3 working days. these goals. The journal’s Open Data itself at home during a serious infection”. policy has been recognised as a leader

He added that “these are the type of Microbial Genomics’ in the field by the publishers of other results we need genomic methods to Open Data policy leads the way microbiology journals. This includes the find, to study, and ultimately to combat. in microbiological science American Society for Microbiology, who Microbial Genomics is going to be the MGen provides the Society with its first are looking to follow MGen’s lead and place to read and publish such research”. open data publication, recognising the have taken guidance from the journal “ The journal has since published a benefits to be gained from authors in developing their own policy for the number of articles including a paper on sharing their research data. In keeping publication of supporting data. the origin and dispersal of Shiga-toxin- producing Escherichia coli O157:H7, using phylogenetic methods to present a The ability to generate microbial genomic data at scale has not only comprehensive population structure on facilitated rapid development in established fields, but has given rise this zoonotic pathogen for the first time. More recently, Cornick et al. presented to whole new branches of science. the largest reported sequencing “Dr Kathryn Hall, Senior Editor, Microbial Genomics 166 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Open data is what will “ help us to prevent the 21st Examples of data presented in MGen articles, such as large datasets, sequences and videos, that have been published through our data partner figshare. century pandemics…

Jennifer Gardy, Senior Editor, Microbial Genomics: “Microbial Genomics Standing on the Shoulders of Giants Many of the journal’s authors Introducing ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’, which have now taken advantage of MGen’s recognises the influential work of pioneering researchers agreement with the online repository Lonely/Shutterstock.com in the field. The first published articles in this new feature figshare, to publish and link their data include: to the final article. Mark Hahnel, founder of figshare, said of the Professor Stanley Falkow partnership: “We are delighted that the Stanford University, USA Society has chosen figshare to offer an Described by many in the field as the ‘father’ of molecular enhanced data service to their authors pathogenesis. and readers. Society publishers play Falkow S. a key role in the dissemination of Professor Gordon Dougan academic content and MGen’s Open Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute UK Data policy puts them at the forefront on Professor Stanley Falkow of one of the most important A pioneer of enteric diseases and vaccine usage in movements in academia.” The journal developing countries. also provides seamless linking with a

number of other repositories including Dougan G. GenBank, Microreact and GitHub. For Dame Janet Thornton Director of EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute, UK more information go to http://mgen. One of the world’s leading researchers in structural microbiologyresearch.org/opendata bioinformatics. Parita Patel Product Manager Go to http://mgen.microbiologyresearch.org/sotsog to

Thornton J. read the full articles. [email protected] • Microbial Genomics is a gold open access journal, with all article processing charges waived during the launch period. • Submit your article now at http://mgen.microbiologyresearch.org • For more information, please email [email protected] • Join the discussion on Twitter using #MGen

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 167 Conferences

Focused Meetings 2015 FIS 2015 update Only a couple of weeks now until International Meeting on Arboviruses International Meeting on The FIS 2015 takes place! The theme and their Vectors (IMAV) Invasive Fungus is Action on Infection and the event University of Glasgow Mercure Hotel, Manchester provides a fantastic programme, 7–8 September 2015 7–9 September 2015 with world renowned speakers and many networking opportunities. The September was an exciting month for The International Meeting on The event is at Glasgow SECC between the Society as two incredibly successful Invasive Fungus was another success in 21 and 23 November 2015 and it’s Focused Meetings took place. The the Focused Meeting series. Delegates not too late to register! Visit http:// International Meeting on Arboviruses enjoyed the opportunity to listen to actiononinfection.com/registration and their Vectors (IMAV) saw a high and network with big names in their attendance with over 20 offered oral field such as Robin May (University presentations and 30 posters. The of Birmingham, UK) and Dilip Shah Grants opportunities prestige of the meeting was heightened (Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, The Society offers grants to support by the calibre of invited speakers, such USA). Over the two-and-a-half days eligible members presenting research as Carol Blair (Colorado State University, in Manchester, delegates covered the at our Annual Conference, Focused USA) and Simon Carpenter (The Pirbright following topics: Meetings and Irish Division meetings. Institute, UK). Delegates came from 16 • hyphal tip growth Society Conference Grants different countries to attend and network • tropisms Open to technicians, postdoctoral with influential microbiologists. • invasion of animal plant tissues researchers or PhD student members The topics covered included: • host defence responses and those attending their first Society • arbovirus–vector interactions and • invasion of ecological environments meeting, whether presenting or not. immune responses Undergraduate Student • preventing arbovirus transmission: The Focused Meeting on Industrial Conference Grants novel strategies Applications of Metal–Microbe These grants enable undergraduate • arbovirus–vertebrate host Interactions takes place at Charles student members to attend our interactions Darwin House, London, UK, 9–10 meetings, and to cover travel and • vertebrate immune responses to November. Topics include biomining; accommodation costs. arbovirus infection biorecovery and bioprocessing; • arbovirus replication and bioremediation; and biofabrication of Inclusion Grants evolution higher value products. Grants for members who wish to attend a Society meeting and cover 2016 dates for your diary interim caring arrangement costs. Molecular Biology of Archaea 5 Travel Grants London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London To support members who are not 1–3 August 2016 eligible for the above grants to present at any Society conference. Minimum Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis of Avian Viruses membership period applies Charles Darwin House, London For full eligibility criteria, please 27–29 September 2016 visit: www.microbiologysociety.org/ To register your interest in these meetings, email: [email protected] eventsfunds

168 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Follow the Society on Twitter to keep up-to-date: @MicrobioSoc

Shape our events programme Annual Conference 2016 Our programme of events is developed and driven from proposals Our 2016 Annual Conference takes place between submitted by our members. There are three ways our members can 21 and 24 March at the ACC Liverpool and once again help shape our programme to share research and build networks we are providing a full programme covering a broad and communities. spectrum of microbiology, including: Option 1 – Annual Conference Session • climate change and disease transmission • Clinical Virology Network (CVN) Our Annual Conference brings together a collective audience • DNA viruses of over 1,200 delegates over a four-day event, providing an • environmental and applied microbiology opportunity to share and develop research in all areas of • evasion of host defences microbiology. Proposals are welcomed from session organisers • gene and genome manipulation who wish to deliver a session at conference. • host–pathogen interactions – nutrition, immunity, metals Option 2 – Focused Meetings • intrinsic antiviral immunity Each year the Society’s Conference team oversees the running of • membrane transportation three to four Focused Meetings, providing a forum for researchers • microbial interactions with insects and specialists to come together, share knowledge and build • mining microbial diversity connections. These meetings attract over 100 delegates and often • mycobacteria run over a two-day period. We welcome proposals from session • negative-strand RNA viruses organisers who have identified an area of research that will draw in • plant viruses delegates and provide a forum for networking. • positive-strand RNA viruses Option 3 – Society Supported Conference Grants • prokaryote cell biology / genetics / infection To ensure that our members and the wider microbiology • protein post-translation modification community have continuous access to a varied programme of • restriction factors events we regularly work in collaboration with other organisations • retroviruses and session organisers to sponsor UK and international speakers. If • Small World Initiative you have an event taking place and are looking for sponsorship you • the model microbe can apply for a Society Supported Conference Grant. • viral haemorrhagic fever Decision-making In addition to these sessions, we will have our five Prize All proposals and applications are submitted to the Scientific Lectures at the start and end of each day, including the Conferences Committee (SCC), which is made up of representatives Prize Medal, Fleming Prize, Peter Wildy Prize, Marjory from the Virology, Eukaryotic, Prokaryotic and Irish Divisions. This Stephenson Prize and Colworth Prize. process ensures our conferences programme covers a broad Plus, in 2016 all of this… spectrum of microbiology. Annual Conference sessions and • an audience with the Prize Medal Winner Focused Meeting proposals are considered a year in advance. • Meet the Speaker sessions Key dates • lively debates The SCC meets twice a year. Upcoming deadlines and notification • evening entertainment dates for proposals are as follows: • Live at Lunch sessions Deadline: 14 December 2015 17 June 2016 • poster presentations Notification date: 15 February 2016 19 August 2016 • networking opportunities • trade exhibition For further information and application forms visit: Registration and abstract submission are both open. www.microbiologysociety.org/conferences Visit www.microbiologysociety.org/conferences

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 169 Outreach The tale of the 13-week-old cheese and pickled egg sandwich The 13-week-old sandwich. J. Verran Manchester Children’s Book Festival (MCBF) is an annual event run by permeated. There were discussions Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) championed by MMU Professor around whether or not consumption of and Poet Laureate, Carol Anne Duffy. Every year, we try to shoehorn in some mouldy food would be undesirable or science – particularly microbiology – and we have used children’s or teen harmful. Children were keen to use the microscopes and parents took away novels involving vampires (Twilight by Stephenie Meyer), zombies (Warm information. Finally, as well as joining in Bodies by Isaac Marion) and smallpox (Code Orange by Caroline Cooney) to with our teaser Twitter campaign, Matt deliver messages around hygiene, disease transmission and vaccination. Brown came to see the sandwiches and meet the scientists. That was exciting too! The science continues: we are his year, the guest author was It was an interesting experiment. identifying the ‘sandwichome’ and Matt Brown, writer of Compton I had no idea what would happen to screening sandwich isolates for antibiotic TValance – The Most Powerful Boy a sandwich left for 13 weeks. I was production to tie in with and complement in the Universe. Imagine our pleasure worried that the pickled egg might prove the Small World Initiative (SWI) work when we found out that the book series particularly offensive, so I also made a to find antibiotics in soil. We have also was about a boy who nurtured a cheese cheese sandwich control. Interestingly, partnered a school as part of the SWI, and pickled egg sandwich in a shoebox the vinegar pickling the egg actually so the work with the sandwich was an for 13(!) weeks. This was an unmissable delayed the rot for a couple of weeks. interesting and relevant introduction. opportunity to repeat the experiment. After about 8 weeks, there was a Who would have guessed, without However, after Compton and his friend distinctly earthy odour, and by 13 weeks a glimpse into the future, that so much sampled it(!!), the sandwich turned out both sandwiches were considerably could be garnered from a time-travelling to be magic, conferring time-travelling shrunken, crumbly and brown. sandwich? talents on the brave consumers. This we After appropriate risk assessments, could not replicate – nor did we try to. we took the 13-week-old sandwiches Joanna Verran (sealed in their boxes) to the MCBF Faculty of Science and Engineering, Family Fun Day. Our message (apart Manchester Metropolitan University, from not eating the sandwich) was about Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK fungi, their importance in deterioration [email protected] and degradation, and their morphological diversity. We had some prepared slides Further reading and sealed plates for examination, Bad Bugs Book Club. www.hsri.mmu.ac.uk/ alongside some information to take away badbugsbookclub. Manchester Children’s about fungi, and about hygienic sandwich Book Festival. www.mcbf.org.uk. preparation and storage. We were very busy! The target Matt Brown, Writer. audience for the book would, I imagine, http://mattbrownwriter.com/ be around nine-year-olds. Families science-mirroring-art examined the sandwich, and sniffed All last accessed 11 September 2015. Jo Verran with writer Matt Brown. James Draper the sealed box – from which odour still

170 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Member careers:

Vivian Moses Moses V. Tenured academic science jobs Looking back on a career in science, we asked long-standing were difficult to come by in Britain in 1960: member Professor Vivian Moses to give an overview of his career the first round of new universities were and work. founded only in the early 1960s. So, when Calvin invited me to return to Berkeley on owards the end of World War J. Lyons (now Allied-Lyons PLC). The lab a permanent basis as a research director, II, I was studying for my Higher building was in Hammersmith Road near I did so, concentrating first mainly on TSchool Certificate, the equivalent Olympia; I was in microbiology while metabolic compartmentation and later on of A-Levels. I was keen on chemistry upstairs in chemistry worked someone microbial enzyme synthesis, particularly but that had caused a bit of a mess at called Margaret Roberts (now better catabolite repression of the lac operon home so I turned to biology, instead known by her married name of Margaret system in Escherichia coli. bringing home frogs and earthworms for Thatcher) but I can’t say I knew her. Including a sabbatical year dissection. With lots of enthusiasm for Cream for ice cream was not then (1967–1968) in Oxford spent with Joel both subjects, I decided to combine the readily available so the product was based Mandetstam and Michael Yudkin, I stayed two when it came to thinking about on partially liquefied flour. To prepare that, in California until 1971 but eventually felt a career. Lyons were buying in amylase but wanted I would prefer to be in the UK and was Before starting university, and having to generate their own supply; my first fortunate to be appointed Professor of passed the necessary exams, I continued project was to find how best to do so. Later Microbiology at Queen Mary College. I held at school 2 days a week and worked for I developed a replacement procedure that position for 22 years (retiring in 1993), three as a lab assistant at the Express for a disposal unit to remove residual gradually moving towards biotechnology Dairies on London’s Euston Road. There fermentables from the waste water which has, indeed, kept me very busy in I spent 9 months as assistant to a lady coming from Lyons’ food products factory the years following retirement. who sampled foods and food-processing at Greenford before being discharged to machines, checking for microbial the sewers; the system then in use was Highlight of my career contamination. That gave me a good running at low pH and the equipment had Perhaps the most exciting point in my grounding of the main microbiological become badly corroded. My aim was to career was my postdoc in California techniques before I went up to Cambridge develop a higher pH procedure for use in a in 1956–1958. UCL was fine but it was in 1946 to read Biochemistry. rebuilt tank; I completed the development nowhere near as lively as the Berkeley Cambridge was the only university at just before I left to begin my PhD at lab. Calvin was a very vigorous director that time that offered an undergraduate University College London (UCL) and heard who was an inspiration to us all; he Biochemistry course. The first 2 years later that it had indeed worked. always wanted to talk to everyone focused on chemistry and physiology. The I was awarded my PhD in 1953 and all the members of that large third year was devoted entirely either to and stayed on at UCL for 3 years as a multidisciplinary group of at least 30 animal or to microbial biochemistry: I was Junior Lecturer. Then I was very fortunate people were interested in what everyone offered a place on the microbial course to secure a postdoc with Melvin Calvin at else was doing. Some possible research and so became a microbial biochemist. the University of California in Berkeley, line might come up and that very day we It was not possible for me to begin joining his group on photosynthesis might start to explore with colleagues a PhD immediately. National Service research (for which he was awarded who wanted to join in. There was enough was still in force at the time: like other the Nobel Prize in 1961) and other funding so we could just ask for access science graduates, my obligation would metabolic problems. After 2 years there to a chemical or piece of equipment. be fulfilled if I found a job ‘of national my visa expired; I returned to the UK to That was a most exciting environment importance that used my science degree’ another two-year postdoc on aspirin and for someone coming out of the rather and held it for 2 years. So, with official rheumatism with Mervin Smith at King’s darker England of the late 1950s. approval, I became a lab scientist with College Medical School.

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 171 Schoolzone Teaching zoonoses in schools

Zoonoses are a fascinating topic for school students; the spread of diseases that can pass between animals and humans holds a gruesome appeal. But how can we teach about zoonoses in schools in an engaging way, when, for obvious reasons, we cannot carry out wet laboratory experiments using any of these pathogens? In this article we explore student activities covering various aspects of the subject, including tfoxfoto/iStock emerging zoonotic diseases, biosecurity and the spread of infection. Investigating emerging zoonotic diseases An emerging zoonotic disease is one virus and avian influenza. They can be that is newly recognised or evolved, or caused by any type of infectious agent that has already been seen in humans (bacteria, virus, fungi, prion or protozoa) previously but has shown an increase and can be spread by pets, farm animals in incidence or geographical area. or wild animals. Examples include Ebola, West Nile

Student research project This topic provides a good opportunity to use a multi-disciplinary approach, with students able to research several aspects of an emerging zoonotic disease. Important microbiological themes to consider include: • What micro-organism causes the disease? • What is known about the biology of this micro-organism? • Does this microbe have a history of causing disease in other geographical locations, or in different species? • How does this microbe transmit the disease? This could be through direct or indirect transmission. As well as the microbiology behind each disease, the students can also investigate the epidemiology of the disease, anthropological, social and economic impacts of the disease, and what can be done from a public health perspective to minimise the spread of the disease. It can cover other topics in biology and chemistry, as well as history, geography and health studies. The results of this desk- based research could be presented as a poster, a presentation, or a policy briefing. Mint Images/Science Photo Library

172 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Biosecurity: preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases It is a vital skill for developing Student workshop scientific researchers to be able to Pairs of students are given a specific environment to investigate. This could write good quality risk assessments be different types of farming environments, a veterinary surgery, a home with and consider appropriate codes of domestic or exotic pets, or a remote field station. Students then write a full risk practice. However, this can sometimes assessment and a code of good working practice for the people working in or be a tedious task and not particularly visiting that environment. engaging for students. Using a subject, There are many things to consider when completing this exercise, such as: such as zoonotic diseases, that has • How could the potential movement of people and/or animals affect the serious consequences if correct spread? procedures are not followed, adds a • What necessary hygiene practices are needed? good level of interest to the work and • What diseases could be an issue at these locations? helps students think outside of their • What are the symptoms to watch out for? usual laboratory situations. • Do you catch these diseases from direct or indirect transmission? And how does this affect the risk assessment and code of practice?

How easily are infections spread? The Barrier Game The spread of disease through a can play, to identify who started the The Barrier Game, available population can be quite an abstract outbreak of a disease and how far the as part of the downloadable idea for students to understand. disease spread through their class sexually transmitted infection This is a fun game that students ‘population’. resources on our website (www. Student activity tube of the person nearest to microbiologysociety.org/STIplay) You will need: them. can also be adapted to compare • a test tube and dropper for 3. Repeat until at least three the spread of infection if certain each participant exchanges have occurred. control measures are in place. • distilled water 4. When completed, put a drop of • 0.1 M NaOH phenolphthalein in each test tube. Theresa Hudson If the fluid turns pink, the tube is • phenolphthalein solution, Education and Outreach Manager ‘infected’ with NaOH. dissolved in alcohol and diluted [email protected] in water (pH indicator) Questions to consider: CAUTION: Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and • How many people in the phenolphthalein can irritate the eyes and skin. population (the classroom) have Further reading How to play the game: the infection? Emerging Zoonotic Diseases Policy 1. Each student gets a test tube. All • Who do you think gave you the Briefing.http://microb.io/1SCnPIx . but one are half filled with distilled infection? Last accessed 11 September 2015. water. One is filled with the NaOH • Look at the class data and Zoonotic diseases (zoonoses): guidance, solution. With a large group of determine who started the data and analysis. http://microb.io/1VRIYQF. students (more than 30), two of infection. Last accessed 11 September 2015. the test tubes should contain • How would this game change Zoonoses and the Human-Animal- NaOH solution. depending on the method of Ecosystems Interface. http://microb. 2. Students move around the room transmission? io/1K11v5B. Last accessed 11 September and, when instructed, they put • Why is determining how a disease 2015. Mint Images/Science Photo Library a drop of their fluid into the test spreads important?

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 173 Policy Disease outbreaks: preparedness through policy

The global health security threat posed by emerging infectious diseases has been pushed up the policy agenda in the wake of the unprecedented Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Initial failure to launch a rapid and coordinated international response to the epidemic starkly highlighted serious weaknesses in global

surveillance and disease emergency response capabilities. Scientists testing hens for the avian influenza virus in Hong Kong, China. Dung Vo Trung/Look At Sciences/Science Photo Library Learning lessons easily cross borders, but also to provide announce that they would be supporting In the immediate-term, at least, the health security to individuals regardless at least 60 countries over the next 5 Ebola epidemic has engaged policy- of where they live. years to prevent epidemics, in addition makers with the need to improve The WHO and 196 countries to supporting other global initiatives, global preparedness for future disease already have an agreement under although precise details were limited. outbreaks. Numerous inquiries have the International Health Regulations been set up to ‘learn lessons’ from the (IHR) to report public health risks Rapid responses epidemic, including the World Health and build disease surveillance and The need to better structure and support Organization’s (WHO) Ebola Interim response capacities. However, many the WHO to coordinate rapid disease Assessment Panel and the United countries have been unable to meet emergencies responses has also been Nations High-Level Panel on the Global their IHR obligations, and the long made clear. The WHO Ebola Interim Response to Health Crises. Global health delay in the WHO reporting Ebola as an Panel stated that the WHO lacked security has also been a priority under international public health emergency the culture, financing and capacity to Germany’s presidency of the G7, with showed weaknesses in its own systems. currently do this. Consequently, at the proposals from an expert group taken Many countries also went against World Health Assembly in May it was to the G7 summit back in June. In the guidance and imposed travel and trade agreed to establish a specific WHO UK, two House of Commons Select restrictions, the economic and political emergency programme and workforce, Committee inquiries are scrutinising implications of which might deter swift and to pilot a $100 million contingency what the Government has learned from reporting of potential outbreaks. The fund for financing initial field operations the UK Ebola response. WHO is now reviewing how to strengthen during outbreaks. Securing necessary the effectiveness and implementation of longer-term funding increases from Strengthening surveillance the IHR. Member States to support this work still One area of consensus is the need to Finding sufficient funding might be poses a challenge however. strengthen surveillance and healthcare a challenge, but the expert panel that The expert panel that informed systems, particularly better supporting formed proposals presented to the G7 the G7 summit made strong proposals low- and middle-income countries estimated that surveillance systems for an independent multilateral to do so. This is important to ensure could be significantly boosted in many organisation to be setup within the WHO collective international health security in countries with as little as $12 million to be responsible for global outbreak a globalised world where diseases can to $15 million annually. The G7 did response. They also called for $150

174 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org million to $200 million per year to a new UK Vaccines Research and also submitted evidence to the maintain a reserve of thousands of Development Network to focus on the House of Commons Science and scientists and public health workers most serious disease threats have also Technology Select Committee’s inquiry ready for deployment in the event of a been announced. Science in Emergencies: the UK Lessons serious outbreak. from Ebola. Microbiology Society policy Research and development activities The Ebola crisis also highlighted the In June, the Society distributed its Further reading need for more proactive development briefingEmerging Zoonotic Diseases to Heymann, D. L. et al. (2015). Global health of vaccines, drugs and diagnostics, and parliamentarians and policy-makers security: the wider lessons from the West the need for effective and transparent across the UK and Ireland. The briefing, African Ebola virus disease epidemic. Lancet frameworks to roll out trials during and the importance of microbiology 385, 1884–1901. epidemics, and to ensure the timely in tackling epidemics, was cited in a Health Plan (2015). Editorial. Nature 522, 5. sharing of research data. This is House of Lords debate on the Ebola Microbiology Society (2015). Briefing: something the WHO has been developing outbreak. The briefing also prompted Emerging Zoonotic Diseases. a framework to facilitate. The UK a Parliamentary Question to be asked http://microb.io/1SCnPIx Government has said it will champion about Middle East respiratory syndrome Ebola Interim Assessment Panel. World this including ensuring open access to (MERS) to Ireland’s Minister for Health. Health Organization. http://microb.io/ UK publically funded research and data. The Society, in collaboration with the 1JxxoBr. Last accessed 18 August 2015. Plans to invest £20 million towards Society for Applied Microbiology,

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 175 Outreach Small World Initiative: pop-up events

It has been a year since the Society launched the Small World Initiative in the UK and Ireland on European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2014 and a lot has happened since then!

The Small World Initiative team at High Lodge Forest Centre. he Small World Initiative will project as part of the Small World give the general public, students Initiative. Tand educators in the UK and Ahead of the start of the PhD Ireland the opportunity to work with project, the Society ran two pop-up scientists as part of a global initiative science events in August to launch the to discover new antibiotics from soil citizen science project, in collaboration bacteria. with the Forestry Commission and Forest We have run a successful pre- Research. The events took place at pilot school partnership with the High Lodge Forest Centre and Alice Holt University of East Anglia and the Sir Forest. People visiting the event could Isaac Newton Sixth Form College in take a sampling kit around the forest Norwich, with participating students with them, collect a soil sample and coming to our Annual Conference and prepare a spread plate of their sample presenting their work at the poster when they returned to see the bacteria session. We have run a summer school present in the soil, before depositing the for six undergraduate programmes and sample in our soil bank, which was then seven school partnerships, which have sent to Dr Matt Hutchings’ laboratory at started their programmes in this new the University of East Anglia for analysis. academic year. We have also chosen Visitors to the stand were welcomed the University of East Anglia to host our by a team of expert volunteers, who Society champion Ben Johns taking another sample match-funded PhD student, Ethan Drury, talked with people about hunting for into the soil bank. who will be working on a citizen science new antibiotics in the soil, how we

176 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org find these medicines and the threat of and BBC South Today. Lots of visitors to Commission for hosting the events. antibiotic resistance. They could look at the stand had seen the project on local We would also like to thank Dr Matt agar plates down the microscope that television and were keen to find out Hutchings and his team at the University contained pre-prepared soil samples more and be a part of the project. of East Anglia for providing agar plates and also plates containing Streptomyces People of all ages enjoyed collecting for the stand and for providing laboratory strains, which are the source of their sample, and prepping it ready support for the sample analysis. We also numerous antibiotics in common use. for further analysis. We were really thank Dr Paul Hoskisson for providing Interested visitors could also look at pleased to see the enthusiasm from plates of Streptomyces cultures for the micrograph pictures of various microbes people who are following the analysis stand, Dr Laura Bowater for joining us and guess whether antibiotics were online. Results of the experiments have on the stand at the High Lodge event, effective against them or not. There was been shared on the Society’s website our President Professor Nigel Brown and also a physical challenge, where children at www.microbiologysociety.org/ Forest Research staff Sue Benham and could throw giant microbes at an smallworld and www.facebook.com/ Peter Crow for volunteering with us at antibiotic pill, which got more ineffective smallworldscience. Even if you Alice Holt and all the other volunteers the more microbes were thrown at it. But didn’t manage to join us in the forests, and Society staff who joined us for by far the most popular part of the stand please check out the website and the two events. Their hard work and was the science itself. Facebook page and see if you can enthusiasm made it a success. The project gained interest in the spot any potential antibiotics on our local media, with appearances on BBC samples! Theresa Hudson Radio Norfolk and BBC Radio Surrey, The Society would like to thank Education and Outreach Manager and television slots on BBC Look East Forest Research and the Forestry [email protected]

Top left. Theresa Hudson on BBC Look East news.

Bottom left. The soil bank.

Right. Demonstrating antibiotic resistance through attacking Superman with giant microbes!

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 177 Membership Are you a postgraduate

student (or know one)? Ian Atherton Photos Here’s one very good reason to become a member of the Society…

Postgraduate student attending Annual Conference for three days (two nights)

Non-member Member with grant Conference registration – 3 days @ £160/£70 day £480 £210 Accommodation (est.) – 2 nights @ £100/night £200 £200 Travel and subsistence (est.) £70 £70 Society grant –£2901 Total £750 £190

1This was the average Conference Grant amount awarded in 2015 – exact amounts will vary according to individual applicants’ circumstances.

someone who might be, registration and don’t – or do as non-members – then abstract submission are open now. please let them know about what they The Society offers generous grant are missing out on. support to postgraduate members, For the full list of Society grants to make attendance an even more available, plus details of our 2016 attractive proposition. Around 300 Annual Conference and how to join he Society’s largest event of the Annual Conference grants are awarded the Society, please visit our website year is just around the corner. every year to eligible applicants. The www.microbiologysociety.org/join TOur Annual Conference brings discounted attendance rates and the

together over 1,200 Society members grant, together, make a very strong Paul Easton and colleagues from across the world financial case for membership. Head of Membership Services to share research and build career- This example compares a [email protected]

enhancing networks. This event is a postgraduate student attending the must for anyone with an interest in the Conference as either a non-member or subject, but particularly for postgraduate a member. The figures are based on our students, who can present their work, 2015 Conference in Birmingham. build their understanding and make In this instance, a £33 investment“ great connections in a supportive and in membership could have saved our friendly environment. non-member £560, or 16 times its value! The 2016 Conference will be held If you have postgraduate students, in Liverpool from 21 to 24 March. If you colleagues or friends who would like are interested in attending, or know to go to the Conference but currently

The conference content, networking and learning opportunities have all been excellent. Society member Lidia Lasecka, 2015 Birmingham event

178 Microbiology“ Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Obituary

Professor Richard Elliott It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Richard M. Elliott of the Medical Research Council-University of Richard Elliott. Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research

ichard had long been a member Richard returned to the bench and took Richard Elliott’s contributions and supporter of the Society. He the lead in carrying out experiments to the Society were many and varied. Rwas one of the country’s leading in the laboratory. He contributed He contributed to many of the virologists and always found the time to the Society’s briefing note on Society’s conferences, from the to interact with wider communities. He Schmallenberg virus in 2012, which Virus Group meeting on viruses and served on the Society’s Council twice, received attention in the UK and Irish their hosts at Southampton in 1997 and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Parliaments, the Northern Ireland to this year’s Annual Conference in Journal of General Virology from 2008 Assembly and within government. He Birmingham, where he was an author on to 2012. In the latter role, he saw the spoke about the Schmallenberg work no fewer than five presentations journal cement its position as one of at the Annual Conference in 2014. His and posters. the leaders in the field, at a time when contributions in this area helped to It was characteristic of Richard’s competition from new online and open ensure that it was a subject to which passion and determination that he access journals began to increase. the Society would return, producing a worked on manuscripts and was in In his research, Richard Elliott further Parliamentary briefing paper on touch with his laboratory and brought bunyaviruses, which today are emerging endemic diseases of livestock colleagues until the very last days. recognised as a clear threat to public in 2014. His final contribution to the Society health and agriculture, to the attention of Richard was a member of the was posthumous. He had been a a broader scientific audience. Richard’s International Committee on the member of the organising group for contributions to the understanding of Taxonomy of Viruses bunyavirus one of the Focused Meetings held this bunyavirus molecular biology were study group, an important service to September - the International Meeting world leading. He was a pioneer during the community. He was also strongly on Arboviruses and their Vectors. There a time when an exponential increase in involved in the organisation of the could be no greater testament to his travel and commercial exchanges, as European Meetings on Viral Zoonoses commitment to virology than to witness well as ecological and climate change, since 2001, which have played a major speakers and poster presenters at all have led to a geographical expansion of role in bringing researchers in this field stages of their careers, drawn from many of the viruses that are transmitted together. This enthusiasm for bringing 18 different countries on five different by arthropods, including bunyaviruses. virologists together was a theme continents, coming together to share His group established reverse throughout Richard’s career. His passion their knowledge and enthusiasm for the genetics systems for newly emerging and enthusiasm for virology influenced study of arthropod-borne viruses. The viruses such as Schmallenberg more than just those individuals that first day of the meeting closed with a virus, which infects cattle, sheep and were fortunate enough to work with him; commemoration of Richard Elliott’s life goats, and which causes a variety of Richard has had an important influence and his many outstanding contributions problems from reduced milk yields in the careers of many virologists both in to microbiology. to severe deformity. For this work, the UK and further afield.

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 179 Membership Q&A

In this issue, we’re pleased to introduce Angharad Ellen Green. A. Green A.

Where are you currently based? Where did your interest in microbiology out in my research career. Everyone is I am a second year PhD student in the come from? encouraged to discuss their experiments Mahenthiralingam laboratory at the At my comprehensive school, by my in meetings and there is always someone School of Biosciences, Cardiff University. very enthusiastic and inspiring biology willing to give advice. My BBSRC CASE project is industrially teacher, Mrs Phillips. I loved both horses My MSc project supervisor, Dr funded by Unilever’s ‘Safety and and biology and discovered the Equine Sarah Maddocks, is also a role model as Environmental Assurance Centre’ (SEAC). Science degree at Oxford Brookes. My she helped develop my research skills dissertation focused on equine distal limb during the early stages of my career and What is your area of specialism? wound healing and I became fascinated encouraged me to publish my findings. Industrial antimicrobial resistance. with the wound microbiome. This led on to I also want to mention my mum who an MSc in delayed wound healing, biofilms successfully completed a BSc (Hons) in And more specifically? and novel antimicrobial treatments. The Mental Health Nursing, while working My PhD focuses on harnessing the experience of publishing my MSc research, full-time when my brother and I were young; power of bacterial bioluminescence in FEMS Microbiology Letters, confirmed she’s my inspiration to not give to understand the genetic basis of my choice of a microbiology PhD. up when faced with difficult challenges. industrial preservative resistance. I have constructed bioluminescence reporters What are the professional challenges that What do you do to relax? using an industrially isolated strain of present themselves and how do you try to I like to keep active and enjoy a challenge Pseudomonas. Light emission alterations overcome them? so I am training for this year’s Cardiff half- are used to identify differentially When I first started the PhD I found it marathon. I also own three Welsh Cobs regulated genes in response to challenging to successfully manage with my mum and so the weekends usually preservatives. To characterise the genetic lab work, while writing up reports and consist of a gallop along the Welsh coast or basis for biosensors of interest, the DNA demonstrating in practicals. I overcame competing at an event. flanking the transposon insertion is being this by taking advice from experienced lab sequenced using PCR-based techniques. members and participating in courses run What one record and luxury item A panel of useful Pseudomonas by Cardiff University’s Graduate Centre. I would you take to a desert island? biosensors will be developed to optimise now feel I can coordinate my time in work My record would be ‘Tragic Kingdom’ by No preservative formulations. I will also use effectively, while also having an active Doubt, and a Kindle loaded with good books. transcriptomic approaches, e.g. RNA lifestyle outside of the laboratory, achieving sequencing, to validate the results and a good work-life balance. Tell us one thing that your work colleagues identify further genes of interest. won’t know about you! What is the best part about ‘doing science’? I rode a police horse while I was on work Tell us about your education to date When an experiment is proving difficult, experience at the South Wales Police I graduated from Oxford Brookes but you persevere and it works with headquarters, during Year 10 at school. University in 2010 with a BSc (Hons) in interesting outcomes. I also find Equine Science, which was followed by communicating science at conferences If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be? an MSc in Medical Microbiology at Cardiff and public engagement events rewarding. An Egyptologist. I found the ‘Mummy’ film Metropolitan University. My MSc allowed franchise inspiring as a teenager. me to publish my first paper on the Who is your role model? effect of the flavonol morin on adhesion My PhD supervisor, Professor Eshwar If you would like to be featured in this and aggregation of Streptococcus Mahenthiralingam, and everyone within section or know someone who may, contact pyogenes, which developed my passion my lab group. There is a collaborative and Paul Easton, Head of Membership Services, for research and led on to a PhD at fun approach to science; I am appreciative at [email protected] Cardiff University. to have such great support while starting

180 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Baby Asian elephants in an elephant conservation centre in Laos. Fabien Bastide

t’s time for our last roundup of endotheliotropic herpesvirus, or EEHV, 2015, and we’ve definitely saved for short. As its name suggests, EEHV is Isome of the year’s best content ‘til a disease of elephants, disproportionally last. In one of my favourite posts of affecting juvenile Asian elephants 2015, Anand Jagatia went to the Best under 5 years old, with mortality rates University of Bath to talk to some estimated to be as high as 85 per cent. researchers there about their (http://microb.io/1f4SsI4). development of ‘self-healing’ concrete, of the Each year, the Society attends which uses bacteria that secrete calcium Parliamentary Links Day, an event carbonate to fill any gaps in the material organised by the Royal Society of (http://microb.io/1d3SNsU). Biology that brings together researchers, Anand also spoke to an international blog learned societies and parliamentarians. team who have discovered a rather One of our members in attendance interesting biofilm phenomenon: their microbiology is helping to identify was Society Champion Arikana Massiah, growth oscillates between fast and slow. where and when somebody died who wrote about her experience of This new finding – a classic nutrient (http://microb.io/1CPFhWA). the event, which saw senior politicians feedback loop – may help us treat When treating an infection, two and researchers lay out their thoughts persistent infections, by feeding the drugs are better than one, right? Not for the future of UK science outside of a biofilm in order to starve the necessarily. We spoke with Dr Pleuni (http://microb.io/1MXWukg). centre… (http://microb.io/1Mfwb79). Pennings, an evolutionary biologist So that’s it for another year. Earlier in the year, the Wellcome from San Francisco State University, who Thanks to you all for taking the time to Trust’s online magazine, Mosaic, has modelled how therapeutics read, watch or listen to our posts – we’ll published a fascinating article on that target different parts of the body be back again in 2016 with more great the microbiology associated with may leave drug-free ‘sanctuaries’, from stories, see you all then. death and decomposition. In part one of which resistance can emerge our forensic-focused podcast, we spoke (http://microb.io/1MtoOHk). Benjamin Thompson to Mo Costandi, the author of Back in June, we spoke to Society Head of Communications the piece, about his travels to ‘body Member Laura Bennett to learn [email protected] farms’ in the US, and learnt how about her research into elephant

Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 181 Reviews

I found this book well written, future infectious disease outbreaks. Thus, easy to follow and interesting. The this book would be a useful resource for chapters are referenced throughout postgraduate students, veterinarians, and offer links to websites and online physicians, microbiologists, ecologists, tools for further studies. A number of epidemiologists or politicians with prior chapters include illustrations, tables or knowledge of infectious diseases and flow charts. Some information is slightly an interest in understanding the links redundant given the independence of between human and animal health and the chapters, but overall each chapter environmental factors. looks at the One Health approach from a One Health: People, Animals, different angle. Isabelle Dietrich One Health certainly is a very MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for and the Environment relevant topic in the light of current and Virus Research Edited by R. M. Atlas & S. Maloy ASM Press (2014) In Search of Cell History: US$90.00 ISBN 978-1555818425 The Evolution of Life’s The One Health concept is defined as Building Blocks a global, interdisciplinary and cross- Written by F. M. Harold sectoral collaborative effort to reach The University of Chicago Press (2014) optimal health for people, animals and £28.00 ISBN 978-0226174280 the environment at a local, national and international level. As the world is getting In Search of Cell History: The Evolution riskier and pathogens keep emerging of Life’s Building Blocks is an important and re-emerging, this book stresses the new book by the American microbial cell. The book aims to describe how importance of the One Health concept physiologist Franklin M. Harold, which cells came about and Harold takes us as a means of predicting and preventing really aims to remind the gene/ on a journey back through time, bringing infectious disease epidemics before genome-centric generation of (micro) together the latest microbiological and they happen – an alternative to current biologists about the centrality of the evolutionary research to try and address emergency outbreak response practices. cell itself in our thinking about the important and still mainly unanswered The book is divided into 20 individual evolution of life. This is not a return questions about the origins of cellular but interlinked chapters, written by leading to any vitalistic theory of life, but a systems. I found it a fascinating book experts that cover the following topics: clear and modern restatement of the that one can dip in and out of, as Harold • Importance and key concepts of the importance of the membrane-bound brings together many different lines of One Health approach. bag of biochemicals that constitutes evidence from, for example, geology, • Origins of infectious diseases and a cell as being equally important in symbiosis and bioenergetics, to his story. risk factors associated with their the emergence and transmission of It is certainly aimed at working (micro) emergence. life as the genetic material it houses. biologists and is not a regular popular • Case histories of recent zoonotic viral, No biologist would doubt Verchow’s science book with some quite technical bacterial and fungal infections. statement of 1858 of “Omnis cellula sections, but it is well suited to readers • Antibiotic resistance. e cellula”, or “every cell from a of Microbiology Today and I would highly • Disease surveillance systems and previous cell”, and although Craig recommend it. global information networks. Venter can synthesise a complete • Obstacles to implementing One bacterial genome, it is lifeless until it Gavin H. Thomas Health, early successes and future is transplanted into an existing living University of York directions.

182 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org Comment

to zoonotic disease threats. Indeed, in work investigating where hotspots of disease emergence are located, Zoonoses developed countries stand out as being at higher risk, mainly only because more such events are detected in such in Africa places as a result of robust systems for monitoring and detection. Over the past couple of years, the struggle – now largely successful (but still not Eric Fèvre completed) – to contain the West African Ebola outbreak highlights this problem. Zoonotic diseases are those infections transmissible between Other than the headline-hitting, large

global outbreaks of zoonotic infections,

animals and humans. Most diseases that infect humans are, in human populations face a multitude of challenges from less dramatic, less fatal, fact, zoonotic, highlighting that multi-host pathogens have a diseases that cause long-term morbidity competitive edge by increasing the range of host environments in large groups of people (morbidity refers to illness, as opposed to death, in which they can survive. A recent briefing note by the termed mortality). In Africa, several such

zoonotic neglected diseases of neglected Microbiology Society highlights that many zoonotic diseases populations conspire to hinder the health are also emerging diseases – that is, either an altogether new of people and the animals they depend on for their livelihoods. This includes disease, or a known disease that is increasing in incidence or bacterial, protozoan and viral disease agents, transmitted in many ways. increasing in geographical range. The World Health Organization

(together with its partners) has “ isease emergence happens Zoonotic diseases are a global been keeping a focus on these because the world we (and our problem, with rich and poor countries diseases, with a series of reports and Dmicrobes) live in is changing both at risk, and practices in both policy recommendations published (often because of the actions of humans, highly developed and less developed since 2006 (with the latest having but also due to natural processes), economies predisposing to transmission. been released earlier this year giving pathogens new opportunities A significant difference, however, (http://microb.io/1OiiBkB). We’ll to infect new hosts, and creating new between a continent like Africa and one look briefly at three of them. opportunities for hosts to interact with like Europe, is the ability of national and Cysticercosis is a disease caused each other and share their infections. regional systems to detect and respond by the tapeworm Taenia solium. It has a The intensification of farming, for example, leads to closer relationships “We have existing knowledge and evidence that can be between individual animals, generating opportunities for more rapid mutations transformed into strategies and applied on a large-scale; as organisms move from host to host, we need to be able to capitalise on experience and the while also providing a structured way for those pathogens to enter highly ordered growing political commitment to involve other sectors, food chains that branch out and reach very large numbers of people. with community participation.” “ Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org 183 relatively complex lifecycle, involving pigs eating Taenia egg-carrying human faeces that contaminates the environment, humans eating undercooked pork meat, False-colour transmission electron micrograph of rabies virions (red, elongated virus particles) budding away and environmental contamination with from host cell cytoplasm. CNRI/Science Photo Library eggs that can encyst in humans. The greatest problem with T. solium is that it research for the effective deployment process, and it is well under way in a may cause a neurological disease called of intervention efforts, are i) knowing number of places. A prime example neurocysticercosis in people who are how to integrate surveillance for the of a One Health approach in action is infected with tapeworm eggs; in many diseases into national systems (because the Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU) of the developing countries, it is the single having data on occurrence, distribution Government of Kenya, a joint initiative largest cause of acquired epilepsy in and disease burden is essential to between the ministries responsible for humans. prioritisation), ii) deploying, and in human and veterinary health. It has, Brucellosis is a bacterial disease some cases developing, new and better over the past few years, developed caused by one of several organisms in tools to diagnose the infections in a highly regarded National Rabies the genus Brucella. Cattle, sheep and humans and animals (because accurate Control Strategy, implemented large- goats harbour this bacterium, which and efficient detection is key to both scale studies to study brucellosis they transmit to each other and humans delivering cure and also to gathering epidemiology, responded to many through milk or through contaminated good surveillance data), and iii) scaling zoonotic disease outbreaks, and abortion materials (the bacterium up intervention strategies. The World developed preparedness plans for is abortogenic). It causes a chronic Health Organization has stated that “we epidemic zoonoses such as Rift Valley debilitating disease in humans with have existing knowledge and evidence fever (for which 2015 is a high risk year joint pain, fatigue and recurrent fever; that can be transformed into strategies due to unusual rainfall patterns). The brucellosis is often misdiagnosed as and applied on a large-scale; we need ZDU is also very open to collaboration malaria and wrongly treated. to be able to capitalise on experience with research teams working in Kenya, Rabies is a well-known but and the growing political commitment to including in the implementation of none-the-less neglected zoonotic involve other sectors, with community zoonotic disease surveillance activities. infection, caused by the rabies virus. It participation.” Tackling zoonoses is a difficult, is transmitted and maintained mostly Effectively tackling zoonoses fascinating task; it requires a good in domestic dog populations (though requires a focus on transmission understanding of biology, of the way in areas with a wildlife interface, the control, prevention and burden reduction environment influences disease, of epidemiology may get more complex), in humans, but also control and human–animal interactions, of policy and which transmit the infection to humans transmission prevention in animals. This, of politics. through bites. It is best controlled by in turn, requires a One Health approach, vaccinating the dog reservoir to prevent involving joint surveillance, joint control Eric Fèvre disease from developing if infection and joint policy management by Professor of Veterinary Infectious occurs, but a human vaccine is available veterinary, medical and other sectors. Diseases, Institute of Infection and both as a pre- and post-exposure course, With respect to African countries, the Global Health, University of Liverpool, and effective and timely delivery of the weaker institutions that exist relative Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, vaccine will minimise mortality. to many developing countries actually Neston CH64 7TE, UK, and International For these diseases, and others present a real opportunity in this regard, Livestock Research Institute, Old like them, many aspects of their basic with greater possibility to strengthen Naivasha Road, PO Box 30709-00100, biology are well understood, and the those institutions with, in mind from the Nairobi, Kenya transmission of the pathogens has outset, a unified approach to disease [email protected] been controlled in many countries. The management across sectors. Many www.zoonotic-diseases.org outstanding issues, which require more efforts are under way to prime this

184 Microbiology Today Nov 15 | www.microbiologysociety.org

Bleed: 3 mm Supply as hi-res PDF Job no: 23884 no: Job PDF hi-res as Supply mm 3 Bleed: mm 210 x 297 Size:

Journal: Journal: Microbiology Today Microbiology Essential Generics: Chloramphenical Ad Chloramphenical Generics: Essential 04/12/2014 12:06 CHL25060 O65995 ALLIANCE: MOVIANTO: AAH: CHL600B PIP: 106-5796 CAPSULES

CHLORAMPHENICOL 1 2 3 Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. be found at information can also be reported to Essential events should Adverse Generics on 01784 477167. distension, pallid cyanosis, vomiting, progressing to vasomotor collapse, distension, pallid cyanosis, vomiting, progressing to vasomotor of irregular respiration and death within a few hours of the onset symptoms. Overdose: Stop chloramphenicol immediately if signs of adverse events oral develop. Treatment is mainly supportive. If an allergy develops, Baby antihistamines may be used. In severe overdosage e.g. Gray Resin Syndrome, reduce plasma levels of chloramphenicol rapidly. increase haemoperfusion (XAD-4) has been reported to substantially chloramphenicol clearance. Pack size and Price: 60 capsules £377.00 Legal Category: POM. Market Authorisation Number: PL17736/0075. Market Authorisation Holder: Chemidex Pharma Limited, 7 Egham UK. Business Village, Crabtree Road, Egham, Surrey TW20 8RB, Date of preparation: October 2014. for See Chloramphenicol Capsules Summary of Product Characteristics full prescribing information. References: 1. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. Chloramphenicol. [Online]. Available from: http://www.medicinescomplete.com [Accessed 18th August 2014]. 2. Fluit, A.C., Wielders, C.L.C., Verhoef, J., and Schmitz, F.J. Epidemiology and susceptibility of 3,051 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from 25 university hospitals participating in the European SENTRY Study. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2001; 39(10): 3727-3732. 3. Weigel LM et al. High-level vancomycin-resistant lm. Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) associated with a polymicrobial biofi Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Published online ahead of print on 30th October 2006. http://aac.asm.org/cgi/reprint/AAC.00576- 06v1.pdf. (Accessed on 22nd August 2011). 4. Kelly, C., LaMont, T. Patient information: Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (Clostridium cile). www.uptodate.com. 2011. 5. Feder. H, Chloramphenicol: What diffi we have learned in the last decade. Southern Medical Journal. 1986; (79)9: 1129-34. 6. Ensminger, P., Counter, F., Thomas, L., Lebbehuse, P. Susceptibility, resistance development, and synergy of antimicrobial cile. Current Microbiology. combinations against Clostridium diffi 1982; 7: 59-62. 7. Poilane, I., Bert, F., Cruaud, P., Nicolas-Chanoine, MH., Collignon, A. Interest of the disk diffusion method for screening cile isolates with decreased susceptibility to antibiotics. Clostridium diffi Pathologie Biologie (Paris). 2007; 55(8-9): 429-33. 8. Cattoir, V., Ould-Hocine, ZF., Legrand, P. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridium cile clinical isolates collected from 2001 to 2007 in a French diffi university hospital. Pathologie Biologie (Paris). 2008; 56(7-8): 407-11. 9. Brazier, JS., Levett, PN., Stannard, AJ., Phillips, KD., Willis, AT. Antibiotic susceptibility of clinical isolates of clostridia. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 1985; 15(2): 181-5. 1,2 1,2 1,2 6-9 1,2 1,2 1 4 5

Effective against serious Effective against infections including: Oral levels comparable to i.v. levels to i.v. comparable Oral levels cile with C.diffi implicated Rarely Widely distributed throughout the body, including CSF including the body, throughout distributed Widely C.diffi cile C.diffi E. coli Neisseria Legionella Rickettsia MRSA VRSA H. infl uenzae H. infl Typhoid

For further information, please contact: Essential Generics, 7 Egham Business Village, Crabtree Road, Egham, Surrey TW20 8RB, UK For further information, please contact: Essential Generics, 7 Egham Business Village, Crabtree Road, Abbreviated Prescribing Information Chloramphenicol Capsules BP 250mg Presentation: Hard Gelatin Capsules. particularly Indications: Typhoid fever and life-threatening infections, uenzae, where other antibiotics will those caused by Haemophilus Infl ce. not suffi Posology: For oral administration. doses. For Adults and elderly: 50 mg/kg body weight daily in 4 divided be doubled severe infections (meningitis, septicaemia), this dose may Children: initially, but must be reduced as soon as clinically possible. Not recommended. Contra-indications: Known hypersensitivity or toxic reaction to used chloramphenicol or to any of the excipients. Should not be active for the prophylaxis or treatment of minor infections; during liable to immunisation; in porphyria patients; in patients taking drugs by breast- depress bone marrow function; during pregnancy, labour or feeding mothers. Special warnings and precautions for use: Use only if other treatments are ineffective. Use should be carefully monitored. Reduce dose and monitor plasma levels in hepatic or renal impairment; in the elderly; and in patients concurrently treated with interacting drugs. Interactions: Chloramphenicol prolongs the elimination, increasing the blood levels of drugs including warfarin, phenytoin, sulphonylureas, tolbutamide. Doses of anticonvulsants and anticoagulants may need to be adjusted if given concurrently. Complex effects (increased/ decreased plasma levels) requiring monitoring of chloramphenicol plasma levels have been reported with co-administration of penicillins and rifampicin. Paracetamol prolongs chloramphenicol half-life. Chloramphenicol may increase the plasma levels of calcineurin inhibitors e.g. ciclosporin and tacrolimus. Barbiturates such as phenobarbitone increase the metabolism of chloramphenicol, resulting in reduced plasma chloramphenicol concentrations. In addition, there may be a decrease in the metabolism of phenobarbitone with concomitant chloramphenicol use. There is a small risk that chloramphenicol may reduce the contraceptive effect of oestrogens. Chloramphenicol reduces the response to hydroxocobalamin. Chloramphenicol is contra-indicated in patients taking drugs liable to suppress bone marrow function e.g. carbamazepine, sulphonamides, phenylbutazone, penicillamine, cytotoxic agents, some antipsychotics including clozapine and particularly depot antipsychotics, procainamide, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, propylthiouracil. Pregnancy and Lactation: The use of chloramphenicol is contra- indicated as the drug crosses the placenta and is excreted in breast milk. cant effect Effects on ability to drive and use machines: No signifi on driving ability. Undesirable Effects: Reversible dose related bone marrow depression, irreversible aplastic anaemia, increased bleeding time, hypersensitivity reactions including allergic skin reactions, optic neuritis leading to blindness, ototoxicity, acidotic cardiovascular collapse, nausea, vomiting, glossitis, stomatitis, diarrhoea, enterocolitis, Gray Baby Syndrome particularly in the newborn, which consists of abdominal EG/CH/JAN/2015/09 23884_Chloramphenicol Ad_Micro Today_AW.indd 1 42:4 November 2015 42:4 November : breaking the spiral of infection of spiral the : breaking The problems of endemic zoonoses endemic of The problems Emerging zoonotic virus discovery zoonoses – neglected Hantaviruses pain global of a decade Chikungunya: Campylobacter Zoonotic diseases Microbiology TODAY

Microbiology Today 42:4 November 2015 Zoonotic diseases