Glanders, caused by a bacterium (Burkholderia mallei, earlier known as as Pseudomonas mallei or Actinobacillus mallei), is a contagious and deadly zoonotic disease which affects equines (horses, donkeys & mules) as well as humans. In horses, it appears as a chronic disease, while in donkeys and mules it is an acute disease. Man is the accidental host, usually the disease resulting from occupational contact. The bacterium possesses potential to be used as a biological weapon, a category B bio-threat agent, due to its capability to spread via inhalation route. The disease is characterized by nodules and ulcerations in the upper respiratory tract and lungs. ‘Farcy’ is its form of skin/subcutaneous affections. Glanders has been eradicated from developed countries. During World War I the agent has been accused for being used as a biological warfare agent. The present paper is an overview on Glanders, its etiology, epidemiology, the disease, recent trends in diagnosis, prevention and control of this important disease of equines having high public health concerns.
Etiology, susceptible host and mode of transmission
Burkholderia mallei is a gram negative, non-spore forming, facultative intracellular and rod shaped bacterium, which grows aerobically and require glycerol in media as an enrichment agent. On Glycerol Dextrose Agar (GDA), there is a confluent, slightly cream-coloured growth that is smooth, moist and viscid after 24h of incubation. The capsule consist protects the cell from unfavourable environmental factors. B. mallei has no flagellae and are thus nonmotile. The bacterium gets destroyed by exposure to direct sunlight within 24 hrs. Common disinfectants (phenol, potassium permanganate, copper sulphate, formalin and chlorine) a...
... middle of paper ...
...used as biological weapon in biowarfares/terrorism. It is a highly contagious and fatal disease and therefore, active monitoring of Glanders is necessary. Timely diagnosis glanders is an important factor for follow up of appropriate treatment. Regulatory strategies require proper disposal of diseased animals. For extremely valuable breeding stocks, effective treatment modalities and post-exposure prophylaxis need to be implemented. There is no effective vaccine for this disease, long courses of antibiotics is required to eliminate/eradicate this pathogen. The development of effective novel vaccines and measures to combat this deadly pathogen having high zoonotic threat including its probale use in biowarfares are highly in demand. Proper trade restrictions need to be adapted, an exporting country must be free of the disease for at least 6 months prior to shipment.
The purpose of this study is to identify an unknown bacterium from a mixed culture, by conducting different biochemical tests. Bacteria are an integral part of our ecosystem. They can be found anywhere and identifying them becomes crucial to understanding their characteristics and their effects on other living things, especially humans. Biochemical testing helps us identify the microorganism present with great accuracy. The tests used in this experiment are rudimentary but are fundamental starting points for tests used in medical labs and helps students attain a better understanding of how tests are conducted in a real lab setting. The first step in this process is to use gram-staining technique to narrow down the unknown bacteria into one of the two big domains; gram-negative and gram-positive. Once the gram type is identified, biochemical tests are conducted to narrow down the specific bacterial species. These biochemical tests are process of elimination that relies on the bacteria’s ability to breakdown certain kinds of food sources, their respiratory abilities and other biochemical conditions found in nature.
tularensis could be used as a vaccine. The bacteria would be injected in the relatively colder areas of the body and would never spread to the hotter parts (spleen, liver, etc.). The bacteria replicated only in the rats’ tails, or the site of injection. This way the body could still build up immunities. Three weeks after the initial injection of the altered F. novicida with a marine microbe (Colwellia psychrerythraea), the rats were immune to a lethal dose of unchanged F. novicida. This experiment is hopeful that it may be used the same way with its cousin, F. tularensis, which as stated earlier, is a dangerous, biochemical
Trabelsi, H., Dendana, F., Sellami, A., Sellami, H., Cheikhrouhou, F., Neji, S., … Ayadi, A. (2012). Pathogenic
...h apparently did not prevent transmission of T. equigenitalis (Erdman et al., 2011). With the exception of one, all other stallions were infected with T. equigenitalis indirectly via handling or contaminated fomites at breeding or collection facilities (Erdman et al., 2011). According to Erdman et al. (2011), this outbreak saw the largest number of horses that tested positive for the disease since the first outbreak in 1978. The source of the outbreak was most likely determined to be a stallion imported from Denmark in 2000 that had not been detected positive for T. equigenitalis neither upon pre-import testing in the country of origin nor quarantine testing in the United States (Erdman et al., 2011). The importation of this stallion in the United States subsequently led to subsequent transmission of infection between the years 2004 and 2009 (Erdman et al., 2011).
The purpose of this investigation was to identify an unknown bacterium. “At any time there are millions of bacteria living around, on, or inside us” (The Plague). Bacterium can’t be identified by merely looking at it. Many bacteria have the similar appearances in growth. “In most cases, detection is based on the reaction of an enzyme with a certain substrate” (Sigma-Aldrich). Identification is usually based on the results of the bacterium’s cells metabolic capacities.
Mauroni, A. J. (2007). Chemical and biological warfare a reference handbook (2nd ed.). Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, Inc..
Normally, cows in Northern Europe in places such as Denmark live normal lives simply grazing on grass, and existing. However, there have been recent changes that have disrupted this normal activity. Generally the bluetongue virus (spread by Culicoides imicola, a biting midge) has been confined to Southern Europe and other places around the Mediterranean. But with the increase in temperature throughout the area, the midge has been allowed to migrate northward. This new pest is a nuisance and causes lots of difficulties to farmers in the area. When a cow contracts this disease, they usually also receive oral ulcers, salivation, stiffness, fever and eventually the inevitable- death (Merck Veterinary Manual NP). Because of the increase in temperature, midges have spread around the globe infecting livestock and creating terrible trouble for many farmers.
B. burgdorferi is a spirochete bacteria in the same family as the bacteria that causes syphilis (“What do Lyme Disease”). It is gram negative and it contains a thin layer of peptidoglycan with a substance similar to LPS on its outer membrane (Todar). There are three genospecies, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii...
Ever since the dawn of biotechnology, the world had to face a new dilemma: bioterrorism. Using biological agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc., bioterrorism attack aims to cause illness of death in people, animals, or plants as a method of warfare. Used throughout history, biological weapon serves as a pivotal role in disarming an army.
Throughout the progression of mankind, there has always been a need to become superior in tactics and technology over an opponent. It did not take long for man to discover the effective and deadly tactic of Bioterrorism, which is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria or other germs used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants. As time passes, everything about bioterrorism becomes more and more sophisticated, making it very difficult to combat with. By examining the history of bioterrorism, one can learn how military forces utilize this deadly weapon.
To further determine the species of the unknown bacteria, an API 20E was used. API 20E system utilized a plastic strip with 20 separate compartments with each compartment consisting of cupule or a depression and a small tube containing a specific dehydrated medium (1). The ONPG tube consisted of an ingredient that functioned as an internal indicator. The ADH, LDC, ODC and URE tubes contain phenol red as the indicator. The CIT, GLU, MAN, INO, SOR, RHA, SAC, MEL, AMY and ARA tubes contain bromthymol blue as an indicator. The GEL tube contains charcoal and the H2S tube contains iron salts as indicators. The TDA, IND and VP tubes contain no indicator. All the tubes contain buffers and all the tubes with the exception of the CIT and URE contain
Roffey, R., et al. "Biological weapons and bioterrorism preparedness: importance of public‐health awareness and international cooperation." Clinical microbiology and infection 8.8 (2002): 522-528.
During the past century, more than 500 million people have died due to infectious diseases. Several tens of thousands of these deaths were due to the deliberate release of pathogens or toxins. Two international treaties outlawed biological weapons in 1925 and 1972. Unfortunately, these treaties have failed to stop countries from conducting offensive weapons research and large-scale production of biological weapons. As our knowledge increases on these disease-causing agents, so does our fear of future threats of biological warfare (Frischknecht, 2003).
Meliodosis, also called Whitmore’s disease, was first discovered in 1912. This infectious disease is an endemic in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia, and it has a high mortality rate (Cheng and Currie, 2005). The mortality rate of meliodosis in Thailand is approximately 40% and 15% in Australia (Limmathurotsakul and Peacock, 2011). Meliodosis is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a gram-negative saprophytic bacterium capable of living in hostile conditions such as lack of nutrients, both acidic and alkali environments, and a wide range of temperatures. In Thailand, B. pseudomallei is responsible for 20% of community-acquired septicemia (Cheng and Currie, 2005). Current treatment options are expensive and extensive (CDC, 2012). Without
The purpose of this paper is to focus on a subject within my educational field that I can research and inform the public about. I plan to become a veterinarian .which would require my daily contact with humans and animals. Zoonotic diseases are risk factors that I have to be aware of in order to protect myself as well as my patients and their owners. Luckily developments in medicine have made it possible to cure zoonotic diseases and even prevent them from ever being contracted.