The purpose of the study by Barr et al. is to investigate an assumed symbiotic relationship between a bacteriophage and the mucus layer of a metazoan host, which may create a defense against microbes to protect the mucus layers from bacterial infection. The mucus layer has about four times more phage than bacteria, which is seen in preliminary testing, and because phage encode hypervariable proteins that may aid in adsorption to bacteria prey, the phages may work to protect the mucus layer be adhering to the surface with the hoc protein found in the capsid of the T4 bacteriophage. The study hopes to explain the importance of the co-evolution between phages and the mucus layer by presenting evidence of their symbiotic relationship, which could help to treat bacterial infections with further investigation.
There were three experiments completed to investigate the relationship between the mucus layer and the phages present. The researchers studied the phage adherence to the mucus, the phage adherence with infection, and the role of the capsid in the phage adherence. The results of the ...
Studies have shown pertactin, a 69kDa non fimbrial outer membrane protein, facilitates attachment of the bacteria to ciliated respiratory cells. Experiments conducted on humans to test the role of pertactin have shown no significant effect except with the results from Bassinet (4). Furthermore, filamentous haemagglutinin confers infection by attaching to the host cells in the lower respiratory tract. It is about 2nm wide, and 50n...
Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa; often resulting from a Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a bacterial infection in the sinus cavity (Suh JD. & Kennedy DW., 2011). S. aureus can be treated with antimicrobial mupiriocin (MUP). Nasal irrigation is employed for the current delivery of the drug, however the system lacks effectiveness. Copious amounts of solution need to be directed into the sinus cavity with majority of it pouring back out of the nose and hence decreasing the drugs efficacy. In addition to this, the planktonic bacteria in the cavity can amalgamate into biofilms; an exopolysaccharide matrix which is highly resistant to antimicrobials. These biofilms specifically require a novel drug delivery system in order to be successfully eradicated.
Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled, protozoan pathogen found in fresh bodies of water and soil around the world (Skurie; Byrd 8). It thrives in the layer of sediment at the bottom of lakes and ponds. (Skurie). When living in soil, the N. fowleri, along with other protozoa microbes, clings to plant roots searching for bacteria (Byrd 261). This pathogen is a free-living pathogen classified as an amphizoic amoeba therefore it survives in a free state throughout soil and fresh water while having the ability to be a pathogen (Marciano-Cabral, “Immune”). It primarily seeks bacteria due to an inability to create food (Byrd 27); however, N. fowleri will attack a host if given the opportunity. In addition, it has been proven pathogens of the brain are often able to control the actions of their host to better suit the pathogen’s needs. An example may be to cause the host to have a high body temperature, wanting to stay warmer, or sleeping more often (Byrd 225). This microbe is typically found in the form of trophozoite, cyst, o...
Disease and parasitism play a pervasive role in all life. Many of these diseases start with microparasites, which are characterized by their ability to reproduce directly within an individual host. They are also characterized by their small size, short duration of infection, and the production of an immune response in infected and recovered individuals. Microparasites which damage hosts in the course of their association are recognized as pathogens. The level of the interaction and the extent of the resultant damage depends on both the virulence of the pathogen, as well as the host defenses. If the pathogen can overcome the host defenses, the host will be damaged and may not survive. If on the other hand the host defenses overcome the pathogen, the microparasite may fail to establish itself within the host and die.
The Wadsworth Center scientists’ research parallels my interests and aspirations. Dr. Anil Ojha’s research is of particular interest to me, since I intend to understand, prevent, and reverse biofilm proliferation throughout my career. My experience in suppressing pathogenic mycobacteria with phages makes Dr. Ghosh and Dr. Gray’s research intriguing as well. My proficiency in utilizing computational and microbiological techniques in experimentation will enable me to create an insightful REU project. Indeed, the REU program provides the most conducive environment for facilitating my growth as a researcher of infectious
...overies and inventions have greatly impacted the present day burden of infectious disease resulting from microbes in an even more populated environment. There are quite a number of microbe vaccines available that make it possible to deal with the threat of emerging microbes as either complete elimination or coexistence perspective
One thing that must be noted is that contrary to popular belief, infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, etc. are not desig...
Slack, John M. and I. S. Snyder. Bacteria and Human Disease. Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc., 1978.
Bacteria are living organisms, and as such they have the ability to evolve by mutation and natural selection. This is the process by which random genetic mutations create individuals better suited to their environment, which then live to reproduce. The progeny of this individual will then have this mutation, and so a species evolves. One of the largest problems facing the medical profession today is that harmful, that ...
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a Gram-positive and fast-growing bacteria which inhabit upper respiratory tract in humans. Moreover, it is an aerotolerant anaerobe and usually causes respiratory diseases including pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis, peritonitis, paranasal sinusitis, septic arthritis, and osteomyelitis (Todar, 2003). According to Tettelin et al., more than 3 million of children die from meningitis or pneumonia worldwide (2001). S.pneumoniae has an enzyme known as autolysin that is responsible for disintegration and disruption of epithelial cells. Furthermore, S.pneumoniae has many essential virulence factors like capsule which is made up of polysaccharides that avoids complement C3b opsonization of cells by phagocytes. Many vaccines contain different capsular antigens which were isolated from various strains (Todar, 2003). There are plenty of S.pneumoniae strains that developed resistance to most popular antibiotics like macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and penicillin since 1990 (Tettelin et al., 2001). Antibiotic resistance was developed by the gene mutation and selection processes that, as a consequence, lead to the formation of penicillin-binding proteins, etc. (Todar, 2003).
In this paper Hershey and Chase come up with an experiment to figure out what can be injected into the t2 bacteriophage; a protein or DNA. For their experiment Hershey and Chase take two batches of t2 bacteriophage, one batch is grown in the presence of phosphorus 32 and the other batch the t2 bacteriophage is grown in the presence of sulfur 35. It made since that they used phosphorus because it is found in DNA and sulfur because it is found in proteins. Using this technique allowed each of the bacteriophages to be observed and analyzed separately. Hershey and Chase knew that the phages attached to the surface of a host bacterial cell and injected some substance into the host. So, the first
Infection control is a central concept to every practice of health care providers. Its main objective is to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases from both patients and health personnel (Martin et al., 2010). In dental clinic, infection control is a continuous concern for its professionals. They have to contact patients routinely and be exposed to their blood, saliva, dental plaque and pus that may contain infectious pathogens. It is important for the dental professionals to treat these fluids as if they are infectious and special precautions must be taken to handle them. In this essay, I will highlight the scope of infection control practices in dental clinics and the ways through which infectious microorganisms are transmitted in the dental clinic. Also, I will talk about some infection control guidelines implemented in dental clinics and how they meet the needs of the patients. Finally, from a personal perspective, I will mention some factors that affect the implantation of infection control guidelines and procedures.
Neisseria meningitidis (the meningococcus) is a Gram-negative bacterium which normally resides as a harmless commensal in the human nasopharyngeal mucosa [1] . The encapsulated bacterium is capable of causing serious blood and brain infections, and it is a major cause of epidemic sepsis and meningitis [2]. The bacterium is now classified into 13 serogroups, which are based on the chemical composition of the polysaccharide capsule. Only six serogroups (A, B, C, W, X and Y) are responsible for the life threatening diseases [3]. There is a higher incidence of meningococcal disease in infants and children aged <4 years. The disease can rapidly progress from bacteremia to life-threatening septic shock syndrome or septicaemia [4]. Once the pathogen enters the host, it takes around 1-14 days for the disease to occur [4]. The first step after entering the host is to attach and colonize the mucosal epithelium of the nasopharynx. In most of the cases the meningococcus does not penetrate the mucosal epithelium and the human hosts simply remain carriers, whereas in others, it can cause invasive meningococcal disease [5].
The primary advantage of phage therapy is its strikingly high efficiency that demonstrates its competence as an ampicillin. In a study performed on mice, phage therapy was able to eradicate multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosai from all the diagnosed subjects (Vinodkumar et al. 2008). This study shows the efficiency of phage therapy in curing bacterial infections relating to internal medicine. However, phage therapy is not simply limited to internal medicine, as it has many diverse applications. Phage therapy can effectively treat superficial bacterial infections present in dental root canals as well, without any side effects (Stevens et al. 2009). The greatest advantage of phage therapy arises from the very fact that phage therapy is safe for human use (Bruttin and Brüssow 2005). In a research study, multiple human subjects orally consumed a bacteriophage, and two weeks post consumption, no fecal phage was detectable, and no side effects were observed (Bruttin and Brüssow 2005). These advantages of phage therapy provide crucial information to better comprehend the novel topic of phage therapy; however, for a holistic view on this discipline, the disadvantages must also be
Infections are past the cutoff points of determination of the light magnifying lens and can be seen just with electron magnifying lens. Luckily, we can utilize a method very much alike to the state tallying strategy used to gauge the quantity of microbes to tally phage particles, known as the plaque test. Lytic phages are listed by this strategy. The plaque examine is initially a virological measure utilized to tally and measure the infectivity level of the bacteriophages. At the same time later, it was connected to quantify and consider the mammalian infections well. This test is the most broadly utilized system for the disengagement of infection and its filtration, and to advance the viral titers. The premise of plaque measure is to gauge the capacity of a solitary irresistible infection to structure a "plaque" on a simultaneous monolayer society