Microbiology and immunology
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Microbiol. Immunol. · Jun 2012
Immunity induced by Staphylococcus aureus surface protein A was protective against lethal challenge of Staphylococcus aureus in BALB/c mice.
Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of hospital-acquired bacteremia. Due to emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, these infections present a serious public health threat. In this study, to develop a broadly protective vaccine, we tested whether immune responses induced by several proteins associated with S. aureus toxicity could protect mice from lethal challenge with human clinical S. aureus isolate USA300. We found that the surface protein A (SasA) of S. aureus could protect mice from lethal challenge of the bacteria.
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Microbiol. Immunol. · May 2012
Detection of Avian bornavirus 5 RNA in Eclectus roratus with feather picking disorder.
Avian bornavirus (ABV) was discovered recently in parrots with proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), a fatal neurological disease. Although ABV has been shown to be a causative agent of PDD, its virological characteristics are largely unknown. ⋯ Interestingly, although the bird was persistently infected with ABV5 for at least 8 months, it had no clinical signs of PDD. Although it remains unclear whether ABV5 is associated with FPD, these findings raise the importance of epidemiological studies of birds with diseases other than PDD.
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Microbiol. Immunol. · Mar 2012
Contribution of neutrophil-derived myeloperoxidase in the early phase of fulminant acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by influenza virus infection.
Because the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by influenza virus infection remains unknown, we can only improve on existing therapeutic interventions. To approach the subject, we investigated immunological etiology focused on cytokines and an acute lung damage factor in influenza-induced ARDS by using a PR-8 (A/H1N1)-infected mouse model. The infected mouse showed fulminant severe pneumonia with leukocyte infiltration, claudin alteration on tight junctions, and formation of hyaline membranes. ⋯ The absence of MPO reduced inflammatory damage with suppression of leakage of total BALF proteins associated with alteration of claudins in the lung. MPO(-/-) mice also suppressed viral load in the lung. The present study suggests that MPO-mediated OCl(-) generation affects claudin molecules and leads to protein leakage and viral spread as a damage factor in influenza-induced ARDS.
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Microbiol. Immunol. · Feb 2012
Acute respiratory infections due to enterovirus 68 in Yamagata, Japan between 2005 and 2010.
To clarify the epidemiology of enterovirus 68 (EV68), which is one of the most rarely identified enteroviruses, virus isolation and molecular screening using RT-PCR was performed on 6307 respiratory specimens collected at pediatric clinics in Yamagata, Japan between 2005 and 2010. In the years 2005-2009, 10, 1, 2, 0, and 2 (40) EV68-positive cases, respectively, were identified by RT-PCR. ⋯ Phylogenetic analysis indicated that plural genetically distinct clusters co-circulated. These results suggest that that difficulty in EV68 isolation leads to an underestimation of the prevalence of EV68 infections.
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Microbiol. Immunol. · Oct 2011
Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and prognosis in patients with septic shock.
The purpose of the study is to study the relationship between peripheral blood lymphocyte subset proportion and prognosis in patients with septic shock. Fifty-two patients with septic shock, admitted to the intensive care unit between March 2007 and December 2010, were enrolled in this study. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subset proportions were measured using flow cytometry. ⋯ The total maximum SOFA score and the delta SOFA score were much higher in the non-survivor group than in the survivor group (P < 0.01). Immune imbalance occurs in patients with septic shock. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subset proportion and SOFA scores can be used to assess the treatment and prognosis of septic shock.