Clinical Science and Epidemiology
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyCulture of Clinical Specimens Reveals Extensive Diversity of Legionella pneumophila Strains in ArizonaCulture of clinical specimens from patients with Legionnaires’ disease is rarely performed, restricting our understanding of the diversity and ecology of Legionella. Culture of Legionella from patient specimens in Arizona revealed a greater proportion of non-serogroup 1 Legionella...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyAntibody Biomarkers Associated with Sterile Protection Induced by Controlled Human Malaria Infection under Chloroquine ProphylaxisInfection by Plasmodium parasites has been a major cause of mortality and morbidity in humans for thousands of years. Despite the considerable reduction of deaths, according to the WHO, over 5 billion people are still at risk, with about 216 million worldwide cases occurring in 2016. More compelling, 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa bore 80% of the worldwide malaria burden. Complete eradication has been challenging, and the...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyMycobacterium ulcerans Population Genomics To Inform on the Spread of Buruli Ulcer across Central AfricaBuruli ulcer is a destructive skin and soft tissue infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The disease is characterized by progressive skin ulceration, which can lead to permanent disfigurement and long-term disability. Currently, the major hurdles facing disease control are incomplete understandings of both the mode of transmission and environmental reservoirs of...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyGut Virome Analysis of Cameroonians Reveals High Diversity of Enteric Viruses, Including Potential Interspecies Transmitted VirusesDespite the availability of diagnostic tools for different enteric viral pathogens, a large fraction of human cases of gastroenteritis remains unexplained. This could be due to pathogens not tested for or novel divergent viruses of potential animal origin. Fecal virome analyses of Cameroonians showed a very diverse group of viruses, some of which are genetically related to those identified in animals. This is the first attempt to...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyReconstruction of the Genomes of Drug-Resistant Pathogens for Outbreak Investigation through Metagenomic SequencingThe study results reported here perfectly demonstrate the power and promise of clinical metagenomics to recover genome sequences of important drug-resistant bacteria and to rapidly provide rich data that inform outbreak investigations and treatment decisions, independently of the need to culture the organisms.
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyContact Challenge of Cattle with Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Validates the Role of the Nasopharyngeal Epithelium as the Site of Primary and Persistent InfectionFoot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is an important livestock pathogen that is often described as the greatest constraint to global trade in animal products. The present study utilized a standardized pig-to-cow contact exposure model to demonstrate that FMDV infection of cattle initiates in the nasopharyngeal mucosa following natural virus exposure. Furthermore, this work confirmed the role of the bovine nasopharyngeal mucosa as the...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyProtein Microarray Analysis of the Specificity and Cross-Reactivity of Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin-Specific AntibodiesSeasonal influenza is a serious public health problem because the viral infection spreads easily from person to person and because of antigenic drift in neutralizing epitopes. Influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the disease, although challenging because of the constant evolution of influenza virus subtypes. Our high-throughput protein microarrays allow for interrogation of subunit-specific IgG and IgA responses to...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyMetagenomic Discovery of 83 New Human Papillomavirus Types in Patients with ImmunodeficiencyAlthough some members of the viral family Papillomaviridae cause benign skin warts (papillomas), many human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are not associated with visible symptoms. For example, most healthy adults chronically shed Gammapapillomavirus (Gamma) virions from apparently healthy skin surfaces. To further explore the diversity of papillomaviruses, we performed viromic surveys on immunodeficient...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyA Longitudinal Epidemiology Study of Meningococcal Carriage in Students 13 to 25 Years Old in QuebecDisease caused by Neisseria meningitidis is associated with serious complications and a high fatality rate. Asymptomatic individuals can harbor the bacterium in the throat, a state known as “carriage,” which can lead to person-to-person spread of the pathogen. This study examined N. meningitidis...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyTetrasodium EDTA Is Effective at Eradicating Biofilms Formed by Clinically Relevant Microorganisms from Patients’ Central Venous CathetersThe colonization of catheters by microorganisms often precludes their long-term use, which can be a problem for human patients that have few body sites available for new catheters. The colonizing organisms often form biofilms, and increasingly these organisms are resistant to multiple antibiotics, making them difficult to treat. In this article, we have taken microorganisms that are associated with biofilm formation in catheters from...