Clinical Science and Epidemiology
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyMaternal Immunoreactivity to Herpes Simplex Virus 2 and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Male OffspringThe cause (or causes) of most cases of autism spectrum disorder is unknown. Evidence from epidemiological studies and work in animal models of neurodevelopmental disorders suggest that both genetic and environmental factors may be implicated. The latter include gestational infection and immune activation. In our cohort, high levels of antibodies to herpes simplex virus 2 at midpregnancy were associated with an elevated risk of autism...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyGlobal Assessment of the Activity of Tigecycline against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens between 2004 and 2014 as Part of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance TrialMultidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens is an ongoing global problem and renders antimicrobial agents ineffective at treating bacterial infections. In the health care setting, infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria can cause increased mortality, longer hospital stays, and higher treatments costs. The aim of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (TEST) is to assess the in vitro...
Perspective | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyThe Case for Adopting the “Species Complex” Nomenclature for the Etiologic Agents of Cryptococcosis
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyThe Denture-Associated Oral Microbiome in Health and StomatitisDenture stomatitis is a prevalent inflammatory condition of the mucosal tissue in denture wearers that is triggered by microorganisms. While Candida has been extensively studied for its role in stomatitis etiology, the bacterial component largely remains to be investigated. Our data show that certain types of bacteria are significantly associated with denture health and disease. Furthermore, the bacterial communities residing...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyIdentification and Characterization of Novel Rat Polyomavirus 2 in a Colony of X-SCID Rats by P-PIT assayAlthough P-PIT was developed to detect diseases associated with known human polyomaviruses, the identification of a new polyomavirus in rats suggests that it may have utility as a broad-based screen for new, as well as known polyomaviruses. Our findings suggest that RatPyV2 may be a commensal infection of laboratory rats that can lead to disseminated disease in T cell immune-deficient rats. Infection of the X-SCID rats with RatPyV2 and...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyRecent Outbreaks of Shigellosis in California Caused by Two Distinct Populations of Shigella sonnei with either Increased Virulence or Fluoroquinolone ResistanceShigellosis is an acute diarrheal disease causing nearly half a million infections, 6,000 hospitalizations, and 70 deaths annually in the United States. S. sonnei caused two unusually large outbreaks in 2014 and 2015 in California. We used whole-genome sequencing to understand the pathogenic potential of bacteria involved in these outbreaks. Our results suggest the...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyEscherichia coli Sequence Type 131 H30 Is the Main Driver of Emerging Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing E. coli at a Tertiary Care CenterThe ever-rising prevalence of resistance to first-line antibiotics among clinical Escherichia coli isolates leads to worse clinical outcomes and higher health care costs, thereby creating a need to discover its basis so that effective interventions can be developed. We found that the H30 subset within...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyFirst Case of Actinomycetoma in France Due to a Novel Nocardia Species, Nocardia boironii sp. nov.Bacterial mycetoma is an endemic infection in areas with tropical and subtropical climates. Thus, its presence in temperate climate areas remains rare. We report here the first case of autochthonous actinomycetoma in continental France originating from a Nocardia species other than N. brasiliensis, namely, Nocardia boironii. Considering the history...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyThe Establishment and Diversification of Epidemic-Associated Serogroup W Meningococcus in the African Meningitis Belt, 1994 to 2012Meningococcal disease (meningitis and bloodstream infections) threatens millions of people across the meningitis belt of sub-Saharan Africa. A vaccine introduced in 2010 protects against Africa’s then-most common cause of meningococcal disease, N. meningitidis serogroup A. However, other serogroups continue to cause epidemics in the region—including serogroup W. The...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyCharacterization of Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates from Air and Surfaces of the International Space StationAs durations of manned space missions increase, it is imperative to understand the long-term consequence of microbial exposure on human health in a closed human habitat. To date, studies aimed at bacterial and fungal contamination of space vessels have highlighted species compositions biased toward hardy, persistent organisms capable of withstanding harsh conditions. In the current study, we assessed traits of two independent...