The Efficacy of a Live Attenuated TW I-Type Infectious Bronchitis Virus Vaccine Candidate

Virologica Sinica - Infectious bronchitis (IB) is a highly contagious avian disease caused by infection with infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), which seriously affects the development of the global...     

The Citrobacter rodentium Mouse Model: Studying Pathogen and Host Contributions to Infectious Colitis

This protocol outlines the steps required to produce a robust model of infectious disease and colitis, as well as the methods used to characterize Citrobacter rodentium infection in mice. C. rodentium is a gram negative, murine specific bacterial pathogen that is closely related to the clinically important human pathogens enteropathogenic E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli. Upon infection with C. rodentium, immunocompetent mice suffer from modest and transient weight loss and diarrhea. Histologically, intestinal crypt elongation, immune cell infiltration, and goblet cell depletion are observed. Clearance of infection is achieved after 3 to 4 weeks. Measurement of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity, bacterial load, and histological damage at different time points after infection, allow the characterization of mouse strains susceptible to infection.The virulence mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens colonize the intestinal tract of their hosts, as well as specific host responses that defend against such infections are poorly understood. Therefore the C. rodentium model of enteric bacterial infection serves as a valuable tool to aid in our understanding of these processes. Enteric bacteria have also been linked to Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs). It has been hypothesized that the maladaptive chronic inflammatory responses seen in IBD patients develop in genetically susceptible individuals following abnormal exposure of the intestinal mucosal immune system to enteric bacteria. Therefore, the study of models of infectious colitis offers significant potential for defining potentially pathogenic host responses to enteric bacteria. C. rodentium induced colitis is one such rare model that allows for the analysis of host responses to enteric bacteria, furthering our understanding of potential mechanisms of IBD pathogenesis; essential in the development of novel preventative and therapeutic treatments.     

Modeling the dynamics of Hepatitis C virus with combined antiviral drug therapy: Interferon and Ribavirin

A mathematical modeling of hepatitis C virus (HCV) dynamics and antiviral therapy has been presented in this paper. The proposed model, which involves four coupled ordinary differential equations, describes the interaction of target cells (hepatocytes), infected cells, infectious virions and non-infectious virions. The model takes into consideration the addition of ribavirin to interferon therapy and explains the dynamics regarding a biphasic and triphasic decline of viral load in the model. A critical drug efficacy parameter has been defined and it is shown that for an efficacy above this critical value, HCV is eradicated whereas for efficacy lower this critical value, a new steady state for infectious virions is reached, which is lower than the previous steady state value.     

Biochemical Analysis of the Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte-binding Antigen-175 (EBA175)-Glycophorin-A Interaction: IMPLICATIONS FOR VACCINE DESIGN*?

PfEBA175 has an important role in the invasion of human erythrocytes by Plasmodium falciparum and is therefore considered a high priority blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate. PfEBA175 mediates adhesion to erythrocytes through binding of the Duffy-binding-like (DBL) domains in its extracellular domain to Neu5Acα2–3Gal displayed on the O-linked glycans of glycophorin-A (GYPA). Because of the difficulties in expressing active full-length (FL) P. falciparum proteins in a recombinant form, previous analyses of the PfEBA175-GYPA interaction have largely focused on the DBL domains alone, and therefore they have not been performed in the context of the native protein sequence. Here, we express the entire ectodomain of PfEBA175 (PfEBA175 FL) in soluble form, allowing us to compare the biochemical and immunological properties with a fragment containing only the tandem DBL domains (“region II,” PfEBA175 RII). Recombinant PfEBA175 FL bound human erythrocytes in a trypsin and neuraminidase-sensitive manner and recognized Neu5Acα2–3Gal-containing glycans, confirming its biochemical activity. A quantitative binding analysis showed that PfEBA175 FL interacted with native GYPA with a K_D ∼0.26 μm and is capable of self-association. By comparison, the RII fragment alone bound GYPA with a lower affinity demonstrating that regions outside of the DBL domains are important for interactions with GYPA; antibodies directed to these other regions also contributed to the inhibition of parasite invasion. These data demonstrate the importance of PfEBA175 regions other than the DBL domains in the interaction with GYPA and merit their inclusion in an EBA175-based vaccine.     

数字聚合酶链反应及其在感染性疾病中的应用

数字聚合酶链反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)采用与定量PCR相同的荧光化学原理和不同的数学原理来实现对靶标核酸序列的绝对定量,其摒弃了对外部参照的依赖,同时具有更高的数据精密度,提高了重复性和再现性。数字PCR的应用涵盖生命科学众多领域,特别是在医学检验领域,其对疾病相关核酸分子标记的准确分析,为疾病的早期诊断、进展监测、疗效评估提供了动态量化指标。数字PCR的出现将推动基于核酸扩增技术的分子生物学检测迈入精准定量阶段。本文就数字PCR尤其是微滴式数字PCR在感染性疾病中的应用进展及前沿进行综述。     

加味二妙颗粒联合重组人干扰素a2b阴道泡腾胶囊治疗宫颈上皮内瘤变的疗效及对患者免疫功能的影响

目的:探讨加味二妙颗粒联合重组人干扰素a2b阴道泡腾胶囊治疗宫颈上皮内瘤变的疗效及对患者免疫功能的影响。方法:将西北妇女儿童医院妇科门诊自2018年1月至2019年1月收治的确诊为宫颈上皮内瘤变患者300例作为研究对象,将其随机的分为研究组和对照组,每组各150例。研究组患者给予加味二妙颗粒联合重组人干扰素a2b阴道泡腾胶囊进行治疗,对照组患者给予重组人干扰素a2b阴道泡腾胶囊进行治疗,比较两组患者治疗后的临床总有效率,治疗前后CD3~+、CD4~+、CD8~+、NK细胞水平和中医证候评分的变化及不良反应的发生情况。结果:治疗后,研究组临床总有效率为91.33%,明显高于对照组(74.67%,P0.05)。两组治疗后CD3~+、CD4~+、CD8~+、NK细胞水平均较治疗前明显升高,且研究组以上指标显著高于对照组(P0.05)。研究组治疗后中医证候评分降低程度明显优于对照组,其不良反应发生率为10.00%,明显低于对照组(28.67%,P0.05)。结论:与单用重组人干扰素a2b阴道泡腾胶囊治疗相比,加味二妙颗粒联合使用重组人干扰素a2b阴道泡腾胶囊治疗宫颈上皮内瘤变患者可显著提高患者的免疫功能,缓解症状,提高治疗效果,且安全性更高。     

Immunomic Identification of Malaria Antigens Associated With Protection in Mice

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Highlights

• •Production of sera with different levels of protection against rodent Plasmodium.
• •Generation of immunomic and proteomic data sets enriched in protective antigens.
• •Prediction of the most likely protective antigens using a weighted scoring system.

     

微生态制剂防治儿童感染性腹泻的有效性评价

目的对微生态制剂防治儿童感染性腹泻的有效性和安全性进行分析研究。方法选取2017年3月到2018年3月间我院收治的132例感染性腹泻患儿为研究对象,依据随机数字表法分为对照组(n=66)与观察组(n=66)。对照组患儿施以常规药物防治,观察组患儿应用益生菌进行防治。对两组患儿的治疗效果、腹泻持续时间、治疗后病情、血常规与肝功能情况进行比较分析。结果观察组患儿治疗总有效率(96.97%)明显高于对照组(86.36%)。观察组患儿腹泻持续时间为(2.41±1.08)d,明显少于对照组的(3.67±1.89)d。观察组患儿治疗3 d后腹泻频率≤2次/d的发生率为24.24%,低于对照组的60.61%。观察组患儿治疗后脱水发生率为3.03%,低于对照组的22.73%。观察组患儿血常规与肝功能水平明显高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论在儿童感染性腹泻中应用微生态制剂有助于提高治疗效果,缩短腹泻持续时间,促进大便恢复正常,且具有较高的安全性,可有效促进患儿康复。     

Heterogeneity in disease resistance and the impact of antibiotics in the US

We hypothesize that the impact of antibiotics is moderated by a population’s inherent (genetic) resistance to infectious disease. Using the introduction of sulfa drugs in 1937, we show that US states that are more genetically susceptible to infectious disease saw larger declines in their bacterial mortality rates following the introduction of sulfa drugs in 1937. This suggests area-level genetic endowments of disease resistance and the discovery of medical technologies have acted as substitutes in determining levels of health across the US. We also document immediate effects of sulfa drug exposure to the age of the workforce and cumulative effects on educational attainment for cohorts exposed to sulfa drugs in early life.