scholarly journals Comparative genomics of Bordetella pertussis isolates from New Zealand, a country with an uncommonly high incidence of whooping cough

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Ring ◽  
Heather Davies ◽  
Julie Morgan ◽  
Maithreyi Sundaresan ◽  
Audrey Tiong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Whooping Cough ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Wide Spread ◽  
Genetic Investigation ◽  
Allelic Profile ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
The Usa

Whooping cough, the respiratory disease caused by Bordetella pertussis, has undergone a wide-spread resurgence over the last several decades. Previously, we developed a pipeline to assemble the repetitive B. pertussis genome into closed sequences using hybrid nanopore and Illumina sequencing. Here, this sequencing pipeline was used to conduct a more high-throughput, longitudinal screen of 66 strains isolated between 1982 and 2018 in New Zealand. New Zealand has a higher incidence of whooping cough than many other countries; usually at least twice as many cases per 100,000 people as the USA and UK and often even higher, despite similar rates of vaccine uptake. To the best of our knowledge, these strains are the first New Zealand B. pertussis isolates to be sequenced. The analyses here show that, on the whole, genomic trends in New Zealand B. pertussis isolates, such as changing allelic profile in vaccine-related genes and increasing pertactin deficiency, have paralleled those seen elsewhere in the world. At the same time, phylogenetic comparisons of the New Zealand isolates with global isolates suggest that a number of strains are circulating in New Zealand which cluster separately from other global strains, but which are closely related to each other. The results of this study add to a growing body of knowledge regarding recent changes to the B. pertussis genome, and are the first genetic investigation into B. pertussis isolates from New Zealand.

An Immigrant Filmmaker Substitutes an Alternative Vision of Adolescence: The Scarecrow (Sam Pillsbury, 1982)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair Fox
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Cinematic Adaptation ◽  
Alternative Vision ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Genre Film

By comparing Sam Pillsbury’s cinematic adaptation of Ronald Hugh Morrieson’s The Scarecrow (1963) with the original, this chapter shows how the filmmaker, who was raised in the USA and immigrated to New Zealand in his teens, empties the source novel of the moral ambiguities and transgressive elements that had made the original a genuinely New Zealand work, in so far as it reflected puritan guilt over transgressive impulses in the face of repression, and thus turned the story into a genre film that that is much more anodyne in its vision.

The Influence of the Infomercial in New Zealand

2019 ◽  
pp. 67-80
Author(s):  
Rosser Johnson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Cultural Impact ◽  
Cultural Importance ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The 1950S ◽  
As If

New Zealand television networks introduced infomercials (30 minute advertisements designed to appear as if they are programmes) in late 1993. Although infomercials date from the 1950s in the USA, they were unknown in this country and quickly came to be seen as a peculiarly “intense” form of hyper-commercial broadcasting. This article aims to sketch out the cultural importance of the infomercial by analysing historical published primary sources (from the specialist and general press) as they reflect the views and opinions that resulted from the introduction of the infomercial. Specifically, it outlines the three main areas where that cultural importance was located. It concludes by analysing the significance of the cultural impact of the infomercial, both within broadcasting and within wider society.

scholarly journals Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine combined with Bordetella parapertussis vaccine

1962 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neda Köhler-Kubelka
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Examination ◽  
Pertussis Vaccine ◽  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Whooping Cough ◽  
Production Test ◽  
Post Vaccination ◽  
Bordetella Parapertussis ◽  
Cross Reactions ◽  
Combined Vaccine

Investigations carried out to ascertain the ability of various strains of Bordetella pertussis and B. parapertussis to produce agglutinins have shown that the agglutinin response is considerably greater with B. parapertussis.Children inoculated with a combined vaccine in which the parapertussis element contained B. parapertussis in only one-twelfth of the concentration of B. pertussis in the pertussis element showed agglutinins in their sera in titres well above 1:300 for both organisms. There were no cross-reactions and the serological responses were specific throughout. The vaccine used was the standard diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) prophylactic to which had been added a vaccine prepared from recently isolated strains of B. parapertussis.Agglutinin titres of both whooping cough components with the combined vaccine were somewhat lower in mice than was the case when monovalent vaccines were used, but they were considered to be satisfactory.It is suggested that the agglutination production test in mice could be used for the assessment of protective power of B. parapertussis vaccines against infection.I wish to thank Dr Ikić, director of the Institute of Immunology, Zagreb, who enabled me to perform all these examinations, further to Dr B. Mravunac and Dr Z. Radanov for having carried out vaccination in children and for the clinical examination of post vaccination reactions.

scholarly journals Bordetella pertussis Lipid A Glucosamine Modification Confers Resistance to Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides and Increases Resistance to Outer Membrane Perturbation

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 4931-4934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nita R. Shah ◽  
Robert E. W. Hancock ◽  
Rachel C. Fernandez
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Whooping Cough ◽  
Human Immune System ◽  
Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Membrane Perturbation

ABSTRACTBordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, has many strategies for evading the human immune system. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an important Gram-negative bacterial surface structure that activates the immune system via Toll-like receptor 4 and enables susceptibility to cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs). We show modification of the lipid A region of LPS with glucosamine increased resistance to numerous CAMPs, including LL-37. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this glucosamine modification increased resistance to outer membrane perturbation.

scholarly journals Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeat Analysis of Dutch Bordetella pertussis Strains Reveals Rapid Genetic Changes with Clonal Expansion during the Late 1990s

2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (16) ◽  
pp. 5496-5505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo M. Schouls ◽  
Han G. J. van der Heide ◽  
Luc Vauterin ◽  
Paul Vauterin ◽  
Frits R. Mooi
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Tandem Repeat ◽  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Minimum Spanning Tree ◽  
Whooping Cough ◽  
Variable Number Tandem Repeat ◽  
Clonal Expansion ◽  
Variable Number ◽  
Multiple Locus ◽  
Repeat Analysis

ABSTRACT Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, has remained endemic in The Netherlands despite extensive nationwide vaccination since 1953. In the 1990s, several epidemic periods have resulted in many cases of pertussis. We have proposed that strain variation has played a major role in the upsurges of this disease in The Netherlands. Therefore, molecular characterization of strains is important in identifying the causes of pertussis epidemiology. For this reason, we have developed a multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) typing system for B. pertussis. By combining the MLVA profile with the allelic profile based on multiple-antigen sequence typing, we were able to further differentiate strains. The relationships between the various genotypes were visualized by constructing a minimum spanning tree. MLVA of Dutch strains of B. pertussis revealed that the genotypes of the strains isolated in the prevaccination period were diverse and clearly distinct from the strains isolated in the 1990s. Furthermore, there was a decrease in diversity in the strains from the late 1990s, with a remarkable clonal expansion that coincided with the epidemic periods. Using this genotyping, we have been able to show that B. pertussis is much more dynamic than expected.

scholarly journals The evolution and distribution of phage ST160 within Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium

2010 ◽  
Vol 139 (8) ◽  
pp. 1262-1271 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. PRICE-CARTER ◽  
P. ROY-CHOWDHURY ◽  
C. E. POPE ◽  
S. PAINE ◽  
G. W. DE LISLE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Recent Past ◽  
Major Threat ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Clonal Spread ◽  
Important Disease

SUMMARYSalmonellosis is an internationally important disease of mammals and birds. Unique epidemics in New Zealand in the recent past include two Salmonella serovars: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium definitive type (DT) 160 (S. Typhimurium DT160) and S. Brandenburg. Although not a major threat internationally, in New Zealand S. Typhimurium DT160 has been the most common serovar isolated from humans, and continues to cause significant losses in wildlife. We have identified DNA differences between the first New Zealand isolate of S. Typhimurium DT160 and the genome-sequenced strain, S. Typhimurium LT2. All the differences could be accounted for in one cryptic phage ST64B, and one novel P22-like phage, ST160. The majority of the ST160 genome is almost identical to phage SE1 but has two regions not found in SE1 which are identical to the P22-like phage ST64T, suggesting that ST160 evolved from SE1 via two recombination events with ST64T. All of the New Zealand isolates of DT160 were identical indicating the clonal spread of this particular Salmonella. Some overseas isolates of S. Typhimurium DT160 differed from the New Zealand strain and contained SE1 phage rather than ST160. ST160 was also identified in New Zealand isolates of S. Typhimurium DT74 and S. Typhimurium RDNC-April06 and in S. Typhimurium DT160 isolates from the USA. The emergence of S. Typhimurium DT160 as a significant pathogen in New Zealand is postulated to have occurred due to the sensitivity of the Salmonella strains to the ST160 phage when S. Typhimurium DT160 first arrived.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) contributes to Bordetella pertussis inflammatory pathology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danisha Gallop ◽  
Karen Scanlon ◽  
Jeremy Ardanuy ◽  
Alexander B. Sigalov ◽  
Nicholas H. Carbonetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Whooping Cough ◽  
Pulmonary Inflammation ◽  
Myeloid Cells ◽  
Cell Surface Receptor ◽  
Bacterial Burden ◽  
Emerging Pathogens ◽  
Pertussis Infection ◽  
Bacterial Control

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a severe pulmonary infectious disease caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis . Pertussis infects an estimated 24 million people annually, resulting in >150,000 deaths. The NIH placed pertussis on the list of emerging pathogens in 2015. Antibiotics are ineffective unless administered before the onset of the disease characteristic cough. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel pertussis therapeutics. We have shown that sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) agonists reduce pertussis inflammation, without increasing bacterial burden. Transcriptomic studies were performed to identify this mechanism and allow for the development of pertussis therapeutics which specifically target problematic inflammation without sacrificing bacterial control. These data suggested a role for triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1). TREM-1 cell surface receptor functions as an amplifier of inflammatory responses. Expression of TREM-1 is increased in response to bacterial infection of mucosal surfaces. In mice, B. pertussis infection results in TLR9-dependent increased expression of TREM-1 and its associated cytokines. Interestingly, S1PR agonists dampen pulmonary inflammation and TREM-1 expression. Mice challenged intranasally with B. pertussis and treated with ligand-dependent (LP17) and ligand-independent (GF9) TREM-1 inhibitors showed no differences in bacterial burden and significantly reduced TNF-α and CCL-2 expression compared to controls. Mice receiving TREM-1 inhibitors showed reduced pulmonary inflammation compared to controls indicating that TREM-1 promotes inflammatory pathology, but not bacterial control, during pertussis infection. This implicates TREM-1 as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of pertussis.

Century plus journeys: using career crafting to explore the career success of pioneer women accountants

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohini P. Vidwans ◽  
Rosalind H. Whiting
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Career Success ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
Pioneer Women ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the struggle for entry and career success of the early pioneer women accountants in Great Britain and its former colonies the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachA career crafting matrix guides the analysis of historical information available on five pioneer women accountants in order to understand their success in gaining entry into the profession and their subsequent careers.FindingsDespite an exclusionary environment, career crafting efforts coupled with family and organizational support enabled these women to become one of the first female accountants in their respective countries. Their struggles were not personal but much broader—seeking social, political, economic and professional empowerment for women.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to utilize the career crafting matrix developed from current female accountants' careers to explore careers of pioneering female accountants. It adds to the limited literature on women actors in accounting and may provide insight into approaching current forms of difference and discrimination.

The utility of rapid Group A streptococcus molecular testing compared with throat culture for the diagnosis of Group A streptococcal pharyngitis in a high-incidence rheumatic fever population.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Taylor ◽  
Susan Morpeth ◽  
Rachel Webb ◽  
Susan Taylor
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Rheumatic Fever ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Molecular Test ◽  
Throat Culture ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Group A ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Culture Negative

Background: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes significant morbidity and mortality in New Zealand and is responsible for invasive disease and immune sequelae including acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF). Early treatment of GAS pharyngitis reduces the risk of ARF. In settings with a high-burden of GAS disease, a rapid GAS pharyngitis diagnostic test with a strong negative predictive value is needed to enable prompt and accurate treatment. Methods: This prospective study compares the Xpert® Xpress Strep A molecular test (Cepheid) to throat culture and a second molecular method, the BioGX Group A Streptococcus -OSR for BD MAX TM for the diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis. Throat swabs were collected from the emergency department and wards of Middlemore Hospital, New Zealand. The BioGX Group A Streptococcus - OSR for BD MAX TM , contributes to the composite gold-standard: throat culture or both molecular methods positive. Basic demographic, clinical and laboratory data was collected. Results: 205/214 swabs were suitable for analysis. 28/205 (13.7%) were GAS culture positive, 45/205 (22%) Xpert® Xpress Strep A positive and 38/205 (18.5%) BioGX positive. Compared to culture, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the Xpert® Xpress Strep A molecular test were 100%, 90.4%, 62.2% and 100%, respectively. Compared to the composite gold-standard, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV and were 100%, 95.8%, 84.4% and 100% respectively. 17 samples were Xpert® Xpress positive but culture-negative; 6 of these 17 swabs represent true positives with evidence of recent GAS infection. Ten samples were culture negative but both Xpert® Xpress and BioGX positive. Conclusion: The Xpert® Xpress Strep A molecular test is highly sensitive with a strong negative predictive value and rapid turnaround time. It can be safely introduced as a first line test for throat swabs in a high-incidence ARF population.

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