scholarly journals A Multidisciplinary Approach to the First Autochthonous Case of Tularemia Reported in Portugal

2022 ◽  
Vol 35 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Flávia Cunha ◽  
Isabel Lopes de Carvalho ◽  
Carolina Torres ◽  
Raquel Gonçalves
Keyword(s):  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Autochthonous Case ◽  
First Case ◽  
Intensive Investigation ◽  
Highly Virulent

Francisella tularensis, a Gram-negative coccobacillus, is a highly virulent pathogen responsible for several zoonotic outbreaks in Europe in the last few decades. The authors report the case of a 46-year-old male who developed fever, myalgias and headache a week after having contact with animal feed contaminated by rodents. Serological tests were positive for Francisella tularensis. This first case of autochthonous tularemia in Portugal led to an intensive investigation involving several healthcare services and national governmental authorities. The authors address the possible underdiagnosis of this infection in the country.

scholarly journals A Francisella tularensis Pathogenicity Island Required for Intramacrophage Growth

2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (19) ◽  
pp. 6430-6436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis E. Nano ◽  
Na Zhang ◽  
Siobhán C. Cowley ◽  
Karl E. Klose ◽  
Karen K. M. Cheung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Pathogenicity Island ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Intracellular Pathogen ◽  
Type B ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Virulent Type ◽  
Highly Virulent ◽  
Reading Frames

ABSTRACT Francisella tularensis is a gram-negative, facultative intracellular pathogen that causes the highly infectious zoonotic disease tularemia. We have discovered a ca. 30-kb pathogenicity island of F. tularensis (FPI) that includes four large open reading frames (ORFs) of 2.5 to 3.9 kb and 13 ORFs of 1.5 kb or smaller. Previously, two small genes located near the center of the FPI were shown to be needed for intramacrophage growth. In this work we show that two of the large ORFs, located toward the ends of the FPI, are needed for virulence. Although most genes in the FPI encode proteins with amino acid sequences that are highly conserved between high- and low-virulence strains, one of the FPI genes is present in highly virulent type A F. tularensis, absent in moderately virulent type B F. tularensis, and altered in F. tularensis subsp. novicida, which is highly virulent for mice but avirulent for humans. The G+C content of a 17.7-kb stretch of the FPI is 26.6%, which is 6.6% below the average G+C content of the F. tularensis genome. This extremely low G+C content suggests that the DNA was imported from a microbe with a very low G+C-containing chromosome.

scholarly journals Presence of Pili on the Surface of Francisella tularensis

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 3042-3047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Horacio Gil ◽  
Jorge L. Benach ◽  
David G. Thanassi
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Vaccine Strain ◽  
Live Vaccine ◽  
Live Vaccine Strain ◽  
Negative Bacterium ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Schu S4 ◽  
Highly Virulent

ABSTRACT Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious gram-negative bacterium with potential for use as a bioweapon. Analysis of the F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) ultrastructure by electron microscopy revealed the presence of long, thin fibers, similar in appearance to type 4 pili. The highly virulent F. tularensis Schu S4 strain was found to contain type 4 pilus genes, and we confirmed that these genes are present and expressed in the LVS.

scholarly journals Francisella tularensisBacteremia: A Case Report from Sudan

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salma E. R. Mohamed ◽  
Aymun I. Mubarak ◽  
Lamia O. Alfarooq
Keyword(s):  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Shortness Of Breath ◽  
Negative Bacterium ◽  
Blood Cell Count ◽  
Southern Sudan ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Empiric Antibiotic ◽  
Empiric Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Highly Virulent

Francisella tularensisis a highly virulent intracellular gram-negative bacterium. The organism is usually isolated from wild and domestic animals and invertebrate. Man gets infection by direct contact with those animals or their products but the most common mode of transmission is via arthropod vectors. The disease is endemic in North America, parts of Europe, and Asia but has never been reported in Africa. A 29-year old male living in a rural area of Southern Sudan has been maintained on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for two years. He presented to our center in May 2010 complaining of fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and abdominal discomfort for four days. He was very ill, pale, and dehydrated. There were enlarged tender submandibular lymph nodes, but no mouth ulcers or other palpable lymph nodes. Peritonitis was excluded by effluent white blood cell count and culture. Empiric antibiotic treatment with ceftriaxon, and ciprofloxacin was started. Gram-negative coccobacilli were isolated by blood culture. The organism was identified asFrancisella tularensis. We started him on a ten-day course of gentamicin after which he improved. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first reported case of bacteremia caused byFrancisella tularensisin Sudan.

Policy Review: Dubai Health Authority’s COVID-19 Rapid Response

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (Special) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Rapid Response ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
World Health ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Services Delivery ◽  
First Case ◽  
The World

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is the entity regulating the healthcare sector in the Emirate of Dubai, ensuring high quality and safe healthcare services delivery to the population. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on the 11th of March 2020, indicating to the world that further infection spread is very likely, and alerting countries that they should be ready for possible widespread community transmission. The first case of COVID-19 in the United Arab Emirates was confirmed on 29th of January 2020; since then, the number of cases has continued to grow exponentially. As of 8th of July 2020 (end of the day), 53,045 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed with a death toll of 327 cases. The UAE has conducted over 3,720,000 COVID-19 tests among UAE citizens and residents over the past four months, in line with the government’s plans to strengthen virus screening to contain the spread of COVID-19. There were vital UAE policies, laws, regulations, and decrees that have been announced for immediate implementation to limit the spread of COVID- 19, to prevent panic and to ensure the overall food, nutrition, and well-being are provided. The UAE is amongst the World’s Top 10 for COVID-19 Treatment Efficiency and in the World’s Top 20 for the implementation of COVID-19 Safety measures. The UAE’s mission is to work towards resuming life after COVID-19 and enter into the recovery phases. This policy research paper will discuss the Dubai Health Authority’s rapid response initiatives towards combating the control and spread of COVID-19 and future policy implications and recommendations. The underlying factors and policy options will be discussed in terms of governance, finance, and delivery.

Abstract 047: Using Geospatial Data To Eliminate Disparities In Covid-19 Testing

Circulation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory W Heath ◽  
Tim Moreland ◽  
Shannon Stephenson ◽  
Jesse A Houser ◽  
Colleen Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Community Health Centers ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Behavioral Risk ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Social Vulnerability Index ◽  
First Case ◽  
Black Residents

Introduction: The first case of COVID-19 in Chattanooga/Hamilton County, Tennessee (CHC) was identified on March 13, 2020. By early April, 51 RT-PCR confirmed cases were identified, with white, non-Hispanic males and females representing 82% (41/51) of positive cases and remaining cases representing black residents (18%; 9/51). That few people from racial/ethnic minorities were being tested became a key public health concern. We hypothesized that local mapping of health-related data would identify regions where individuals at greater risk for COVID-19 live and work and have limited access to testing and healthcare services. Methods: The CDC 500 Cities data was used to generate layered maps of prevalence estimates for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, and the behavioral risk factors of physical inactivity and obesity. Layers also included the CDC Social Vulnerability Index, age distribution, gender, race, ethnicity, and zip codes. Maps were shared with intersectoral collaborators representing the black and Hispanic/Latinx communities who provided specific neighborhood information to the maps. Collaborators included hospital systems, the local health department, community health centers, the private sector, and non-profit organizations. Maps were used to identify geographic sites for mobile and strategic testing within communities at higher risk for the spread of the coronavirus. Specific diverse neighborhoods along with worksites were then provided with testing beginning in early May and ongoing. Results: Strategic and mobile testing beginning in early May increased three-fold the number of identified new cases of COVID-19. Seventy percent (652/932) of these positive tests were among ethnically Hispanic/Latinx and 16% (149/932) among black residents. Positive tests continued to increase at a greater rate among Hispanic/Latinx and black residents compared with white residents through the months of May-July (68/10K vs. 2.6/10K, OR = 4.85, 95% CI 2.66, 9.02). Conclusions: This example of inter-sectoral collaboration, data sharing, and data use through strategic mapping of vulnerable populations for COVID-19 was an effective means to enhance COVID-19 testing and identification of positive cases throughout CHC. This expanded partnering resulting in targeted testing may be a useful approach among similar communities and subsequent outbreaks.

scholarly journals A multidisciplinary approach to the spatial dimension in ecosystem-based fisheries management

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascal Le Floc'h ◽  
Michel Bertignac ◽  
Olivier Curtil ◽  
Claire Macher ◽  
Emilie Mariat-Roy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Spatial Dimension ◽  
Common Denominator ◽  
Bay Of Biscay ◽  
First Case ◽  
Fishing Fleets ◽  
Coastal Space ◽  
Fish Habitats

This study considers how to reconcile different spatial scales to find the best common denominator to be used as an ecosystem-based management unit. For this, two fishery production zones differing ecologically, economically, legally and institutionally were investigated. The first case study is located within French territorial waters, in a MPA created in 2007- the Parc Naturel Marin d'Iroise (PNMI). The second case study, the Bay of Biscay, covers both territorial waters and the French exclusive economic zone. The paper adopts a multidisciplinary approach. Relevant questions concern how marine space is shared between exploited species and fishing fleets, especially the spatial mobility strategies they employ. An assessment of the institutional system established for the PNMI contributes to the discussion of changes in coastal space use. It is obvious that the area in need of protection, defined on the basis of essential fish habitats, does not solely concern the fisheries located within the coastal zone. Experiments conducted by scientists and professionals in the Bay of Biscay provide other key points for the discussion in terms of what institutional frameworks to promote.

scholarly journals Keratinolytic protease from Pseudomonas aeruginosa for leather skin processing

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeasmin Akter Moonnee ◽  
Md Javed Foysal ◽  
Abu Hashem ◽  
Md Faruque Miah
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Enzyme Production ◽  
Biochemical Characterization ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Leather Industry ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Maximum Production

Abstract Background The leather industry generates huge volume of waste each year. Keratin is the principal constituents of this waste that is resistant to degradation. Some bacteria have the ability to degrade keratin through synthesis of a protease called keratinase that can be used as sources of animal feed and industrial production of biodiesel, biofertilizer, and bioplastic. Majority of the studies focused on keratin degradation using gram-positive bacteria. Not much of studies are currently available on production of keratinase from gram-negative bacteria and selection of best parameters for the maximum production of enzyme. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize both groups of bacteria from soil for keratinase and optimize the production parameters. Results A total of 50 isolates were used for initial screening of enzyme production in skim milk, casein, and feather meal agar. Out of 50, five isolates showed significantly higher enzyme production in preliminary screening assays. Morphological and biochemical characterization revealed 60% of the isolates as gram-negative bacteria including two highest enzyme-producing isolates. The isolates were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa through sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. Maximum production of enzyme from P. aeruginosa YK17 was achieved with 2% chicken feather, beef extract, and ammonium nitrate as organic and inorganic nitrogen sources and glucose as a carbon source. Further analysis revealed that 3% inoculum, 40 °C growth temperature and 72-h incubation, resulted in maximum production of keratinase. Conclusion The overall results showed significant higher production of enzyme by the P. aeruginosa YK17 that can be used for the degradation of recalcitrant keratin waste and chemical dehairing in leather industries, thereby preventing environmental pollution.

scholarly journals Necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis with clinical presentations of recurrent acute abdomen. Case report and literature review

2017 ◽  
Vol 89 (11) ◽  
pp. 60-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
V I Vasilyev ◽  
S G Palshina ◽  
B D Chaltsev ◽  
S G Radenska-Lopovok ◽  
T N Safonova
Keyword(s):  
Acute Abdomen ◽  
Clinical Laboratory ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Abdominal Cavity ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Drug Induced ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Surgical Interventions ◽  
First Case ◽  
Clinical Presentations

The authors have described the world’s first case of necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis (NSG) in a 22-year-old woman with the clinical presentations of acute abdomen, which are associated with abdominal lymph nodal infiltration and necrosis, obvious constitutional disturbances (fever, nocturnal sweats, and significant weight loss), high inflammatory activity (anemia, leukocytosis, high erythrocyte sedimentation rates and C-reactive protein levels), the gradual appearance of splenic and hepatic necrotic foci, and infiltration into the lung and lacrimal glands with the development of unilateral uveitis. The patient underwent five surgical interventions, several needle biopsies for recurrent abdominal syndrome, and long-term antibiotic treatment for presumed sepsis, which had caused drug-induced hepatitis. Bacteriological examination of blood, puncture samples, and removed abdominal cavity tissues, serological tests, and immunomorphogical study of biopsy samples and removed tissues yielded negative results for the presence of bacterial, fungal, and tuberculosis infections. NSG was diagnosed on the basis of the systemic nature of the lesion, the presence of granulomas with severe abdominal lymph nodal necrosis and necrotizing granulomatous/lymphocytic vasculitis in the mesentery and removed spleen, as well as the absence of granulomas in the spleen, appendix, and biopsy materials of the liver, colonic mucosa, and parotid gland. Fludarabine therapy was first used in world practice due to the inefficient treatment with high-dose glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide and to a disease relapse when reducing their doses. The paper gives a detailed review of the literature on the clinical, laboratory, radiological, and morphological manifestations of the disease, which allow the differential diagnosis of NSG with different variants of granulomatous lesions. Based on the 5-year follow-up of the patient and on the analysis of clinical, laboratory, radiological, and morphological changes, the authors uphold the concept that the disease is an independent nosological entity: necrotizing angiitis with sarcoid reactions, rather than the entity of nodular or classic sarcoidosis.

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