A5028181302- Reproductive tract infections research
- Urinary Tract Infections Management
- Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment
- Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
- Urinary and Genital Oncology Studies
- Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
- Gut microbiota and health
- Plant and fungal interactions
- Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Pelvic floor disorders treatments
- Streptococcal Infections and Treatments
- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Immune Response and Inflammation
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Ocular Infections and Treatments
- Powdery Mildew Fungal Diseases
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Gout, Hyperuricemia, Uric Acid
- Leptospirosis research and findings
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Blood groups and transfusion
- Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders
- Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Ocular Surface and Contact Lens
University of California, San Francisco
2016-2025
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital
2016-2025
University of California, Berkeley
2016-2025
Ibis Reproductive Health
2021-2025
Global Brain Health Institute
2023-2025
University of San Francisco
2015
Graduate Theological Union
2007-2015
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
2010-2015
Agricultural Research Service
2010-2015
Tennessee Valley Authority
2015
The acute chest syndrome is the leading cause of death among patients with sickle cell disease. Since its largely unknown, therapy supportive. Pilot studies improved diagnostic techniques suggest that infection and fat embolism are underdiagnosed in syndrome.
ABSTRACT Chlamydia psittaci is an obligate intracellular bacterium. Interest in stems from its high degree of virulence as intestinal and pulmonary pathogen across a broad range animals, including humans. C. human infections, referred to psittacosis, can be life-threatening, which why the organism was developed bioweapon 20th century listed CDC biothreat agent. One remarkable recent result comparative genomics finding frequent homologous recombination genome sexually transmitted trachoma...
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been widely used to detect many infectious diseases. However, minor inconveniences during the steps of adding reaction ingredients and lack simple color results hinder point-of-care detection. We therefore invented a fluorometric paper-based LAMP by incorporating reagents, including biotinylated primer, onto cellulose membrane paper, with DNA fluorescent dye incubation that demonstrated rapid accurate parallel quantitative polymerase chain...
Background and Purpose — An elevated serum level of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker, is independent predictor stroke coronary artery disease. To determine whether chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae , which has been identified in atherosclerotic plaques, responsible for systemic inflammation, we studied the association between protein levels carotid plaque viable C . Methods Serum were obtained before endarterectomy stenosis. Plaques tested mRNA, indicator viability, DNA...
ABSTRACT Chlamydia trachomatis is an intracellular bacterium responsible for ocular, respiratory, and sexually transmitted diseases. The genome contains a nine-member polymorphic membrane protein (Pmp) family unique to members of the order Chlamydiales . Genomic molecular analyses were performed entire pmp gene 18 reference serological variants (serovars) genovariant Ja identify specific regions that differentiate chlamydial disease groups. mean genetic distance among all serovars varied...
Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium of major public health significance, infecting over one-tenth the world’s population and causing blindness infertility in millions. Mounting evidence supports recombination as a key source genetic diversity among free-living bacteria. Previous research shows that bacteria such Chlamydiaceae may also undergo but whether this plays significant evolutionary role has not been determined. Here, we examine multiple loci dispersed...
ABSTRACT Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes a diversity of severe and debilitating diseases worldwide. Sporadic ongoing outbreaks lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) strains among men who have sex with (MSM) support the need for research on virulence factors associated these organisms. Previous analyses been limited to single genes or genomes laboratory-adapted reference strain L 2 /434 outbreak b/UCH-1/proctitis. We characterized unusual LGV strain, termed...
The large number of sexually transmitted diseases and ocular trachoma cases that are caused globally each year by Chlamydia trachomatis has made this organism a World Health Organization priority for vaccine development. However, there is no gene transfer system to help identify potential targets. To accelerate discoveries toward goal, here we analyzed the broadest diversity C. genomes date, including 25 geographically dispersed clinical seven reference strains representing 14 19 known...
Abstract Chlamydia trachomatis is a global cause of blinding trachoma and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We used comparative genomics the family Chlamydiaceae to select conserved housekeeping genes for C. multilocus sequencing, characterizing 19 reference 68 clinical isolates from 6 continental/subcontinental regions. There were 44 sequence types (ST). Identical STs STI recovered different regions, whereas restricted by continent. Twenty-nine 52 alleles had nonuniform distributions...
Chlamydia pneumoniae is responsible for a high prevalence of respiratory infections worldwide and has been implicated in atherosclerosis. Inflammation regulated by transcription factor (TF) networks. Yet, the core TF network triggered chlamydiae remains largely unknown. Primary human coronary artery endothelial cells were mock-infected or infected with C. to generate transcriptome data throughout chlamydial developmental cycle. Using systems analysis, predominant involved receptor, binding...
Abstract Background Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterial parasite, which causes several severe and debilitating diseases in humans. This study uses comparative genomic analyses of 12 complete published C. genomes to assess the contribution recombination selection this pathogen understand major evolutionary forces acting on genome bacterium. Results The conserved core genes are a large proportion pan-genome: we identified 836 out range 874-927 total each genome. ratio...
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative agent of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) major importance. As result antibiotic resistance, there are now limited options for treating patients. We collected draft genome sequence data and associated metadata on 76 N. strains from around globe searched known determinants antibiotics resistance within strains. The population structure evolutionary forces pathogen were analyzed. Our results indicated cosmopolitan gonoccocal mainly made...
Trachoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Commercial assays do not discriminate among all Chlamydiaceae species that might be involved in trachoma. We investigated whether a commercial Micro-ArrayTube could DNA extracted directly from conjunctival samples 101 trachoma patients Nepal. To evaluate organism viability, we RNA, reverse transcribed it, and subjected it to quantitative real-time PCR. found 71 (70.3%) villagers were infected. ArrayTube sensitivity was 91.7% specificity...
Cervical and endometrial samples from 33 women with lower genital tract infection (LGTI) or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) were evaluated for Chlamydia trachomatis major outer membrane protein gene (omp1) polymorphism. Polymorphism was correlated symptoms, clinical findings, histopathology. F, E, I, D, H, K, G genotypes represented. Thirty-seven genotyped (66%) displayed omp1 mutations compared prototype sequences. Significantly, 7 of variant F infections had PID 6 non-variant in LGTI (P...
Transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among infected men their female sex partners was examined using a design enhancing the likelihood that spread directed from to women. culture-negative specimens were DNA amplification tests. Infection rates in women exposed male with only 65% (20/31) gonorrhea 73% (33/45). by either agent not influenced number sexual exposures or coinfection men. There 98% (40/41) concordance N. isolates auxotype serovar. serotyped ELISA...
Chlamydia trachomatis is a major cause of ocular and sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. While much our knowledge about its genetic diversity comes from serotyping or ompA genotyping, no quantitative assessment within serotypes has been performed. To accomplish this, 507 urogenital samples multicenter U.S. study were analyzed by phylogenetic statistical modeling. No B, Da, I represented. Based on analyses, all but one previous B serotype was identified as Ba. This, coupled with the lack...
Genomic analysis of the Chlamydiaceae has revealed a multigene family encoding large, putatively autotransported polymorphic membrane proteins (Pmps) with nine members in sexually transmitted pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis. While various pathogenesis-related functions are emerging for Pmps, observed genotypic and phenotypic variation among several chlamydial Pmps species led us to hypothesize that pmp gene repertoire is basis previously undetected mechanism antigenic variation. To test this...
Robust surveillance methods are needed for trachoma control and recrudescence monitoring, but existing have limitations. Here, we analyse data from nine trachoma-endemic populations provide operational thresholds interpretation of serological in low-transmission post-elimination settings. Analyses with sero-catalytic antibody acquisition models insights into transmission history within each population. To accurately estimate sero-conversion rates (SCR) high-seroprevalence adults, the model...
Uveitis is considered a rare complication of leptospirosis. This report describes an epidemic uveitis among patients with leptospirosis and provides data, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification Leptospira DNA, that the pathogenesis associated anterior chamber spirochetes. Forty-six patients, 49 controls, 54 cataract controls were enrolled at Aravind Eye Hospital (Madurai, India). Leptospiral DNA was detected by PCR aqueous humor; serum antibody titers determined ELISA...
ABSTRACT Sequences of the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) gene ( ompA ) and complex B omcB from Chlamydia trachomatis, pneumoniae , psittaci were analyzed for evidence intragenic recombination linkage equilibrium. The Sawyer runs test, compatibility matrices, index association analyses provided substantial that there has been a history at including one instance interspecies between C. trachomatis mouse pneumonitis strain horse N16 strain. Although none these methods detected within...
ABSTRACT Chlamydia pneumoniae is a respiratory pathogen that has been associated with chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma and atherosclerosis. Recent isolation of C. from human carotid coronary atheromas provides additional support for role this organism in atherogenesis. We characterized the strain A-03 by sequence analysis major outer membrane protein gene ( omp1 ). In addition, vitro activities three strains (BAL-16, TW-183, T-2634) were examined infected umbilical vein...
The molecular evaluation of the chlamydia! major outer membrane protein (MOMP) gene (omp1) can facilitate epidemiologic investigations this pathogen. Genotyping omp1 provides a more precise characterization Chlamydia trachomatis than do current immunotyping techniques. Genetic variants serovars that are responsible for ocular disease in Tunisia were identified. Archival conjunctival samples collected during 1972 and 1975 from trachoma patients Douz sequenced by automation along with...