Publications by authors named "Anjana Karawita"

We describe emergence of Buruli ulcer in urban Geelong, Victoria, Australia, and examine timing and proximity of human cases to detection of Mycobacterium ulcerans DNA in possum feces. M. ulcerans-positive feces preceded human cases by up to 39 months, constituting an early warning of impending risk for Buruli ulcer.

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Biting midges ( spp.) are important vectors of several insect borne arboviruses but are underrepresented in terms of availability of high-resolution genomic resources. We assembled and annotated complete mitochondrial genomes for two species, namely and which are proven vectors for Bluetongue Virus (BTV).

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Article Synopsis
  • - An estimated 65 million people globally experience post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), with many suffering from specific cardiovascular symptoms (PASC-CVS) like chest pain and heart palpitations.
  • - The study focuses on chronic inflammation in PASC-CVS patients, particularly those with symptoms lasting over a year, and shows a distinct blood signature indicating inflammation linked to their condition.
  • - Findings reveal trace levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and elevated complement and coagulation proteins in the blood of PASC-CVS patients, suggesting that chronic inflammation significantly impacts heart function in these individuals.
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Background: The Australian black swan (Cygnus atratus) is an iconic species with contrasting plumage to that of the closely related northern hemisphere white swans. The relative geographic isolation of the black swan may have resulted in a limited immune repertoire and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, notably infectious diseases from which Australia has been largely shielded. Unlike mallard ducks and the mute swan (Cygnus olor), the black swan is extremely sensitive to highly pathogenic avian influenza.

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Children typically experience more mild symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) when compared to adults. There is a strong body of evidence that children are also less susceptible to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with the ancestral viral isolate. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) has been associated with an increased number of pediatric infections.

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Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) in gallinaceous poultry are associated with viral infection of the endothelium, the induction of a 'cytokine storm, and severe disease. In contrast, in Pekin ducks, HPAIVs are rarely endothelial tropic, and a cytokine storm is not observed. To date, understanding these species-dependent differences in pathogenesis has been hampered by the absence of a pure culture of duck and chicken endothelial cells.

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Objective: To explore the contribution of environmental factors in the unusual pattern of influenza activity observed in Brisbane, Australia during the summer of 2018-2019.

Methods: Distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNMs) were used to estimate the effect of environmental factors on weekly influenza incidence in Brisbane. Next generation sequencing was then employed to analyze minor and majority variants in influenza strains isolated from Brisbane children during this period.

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Article Synopsis
  • The influenza virus can change a lot, creating different versions of itself within one person.
  • Pregnant women and people who are obese might see more of these virus changes because their bodies don't respond as well to infections.
  • Mice with a specific type of asthma had worse flu symptoms and produced unique virus changes, suggesting that people with asthma could also get more severe flu and spread new virus types.
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Purpose Of Review: A delicate balance exists between a protective and detrimental immune response to an invading viral pathogen. Here, we review the latest advancements in our understanding of immunity and immunopathology during H7N9 influenza A virus (IAV) infections and its relevance to disease management and diagnosis.

Recent Findings: Recent studies have highlighted the role of specific leukocytes in the pathogenesis of H7N9 IAV infections and potential diagnostic role that host cytokine profiles can play in forecasting disease severity.

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Toxocara pteropodis, an intestinal nematode, occurs in several captive and free-ranging pteropid bat species. We report infection in free-ranging Indian flying foxes (Pteropus medius) in Sri Lanka and contribute to our understanding of parasites in free-ranging P. medius .

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A novel lyssavirus was isolated from brains of Indian flying foxes (Pteropus medius) in Sri Lanka. Phylogenetic analysis of complete virus genome sequences, and geographic location and host species, provides strong evidence that this virus is a putative new lyssavirus species, designated as Gannoruwa bat lyssavirus.

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Calodium hepaticum infection is rarely reported in carnivores. We describe two cases of C. hepaticum infection, causing liver lesions, in wild jungle cats ( Felis chaus ) in Sri Lanka.

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