Immune Response to Marburg Virus Angola Infection in Nonhuman Primates.

Background: The 2005 outbreak of Marburg virus (MARV) infection in Angola was the most lethal MARV infection outbreak in history, with a case-fatality rate (90%) similar to that for Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) infection. However, very little is known about the pathogenicity of MARV Angola, as few studies have been conducted to date. Therefore, the immune response was examined in MARV Angola-infected nonhuman primates.

Ebola GP-specific monoclonal antibodies protect mice and guinea pigs from lethal Ebola virus infection.

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes acute hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates with mortality rates up to 90%. So far there are no effective treatments available. This study evaluates the protective efficacy of 8 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Ebola glycoprotein in mice and guinea pigs.

The organisation of Ebola virus reveals a capacity for extensive, modular polyploidy.

Background: Filoviruses, including Ebola virus, are unusual in being filamentous animal viruses. Structural data on the arrangement, stoichiometry and organisation of the component molecules of filoviruses has until now been lacking, partially due to the need to work under level 4 biological containment. The present study provides unique insights into the structure of this deadly pathogen.

Characterization of Zaire ebolavirus glycoprotein-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) can be transmitted by human-to-human contact and causes acute haemorrhagic fever with case fatality rates up to 90%. There are no effective therapeutic or prophylactic treatments available. The sole transmembrane glycoprotein (GP) is the key target for developing neutralizing antibodies.

Mucosal immunization of cynomolgus macaques with the VSVDeltaG/ZEBOVGP vaccine stimulates strong ebola GP-specific immune responses.

Background: Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) produces a lethal viral hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates.

Methodology/principal Findings: We demonstrate that the VSVDeltaG/ZEBOVGP vaccine given 28 days pre-challenge either intranasally (IN), orally (OR), or intramuscularly (IM) protects non-human primates against a lethal systemic challenge of ZEBOV, and induces cellular and humoral immune responses. We demonstrated that ZEBOVGP-specific T-cell and humoral responses induced in the IN and OR groups, following an immunization and challenge, produced the most IFN-gamma and IL-2 secreting cells, and long term memory responses.

The creation of stable cell lines expressing Ebola virus glycoproteins and the matrix protein VP40 and generating Ebola virus-like particles utilizing an ecdysone inducible mammalian expression system.

Ebola virus is a filovirus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans and is associated with case fatality rates of up to 90%. The lack of therapeutic interventions in combination with the threat of weaponizing this organism has enhanced research investigations. The expression of key viral proteins and the production of virus-like particles in mammalian systems are often pursued for characterization and functional studies.

Assessment of a vesicular stomatitis virus-based vaccine by use of the mouse model of Ebola virus hemorrhagic fever.

Background: In humans and nonhuman primates, Ebola virus causes a virulent viral hemorrhagic fever for which no licensed vaccines or therapeutic drugs exist. In the present study, we used the mouse model for Ebola hemorrhagic fever to assess the safety and efficacy of a vaccine based on a live attenuated vesicular stomatitis virus expressing the Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) glycoprotein.

Methods: Healthy mice were given the vaccine in various doses, decreasing from 2 x 10(4) to 2 plaque-forming units (pfu), with both systemic and mucosal vaccination routes used.

Identification of Campylobacter spp. and discrimination from Helicobacter and Arcobacter spp. by direct sequencing of PCR-amplified cpn60 sequences and comparison to cpnDB, a chaperonin reference sequence database.

A robust method for the identification of Campylobacter spp. based on direct sequencing of PCR-amplified partial cpn60 sequences and comparison of these to a reference database of cpn60 sequences is reported. A total of 53 Campylobacter isolates, representing 15 species, were identified and distinguished from phenotypically similar Helicobacter and Arcobacter strains.

Identification and characterization of Shigella boydii 20 serovar nov., a new and emerging Shigella serotype.

Analysis of 163 putative Shigella isolates from Canada and the USA showed biochemical reactions consistent with Shigella species, although none of the isolates reacted with antiserum raised against any of the well-established or provisional Shigella serotypes. All these isolates, provisionally designated serotype SH108, were positive for the ipaH gene and the invasion-associated locus. All fermented mannitol, were serologically indistinguishable from each other and showed no reaction in antisera prepared against Escherichia coli serotypes O1 to O181.

A novel Shigella dysenteriae serovar isolated in Canada.

The etiological agent most commonly associated with bacillary dysentery is Shigella. As part of its mandate, the Bacteriology and Enteric Disease Program of Health Canada identifies and serotypes unusual isolates of Shigella received from provincial laboratories of public health. In this report, six unusual isolates from three provinces were analyzed biochemically and serologically using slide and tube agglutinations and molecularly using standard pulsed-filed gel electrophoresis (PFGE), PCR, and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques.

Characterization of waterborne outbreak-associated Campylobacter jejuni, Walkerton, Ontario.

The Walkerton, Canada, waterborne outbreak of 2000 resulted from entry of O157:H7 and spp. from neighboring farms into the town water supply. Isolates of and obtained from outbreak investigations were characterized by phenotypic and genotypic methods, including heat-stable and heat-labile serotyping, phage typing, biotyping, fla–restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typing, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Helicobacter winghamensis sp. nov., a novel Helicobacter sp. isolated from patients with gastroenteritis.

From 1997 to 1999 seven isolates of Campylobacter-like organisms from five patients that were exhibiting symptoms of gastroenteritis, including fever, stomach malaise, and diarrhea, were investigated. The organisms were isolated from stool samples and found to exhibit a diverse colony morphology; hence multiple isolates were submitted from one of the patients. All isolates were found to be identical.

Differentiation of clinical Helicobacter pullorum isolates from related Helicobacter and Campylobacter species.

Background: Helicobacter pullorum, first detected in the liver and intestinal contents of poultry, was defined as a new species in 1994. This organism has since been isolated from humans with gastroenteritis. Phenotypic as well as genotypic methods have been used to identify H.

Helicobacter canadensis sp. nov. isolated from humans with diarrhea as an example of an emerging pathogen.

We recently analyzed 11 helicobacter isolates cultured from diarrhea patients in Canada. These isolates had been characterized biochemically by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP; AluI, HhaI) analysis and by fatty-acid analysis as Helicobacter pullorum. However, four of the isolates differed biochemically from H.

Rapid identification of Campylobacter, Arcobacter, and Helicobacter isolates by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 16S rRNA gene.

A rapid two-step identification scheme based on PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene was developed in order to differentiate isolates belonging to the Campylobacter, Arcobacter, and Helicobacter genera. For 158 isolates (26 reference cultures and 132 clinical isolates), specific RFLP patterns were obtained and species were successfully identified by this assay.