Malaria Vaccine in the Works

Malaria is a disease caused by parasitic organisms of the Plasmodium family that are transmitted by the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Of the four species that cause illness in humans, P. falciparum is the most common and the most deadly. Malaria is most common in Africa, but is present throughout the world. Malaria is an acute febrile illness, with symptoms such as fever, nausea, or vomiting appearing 10-15 days after infection. If treatment is not begun within 24 hours, P. falciparum malaria can cause severe illness or even death.

A new vaccine for malaria is currently in early stage trials with promising results! The vaccine was developed after a survey of Tanzanian children found that 6% of them had antibodies to a protein crucial to the parasite's development. The antibody prevents the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum (picture right: organisms in intracellular phase), from reproducing within the blood cell. This allows the spleen and macrophages time to remove the damaged cells from circulation. The children with the antibody did not suffer from severe malaria, consistent with a previous study in Kenyan adolescents. This new vaccine is one of around 100 vaccines that have been developed since 1980, but is the first to focus on the parasite once it has entered the body.


Picture: http://lib.jiangnan.edu.cn/ASM/257-1.jpg
References
http://www.forbes.com/sites/paulrodgers/2014/05/23/has-malaria-met-its-match/
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/

Lemierre's Syndrome: A Case Report

Lemierre's Syndrome (also known as postanginal septicemia and human necrobacillosis) was first described by French physician and microbiology professor Andre Lemierre in 1936. He classified this syndrome as an "anaerobic postangial sepsis" caused primarily by  Bacillus funduliformis (known today as Fusobacterium necrophorum), a gram-negative anaerobe (organism on SBA, right). This organism is responsible for 90% of Lemierre's syndrome cases and 21% of recurrent sore throats.

Before the introduction of antibiotics, Lemierre's syndrome had a mortality rate around 90%. Currently, the mortality rate of correctly-diagnosed cases is around 5%. Fewer than 100 cases have been described since 1974, and the condition has a incidence rate of 3.6 cases per 1 million. This syndrome is characterized by a recent history of oropharyngitis with persistent fevers, followed by septic thrombophlebitis (swelling of a vein caused by a blood clot) of the internal jugular vein as well as dissemination of the infection to multiple sites. Lemierre's syndrome should be suspected in patients who present with pharyngitis and high-grade fevers (39-41C) plus thrombophlebitis or sepsis.

Case Report
A previously healthy 44 year old female presented with a 3 day history of worsening sore throat predominantly on the left side with fever, pain while swallowing, and vomiting. Upon examination, she was febrile, hypotensive, and tachycardic. Her left tonsil was displaced, and her lymph nodes were swollen and tender. Laboratory testing showed her WBC to be elevated with a decreased platelet count, as well as decreased liver and kidney function. A CT scan (right) showed a mass in the left peritonsillar region (arrow). Drainage of the mass was delayed due to the patient's unstable condition. The patient deteriorated rapidly, developing acute renal failure, encephalopathy, respiratory failure, and bilateral pleural effusions. She was placed on mechanical ventilation and dialysis. Blood cultures grew F. necrophorum and the patient's antibiotics were adjusted to piperacillin-tazobactam and metronidazole. The patient was extubated on her ninth day of admission, and discharged on the thirteenth.

References
SBA picture: http://pictures.life.ku.dk/atlas/microatlas/veterinary/bacteria/Fusobacterium_necrophorum_A/fusobacteriumnecrophoruma.jpg
Case Study:  : Arora T, Wright D (2014) Lemierre’s Syndrome in an Adult: A Case Review. Otolaryngology 4: 167. doi:10.4172/2161-119X.1000167

Ebola!

Ebola (pictured right) is an RNA filovirus in the family Filoviridae, genus Ebolavirus. Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Of the five species, four cause serious disease in humans and one only causes disease in nonhuman primates. Ebolavirus is spread through direct person-to-person (or primate-to-primate) contact with blood, secretions, organs or bodily fluids of infected patients.

Ebolavirus infection is fatal in 50-90% of cases, with some strains less virulent (50-60%) and others more virulent (80-90%). Symptoms appear 2-21 days post-exposure with a rapid onset. Initial symptoms are flu-like, but quickly progress to more serious symptoms such as chest pain, red eyes, skin rash, jaundice, hiccups, or bleeding. Laboratory findings of interest are low WBC/platelet counts with elevated liver enzymes. Definitive diagnosis of ebolavirus occurs through ELISA, antigen detection or serum neutralization tests, RT-PCR assays, electron microscopy, or viral culture.

The virus produces proteins that increase blood vessel permeability, causing hemorrhage. Ebolavirus may also prevent the body from mounting an appropriate immune response through an unknown mechanism. One theory is that the virus overwhelms the immune system using a cytokine storm, sending the patient into shock. Another theory is the virus prevents the immune system from mounting a response at all by reducing interferon activity within the cells (normally, this activity would signal NK cells or T cells that a cell has been taken over by a virus and mark it for destruction).

Unfortunately, there is no treatment for ebolavirus, but a vaccine is in clinical trials. Infected patients are placed into quarantine and receive supportive therapy, such as pain medicine or fluids. Death results from pulmonary or gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hepatitis, or encephalitis one to two weeks after the onset of symptoms. Patients who recover may remain infectious for several weeks after symptoms clear.

References
Picture: http://edwardmd.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ebola1.jpg
1. Basler Christopher, et al. The Ebola Virus VP35 Protein Inhibits Activation of Interferon Regulatory Factor 3. Journal of Virology. July 2003: 88(11).
2. CDC. Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever. CDC Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. 2014. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/. Accessed May 16, 2014.
3. Federation of American Scientists. Ebola Fact Sheet. FAS Biosecurity Fact Sheets. Available at: http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/bio/factsheets/ebolafactsheet.html. Accessed May 16, 2014.
4. Villinger Francois, et al. Markedly Elevated Levels of Interferon (IFN)-y, IFN-a, Interleukin (IL)-2, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-a Associated with Fatal Ebola Virus Infection. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 1999: 179 pp S188-S191.
5. WHO. Ebola virus disease. WHO Media Centre Fact Sheets. 2014. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/. Accessed May 16, 2014.

Welcome!

Hello blog readers and welcome to my blog, Microbi-blog-ogy.

I am a graduate student in UAB's CLS program, and my interests include bluegrass music, duathlon/triathlon, and crossword puzzles. My favorite color is purple, and my favorite movie is O Brother, Where Art Thou?. I received my Bachelor's degree in Laboratory Technology from Auburn University in 2013. My skills include LaTeX, time management, computer applications, and accepting visual, auditory, and tactile inputs and translating them into kinesthetic outputs

Currently, I am taking an infectious diseases course as part of my Master's degree program. This blog will showcase topics of interest that I encounter throughout this course.