Bacteria isolated from parasitic nematodes - a potential novel vector of pathogens?

Bacterial pathogens are ubiquitous in soil and water - concurrently so are free-living helminths that feed on bacteria. These helminths fall into two categories; the non-parasitic and the parasitic. The former have been the focus of previous work, finding that bacterial pathogens inside helminths are conferred survival advantages over and above bacteria alone in the environment, and that accidental ingestion of non-parasitic helminths can cause systemic infection in vertebrate hosts. Here, we determine the potential for bacteria to be associated with parasitic helminths. After culturing helminths from fecal samples obtained from livestock the external bacteria were removed. Two-hundred parasitic helminths from three different species were homogenised and the bacteria that were internal to the helminths were isolated and cultured. Eleven different bacterial isolates were found; of which eight were indentified. The bacteria identified included known human and cattle pathogens. We concluded that bacteria of livestock can be isolated in parasitic helminths and that this suggests a mechanism by which bacteria, pathogenic or otherwise, can be transmitted between individuals. The potential for helminths to play a role as pathogen vectors poses a potential livestock and human health risk. Further work is required to assess the epidemiological impact of this finding

Understanding Roadway Safety in American Indian Reservations: Perceptions and Management of Risk by Community, Tribal Governments, and Other Safety Leaders

DTRT13-G-UTC35The focus of this study is roadway safety in American Indian reservations. The authors provide new sources of data and policy-relevant findings to address the unusually high rates of roadway fatalities and injuries among American Indians. Qualitative methods were used to generate and analyze data from people with the most direct knowledge of and responsibility for reservation roadway safety. Four case studies were conducted in partnership with the tribal governments of the Red Lake, Fond du Lac, Leech Lake, and Mille Lacs reservations; these data sources include fieldwork (90 days), interviews (n=102), focus groups (n=8), and short surveys (n=220). These data are triangulated with data from the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA\u2019s) 2016 nationwide survey of tribes and states (n=196). Key findings from this extensive data analysis are: 1. Pedestrian safety is a critical, yet under-recognized issue on reservations. This is unequivocal across all data sources and differentiates reservations from rural areas in general. 2. Reservation road engineering and repair are very high priorities according to both tribe and state governments. 3. Reckless driving is a multi-faceted concern, including not only impaired driving but also cell phone distraction and speeding. 4. Education and enforcement to increase seat belt and car seat use are named as high priorities in the national survey. 5. Tribes need better cooperation with local, state, and federal agencies. Priorities include addressing data quality and sharing issues, and better inter-jurisdictional cooperation for infrastructure and enforcement. The study concludes with recommendations to improve roadway safety in reservations and for further research

Seasonal encounter rates and residency patterns of an unstudied population of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the northwestern Levantine Sea, Turkey

Insufficient data regarding abundance, distribution and movement patterns of bottlenose dolphins has contributed to lack of effective conservation strategies within the Levantine Sea. It has been inferred that the bottlenose dolphin population has decreased by 30 % in the last 60 years, thus a basin wide research effort on the population is an urgent priority. We present the preliminary results of the first bottlenose dolphin photo-identification study in the northwestern Levantine Sea. 32 boat surveys were conducted from March 2015 to July 2016, totalling 1433 km of survey effort. Current study reported an uneven distribution, high seasonal encounters and varied residency patterns of bottlenose dolphins within the northwestern Levantine Sea. We propose that the northwestern Levantine Sea, specifically the coastal waters of Antalya Bay, indeed is an important bottlenose dolphin habitat and adjacent waters may be of similar significance. Of the 56 individuals catalogued, 13 were re-sighted in both years. Encounter rates varied seasonally, with a peak in spring of 12 groups and 100 individuals per 100 km. Dolphin presence was not detected during autumn and winter. While seasonal, visitor and transient dolphins were reported, no year-round residency was documented. Incidental observations of visible starvation signs and skin parasites suggested individual dolphins in this region could be under anthropogenic stressors. The results reported here highlight the importance of baseline information on encounter rate, distribution and residency pattern as they have a key role on the assessment of population statues and the threats they are facing. Future studies with annual survey effort, have to be continued in the northwestern Levantine Sea and its adjacent waters

Progress of Trachoma Mapping in Mainland Tanzania: Results of Baseline Surveys from 2012 to 2014.

PURPOSE: Following surveys in 2004-2006 in 50 high-risk districts of mainland Tanzania, trachoma was still suspected to be widespread elsewhere. We report on baseline surveys undertaken from 2012 to 2014. METHODS: A total of 31 districts were surveyed. In 2012 and 2013, 12 at-risk districts were selected based on proximity to known trachoma endemic districts, while in 2014, trachoma rapid assessments were undertaken, and 19 of 55 districts prioritized for baseline surveys. A multi-stage cluster random sampling methodology was applied whereby 20 villages (clusters) and 36 households per cluster were surveyed. Eligible participants, children aged 1-9 years and people aged 15 years and older, were examined for trachoma using the World Health Organization simplified grading system. RESULTS: A total of 23,171 households were surveyed and 104,959 participants (92.3% of those enumerated) examined for trachoma signs. A total of 44,511 children aged 1-9 years and 65,255 people aged 15 years and older were examined for trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) and trichiasis, respectively. Prevalence of TF varied by district, ranging from 0.0% (95% confidence interval, CI 0.0-0.1%) in Mbinga to 11.8% (95% CI 6.8-16.5%) in Chunya. Trichiasis prevalence was lowest in Urambo (0.03%, 95% CI 0.00-0.24%) and highest in Kibaha (1.08%, 95% CI 0.74-1.43%). CONCLUSION: Only three districts qualified for mass drug administration with azithromycin. Trichiasis is still a public health problem in many districts, thus community-based trichiasis surgery should be considered to prevent blindness due to trachoma. These findings will facilitate achievement of trachoma elimination objectives

Side-by-Side and End-to-End Gold Nanorod Assemblies for Environmental Toxin Sensing

No AbstractPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77509/1/5604_ftp.pd

Relationships between Reading Ability and Child Mental Health: Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem

Objective: Children with reading difficulties are at elevated risk for externalising (e.g., conduct disorder) and internalising (e.g., anxiety and depression) mental health problems. Reading ability is also negatively associated with self-esteem, a consistent predictor of child and adolescent mental health more broadly. This study examined whether self-esteem moderated and/or mediated relationships between reading ability and mental health. Method: One hundred and seventeen children (7-12 years) completed standardised reading assessments (Castles and Coltheart Test 2; CC2) and self-report measures of mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ) and self-esteem (Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory). Non-verbal intelligence (IQ) was measured using the block design and matrix reasoning subscales of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, and was controlled for in all multivariate analyses. Results: Reading ability was negatively associated with internalising symptoms. This relationship was not moderated by self-esteem. Poor readers also reported more total difficulties and externalising symptoms, but only at low levels of self-esteem. There was no evidence that self-esteem mediated relationships between reading ability and mental health. Conclusions: Poor reading was associated with internalising symptoms. Self-esteem moderated the impact of reading ability on total difficulties and externalising symptoms, with high self-esteem buffering against negative impacts of poor reading. However, the reliability of the self-esteem scale used in the study was poor and findings need replication using a reliable and valid self-esteem measure, as well as other measures of child mental health. If replicated, future research should examine whether interventions aiming to improve self-esteem can reduce the risk of externalising problems in children with reading difficulties

Genomic diversity of novel strains of mammalian gut microbiome derived Clostridium XIVa strains is driven by mobile genetic element acquisition

Despite advances in sequencing technologies that enable a greater understanding of mammalian gut microbiome composition, our ability to determine a role for individual strains is hampered by our inability to isolate, culture and study such microbes. Here we describe highly unusual Clostridium XIVa group strains isolated from the murine gut. Genome sequencing indicates that these strains, Clostridium symbiosum LM19B and LM19R and Clostridium clostridioforme LM41 and LM42, have significantly larger genomes than most closely related strains. Genomic evidence indicates that the isolated LM41 and LM42 strains diverge from most other Clostridium XIVa strains and supports reassignment of these groups at genus-level. We attribute increased C. clostridioforme LM41 and LM42 genome size to acquisition of mobile genetic elements including dozens of prophages, integrative elements, putative group II introns and numerous transposons including 29 identical copies of the IS66 transposase, and a very large 192 Kb plasmid. antiSmash analysis determines a greater number of biosynthetic gene clusters within LM41 and LM42 than in related strains, encoding a diverse array of potential novel antimicrobial compounds. Together these strains highlight the potential untapped microbial diversity that remains to be discovered within the gut microbiome and indicate that, despite our ability to get a top down view of microbial diversity, we remain significantly blinded to microbe capabilities at the strain level

International Spread of Multidrug-resistant Salmonella Schwarzengrund in Food Products

This serovar was isolated from persons, food, and food animals in Thailand, Denmark, and the United States