Development of fluorescent in situ hybridisation for Cryptosporidium detection reveals zoonotic and anthrioponotic transmission of sporadic cryptosporidiosis in Sydney

Cryptosporidium, is the most common non-viral cause of diarrhea worldwide. Of the 5 described species that contribute to the majority of human infections, C. parvum is of major interest due to its zoonotic potential. A species-specific fluorescence in situ hybridisation probe was designed to the variable region in the small subunit of the 18S rRNA of C. parvum and labeled with Cy3. Probe specificity was validated against a panel of 7 other Cryptosporidium spp. before it was applied to 33 human faecal samples positive for cryptosporidiosis which were obtained during the period from 2006-2007. Results were compared to PCR-RFLP targeting the 18S rDNA. FISH results revealed that 19 of the 33 isolates analysed were identified as C. parvum. Correlation of PCR-RFLP and FISH was statistically significant (P < 0.05), resulting in a calculated correlation coefficient of 0.994. In this study, species identification by FISH and PCR-RFLP provided preliminary evidence to support both anthroponotic and zoonotic transmission of sporadic cases of cryptosporidiosis in the Sydney basin. In conclusion, FISH using a C. parvum-specific probe provided an alternative tool for accurate identification of zoonotic Cryptosporidium which will be applied in the future to both epidemiological and outbreak investigations

Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium occurrence in Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) exposed to varied levels of human interaction

AbstractGiardia and Cryptosporidium are amongst the most common protozoan parasites identified as causing enteric disease in pinnipeds. A number of Giardia assemblages and Cryptosporidium species and genotypes are common in humans and terrestrial mammals and have also been identified in marine mammals. To investigate the occurrence of these parasites in an endangered marine mammal, the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), genomic DNA was extracted from faecal samples collected from wild populations (n = 271) in Southern and Western Australia and three Australian captive populations (n = 19). These were screened using PCR targeting the 18S rRNA of Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Giardia duodenalis was detected in 28 wild sea lions and in seven captive individuals. Successful sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene assigned 27 Giardia isolates to assemblage B and one to assemblage A, both assemblages commonly found in humans. Subsequent screening at the gdh and β-giardin loci resulted in amplification of only one of the 35 18S rRNA positive samples at the β-giardin locus. Sequencing at the β-giardin locus assigned the assemblage B 18S rRNA confirmed isolate to assemblage AI. The geographic distribution of sea lion populations sampled in relation to human settlements indicated that Giardia presence in sea lions was highest in populations less than 25 km from humans. Cryptosporidium was not detected by PCR screening in either wild colonies or captive sea lion populations. These data suggest that the presence of G. duodenalis in the endangered Australian sea lion is likely the result of dispersal from human sources. Multilocus molecular analyses are essential for the determination of G. duodenalis assemblages and subsequent inferences on transmission routes to endangered marine mammal populations

The Grizzly, November 13, 1987

Moon Shines Over Quad • Curriculum to Change • Zimmer Aids Evaluation • Letters: Team Demands Action; Kane Addresses Social Problems; Director Apologizes to Team • Professor to Publish Book • Interns: Opportunities to Enhance Learning • Apartheid Subject of Forum • New Room Policy Instituted • Speaker to Dissect Pediatrics • Irish Brandy Top Ten • Sun Your Buns Spring Break • Coffeehouses Not Thing of the Past • No Good Will From Those Ambassadorshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1199/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, October 28, 1988

Students Indicted in Campus-Wide Drug Bust • Fraternity Admits Women • Updating Middle States • Letters: Is Ursinus Violating Human Rights?; No Breakfast for Old Men\u27s Residents • Rifkin Featured • French Presents Finzi • Ghan-di India and Back • Monster Megatheft Stuns U.C. • C\u27est La Vie - A France • And Now the Real Issues: For a Change of Pace • ProTheatre Presents a Voice of My Own • Tight Bear Pack Sets Fast Pace • UC Takes Offense • V-Ball Ends Flying High • Soccer Aims for Winning Season • Hockey Hopes Dashedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1221/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 15, 1989

Greek Golden Age Growing Dark • U.C. Slasher Case Finally Closed • Letters: Physics Major Majorly Miffed; Wismer Eggs on Disgusted Diner • SAO Makes Room for Zimmer • Go Abroad: It\u27s Worth It • Mann\u27s Soda Can Hit with Crowd • Bears Upset Hoyas in Season Opener • Grizzlies Take Tourney with Defense • V-ball: Victors! • Endurance is Key • Athletes of the Week • Pledging: Git! • Myrin Booking • Lucas Heads Frosh Seminar • Dumas: Cook of Monte Cristo • Smith Donation • Freshmen Make Necessary Adjustmentshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1240/thumbnail.jp

Alaska Volcano Observatory Alert and Forecasting Timeliness: 1989–2017

The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) monitors volcanoes in Alaska and issues notifications and warnings of volcanic unrest and eruption. We evaluate the timeliness and accuracy of eruption forecasts for 53 eruptions at 20 volcanoes, beginning with Mount Redoubt's 1989–1990 eruption. Successful forecasts are defined as those where AVO issued a formal warning before eruption onset. These warning notifications are now part of AVO's Aviation Color Code and Volcanic Alert Level. This analysis considers only the start of an eruption, although many eruptions have multiple phases of activity. For the 21 eruptions at volcanoes with functioning local seismic networks, AVO has high forecasting success at volcanoes with: &gt;15 years repose intervals and magmatic eruptions (4 out of 4, 100%); or larger eruptions (Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) 3 or greater; 6 out of 10, 60%). Therefore, AVO successfully forecast all four monitored, longer-repose period, VEI 3+ eruptions: Redoubt 1989–1990 and 2009, Spurr 1992, and Augustine 2005–2006. For volcanoes with functioning seismic monitoring networks, success rates are lower for: volcanoes with shorter repose periods (3 out of 16, 19%); more mafic compositions (3 out of 18, 17%); or smaller eruption size (VEI 2 or less, 1 out of 11, 9%). These eruptions (Okmok, Pavlof, Veniaminof, and Shishaldin) often lack detectable precursory signals. For 32 eruptions at volcanoes without functioning local seismic networks, the forecasting success rate is much lower (2, 6%; Kasatochi 2008 and Shishaldin 2014). For remote volcanoes where the main hazard is to aviation, rapid detection is a goal in the absence of in situ monitoring. Eruption detection has improved in recent years, shown by a decrease in the time between eruption onset and notification. Even limited seismic monitoring can detect precursory activity at volcanoes with certain characteristics (intermediate composition, longer repose times, larger eruptions), but difficulty persists in detecting subtle precursory activity at frequently active volcanoes with more mafic compositions. This suggests that volcano-specific characteristics should be considered when designing monitoring programs and evaluating forecasting success. More proximally-located sensors and data types are likely needed to forecast eruptive activity at frequently-active, more mafic volcanoes that generally produce smaller eruptions

The Grizzly, February 12, 1988

Harassment Runs Rampant • Security Tips for Safe Driving • Tapping the Task Force • Schroeder for Press • Sex Still Religiously Private • Letter: Commencing the Issue • Restructuring the Ursinus Tradition: Task Force Transcends Past Goals • Speech Exam Announced • Participants Model the U.N. • Winner-Take-All in Ursinus-Moravian Showdown • Hoopsters Vastly Improved • Reckless Wrestlers Rustlin\u27 Victory • The Bigger Doesn\u27t Mean the Better • Beam Breakin\u27 Benner • \u27Mers Keep Victory Abreast • Conwell Cuts the Cake • Reflect: Success Promising • Dole Doles out Compromise • Can\u27t a Person Change His Mind? • Race for the White House: The Candidateshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1204/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 11, 1987

The Stage is Set: Final Act to Complete Village • Center to Broaden Ursinus Horizons • We Are Seniors • Student Orientation Series Addresses Alcohol • Crackdown on Fake I.D. Users • Letter: Maintenance Poo Poo\u27s Paisley Two • Bennett Joins Political Science Department • Hood Offers Enthusiasm • R.A.\u27s Welcome Robson to U.C. • College Seeks Diverse Students • Notes: Looking for STARs; Scholarships Offered • Odger\u27s Optimism Leads Bears Back on the Field • Bears Are Back • Cross Country Struts Their Stuff • Run for Heisman May be a Catch • VBall: Set Your Eyes on These Spikers • Comics Step Up to Sophistication • Young Fares a C+ with Life • Get the Jump on the Jobhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1191/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, October 16, 1987

Campus Crackdown Affects All • Police to Halt Under-Age Drinking • Rafuse Paint Crew: Loud, Leering and Surly? • Students Study Abroad • Musser Returns to Dark Ages • Letter: Grizzly Errs • G.E. Attends U.C. Luncheon • The International Job Scene • Commuter Communication Gap • Bears Hope for Winning Season • Soccer Sinks Washington • Athlete of the Week: Walder Forwards Record • Meet the 1987 Homecoming Queen Candidates • Football to Face Gettysburg • Hockey Halted by West Chester • Myrin Catalog System On Line • Busie Body Needs a Bodyhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1196/thumbnail.jp