80 results on '"Morshed MG"'
Search Results
2. Spread of Cryptococcus gattii into Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
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Datta K, Bartlett KH, Baer R, Byrnes E, Galanis E, Heitman J, Hoang L, Leslie MJ, MacDougall L, Magill SS, Morshed MG, Marr KA, Cryptococcus gattii Working Group of the Pacific Northwest, Datta, Kausik, Bartlett, Karen H, Baer, Rebecca, Byrnes, Edmond, Galanis, Eleni, Heitman, Joseph, and Hoang, Linda
- Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii has emerged as a human and animal pathogen in the Pacific Northwest. First recognized on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, it now involves mainland British Columbia, and Washington and Oregon in the United States. In Canada, the incidence of disease has been one of the highest worldwide. In the United States, lack of cryptococcal species identification and case surveillance limit our knowledge of C. gattii epidemiology. Infections in the Pacific Northwest are caused by multiple genotypes, but the major strain is genetically novel and may have emerged recently in association with unique mating or environmental changes. C. gattii disease affects immunocompromised and immunocompetent persons, causing substantial illness and death. Successful management requires an aggressive medical and surgical approach and consideration of potentially variable antifungal drug susceptibilities. We summarize the study results of a group of investigators and review current knowledge with the goal of increasing awareness and highlighting areas where further knowledge is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2009
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3. Chemotaxis between Vibrio cholerae O1 and a blue-green alga, Anabaena sp.
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Islam MS, Goldar MM, Morshed MG, Bakht HBM, and Sack DA
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- 2006
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4. A conceptual model of water's role as a reservoir in Helicobacter pylori transmission: a review of the evidence.
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Bellack NR, Koehoorn MW, MacNab YC, and Morshed MG
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- 2006
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5. Incidence of Hepatitis-B Among Healthcare Professionals due to Medical Waste Handling
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Morshed, MG, primary, Howlader, MAR, primary, Sardar, MH, primary, Uddin, MZ, primary, and Khan, MA, primary
- Published
- 1970
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6. Clinico-Epidemiological Pattern of Poisoning in A Tertiary Level Hospital
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Howlader, MAR, primary, Sardar, MH, primary, Amin, MR, primary, Morshed, MG, primary, Islam, MS, primary, Uddin, MZ, primary, and Azhar, MA, primary
- Published
- 1970
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7. When A Life Saving Procedure Becomes Life Threatening
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Morshed, MG, primary, Zahiruddin, M, primary, Tarunnum, S, primary, Sarker, S, primary, and Islam, AKMA, primary
- Published
- 1970
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8. Changing Trends of Poisoning in Bangladesh
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Howlader, MAR, primary, Hossain, MZ, primary, Morshed, MG, primary, Begum, H, primary, Sardar, MH, primary, Uddin, MZ, primary, and Azad, KAK, primary
- Published
- 1970
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9. Whole-genome sequencing of Western Canadian Borrelia spp. collected from diverse tick and animal hosts reveals short-lived local genotypes interspersed with longer-lived continental genotypes.
- Author
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Russell JN, Lee MK, Uyaguari-Diaz MI, Sies AN, Suchan DM, Hsiao W, Fraser E, Morshed MG, and Cameron ADS
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- Animals, Canada, British Columbia, Genome, Bacterial, Ticks microbiology, Whole Genome Sequencing methods, Borrelia genetics, Borrelia classification, Borrelia isolation & purification, Genotype, Multilocus Sequence Typing, Ixodes microbiology, Lyme Disease microbiology, Phylogeny
- Abstract
Changing climates are allowing the geographic expansion of ticks and their animal hosts, increasing the risk of Borrelia -caused zoonoses in Canada. However, little is known about the genomic diversity of Borrelia from the west of the Canadian Rockies and from the tick vectors Ixodes pacificus , Ixodes auritulus and Ixodes angustus . Here, we report the whole-genome shotgun sequences of 51 Borrelia isolates from multiple tick species collected on a range of animal hosts between 1993 and 2016, located primarily in coastal British Columbia. The bacterial isolates represented three different species from the Lyme disease-causing Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies complex [ Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto ( n =47), Borrelia americana ( n =3) and Borrelia bissettiae ( n =1)]. The traditional eight-gene multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) strategy was applied to facilitate comparisons across studies. This identified 13 known Borrelia sequence types (STs), established 6 new STs, and assigned 5 novel types to the nearest sequence types. B. burgdorferi s. s. isolates were further differentiated into ten ospC types, plus one novel ospC with less than 92 % nucleotide identity to all previously defined ospC types. The MLST types resampled over extended time periods belonged to previously described STs that are distributed across North America. The most geographically widespread ST, ST.12, was isolated from all three tick species. Conversely, new B. burgdorferi s. s. STs from Vancouver Island and the Vancouver region were only detected for short periods, revealing a surprising transience in space, time and host tick species, possibly due to displacement by longer-lived genotypes that expanded across North America.This article contains data hosted by Microreact.
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- 2024
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10. Draft whole-genome sequences of three Borrelia burgdorferi isolates from Western Canada.
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Haidl TH, Lee M-K, Workman SD, Russell JN, Fraser E, Morshed MG, and Cameron ADS
- Abstract
Whole-genome sequences are presented for three Borrelia burgdorferi , a causative agent of Lyme disease in North America, isolated from Ixodes pacificus ticks collected in British Columbia, Canada. Shotgun DNA libraries were prepared with Illumina DNA Prep and sequenced using the MiniSeq platform. Genome assemblies enabled multilocus sequence typing and ospC typing., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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- 2024
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11. Phase Change-Induced Magnetic Switching through Metal-Insulator Transition in VO 2 /TbFeCo Films.
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Ma CT, Kittiwatanakul S, Sittipongpittaya A, Wang Y, Morshed MG, Ghosh AW, and Poon SJ
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The ability to manipulate spins in magnetic materials is essential in designing spintronics devices. One method for magnetic switching is through strain. In VO2 on TiO2 thin films, while VO2 remains rutile across the metal-insulator transition, the in-plane lattice area expands going from a low-temperature insulating phase to a high-temperature conducting phase. In a VO2/TbFeCo bilayer, the expansion of the VO2 lattice area exerts tension on the amorphous TbFeCo layer. Through the strain effect, magnetic properties, including the magnetic anisotropy and magnetization, of TbFeCo can be changed. In this work, the changes in magnetic properties of TbFeCo on VO2/TiO2(011) are demonstrated using anomalous Hall effect measurements. Across the metal-insulator transition, TbFeCo loses perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and the magnetization in TbFeCo turns from out-of-plane to in-plane. Using atomistic simulations, we confirm these tunable magnetic properties originating from the metal-insulator transition of VO2. This study provides the groundwork for controlling magnetic properties through a phase transition.
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- 2023
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12. The Brief Case: an Infectious Hazard of Hunting.
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Cheung M, Yu D, Chan T, Chahil N, Tchao C, Slatnik M, Maruti S, Sidhu N, Scandrett B, Prystajecky N, Morshed MG, and Hogan CA
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- Animals, Humans, Zoonoses diagnosis, Zoonoses parasitology, Food, Animals, Wild parasitology, Communicable Diseases diagnosis, Communicable Diseases parasitology, Food Parasitology, Hunting
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- 2023
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13. Human Action Recognition: A Taxonomy-Based Survey, Updates, and Opportunities.
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Morshed MG, Sultana T, Alam A, and Lee YK
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- Humans, Computer Security, Hand, Human Activities, Pattern Recognition, Automated, Augmented Reality
- Abstract
Human action recognition systems use data collected from a wide range of sensors to accurately identify and interpret human actions. One of the most challenging issues for computer vision is the automatic and precise identification of human activities. A significant increase in feature learning-based representations for action recognition has emerged in recent years, due to the widespread use of deep learning-based features. This study presents an in-depth analysis of human activity recognition that investigates recent developments in computer vision. Augmented reality, human-computer interaction, cybersecurity, home monitoring, and surveillance cameras are all examples of computer vision applications that often go in conjunction with human action detection. We give a taxonomy-based, rigorous study of human activity recognition techniques, discussing the best ways to acquire human action features, derived using RGB and depth data, as well as the latest research on deep learning and hand-crafted techniques. We also explain a generic architecture to recognize human actions in the real world and its current prominent research topic. At long last, we are able to offer some study analysis concepts and proposals for academics. In-depth researchers of human action recognition will find this review an effective tool.
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- 2023
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14. Surveillance for Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks and their associated pathogens in Canada, 2019.
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Wilson CH, Gasmi S, Bourgeois AC, Badcock J, Chahil N, Kulkarni MA, Lee MK, Lindsay LR, Leighton PA, Morshed MG, Smolarchuk C, and Koffi JK
- Abstract
Background: The primary vectors of the agent of Lyme disease in Canada are Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks. Surveillance for ticks and the pathogens they can transmit can inform local tick-borne disease risk and guide public health interventions. The objective of this article is to characterize passive and active surveillance of the main Lyme disease tick vectors in Canada in 2019 and the tick-borne pathogens they carry., Methods: Passive surveillance data were compiled from the National Microbiology Laboratory Branch and provincial public health data sources. Active surveillance was conducted in selected sentinel sites in all provinces. Descriptive analysis of ticks submitted and infection prevalence of tick-borne pathogens are presented. Seasonal and spatial trends are also described., Results: In passive surveillance, specimens of I. scapularis (n=9,858) were submitted from all provinces except British Columbia and I. pacificus (n=691) were submitted in British Columbia and Alberta. No ticks were submitted from the territories. The seasonal distribution pattern was bimodal for I. scapularis adults, but unimodal for I. pacificus adults. Borrelia burgdorferi was the most prevalent pathogen in I. scapularis (18.8%) and I. pacificus (0.3%). In active surveillance, B. burgdorferi was identified in 26.2% of I. scapularis ; Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 3.4% of I. scapularis , and Borrelia miyamotoi and Powassan virus in 0.5% or fewer of I. scapularis . These same tick-borne pathogens were not found in the small number of I. pacificus tested., Conclusion: This surveillance article provides a snapshot of the main Lyme disease vectors in Canada and their associated pathogens, which can be used to monitor emerging risk areas for exposure to tick-borne pathogens., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None.
- Published
- 2022
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15. Global phylogeny of Treponema pallidum lineages reveals recent expansion and spread of contemporary syphilis.
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Beale MA, Marks M, Cole MJ, Lee MK, Pitt R, Ruis C, Balla E, Crucitti T, Ewens M, Fernández-Naval C, Grankvist A, Guiver M, Kenyon CR, Khairullin R, Kularatne R, Arando M, Molini BJ, Obukhov A, Page EE, Petrovay F, Rietmeijer C, Rowley D, Shokoples S, Smit E, Sweeney EL, Taiaroa G, Vera JH, Wennerås C, Whiley DM, Williamson DA, Hughes G, Naidu P, Unemo M, Krajden M, Lukehart SA, Morshed MG, Fifer H, and Thomson NR
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- Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology, Drug Resistance, Bacterial, Genome, Bacterial, Humans, Macrolides pharmacology, Treponema pallidum classification, Treponema pallidum genetics, Treponema pallidum physiology, Phylogeny, Syphilis microbiology, Treponema pallidum isolation & purification
- Abstract
Syphilis, which is caused by the sexually transmitted bacterium Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, has an estimated 6.3 million cases worldwide per annum. In the past ten years, the incidence of syphilis has increased by more than 150% in some high-income countries, but the evolution and epidemiology of the epidemic are poorly understood. To characterize the global population structure of T. pallidum, we assembled a geographically and temporally diverse collection of 726 genomes from 626 clinical and 100 laboratory samples collected in 23 countries. We applied phylogenetic analyses and clustering, and found that the global syphilis population comprises just two deeply branching lineages, Nichols and SS14. Both lineages are currently circulating in 12 of the 23 countries sampled. We subdivided T. p. pallidum into 17 distinct sublineages to provide further phylodynamic resolution. Importantly, two Nichols sublineages have expanded clonally across 9 countries contemporaneously with SS14. Moreover, pairwise genome analyses revealed examples of isolates collected within the last 20 years from 14 different countries that had genetically identical core genomes, which might indicate frequent exchange through international transmission. It is striking that most samples collected before 1983 are phylogenetically distinct from more recently isolated sublineages. Using Bayesian temporal analysis, we detected a population bottleneck occurring during the late 1990s, followed by rapid population expansion in the 2000s that was driven by the dominant T. pallidum sublineages circulating today. This expansion may be linked to changing epidemiology, immune evasion or fitness under antimicrobial selection pressure, since many of the contemporary syphilis lineages we have characterized are resistant to macrolides., (© 2021. The Author(s).)
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- 2021
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16. Comprehensive Immune Profiling of a Kidney Transplant Recipient With Peri-Operative SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Report.
- Author
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Sherwood KR, Nicholl DDM, Fenninger F, Wu V, Wong P, Benedicto V, Cina DP, Wang M, Pobran TD, De Marco ML, Márquez AC, Jassem AN, Sekirov I, Morshed MG, Bardi M, Sekhon M, Keown P, Kadatz M, and Lan JH
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- Adult, Humans, Immune Tolerance, Immunity, Male, Perioperative Period, Transcriptome, Basiliximab therapeutic use, COVID-19 immunology, Glomerulonephritis, IGA therapy, Graft Rejection immunology, Immunosuppressive Agents therapeutic use, Kidney Transplantation, SARS-CoV-2 physiology
- Abstract
To date there is limited data on the immune profile and outcomes of solid organ transplant recipients who encounter COVID-19 infection early post-transplant. Here we present a unique case where the kidney recipient's transplant surgery coincided with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test and the patient subsequently developed symptomatic COVID-19 perioperatively. We performed comprehensive immunological monitoring of cellular, proteomic, and serological changes during the first 4 critical months post-infection. We showed that continuation of basiliximab induction and maintenance of triple immunosuppression did not significantly impair the host's ability to mount a robust immune response against symptomatic COVID-19 infection diagnosed within the first week post-transplant., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Sherwood, Nicholl, Fenninger, Wu, Wong, Benedicto, Cina, Wang, Pobran, De Marco, Márquez, Jassem, Sekirov, Morshed, Bardi, Sekhon, Keown, Kadatz and Lan.)
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- 2021
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17. Interplay between Spin-Orbit Torques and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interactions in Ferrimagnetic Amorphous Alloys.
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Quessab Y, Xu JW, Morshed MG, Ghosh AW, and Kent AD
- Abstract
Ferrimagnetic thin films are attractive for low-power spintronic applications because of their low magnetization, small angular momentum, and fast spin dynamics. Spin orbit torques (SOT) can be applied with proximal heavy metals that also generate interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions (DMI), which can stabilize ultrasmall skyrmions and enable fast domain wall motion. Here, the properties of a ferrimagnetic CoGd alloy between two heavy metals to increase the SOT efficiency, while maintaining a significant DMI is studied. SOT switching for various capping layers and alloy compositions shows that Pt/CoGd/(W or Ta) films enable more energy-efficient SOT magnetization switching than Pt/CoGd/Ir. Spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance confirms that Pt/CoGd/W has the highest spin-Hall angle of 16.5%, hence SOT efficiency, larger than Pt/CoGd/(Ta or Ir). Density functional theory calculations indicate that CoGd films capped by W or Ta have the largest DMI energy, 0.38 and 0.32 mJ m
-2 , respectively. These results show that Pt/CoGd/W is a very promising ferrimagnetic structure to achieve small skyrmions and to move them efficiently with current., (© 2021 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)- Published
- 2021
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18. Passive Tick Surveillance and Detection of Borrelia Species in Ticks from British Columbia, Canada: 2002-2018.
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Morshed MG, Lee MK, Boyd E, Mak S, Fraser E, Nguyen J, Dykstra EA, Otterstatter M, Henry B, and Galanis E
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- Animals, British Columbia epidemiology, Borrelia genetics, Borrelia burgdorferi genetics, Ixodes, Lyme Disease epidemiology, Lyme Disease veterinary
- Abstract
Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex, is the most common vector-borne disease in North America. This disease has a much lower incidence in western compared with eastern North America. Passive tick surveillance data submitted over 17 years from 2002 to 2018 were analyzed to determine the occurrence of tick species and the prevalence of Borrelia spp. in ticks in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The BC Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory received tick submissions from physicians, veterinarians, and BC residents. Ticks were identified to species, and all ticks, except Dermacentor andersoni , were tested using generic B. burgdorferi s.l. primer sets and species-specific PCR primer sets for B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.). Tick submission data were analyzed to assess temporal and geographical trends, tick life stages, and tick species. Poisson regression was used to assess temporal trends in annual tick submissions. A total of 15,464 ticks were submitted. Among these, 0.29% ( n = 10,235) of Ixodes spp. ticks and 5.3% ( n = 434) of Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were found carrying B. burgdorferi s.s. B. burgdorferi s.s. was primarily detected in Ixodes pacificus (52%; n = 16) and Ixodes angustus ticks (19%; n = 6) retrieved from humans ( n = 5) and animals ( n = 26). B. burgdorferi was found in ticks submitted throughout the year. Ixodes spp. ticks were primarily submitted from the coastal regions of southwestern BC, and D. andersoni ticks were primarily submitted from southern interior BC. The number of human tick submissions increased significantly ( p < 0.001) between 2013 and 2018. The annual prevalence of B. burgdorferi in ticks remained stable during the study period. These findings correspond to those observed in US Pacific Northwestern states. Passive tick surveillance is an efficient tool to monitor long-term trends in tick distribution and B. burgdorferi prevalence in a low endemicity region.
- Published
- 2021
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19. Risk following a severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposure from a nocturnal hemodialysis patient utilizing continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
- Author
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Lowe CF, Kiaii M, Aparicio L, Chinybaeva L, Coughlin S, Sekirov I, Morshed MG, and Leung V
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- COVID-19 prevention & control, COVID-19 transmission, Humans, Risk Factors, COVID-19 etiology, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure adverse effects, Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional prevention & control, Occupational Exposure, Renal Dialysis adverse effects, SARS-CoV-2
- Published
- 2021
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20. Ecology and Epidemiology of Tickborne Pathogens, Washington, USA, 2011-2016.
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Dykstra EA, Oltean HN, Kangiser D, Marsden-Haug N, Rich SM, Xu G, Lee MK, Morshed MG, Graham CB, and Eisen RJ
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- Animals, Humans, Washington epidemiology, Anaplasma phagocytophilum genetics, Borrelia burgdorferi, Ixodes, Lyme Disease
- Abstract
Tickborne diseases are rare in Washington, USA, and the ecology of these pathogens is poorly understood. We integrated surveillance data from humans and ticks to better describe their epidemiology and ecology. During 2011-2016, a total of 202 tickborne disease cases were reported in Washington residents. Of these, 68 (34%) were autochthonous, including cases of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tickborne relapsing fever, and tularemia. During May 2011-December 2016, we collected 977 host-seeking ticks, including Ixodes pacificus, I. angustus, I. spinipalpis, I. auritulus, Dermacentor andersoni, and D. variabilis ticks. The prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in I. pacificus ticks was 4.0%; of B. burgdorferi sensu lato, 3.8%; of B. miyamotoi, 4.4%; and of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, 1.9%. We did not detect Rickettsia rickettsii in either Dermacentor species. Case-patient histories and detection of pathogens in field-collected ticks indicate that several tickborne pathogens are endemic to Washington.
- Published
- 2020
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21. Detection of 'Candidatus Ehrlichia khabarensis' in rodents and ticks removed from rodents in British Columbia, Canada.
- Author
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Morshed MG, Hojgaard A, Lee MK, Osikowicz LM, and Eisen L
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- Animals, British Columbia, Dermacentor growth & development, Female, Ixodes growth & development, Larva growth & development, Larva microbiology, Nymph growth & development, Nymph microbiology, Peromyscus microbiology, Peromyscus parasitology, Rodentia parasitology, Dermacentor microbiology, Ehrlichia isolation & purification, Ixodes microbiology, Rodentia microbiology
- Abstract
'Candidatus Ehrlichia khabarensis' was first described from rodents and insectivores in the Far East territory of Khabarovsk on the Russian Pacific Coast. Here we report the detection of DNA from this microorganism in rodents and fed ticks collected from rodents in British Columbia, Canada in 2013-2014. 'Candidatus Ehrlichia khabarensis' was detected in (i) a female Ixodes angustus tick collected from a Peromyscus maniculatus; (ii) a female Dermacentor andersoni tick collected from a Perognathus parvus; (iii) a pool of 2 larval Ixodes pacificus ticks collected from a single P. maniculatus; and (iv) a pool of 3 nymphal I. pacificus ticks collected from a single P. maniculatus. Three of these four rodents (2 P. maniculatus and 1 P. parvus) with infected ticks also had evidence of 'Candidatus Ehrlichia khabarensis' in at least one tissue type. The infected P. maniculatus and Ixodes ticks came from the Vancouver area in western British Columbia and the P. parvus and Dermacentor tick from an inland site in central British Columbia. Although it remains to be determined whether 'Candidatus Ehrlichia khabarensis' has any negative impacts on wildlife, domestic animals or humans, we note that all three tick species found to contain the DNA of this microorganism are known to bite humans. Future detection of this microorganism either in ticks collected from rodents and allowed to molt to the next life stage prior to being tested, or from host-seeking ticks, is required to determine if it can survive the tick's molt after being ingested via an infectious blood meal., (Crown Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2020
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22. Baylisascariasis: A young boy with neural larva migrans due to the emerging raccoon round worm.
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Dunbar M, Lu S, Chin B, Huh L, Dobson S, Al-Rawahi GN, Morshed MG, and Vanden Driessche K
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- Adolescent, Animals, Ascaridida Infections genetics, Ascaridoidea genetics, Ascaridoidea immunology, Central Nervous System Parasitic Infections diagnosis, Encephalitis genetics, Encephalitis pathology, Humans, Larva Migrans diagnosis, Larva Migrans genetics, Male, Nematode Infections genetics, North America, Ascaridida Infections pathology, Central Nervous System Parasitic Infections pathology, Larva Migrans pathology, Raccoons genetics
- Abstract
A 17-month-old boy from Vancouver, Canada, presented with a 5-day history of progressive somnolence, ataxia, and torticollis. Additional investigations revealed eosinophilic encephalitis with deep white matter changes on MR imaging. On day 13, serology came back positive for Baylisascaris procyonis antibodies. While prophylaxis after ingestion of soil or materials potentially contaminated with raccoon feces can prevent baylisascariasis, timely treatment can sometimes alter a disastrous outcome. Populations of infected raccoons are propagating globally, but cases of Baylisascaris neural larva migrans have so far only been reported from North America., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
- Published
- 2018
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23. Impact of interferon-γ release assay on the latent tuberculosis cascade of care: a population-based study.
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Roth DZ, Ronald LA, Ling D, Chiang LY, Cook VJ, Morshed MG, and Johnston JC
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- British Columbia epidemiology, Humans, Latent Tuberculosis drug therapy, Latent Tuberculosis epidemiology, Mass Screening, Tuberculin Test, Interferon-gamma Release Tests methods, Latent Tuberculosis diagnosis
- Published
- 2017
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24. Surveillance for Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes Ticks and Small Rodents in British Columbia.
- Author
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Morshed MG, Lee MK, Man S, Fernando K, Wong Q, Hojgaard A, Tang P, Mak S, Henry B, and Patrick DM
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- Animals, Arachnid Vectors microbiology, Borrelia burgdorferi genetics, Borrelia burgdorferi immunology, British Columbia epidemiology, DNA, Bacterial blood, Prevalence, Rodentia parasitology, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Tick Infestations epidemiology, Tick Infestations veterinary, Tick Infestations virology, Borrelia burgdorferi isolation & purification, Dermacentor microbiology, Ixodes microbiology, Rodentia microbiology
- Abstract
To determine the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in British Columbian ticks, fieldwork was conducted over a 2-year period. In all, 893 ticks (Ixodes pacificus, I. angustus, I. soricis, Ixodes spp., and Dermacentor andersoni) of different life stages were retrieved from 483 small rodents (Peromyscus maniculatus, Perognathus parvus, and Reithrodontomys megalotis). B. burgdorferi DNA was detected in 5 out of 359 tick pools, and 41 out of 483 mice were serologically confirmed to have antibodies against B. burgdorferi. These results were consistent with previous studies, data from passive surveillance in British Columbia, and data from neighboring states in the Pacific Northwest, suggesting a continually low prevalence of B. burgdorferi in British Columbia ticks.
- Published
- 2015
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25. Lyme Disease Diagnosed by Alternative Methods: A Phenotype Similar to That of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
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Patrick DM, Miller RR, Gardy JL, Parker SM, Morshed MG, Steiner TS, Singer J, Shojania K, and Tang P
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- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, British Columbia epidemiology, Case-Control Studies, Cytokines blood, Diagnosis, Differential, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Phenotype, Young Adult, Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic diagnosis, Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic epidemiology, Lyme Disease diagnosis, Lyme Disease epidemiology
- Abstract
Background: A subset of patients reporting a diagnosis of Lyme disease can be described as having alternatively diagnosed chronic Lyme syndrome (ADCLS), in which diagnosis is based on laboratory results from a nonreference Lyme specialty laboratory using in-house criteria. Patients with ADCLS report symptoms similar to those reported by patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)., Methods: We performed a case-control study comparing patients with ADCLS and CFS to each other and to both healthy controls and controls with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Subjects completed a history, physical exam, screening laboratory tests, 7 functional scales, reference serology for Lyme disease using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, reference serology for other tick-associated pathogens, and cytokine expression studies., Results: The study enrolled 13 patients with ADCLS (12 of whom were diagnosed by 1 alternative US laboratory), 25 patients with CFS, 25 matched healthy controls, and 11 SLE controls. Baseline clinical data and functional scales indicate significant disability among ADCLS and CFS patients and many important differences between these groups and controls, but no significant differences between each other. No ADCLS patient was confirmed as having positive Lyme serology by reference laboratory testing, and there was no difference in distribution of positive serology for other tick-transmitted pathogens or cytokine expression across the groups., Conclusions: In British Columbia, a setting with low Lyme disease incidence, ADCLS patients have a similar phenotype to that of CFS patients. Disagreement between alternative and reference laboratory Lyme testing results in this setting is most likely explained by false-positive results from the alternative laboratory., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
- Published
- 2015
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26. An update of laboratory diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Author
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Somily AM and Morshed MG
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- Adult, Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology, Child, Drug Resistance, Microbial, Gastritis diagnosis, Gastritis etiology, Helicobacter Infections diagnosis, Helicobacter Infections etiology, Helicobacter pylori drug effects, Humans, Risk Factors, Saudi Arabia epidemiology, Clinical Laboratory Techniques statistics & numerical data, Gastritis epidemiology, Helicobacter Infections epidemiology, Helicobacter pylori isolation & purification
- Abstract
Helicobacter pylori is a micro-aerophilic, slow-growing, Gram-negative spiral bacterium that colonizes the mucous lining of the human stomach. Infection with this bacterium has been identified as a cause of gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Globally, the prevalence of H. pylori-related infection is high compared to any other infectious diseases, and the rate of prevalence much higher in developing countries than in developed nations. This review article aims to describe the trend of H. pylori-related works in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the use of various laboratory tests for the diagnosis of H. pylori-related infections in adults and children. Therefore, published literature was referenced in the explanation and discussion of the different methods used to diagnose H. pylori-related disease, including papers published in the KSA and other Middle Eastern countries. The PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?cmd=search) search engine was used extensively. Culture and histopathology tests have been employed widely to detect this pathogen at the early stage. However, over the years, an array of tests including the rapid urease test, serology, the urea breath test, the fecal antigen test, and molecular testing have been developed to diagnose and better manage H. pylori-associated diseases since the discovery of this novel pathogen.
- Published
- 2015
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27. Recent trends in the serologic diagnosis of syphilis.
- Author
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Morshed MG and Singh AE
- Subjects
- Algorithms, Automation, Laboratory methods, Global Health, Humans, Point-of-Care Systems, Serologic Tests methods, Serologic Tests trends, Syphilis diagnosis
- Abstract
Complexities in the diagnosis of syphilis continue to challenge clinicians. While direct tests (e.g., microscopy or PCR) are helpful in early syphilis, the mainstay of diagnosis remains serologic tests. The traditional algorithm using a nontreponemal test (NTT) followed by a treponemal test (TT) remains the standard in many parts of the world. More recently, the ability to automate the TT has led to the increasingly widespread use of reverse algorithms using treponemal enzyme immunoassays (EIAs). Rapid, point-of-care TTs are in widespread use in developing countries because of low cost, ease of use, and reasonable performance. However, none of the current diagnostic algorithms are able to distinguish current from previously treated infections. In addition, the reversal of traditional syphilis algorithms has led to uncertainty in the clinical management of patients. The interpretation of syphilis tests is further complicated by the lack of a reliable gold standard for syphilis diagnostics, and the newer tests can result in false-positive reactions similar to those seen with older tests. Little progress has been made in the area of serologic diagnostics for congenital syphilis, which requires assessment of maternal treatment and serologic response as well as clinical and laboratory investigation of the neonate for appropriate management. The diagnosis of neurosyphilis continues to require the collection of cerebrospinal fluid for a combination of NTT and TT, and, while newer treponemal EIAs look promising, more studies are needed to confirm their utility. This article reviews current tests and discusses current controversies in syphilis diagnosis, with a focus on serologic tests., (Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)
- Published
- 2015
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28. Rational design of antigens to improve the serodiagnosis of tick-borne borreliosis in central regions of Russia.
- Author
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Baranova E, Solov Ev P, Panfertsev E, Baranova A, Feduykina G, Kolombet L, Morshed MG, and Biketov S
- Subjects
- Base Sequence, Chromatography, Affinity, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Humans, Molecular Sequence Data, Recombinant Proteins immunology, Russia, Sensitivity and Specificity, Adhesins, Bacterial immunology, Lyme Disease diagnosis, Serologic Tests methods
- Abstract
Tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease-LD) is caused by pathogenic Borrelia spirochetes that is transmitted through bite of Ixodes ticks to humans and animals. In the Russian Federation, borreliosis registered with an index of 6-7 per 100,000 people annually. In reality, LD morbidity in Russia is much higher because Russian strains develop less erythematous rashes compared to North American strains, thus missed by physicians in most of the early cases, and current serology tests have insufficient sensitivity as well. The aim of this work was to improve the sensitivity and specificity of serology tests for LD in Russia using rationale-designed Borrelia antigens. It was anticipated that sensitivity of LD sero-diagnosis will be higher if antigen for test-systems are derived from a strain that is circulated in a geographical region of test application. A large portion of the Russian population lives in the Central region. Thus, effort has been made to create a serological test using antigens from Moscow region, Tula and Ul'janovsk areas. In this study we included wild strains (ultrasonic-treated spirochetes B. garinii H19, B. afzelii P1, B. afzelii P1H13, B. burgdorferi s.s. 39/40, B. burgdorferi s.s. B31), recombinant (expressed in E.coli DbpA, Bgp, Bbk B. garinii, and B. afzelii) antigens and some of their combinations were produced and tested against LD patients and donors serum collected in hospitals of Central regions of Russia by ELISA and Western blotting. Considering sensitivity and specificity, DbpA B. afzelii and DbpA B. garinii recombinant antigens were selected among all probed antigens for regional serology test. As long as DbpA B. afzelii and DbpA B. garinii antigens interacted with LD patient's serum in a complementary mode, it is possible to combine epitopes DbpA B. afzelii and B. garinii in a single antigen for improving sensitivity. We created recombinant fusion protein DbpA B. afzelii/B using dbpA genes from Russian isolates of B. afzelii and B. garinii in E. coli. Fusion DbpA A + G protein was then used for formulation of fast immunochromatographic serodiagnosis test (LF) in a "deep-stick" format. The trials of LF-test were conducted separately at Institute of Rheumatology Russian Academy of Medical Science (using 325 sera) and at the Borreliosis Reference Center of Ministry of Health RF (using 120 reference sera). The average sensitivity and specificity of LF-test was 80.5 and 100 %, respectively.
- Published
- 2014
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29. Current trend on syphilis diagnosis: issues and challenges.
- Author
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Morshed MG
- Subjects
- Developing Countries, Female, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct, Homosexuality, Male, Humans, Male, Microscopy, Point-of-Care Systems, Syphilis epidemiology, Syphilis immunology, Syphilis microbiology, Treponema pallidum growth & development, Treponema pallidum immunology, Antibodies, Bacterial blood, Decision Trees, Syphilis diagnosis, Treponema pallidum isolation & purification
- Abstract
Syphilis is a century old sexually transmitted infection transmitted worldwide. WHO reports 12 million new cases that were identified in 1999, with over 90% of these infections reported from patients from low-income countries. This case number of syphilis is on the rise globally in the Men have sex with Men (MSM) population. Dark field microscopy (DFM) and direct fluorescence assay (DFA) have been used in clinical laboratories for decades to demonstrate Treponema pallidum in acutely infected human tissue and/or body fluids. Molecular technologies allow detecting T. pallidum and also determine drug resistance (by identifying DNA point mutation). It is evident from the published literature that PCR is useful as an adjunct test to DFA and DFM, and is useful in confirming syphilis in genital ulcer, tissue, and other body fluid samples, providing even more sensitive detection algorithm. Serological tests remain the mainstay tests since T. pallidum is nonculturable and also because blood collection is easy. The practice of serological testing is changing rapidly from traditional nontreponemal screening followed by confirmatory treponemal testing to screening by treponemal tests referred to as "Reverse Algorithm" followed by nontreponemal testing to determine active infections. Special and further complex algorithms are essential to deal with complex issues such as neurosyphilis or congenital syphilis. Due to the huge surge of syphilis in developing countries where access to medical care is not optimal, point of care or rapid tests may play an important role. This author took an attempt to summarize the current trend of syphilis diagnosis and challenges from a global perspective.
- Published
- 2014
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30. Brucella spp isolated from respiratory sample and grown in Mycobacterium growth indicator tube (MGIT).
- Author
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Somily AM, Kambal AM, Naeem T, Babay HA, Al Hedaithy MA, Al Anazi AR, Barry MA, Al Aska AI, Morshed MG, and Murray TS
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Bacteriological Techniques methods, Brucellosis microbiology, Decontamination, Humans, Male, Mycobacterium growth & development, Saudi Arabia, Serologic Tests methods, Brucella isolation & purification, Brucellosis diagnosis, Sputum microbiology
- Abstract
Brucellosis remains endemic in many countries including Saudi Arabia. The disinfection of objects and surfaces contaminated with Brucella spp is not difficult, but we encountered a situation in which the organism survived the decontamination and liquefaction procedure adopted for AFB culture. A sputum specimen from a patient was sent for TB culture and the BACTEC MGIT 960 system isolated an organism identified as Brucella spp. The blood cultures and the serological testing had confirmed this case to be brucellosis. Isolation of Brucella spp from sputum samples is rare; this case appears to be the first of its kind. As the clinical presentation of TB may mimic brucellosis and vice versa, we recommend that handling specimens from all cases of undiagnosed PUO should be done with care because of the possibility that it may contain either of these organisms.
- Published
- 2013
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31. A case of Conn's syndrome presenting with painfull muscular weakness.
- Author
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Uddin MZ, Howlader AR, Ayaz FM, Hasan MI, Sumon SM, Morshed MG, and Ali WN
- Subjects
- Adrenalectomy, Adult, Combined Modality Therapy, Diagnosis, Differential, Female, Humans, Hyperaldosteronism drug therapy, Hyperaldosteronism surgery, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Muscle Weakness, Hyperaldosteronism diagnosis
- Abstract
We present a case of 30-year-old lady presenting with gradual difficulty in standing up from sitting position for 6 months, pain in arms and thighs, tingling sensation and numbness in palms and soles, increased fluid intake and increased frequency of micturition for the same duration. She was hypertensive for 12 years. On general examination patient seemed depressed and on nervous system examination her power of muscles in both upper and lower limb of both side was 3/5. Plasma sodium at the upper normal range 144mmol/l (normal range 135-146), lower level of serum potassium 1.7mmol/L (normal range 3.5-5.0), high urinary potassium 26.7mmol/l (normal range 1-10), very high serum CPK 4269U/L (for female normal range 10-79), low normal plasma rennin 1.58mg/ml/hr (normal range standing 0.40-8.80, supine 0.30-3.0), high serum aldosterone 1326.39pg/ml (normal range 25-315), high pH 7.45 (normal range 7.36-7.44) and on imaging evidence of an adrenal adenoma on left side was found and the patient was diagnosed as a case of Conn's syndrome.
- Published
- 2013
32. New proteins for a new perspective on syphilis diagnosis.
- Author
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Smith BC, Simpson Y, Morshed MG, Cowen LL, Hof R, Wetherell C, and Cameron CE
- Subjects
- Female, Humans, Male, Recombinant Proteins genetics, Sensitivity and Specificity, Serologic Tests methods, Treponema pallidum immunology, Antibodies, Bacterial blood, Antigens, Bacterial genetics, Bacterial Proteins genetics, Bacteriological Techniques methods, Syphilis diagnosis, Treponema pallidum isolation & purification
- Abstract
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum; it can be effectively treated with penicillin yet remains prevalent worldwide, due in part to the shortcomings of current diagnostic tests. Here we report the production of soluble recombinant versions of three novel diagnostic candidate proteins, Tp0326, Tp0453, and a Tp0453-Tp0326 chimera. The sensitivities of these recombinant proteins were assessed by screening characterized serum samples from primary, secondary, and latent stages of infection (n = 169). The specificities were assessed by screening false positives identified with the standard diagnostic testing algorithm (n = 21), samples from patients with potentially cross-reactive infections (Leptospira spp., Borrelia burgdorferi, Helicobacter pylori, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, or cytomegalovirus) (n = 38), and samples from uninfected individuals (n = 11). The sensitivities of Tp0326, Tp0453, and the Tp0453-Tp0326 chimera were found to be 86%, 98%, and 98%, respectively, and the specificities were 99%, 100%, and 99%. In a direct comparison, the Captia syphilis (T. pallidum)-G enzyme immunoassay (Trinity Biotech) was used to screen the same serum samples and was found to have a sensitivity of 98% and a specificity of 90%. In particular, Tp0453 and the chimera exhibited superior accuracy in classifying analytical false-positive samples (100%, compared to 43% for the Captia assay). These findings identify Tp0453 and the Tp0453-Tp0326 chimera as novel syphilis-specific diagnostic candidates that surpass the performance of a currently available diagnostic enzyme immunoassay test for syphilis and that allow accurate detection of all stages of infection.
- Published
- 2013
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33. Detection of Salmonella typhi agglutinins in sera of patients with other febrile illnesses and healthy individuals.
- Author
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Somily AM, Adam MH, Gad El Rab MO, Morshed MG, and Shakoor Z
- Subjects
- Adult, Case-Control Studies, False Positive Reactions, Female, Fever etiology, Fever immunology, Hospitals, University, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prevalence, Reference Values, Salmonella typhi isolation & purification, Saudi Arabia epidemiology, Sensitivity and Specificity, Typhoid Fever epidemiology, Young Adult, Agglutination Tests methods, Antibodies, Bacterial blood, Antigens, Bacterial immunology, Fever blood, Salmonella typhi immunology, Typhoid Fever diagnosis
- Abstract
Background and Purpose: Widal test is frequently applied for the detection of Salmonella agglutinins to diagnose Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi infection. There are however a number of controversies challenging the diagnostic utility of this test. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of Salmonella agglutinins in patients with other febrile illnesses and healthy blood donors., Materials and Methods: Sera from 50 healthy blood donors were compared for the presence of Salmonella agglutinins in various groups of patients with other febrile illnesses using Widal test in the division of Serology and Immunology at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh. The patient groups of other febrile illnesses included infections with Beta-hemolytic streptococcus (n = 50), Brucella (n = 46), Helicobacter pylori (n = 24), Treponema pallidum (n = 30), Toxoplasma (n = 44), and other parasites (n = 20)., Results: Majority of the patients and normal individuals were tested positive for Widal test at dilution of less than 1 : 40 both for the O (62.5%) and H (64.6%) antigen. A decreasing trend in Widal reactivity was observed with increasing dilutions of the serum samples. At 1 : 160 titer, which is generally considered as a cut off point for positive Widal test, 6.4 and 11% individuals had positive Widal test for O and H Salmonella antigens, respectively., Conclusion: Detection of a significant number of positive Widal tests in conditions where it is expected to be nonreactive appears to be a serious problem in making a correct diagnosis of typhoid fever, thus challenging the diagnostic utility of the Widal test.
- Published
- 2011
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34. Detection of Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, including three novel genotypes in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from songbirds (Passeriformes) across Canada.
- Author
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Scott JD, Lee MK, Fernando K, Durden LA, Jorgensen DR, Mak S, and Morshed MG
- Subjects
- Animals, Borrelia burgdorferi classification, Borrelia burgdorferi genetics, Canada, Genotype, Lyme Disease transmission, Songbirds parasitology, Ticks growth & development, Borrelia burgdorferi growth & development, Lyme Disease microbiology, Ticks microbiology
- Abstract
Lyme disease is reported across Canada, but pinpointing the source of infection has been problematic. In this three-year, bird-tick-pathogen study (2004-2006), 366 ticks representing 12 species were collected from 151 songbirds (31 passerine species/subspecies) at 16 locations Canada-wide. Of the 167 ticks/pools tested, 19 (11.4%) were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). Sequencing of the rrf-rrl intergenic spacer gene revealed four Borrelia genotypes: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) and three novel genotypes (BC genotype 1, BC genotype 2, BC genotype 3). All four genotypes were detected in spirochete-infected Ixodes auritulus (females, nymphs, larvae) suggesting this tick species is a vector for B. burgdorferi s.l. We provide first-time records for: ticks in the Yukon (north of 60 degrees latitude), northernmost collection of Amblyomma americanum in North America, and Amblyomma imitator in Canada. First reports of bird-derived ticks infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. include: live culture of spirochetes from Ixodes pacificus (nymph) plus detection in I. auritulus nymphs, Ixodes scapularis in New Brunswick, and an I. scapularis larva in Canada. We provide the first account of B. burgdorferi s. l. in an Ixodes muris tick collected from a songbird anywhere. Congruent with previous data for the American Robin, we suggest that the Common Yellowthroat, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, and Swainson's Thrush are reservoir-competent hosts. Song Sparrows, the predominant hosts, were parasitized by I. auritulus harboring all four Borrelia genotypes. Our results show that songbirds import B. burgdorferi s.l.-infected ticks into Canada. Bird-feeding I. scapularis subadults were infected with Lyme spirochetes during both spring and fall migration in eastern Canada. Because songbirds disperse millions of infected ticks across Canada, people and domestic animals contract Lyme disease outside of the known and expected range.
- Published
- 2010
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35. Cryptococcus gattiivgi in a spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) from Hawaii.
- Author
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Rotstein DS, West K, Levine G, Lockhart SR, Raverty S, Morshed MG, and Rowles T
- Subjects
- Animals, Cryptococcosis epidemiology, Fatal Outcome, Female, Hawaii epidemiology, Cryptococcosis veterinary, Cryptococcus classification, Stenella
- Abstract
A spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) was found stranded in Hawaii with cutaneous nodules and enlarged lymph nodes. Numerous Cryptococcus gattii VGI yeast were observed in multiple organs with minimal inflammation. This case represents the first reported infection of C. gattii in a dolphin from Hawaii.
- Published
- 2010
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36. Borrelia bissettii isolates induce pathology in a murine model of disease.
- Author
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Schneider BS, Schriefer ME, Dietrich G, Dolan MC, Morshed MG, and Zeidner NS
- Subjects
- Animals, Bone and Bones pathology, Borrelia genetics, Disease Models, Animal, Mice, Myocardium pathology, Phylogeny, Urinary Bladder pathology, Borrelia classification, Borrelia Infections microbiology, Borrelia Infections pathology
- Abstract
The spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi is a tick-borne pathogen that causes Lyme disease. Although B. burgdorferi sensu lato is a diverse group of bacteria, only three genospecies, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii, are known to be pathogenic and commonly recognized to cause human disease. To assess the potential of another common genospecies, Borrelia bissettii, to induce disease, a mouse model was employed. Two Colorado isolates of B. bissettii (CO-Bb) induced lesions of the bladder, heart, and femorotibial joint 8 weeks after inoculation into mice. In contrast, two British Columbia (BC-Bb) isolates, could not be cultured or amplified by PCR from target organs, and did not induce lesions. Consistent with pathology and culture results, the antibody response in mice to BC-Bb was minimal compared to CO-Bb, indicating either transient localized infection or rapid immune clearance of BC-Bb. Although sequence analysis of the rrf (5S)-rrl (23S) intergenic spacer region indicated 99% homology between CO-Bb and BC-Bb, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) analysis indicated five distinct protein differences between these low-passage isolates. These studies support the prospect that B. bissettii may indeed be the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis cases in Eastern Europe, associated with the atypical Borrelia strain 25015, and in other regions. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that B. bissettii can induce pathology in a vertebrate host.
- Published
- 2008
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37. Neurosyphilitic gumma in a homosexual man with HIV infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction.
- Author
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Morshed MG, Lee MK, Maguire J, Zwimpfer T, Willoughby B, Clement J, Crawford RI, Barberie J, Gul S, and Jones H
- Subjects
- Brain diagnostic imaging, Cerebrospinal Fluid microbiology, HIV-1, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neurosyphilis diagnostic imaging, Neurosyphilis microbiology, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Brain microbiology, HIV Infections complications, Homosexuality, Male, Neurosyphilis diagnosis, Polymerase Chain Reaction methods, Treponema pallidum genetics, Treponema pallidum isolation & purification
- Abstract
The brain gumma is a rare manifestation of the tertiary stage of syphilis. A case of neurosyphilitic gumma was confirmed by the Treponema pallidum polymerase chain reaction in a 46-year-old HIV-positive homosexual man. The patient presented with a severe headache and was hospitalized. A computed tomography scan was performed which revealed a left frontal lobe mass. Lymphoma was suspected. However, infectious disease diagnostics were performed on the cerebrospinal fluid that included investigations for syphilis and other microbiological agents such as Toxoplasma gondii. This revealed a reactive venereal disease research laboratory test, a reactive syphilis rapid plasma reagin and a reactive T. pallidum particle agglutination test. The patient was treated for syphilis till complete recovery.
- Published
- 2008
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38. Rapid introduction of Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, in Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) established at Turkey Point Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada.
- Author
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Scott JD, Lee MK, Fernando K, Jorgensen DR, Durden LA, and Morshed MG
- Subjects
- Animals, Antigens, Surface genetics, Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins genetics, Bacterial Vaccines genetics, Base Sequence, Borrelia burgdorferi classification, Borrelia burgdorferi genetics, DNA, Intergenic genetics, Female, Humans, Lipoproteins genetics, Lyme Disease transmission, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Ontario, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid, Borrelia burgdorferi growth & development, Insect Vectors microbiology, Ixodes microbiology, Lyme Disease microbiology
- Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) was isolated from questing adult Ixodes scapularis Say ticks collected from Turkey Point Provincial Park (TPPP), Ontario, Canada during 2005-2006. DNA from ten (67%) of 15 pools of ticks was confirmed positive for B. burgdorferi s.s. using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by targeting the rrf (5S)-rrl (23S) intergenic spacer region and OspA genes. This significant infection rate indicates an accelerated development of B. burgdorferi s.s. in TPPP, because this pathogen was not detected five years previously during sampling of the three motile life stages of I. scapularis. Our study provides the initial report of the presence of B. burgdorferi s.s. in TPPP, which is now endemic for Lyme disease. Ultimately, people and domestic animals are at risk of contracting Lyme disease when they frequent this park.
- Published
- 2008
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39. Low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Canadian children: a cross-sectional analysis.
- Author
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Segal I, Otley A, Issenman R, Armstrong D, Espinosa V, Cawdron R, Morshed MG, and Jacobson K
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Breath Tests, Canada epidemiology, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal, Female, Gastrointestinal Diseases diagnosis, Gastrointestinal Diseases microbiology, Helicobacter Infections diagnosis, Humans, Male, Predictive Value of Tests, Prevalence, Gastrointestinal Diseases epidemiology, Helicobacter Infections epidemiology, Helicobacter pylori
- Abstract
Background: The incidence and prevalence rates of childhood Helicobacter pylori infection vary greatly by nation, with infection rates of 8.9% to 72.8% reported in developed and developing countries, respectively. To date, few studies have assessed the prevalence of H pylori in Canadian children, with studies limited to Aboriginal communities and single tertiary care centres from Ontario and Quebec., Objectives: To determine the prevalence of H pylori in consecutive children referred to three Canadian tertiary care academic centres for upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy due to upper GI symptoms, and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the carbon-13-labelled urea breath test, the rapid urease test and the H pylori stool monoclonal antigen test., Results: Two hundred four patients were recruited. The prevalence of H pylori was 7.1%. Of the H pylori-positive patients, 41.7% were male, with a mean age of 10.3 years. Ethnic minorities accounted for 42% of the H pylori-positive patients. Consistent with previous observations, the sensitivity and specificity of the carbon-13-labelled urea breath test were 1.0 and 0.98, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the rapid urease test were 1.0 and 0.99, respectively. Stool samples were collected from 34 patients from one centre, with a sensitivity and specificity of 1.0 and 0.68, respectively. No defining symptoms of H pylori infection were evident and no peptic ulcer disease was demonstrated., Conclusion: H pylori infection rates in Canadian children with upper GI symptoms are low, and are lower than those reported for other developed countries. Further studies are required in Canada to determine the prevalence in the general population and specifically in the populations at risk.
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
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40. Molecular methods used in clinical laboratory: prospects and pitfalls.
- Author
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Morshed MG, Lee MK, Jorgensen D, and Isaac-Renton JL
- Subjects
- Humans, Lyme Disease diagnosis, Syphilis diagnosis, West Nile Fever diagnosis, Clinical Laboratory Techniques trends, Infections diagnosis, Molecular Diagnostic Techniques trends
- Abstract
The role of molecular detection, identification and typing or fingerprinting of microorganisms has shifted gradually from the academic world to the routine diagnostic laboratory. Molecular methods have been used increasingly over the past decade to improve the sensitivity, specificity and turn-around time in the clinical laboratory. Molecular methods have also been used to identify new and nonculturable agents. Many high-throughput molecular tests are now available commercially, which impacts on the infrastructure in many of the diagnostic laboratories. In this paper, we take an overall look at the use of molecular methods (prospects vs. pitfalls) based on our clinical and public health experience, particularly as they related to Borrelia burgdorferi, a vector-borne pathogen, Treponema pallidum, a re-emerging sexually transmitted global pathogen, and West Nile virus, a newly recognized virus in North America.
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
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41. Spread of Cryptococcus gattii in British Columbia, Canada, and detection in the Pacific Northwest, USA.
- Author
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MacDougall L, Kidd SE, Galanis E, Mak S, Leslie MJ, Cieslak PR, Kronstad JW, Morshed MG, and Bartlett KH
- Subjects
- Aged, 80 and over, Air Microbiology, Animal Diseases epidemiology, Animal Diseases microbiology, Animals, British Columbia epidemiology, Camelids, New World microbiology, Cats, Communicable Diseases, Emerging, Cryptococcosis veterinary, Female, Ferrets microbiology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Northwestern United States epidemiology, Population Surveillance, Soil Microbiology, Cryptococcosis epidemiology, Cryptococcosis microbiology, Cryptococcus isolation & purification
- Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii, emergent on Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC), Canada, in 1999, was detected during 2003-2005 in 3 persons and 8 animals that did not travel to Vancouver Island during the incubation period; positive environmental samples were detected in areas outside Vancouver Island. All clinical and environmental isolates found in BC were genotypically consistent with Vancouver Island strains. In addition, local acquisition was detected in 3 cats in Washington and 2 persons in Oregon. The molecular profiles of Oregon isolates differed from those found in BC and Washington. Although some microclimates of the Pacific Northwest are similar to those on Vancouver Island, C. gattii concentrations in off-island environments were typically lower, and human cases without Vancouver Island contact have not continued to occur. This suggests that C. gattii may not be permanently colonized in off-island locations.
- Published
- 2007
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42. Q Fever Presenting As Recurrent, Culture-negative Endocarditis with Aortic Prosthetic Valve Failure: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
- Author
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Alshukairi AN, Morshed MG, and Reiner NE
- Abstract
The present report describes a case of recurrent, culture-negative endocarditis presenting with aortic prosthetic valve dysfunction in a 62-year-old man who required four valve replacement surgeries. On each occasion, he presented with valve failure. Fever was only documented during his first presentation. Furthermore, no vegetations were detectable on his aortic valve at transesophageal echocardiography. On the occasion of his most recent presentation, a detailed history of animal exposure - including hunting and skinning deer, moose and other large animals with his bare hands - was the only clue to his diagnosis. Serum antibodies against Coxiella burnetii were strongly positive, and C burnetii DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction from his resected aortic valve tissue. Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic infection with diverse reservoirs. This diagnosis should be considered when evaluating unexplained prosthetic valve dysfunction, particularly in the setting of animal exposure.
- Published
- 2006
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43. Distribution and characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi isolates from Ixodes scapularis and presence in mammalian hosts in Ontario, Canada.
- Author
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Morshed MG, Scott JD, Fernando K, Geddes G, McNabb A, Mak S, and Durden LA
- Subjects
- Animals, Borrelia burgdorferi genetics, Borrelia burgdorferi isolation & purification, Cats, DNA, Bacterial chemistry, DNA, Ribosomal Spacer genetics, Dogs, Female, Genetic Variation, Geography, Horses, Humans, Lyme Disease epidemiology, Lyme Disease microbiology, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Ontario epidemiology, Peromyscus, Phylogeny, Arachnid Vectors microbiology, Arachnid Vectors physiology, Borrelia burgdorferi classification, Ixodes microbiology, Ixodes physiology
- Abstract
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), has a wide geographical distribution in Ontario, Canada, with a detected range extending at least as far north as the 50th parallel. Our data of 591 adult I. scapularis submissions collected from domestic animals (canines, felines, and equines) and humans during a 10-yr period (1993-2002) discloses a monthly questing activity in Ontario that peaks in May and October. The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmidt, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner was detected in 12.9% of I. scapularis adults collected from domestic hosts with no history of out-of-province travel or exposure at a Lyme disease endemic area. Fifty-three isolates of B. burgdorferi were confirmed positive with polymerase chain reaction by targeting the rrf (5S)-rrl (23S) gene. Using DNA sequencing of the ribosomal species-specific rrf (5S) -rrl (23S) intergenic spacer region, all isolates belong to the pathogenic genospecies B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.). Nucleotide sequence analysis of a 218- to 220-bp amplicon fragment exhibits six cluster patterns and, collectively, these isolates branch into four phylogenetic cluster groups for both untraveled, mammalian hosts and those with travel to the northeastern United States (New Jersey and New York). Four of five geographic regions in Ontario had strain variants consisting of three different genomic cluster groups. Overall, our molecular characterization of B. burgdorferi s.s. shows genetic heterogeneity within Ontario and displays a connecting link to common strains from Lyme disease endemic areas in the northeastern United States. Moreover, our findings of B. burgdorferi in I. scapularis reveal that people and domestic animals may be exposed to Lyme disease vector ticks, which have wide-ranging distribution in eastern and central Canada.
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
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44. Investigation of ground level and remote-sensed data for habitat classification and prediction of survival of Ixodes scapularis in habitats of southeastern Canada.
- Author
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Ogden NH, Barker IK, Beauchamp G, Brazeau S, Charron DF, Maarouf A, Morshed MG, O'Callaghan CJ, Thompson RA, Waltner-Toews D, Waltner-Toews M, and Lindsay LR
- Subjects
- Animals, Canada, Computer Simulation, Dogs, Female, Male, Models, Biological, Oviposition, Sensitivity and Specificity, Soil analysis, Survival Analysis, Trees, Arachnid Vectors physiology, Data Collection methods, Ecosystem, Ixodes physiology
- Abstract
In southeastern Canada, most populations of Ixodes scapularis Say, the Lyme disease vector, occur in Carolinian forests. Climate change projections suggest a northward range expansion of I. scapularis this century, but it is unclear whether more northerly habitats are suitable for I. scapularis survival. In this study, we assessed the suitability of woodlands of the Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain region for I. scapularis by comparing tick egg survival in four different woodlands. Woodlands where I. scapularis are established, and sand dune where I. scapularis do not survive, served as positive and negative control sites, respectively. At two woodland sites, egg survival was the same as at the positive control site, but at two of the sites survival was significantly less than either the positive control site, or one of the other test sites. Egg survival in all woodland sites was significantly higher than in the sand dune site. Ground level habitat classification discriminated among woodlands in which tick survival differed. The likelihood that I. scapularis populations could persist in the different habitats, as deduced using a population model of I. scapularis, was significantly associated with variations in Landsat 7 ETM+ data (normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI] and Tasselled Cap indices). The NDVI index predicted habitat suitability at Long Point, Ontario, with high sensitivity but moderate specificity. Our study suggests that I. scapularis populations could establish in more northerly woodland types than those in which they currently exist. Suitable habitats may be detected by ground-level habitat classification, and remote-sensed data may assist this process.
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Treponema pallidum macrolide resistance in BC.
- Author
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Morshed MG and Jones HD
- Subjects
- British Columbia epidemiology, Drug Resistance, Bacterial, Humans, Syphilis epidemiology, Macrolides pharmacology, Syphilis drug therapy, Treponema pallidum drug effects, Treponema pallidum pathogenicity
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Climate change and the potential for range expansion of the Lyme disease vector Ixodes scapularis in Canada.
- Author
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Ogden NH, Maarouf A, Barker IK, Bigras-Poulin M, Lindsay LR, Morshed MG, O'callaghan CJ, Ramay F, Waltner-Toews D, and Charron DF
- Subjects
- Animals, Canada, Forecasting, Greenhouse Effect, Humans, Models, Biological, Population Dynamics, Seasons, Temperature, Tick Infestations parasitology, Arachnid Vectors parasitology, Climate, Ixodes parasitology, Lyme Disease parasitology, Zoonoses parasitology
- Abstract
We used an Ixodes scapularis population model to investigate potential northward spread of the tick associated with climate change. Annual degree-days >0 degrees C limits for I. scapularis establishment, obtained from tick population model simulations, were mapped using temperatures projected for the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s by two Global Climate Models (the Canadian CGCM2 and the UK HadCM3) for two greenhouse gas emission scenario enforcings 'A2'and 'B2' of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Under scenario 'A2' using either climate model, the theoretical range for I. scapularis establishment moved northwards by approximately 200 km by the 2020s and 1000 km by the 2080s. Reductions in emissions (scenario 'B2') had little effect on projected range expansion up to the 2050s, but the range expansion projected to occur between the 2050s and 2080s was less than that under scenario 'A2'. When the tick population model was driven by projected annual temperature cycles (obtained using CGCM2 under scenario 'A2'), tick abundance almost doubled by the 2020s at the current northern limit of I. scapularis, suggesting that the threshold numbers of immigrating ticks needed to establish new populations will fall during the coming decades. The projected degrees of theoretical range expansion and increased tick survival by the 2020s, suggest that actual range expansion of I. scapularis may be detectable within the next two decades. Seasonal tick activity under climate change scenarios was consistent with maintenance of endemic cycles of the Lyme disease agent in newly established tick populations. The geographic range of I. scapularis-borne zoonoses may, therefore, expand significantly northwards as a consequence of climate change this century.
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Migratory songbirds disperse ticks across Canada, and first isolation of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, from the avian tick, Ixodes auritulus.
- Author
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Morshed MG, Scott JD, Fernando K, Beati L, Mazerolle DF, Geddes G, and Durden LA
- Subjects
- Animals, Base Sequence, Bird Diseases epidemiology, Bird Diseases transmission, Canada epidemiology, DNA, Bacterial chemistry, DNA, Bacterial isolation & purification, DNA, Ribosomal chemistry, Female, Ixodidae physiology, Lyme Disease transmission, Lyme Disease veterinary, Molecular Sequence Data, Polymerase Chain Reaction veterinary, RNA, Ribosomal genetics, Sequence Analysis, DNA veterinary, Tick Infestations epidemiology, Tick Infestations parasitology, Tick Infestations transmission, Arachnid Vectors microbiology, Bird Diseases parasitology, Borrelia burgdorferi isolation & purification, Ixodes microbiology, Songbirds parasitology, Tick Infestations veterinary
- Abstract
During a 3-yr comprehensive study, 196 ixodid ticks (9 species) were collected from 89 passerine birds (32 species) from 25 localities across Canada to determine the distribution of avian-associated tick species and endogenous Lyme disease spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt, and Brenner. We report the following first records of tick parasitism on avian hosts: the rabbit-associated tick, Ixodes dentatus Marx, from Manitoba and Ontario; the mouse tick, Ixodes muris Bishopp and Smith, from British Columbia; and the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, from New Brunswick. Moreover, we provide the first record of the Neotropical tick, Amblyomma humerale Koch (1 nymph), in Canada and its parasitism of any bird. This tick was compared morphologically with nymphs of other Neotropical Amblyomma spp., and genetically, using a 344-bp fragment of the 12S rDNA sequence of 41 New World Amblyomma species. The first collections of the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls, from passerine species in Alberta and British Columbia, are also reported. Notably, we further report the first isolation of B. burgdorferi from the bird tick, Ixodes auritulus Neumann, collected from an American robin, Turdus migratorius L., on Vancouver Island. Furthermore, B. burgdorferi-positive I. auritulus larvae were collected from a reservoir-competent fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca (Merrem). Our findings indicate that ground-dwelling passerines, in particular, are parasitized by certain ixodid ticks and play an important role across Canada in the wide dispersal of B. burgdorferi-infected ticks and increased risk of Lyme disease exposure.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Prenatal and congenital syphilis in British Columbia.
- Author
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Jones H, Taylor D, Montgomery CA, Patrick DH, Money D, Vipond JC, Morshed MG, Ruissard DA, and Rekart ML
- Subjects
- Adult, British Columbia epidemiology, Female, Humans, Incidence, Infant, Newborn, Medical Records, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious epidemiology, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious etiology, Pregnancy Outcome, Retrospective Studies, Syphilis etiology, Syphilis, Congenital epidemiology, Syphilis, Congenital etiology, Disease Outbreaks, Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical, Syphilis epidemiology, Syphilis transmission
- Abstract
Objective: To describe the incidence of maternal syphilis and the corresponding rate of infection in exposed neonates in British Columbia before and after a serious outbreak of infectious syphilis in the heterosexual population., Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of pregnant women with positive syphilis serology and reported cases of congenital syphilis in British Columbia from 1994 to 2003. Clinical charts were reviewed for demographic information, staging of maternal syphilis, and stage of pregnancy when treatment was received. The primary outcome measure was the number of cases of congenital syphilis. We conducted a 2-sided z-test and Fisher's exact test to determine differences in the proportion of infectious syphilis in mothers and the number of cases of congenital syphilis before and during the major outbreak., Results: In 389 478 live births in British Columbia between 1994 and 2003, 77% of mothers had prenatal syphilis serology. A diagnosis of syphilis was made in 183 mothers, resulting in 5 cases of congenital syphilis. Four of these were in infants whose mothers did not undergo prenatal syphilis testing. The proportion of pregnant women with infectious syphilis was significantly higher after the onset of a major outbreak of syphilis in the community than it was before (P = 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the number of cases of congenital syphilis (3 before and 2 after the outbreak, P = 0.36)., Conclusion: Although syphilis rates in British Columbia during the study period rose steadily, the prevalence of congenital syphilis remained low. Our findings suggest that, in the context of a major outbreak, universal screening and prenatal syphilis testing may contribute to controlling rates of congenital syphilis.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, endemic in epicenter at Turkey Point, Ontario.
- Author
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Scott JD, Fernando K, Durden LA, and Morshed MG
- Subjects
- Animals, Base Sequence, Borrelia burgdorferi genetics, DNA Primers, Humans, Larva, Mammals microbiology, Nymph, Ontario epidemiology, Polymerase Chain Reaction methods, Seasons, Ticks growth & development, Borrelia burgdorferi isolation & purification, Lyme Disease epidemiology, Ticks microbiology
- Abstract
The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmidt, Hyde, Steigerwalt, and Brenner, was discovered in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say at Turkey Point, Ontario, Canada. We report the first isolation of B. burgdorferi from a vertebrate animal collected on mainland Ontario. During this 2-yr study, spirochetes were isolated from the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus Rafinesque, and attached I. scapularis larvae. Similarly, isolates of B. burgdorferi were cultured from blacklegged tick adults, and confirmed positive with polymerase chain reaction by targeting OspA and rrf (5S) -rrl (23S) genes. Moreover, all isolates of B. burgdorferi from this area had complementary genetic structure, and the second primer set amplicons confirmed the first primer set amplification products. These findings show an epicenter endemic for B. burgdorferi within an established population of I. scapularis at Turkey Point.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Role of cyanobacteria in the persistence of Vibrio cholerae O139 in saline microcosms.
- Author
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Islam MS, Mahmuda S, Morshed MG, Bakht HB, Khan MN, Sack RB, and Sack DA
- Subjects
- Anabaena physiology, Colony Count, Microbial methods, Sodium Chloride, Cyanobacteria physiology, Disease Reservoirs, Ecosystem, Vibrio cholerae O139 growth & development, Water Microbiology
- Abstract
Recently, a new strain of cholera, Vibrio cholerae O139, has emerged as an epidemic strain, but there is little information about its environmental reservoir. The present investigation was aimed to determine the role of cyanobacteria in the persistence of V. cholerae O139 in microcosms. An environmental isolate of V. cholerae O139 and three cyanobacteria (Anabaena sp., Nostoc sp., and Hapalosiphon sp.) were used in this study. Survival of culturable V. cholerae O139 in microcosms was monitored using taurocholate-tellurite gelatin agar medium. Viable but nonculturable V. cholerae O139 were detected using a fluorescent antibody technique. Vibrio cholerae O139 could be isolated for up to 12 days in a culturable form in association with cyanobacteria but could not be isolated in the culturable form after 2 days from control water without cyanobacteria. The viable but nonculturable V. cholerae O139 could be detected in association with cyanobacteria for up to 15 months. These results, therefore, suggest that cyanobacteria can act as a long-term reservoir of V. cholerae O139 in an aquatic environment.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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