Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis (M. avium) is a ubiquitous, acid-fast organism found in water and soil. This opportunistic pathogen is a common causative of pulmonary diseases in immunocompromised individuals and prevalent infection in HIV/AIDS patients. As a primary defense response against infection, immune cells such as macrophages phagocytize M. avium...
Multiple drug resistance (MDR) Tuberculosis (TB), leads to increased use of “second-line” drugs; one of the most effective is ethionamide (ETA). ETA is a prodrug metabolized by a mycobacterial flavin-containing monooxygenase (EtaA) as well human flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs). Of the five functional FMOs of humans, FMOs 1, 2, and 3...
Torrubiella is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae
(Ascomycota). Species of the genus produce superficial perithecia on a loose mat of
hyphae that forms directly on the host. The genus is estimated to contain about 70
species. Torrubiella is hypothesized to be a close relative of Cordyceps because...
Clostridium perfringens is the causative agent of gas gangrene and the 3rd most common cause of type A food borne disease in the United States. Critical to the pathogenicity of C. perfringens is the ability of this bacterium to produce highly resistant, metabolically dormant spores that can resume metabolic function...
Ulcerative dermatitis (UD) is a common condition in C57BL/6 mice that is poorly understood and challenging to treat. Inconsistently there have been reports of an increased incidence of the disease in female mice, mice exposed to certain diets, mice of advanced age, and in several seasons. These inconsistencies indicated a...
Blastocystis spp. is a common intestinal parasite in humans and animals that has been associated with acute or chronic digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. Serotonin mediates intestinal motility, sensation, and secretory function in the normal intestinal tract. Serotonin (5-HT) signaling is decreased in animal models of colitis, as...