Podcasts about acanthamoeba

On episode #78 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the weeks of 3/27/25 – 4/9/25. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of Puscast! Links for this episode Viral Demise of the Milwaukee protocol for rabies (CID) A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia (Nature) Taking a shot at dementia(microbeTV: TWiV) Recommendations from the 10th European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia for the management of cytomegalovirusin patients after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation and other T-cell-engaging therapies (LANCET: Infectious Diseases) Epstein-Barr virus exposure precedes Crohn`s disease development (Gastroenterology aga) Bacterial Blujepa (gepotidacin) approved by US FDA for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) in female adults and paediatric patients 12 years of age and older (GSK) GSK wins FDA nod for first oral UTI antibiotic in almost 30 years(BioSpace) Efficacy and safety of individualised versus standard 10-day antibiotic treatment in children with febrile urinary tract infection (INDI-UTI): a pragmatic, open-label, multicentre, randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial in Denmark (LANCET: Infectious Diseases) Frequency and severity of Myasthenia Gravis exacerbations associated with the use of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and azithromycin (Muscle & Nerve) The cost of blood cultures: a barrier to diagnosis in low-income and middle-income countries (LANCET: Microbe) Rethinking blood culture (LANCET: Microbe) Trends in Anaplasmosis Over the Past Decade: A Review of Clinical Features, Laboratory Data and Outcomes(CID) Fungal The Last of US Season 2 (YouTube) Cracks in the curriculum: the hidden deficiencies in fungal disease coverage in medical books (OFID) Kazachstania slooffiae fungemia: a case report and literature review on an emerging opportunistic pathogen in humans (OFID) Plasma microbial cell-free DNS metagenomic sequencing for diagnosis of invasive fungal diseases among high risk outpatient and inpatient immunocompromised hosts (CID) Parasitic Fatal Case of Splash Pad–Associated Naegleria fowleri Meningoencephalitis — Pulaski County, Arkansas, September 2023 (CDC: MMWR) Notes from the Field: Fatal Acanthamoeba Encephalitis in a patient who regularly used tap water in an electronic nasal irrigation device and a continuous positive airway pressure machine at home — new Mexico, 2023 (CDC: MMWR) Malaria (NEJM) Miscellaneous FDA grants marketing authorization of first home test for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis (FDA) Music is by Ronald Jenkees Information on this podcast should not be considered as medical advice.

Acanthamoeba keratitis can be one of the most devastating diagnoses in ophthalmology, as it can wreak havoc on the cornea unlike few other microbes.  On the same token, if caught early, acanthamoeba can be treated quite efficiently and effectively, and patients can have minimal, if any, long-term visual sequelae.  Given acanthamoeba is such a dreaded diagnosis, just the thought of it can invoke fear into the ophthalmologist.  And while many of us might have a basic approach to acanthamoeba, we also surely have blind spots in our diagnosis and management of this condition, as evidenced by many patients being diagnosed weeks after it occurs. Dr. Chris Rapuano joins the podcast to discuss this important condition. This episode is sponsored by Thea Pharma Canada - https://www.theapharma.ca Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/blind-spot-the-eye-doctor-s-podcast--5819306/support.

On episode #71 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the weeks of 12/19/24 – 1/1/25. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of Puscast! Links for this episode Viral Routine detection of viruses through metagenomics: where do we stand? (ASTMH) Rapid selection of HIV-2 capsid mutations in salvage therapy with Lenacapavir-containing regime (CID) Bacterial Ancient genomes reveal a deep history of treponemal disease in the Americas (Nature) The utility of Interferon-γ release assays in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in patients With cancer(Transplant Infectious Disease) A meta-analysis of Levofloxacin for contacts of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (NEJM Evidence) Tularemia— United States, 2011–2022 (CDC: MMWR) Incorporating incubation period distributions to precisely estimate the association between rainfall and Legionella infection (JID) Fungal The Last of US Season 2 (YouTube) Candida albicans recovered from persistent candidemia exhibit enhanced virulence traits (JID) Mapping the geographic distribution of dimorphic mycoses using a U.S. commercial insurance database (OFID) Comparative efficacy and safety of treatment regimens for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in people living with HIV – A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (CMI: Clinical Microbiology and Infection) Outbreak of Blastomycosis Among Paper Mill Workers — Michigan, November 2022–May 2023 (CDC: MMWR) Parasitic Acanthamoeba Infection in a hematopoietic cell transplant recipient: challenges in diagnosis, management, and source identification (Transplant Infectious Disease) Congenital toxoplasmosis: Fewer clinical signs at 3 years of age over the last 15 years but stable risk of materno-fetal transmission (CID) Miscellaneous Detection of prions in wild pigs (Sus scrofa) from areas with reported chronic wasting disease cases, United States (CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases) Addition of macrolide antibiotics for hospital treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (JID) Music is by Ronald Jenkees Information on this podcast should not be considered as medical advice.

Explore the hidden dangers of Acanthamoeba, a microscopic organism that can attach to contact lenses, causing severe eye infections like keratitis and even blindness. Learn how it happens, who's at risk, and the steps to protect your vision.

In this episode of Knock Knock Eye, I focus on one of the scariest eye conditions for your cornea: Acanthamoeba keratitis. This rare but serious infection is particularly frightening for contact lens wearers, as it can lead to severe pain, long-term vision problems, and a difficult treatment process. I break down why this infection is so dangerous, how it impacts the cornea, and offers important advice on how to prevent it. Learn why Acanthamoeba keratitis is a nightmare for your cornea and how to protect your vision. Takeaways: Acanthamoeba Keratitis Is Rare but Serious: This infection occurs when a protozoa, commonly found in water, invades the cornea, causing severe pain and long-term damage. Contacts and Water Don't Mix: Wearing contact lenses in water, whether in pools, hot tubs, or even showers, significantly increases the risk of developing Acanthamoeba keratitis. Pain Out of Proportion to Symptoms: A common sign of Acanthamoeba keratitis is severe eye pain, often much worse than what doctors can see in a standard eye exam. Long, Complex Treatment: Treating Acanthamoeba keratitis can take months, sometimes requiring multiple medications and even corneal transplants in severe cases. Prevention Is Key: The best way to avoid Acanthamoeba keratitis is to keep your contact lenses away from any water source, and always use proper contact lens solution for cleaning and storage. — To Get Tickets to Wife & Death: You can visit Glaucomflecken.com/live  We want to hear YOUR stories (and medical puns)! Shoot us an email and say hi! knockknockhi@human-content.com Can't get enough of us? Shucks. You can support the show on Patreon for early episode access, exclusive bonus shows, livestream hangouts, and much more! – http://www.patreon.com/glaucomflecken Also, be sure to check out the newsletter: https://glaucomflecken.com/glauc-to-me/ If you are interested in buying a book from one of our guests, check them all out here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/dr.glaucomflecken If you like the scrubs I'm wearing, here's a link and discount code to get some Jaanuu Scrubs link: https://bit.ly/4cAvXbs code: DRG20 for 20% off first-time purchases* *This code works on full-price items only excluding embroidery!  If you want more information on models I use: Anatomy Warehouse provides for the best, crafting custom anatomical products, medical simulation kits and presentation models that create a lasting educational impact.  For more information go to Anatomy Warehouse DOT com. Link:  Anatomy Warehouse Plus for 15% off use code: Glaucomflecken15 Today's episode is brought to you by the Nuance Dragon Ambient Experience (DAX). It's like having a virtual Jonathan in your pocket. If you would like to learn more about DAX Copilot check out http://nuance.com/discoverDAX and ask your provider for the DAX Copilot experience. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ROMA (ITALPRESS) - In Italia si stima che si verifichino oltre 2000 casi l'anno di infezioni corneali da funghi e circa 800 da Acanthamoeba, un patogeno presente in acqua che trova nelle lenti a contatto, soprattutto se morbide, terreno ideale per la sua proliferazione. A lanciare l'allarme sono stati i massimi esperti riuniti al 22esimo Congresso della Società Internazionale Cornea, Cellule Staminali e Superficie Oculare, che hanno messo in guardia sul continuo aumento di queste infezioni. Purtroppo, il 50% dei casi non risponde alle terapie mediche e comporta la necessità di un trapianto che fallisce in oltre la metà degli interventi, soprattutto per la tardività dell'operazione. Una speranza arriva dal trapianto di cornea lamellare anteriore, o DALK, in cui non viene impiantata la cornea a tutto spessore, ma si sostituiscono solamente gli strati corneali effettivamente compromessi, preservando quelli funzionalmente non danneggiati. I risultati di questa tecnica, di cui l'Italia è un'eccellenza mondiale, garantiscono un successo nel 99% dei pazienti, se l'intervento viene eseguito precocemente nei casi in cui l'infezione di grado più severo è resistente ai farmaci.sat/gtr

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Too busy to read the Lens? Listen to our weekly summary here! In this week's episode we discuss… There is a significant association between chronic kidney disease and late age-related macular degeneration. Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy treated with panretinal photocoagulation monotherapy had higher rates of vitrectomy, vitreous hemorrhage, and tractional retinal detachment compared to anti-VEGF monotherapy. The curved shape of scleral contact lenses significantly increases Acanthamoeba adhesion compared to flat lenses.

On episode #51 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the weeks of 3/13 – 3/27/24. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of Puscast! Links for this episode Viral The oral antiviral obeldesivir protects NHPs against Sudan ebolavirus (Science) Monoclonal antibody therapy to treat Ebola virus disease (Curr Opinion Vir) Opinion of anti-Sudan ebolavirus antiviral therapy (Science) Management of norovirus in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplants (Transplant ID) Bacterial Bacteremia from urinary source in hospitalized adults with asymptomatic bacteriuria?(JAMA) UTI research reference standards (Lancet Infectious Diseases) Aspiration pneumonia (CHEST) Household transmission of Strep A (JID) Antimicrobial dosing recommendations for obese patients (Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy) Syphilis testing (MMWR) Predictors of morality from streptococcal bacteremia (CID) Fungal Invasive candidiasis (Nat Rev Disease Primer) Climate change and natural disasters impact on fungal infections (Lancet Microbe) Parasitic Nasal flushing and Acanthamoeba infection (Emerging Infectious Diseases) Miscellaneous Vaccination guidelines for adults with cancer (Journal of Clinical Oncology) Do multiplexed molecular diagnostic tools impact treatment for children with acute gastroenteritis? (CID) Music is by Ronald Jenkees

A recent study looked into life-threatening Acanthamoeba infections, and a few deaths, linked to the use of tap water with devices like neti pots. And, in ‘The Balanced Brain,' Dr. Camilla Nord explores the neuroscience behind mental health, and how our brains deal with life's challenges.Scientists Warn Against Nasal Rinsing With Unboiled Tap WaterResearchers at the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention published a study Wednesday that examined 10 cases of life-threatening Acanthamoeba infections that occurred after people cleaned their sinuses with neti pots, squeeze bottles, or other nasal rinsing devices. In most of these cases, which occurred in immunocompromised individuals over the span of a few decades, individuals had used tap water for nasal rinsing.Tap water, while generally safe to drink, is not sterile. Microorganisms and germs live in distribution systems and pipes that the water travels through, and Acanthamoeba amebae was the main link between the 10 cases, three of which resulted in death.Although contracting the Acanthamoeba pathogen is extremely rare, many people are unaware of the unsterile nature of tap water and use it for their sinuses, according to a survey study published last year. A third of participants incorrectly believed U.S. tap water is sterile, and almost two-thirds assumed it was safe to rinse your sinuses with it.The CDC and FDA recommend using distilled or sterile water for nasal rinsing. If you want to use tap water, they recommend boiling it for three to five minutes and allowing it to cool. While slightly more time consuming, it is an effective way to get sterile water.Rachel Feltman, host of “The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week,” joins Ira to talk about this story and other news in science this week, including a new study that links microplastics in the human body to increased risk of heart disease and death, why the U.S. maternal mortality rate might be inflated, and why cicadas produce high-speed jets of urine.How Your Brain Constructs Your Mental HealthIf you've ever struggled with a mental health issue like anxiety or depression, or know someone who has, it's pretty clear that what works for one person might not work for another. Antidepressants only work in about 50-60% of patients. Meditation or yoga may be a gamechanger for some people, but ineffective for others.Over the past few decades, neuroscientists have made huge advances in our understanding of the human brain. How can we use the latest neuroscience research to help improve our mental well-being? And what is the relationship between physical and mental health?To answer those questions and more, SciFri producer Shoshannah Buxbaum talks with Dr. Camilla Nord, director of the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab at the University of Cambridge and author of the new book The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health.Read an excerpt of The Balanced Brain at sciencefriday.com.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.  Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

In this week's issue Topical polihexanide (PHMB) 0.08% monotherapy shown to be an effective treatment for Acanthamoeba keratitis  Acetylcholinesterase-inhibitors may decrease risk of developing age-related macular degeneration Artificial intelligence deep learning algorithms accurately screen for diabetic retinopathy using fundus imaging with high sensitivity and specificity Obscurin, an abundant cytoskeletal protein, may be critical to maintaining extraocular muscle function

What's the risk of contracting Acanthamoeba keratitis with daily disposable contact lenses compared with daily wear reusable lenses? Dr. Edmund Tsui explores this with Dr. John Dart, author of “Acanthamoeba Keratitis Risk Factors for Daily Wear Contact Lens Users.”  Acanthamoeba Keratitis Risk Factors for Daily Wear Contact Lens Users. Carnt, Nicole et al. Ophthalmology, Volume 130, Issue 1, 48 – 55.

TWiP solves the case of the Long Island Man with Unilateral Eye Pain, followed by a discussion of how enteric helminth coinfection enhances host susceptibility to West Nile virus by a tuft cell-IL-4 receptor signaling axis. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin Guest: Christina Naula Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode PWB on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter Helminth infection enhances West Nile viruses pathogenesis (Cell) Hero: Franz Von Lichtenberg Letters read on TWiP 194 Become a patron of TWiP Case Study for TWiP 194 Woman in 40s, on return from Puerto Rico where she often went. Went to local beaches, brought their dogs. Noticed problem on foot, raised red serpiginous lines, slowly moving all over the foot. Bloodwork showed elevated eosinophils.  Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv Music by Ronald Jenkees

Rare disease treatments for Leishmaniasis, Acanthamoeba Keratitis, and the Brain Eating Amoeba combined with products for Dry Nose, natural healthcare and beauty form the basis for Profounda Health & Beauty’s mission to help patients improve the quality of life for patientsTodd MacLaughlan, the CEO of Profounda Inc. and Profounda Health and Beauty, Inc, was interviewed on the Mission Matters Business Podcast by Adam Torres. Spreading awareness about rare diseases and making treatments more readily available, Mr. Todd MacLaughlan, CEO at Profounda and his team at Profounda Health and Beauty, has had an exceptional journey of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Working diligently for the welfare of the people and bringing the harmful potency of certain diseases to greater visibility, Todd has come a long way and aspires to go even further. Todd has diverse experience in various domains and credits his current success to the lessons learned all along the way and his strong family support. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/​ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule.Apply to be interviewed by Adam on our podcast:https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podc...​Visit our website:https://missionmatters.com/​

In dieser Folge erzählt Caro von ihren Lieblingstieren, nämlich Bienen, während Sam die Enstehungsgeschichte von Uhrzeitkrebsen erkärt. (Und was das mit Nazis zutun hat) Heute war die Audioqualität nicht die allerbeste, wir hatten das was falsch eingestellt, also nicht wundern:) Bienen: Das Bienenbuch: ISBN: 9783831032297 Amdam, G. V., Hartfelder, K., Norberg, K., Hagen, A., & Omholt, S. W. (2004). Altered Physiology in Worker Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Infested with the Mite Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae): A Factor in Colony Loss During Overwintering? Journal of Economic Entomology, 97(3) Evans, J. D., & Cook, S. C. (2018). Genetics and physiology of Varroa mites. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 26, 130-135. Genersch, E., von der Ohe, W., Kaatz, H., Schroeder, A., Otten, C., Buchler, R., . . . Rosenkranz, P. (2010). The German bee monitoring project: a long term study to understand periodically high winter losses of honey bee colonies. Klein, A.-M., Vaissière, B. E., Cane, J. H., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Cunningham, S. A., Kremen, C., & Tscharntke, T. (2007). Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 274(1608), 303-313. doi:doi:10.1098/rspb.2006.3721 Maini, S., Medrzycki, P., & Porrini, C. (2010). The puzzle of honey bee losses: a brief review. Bulletin of Insectology, 63(1), 153-160. Switanek, M., Crailsheim, K., Truhetz, H., & Brodschneider, R. (2017). Modelling seasonal effects of temperature and precipitation on honey bee winter mortality in a temperate climate. Science of The Total Environment, 579, 1581-1587 vanEngelsdorp, D., & Meixner, M. D. (2010). A historical review of managed honey bee populations in Europe and the United States and the factors that may affect them. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 103, S80-S95. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45566304 https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/2/eaav0961 https://www.mehr-demokratie.de/glyphosat-debatte/hintergrund/ Uhrzeitkrebse: Idee von: Robert Evans, Behind the Bastards (Kein scheiss gönnt euch den Podcast) Mollin, B. (1995). A Petri Dish For Racism Supremacists' Message Spreading Through Nation, Butler Says. The Spokesman Review . Retrieved from: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/jul/22/a-petri-dish-for-racism-supremacists-message/ Hughes, E. (2011) The Shocking True Tale Of The Mad Genius Who Invented Sea-Monkeys. THe Awl. Retrieved from https://www.theawl.com/2011/06/the-shocking-true-tale-of-the-mad-genius-who-invented-sea-monkeys/ Martin, D. (2003) Harold von Braunhut, Seller of Seamonkeys, dies at 777 The New York Times Retrieved from:https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/21/us/harold-von-braunhut-seller-of-sea-monkeys-dies-at-77.html Brott, T. (2000) The Sea Monkeys and the white supremacist. Los Angeles Times Retrieved from: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-oct-01-tm-29473-story.html Lambrecht, E., Baré, J., Chavatte, N., Bert, W., Sabbe, K., & Houf, K. (2015). Protozoan Cysts Act as a Survival Niche and Protective Shelter for Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria. Applied and environmental microbiology, 81(16), 5604–5612. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01031-1 Adékambi, T., Ben Salah, S., Khlif, M., Raoult, D., & Drancourt, M. (2006). Survival of environmental mycobacteria in Acanthamoeba polyphaga. Applied and environmental microbiology, 72(9), 5974–5981. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03075-05

Guest: John Dart, MD Professor and Deputy Director of Research Moorfields Eye Hospital London, UK

Topic - The dangers of showering wearing contact lenses There's a horrifying risk for those of us who pop contact lenses in and then, take a shower. That risk is the microscopic water-borne parasite called Acanthamoeba. If it gets trapped between the contact lens and cornea, this parasite will burrow into your eye and make itself at home. A British man traveled the terrifying 18-month long road from infection, to diagnosis to blindness to corneal scrapings, many rounds of eye drops, ultraviolet treatments, grafting of amniotic tissue to his cornea, to finally, a corneal transplant. He hopes to regain his vision by working with the organization, Fight for Sight. Be smart take out your contacts before swimming and showering. Don't wear them too long. Don't sleep with them. Don't clean them with spit, or share them with others. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/drclaudia/message

This episode: Bacterial symbionts of amoebas help them survive bacterial infection, and prevent pathogens from spreading to others as much! Download Episode (7.5 MB, 8.1 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Eubacterium dolichum News item Takeaways Amoebas are free-living, single-celled organisms, but they have some things in common with some cells of our immune system (macrophages). For example, certain bacterial pathogens can infect both in similar ways. So it can be useful to study the interactions of amoebas and bacteria to learn about our own immune defenses. In this study, the amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii has another bacterial symbiont that helps it resist killing by the bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila. Once the amoebas recovered from the infection, they were more resistant to future challenges. Even better, the symbiont prevented the pathogen from transforming into a more spreadable form like it does when infecting amoebas alone. Journal Paper: König L, Wentrup C, Schulz F, Wascher F, Escola S, Swanson MS, Buchrieser C, Horn M. 2019. Symbiont-Mediated Defense against Legionella pneumophila in Amoebae. mBio 10:e00333-19. Other interesting stories: RNA-cutting CRISPR/Cas system induces bacterial dormancy to prevent phage replication Gut bacteria degrade/modify many different kinds of drugs (paper)   Email questions or comments to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening! Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

On this week's Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, I had the opportunity to spend the whole hour discussing the three most commonly diagnosed free-living amoeba species that infect humans:  Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba species, and Balamuthia mandrillaris, with someone with expertise in infectious diseases and the unique perspective of a parent that lost a child to one of these lethal parasites. Joining me on the show to take a closer look at these uncommon, accidental, yet high consequence pathogens and to share her personal story is Sandra Gompf, MD. Dr Gompf is an Associate Professor of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at USF Health in Tampa.

On this week’s Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, I had the opportunity to spend the whole hour discussing the three most commonly diagnosed free-living amoeba species that infect humans:  Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba species, and Balamuthia mandrillaris, with someone with expertise in infectious diseases and the unique perspective of a parent that lost a child to one of these lethal […] The post Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba species and Balamuthia mandrillaris: Uncommon, accidental, yet high consequence appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The University of Michigan health blog recently reported on a Acanthamoeba case in a Lansing , Michigan woman. She was initially diagnosed as having pink eye; however, things got worse and after going to six doctors, she was referred to the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center where she was diagnosed with the parasitic infection. Joining me today to talk about Acanthamoeba and this case is Shahzad Mian, M.D. Dr. Mian is a professor of ophthalmology at Michigan Medicine.

The University of Michigan health blog recently reported on a Acanthamoeba case in a Lansing , Michigan woman. She was initially diagnosed as having pink eye; however, things got worse and after going to six doctors, she was referred to the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center where she was diagnosed with the parasitic infection. […] The post Acanthamoeba case in Michigan with Shahzad Mian, M.D. appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

This episode: A cancer-killing virus could help increase success of treatment of a form of eye cancer in children! Download Episode (8.0 MB, 8.7 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus News item Takeaways Cancer obviously is a serious concern, and can be tricky to treat because there are endless varieties in all different places in the body, each of which can have its own expected progression, aggressiveness, and methods of treatment to take into account. Even more serious is when the cancer is in very young children, as is often the case with a cancer of the eye called retinoblastoma. There are about 8000 cases of this disease per year, and when treatment is unsuccessful, it can lead to the loss of one or both eyes. In this study, investigators looked into using a cancer-targeting, oncolytic virus to complement the normal treatment of chemotherapy. The virus for the most part remained localized to the eye where it should be, and targeted the cancer instead of healthy cells, and so seems promising. In the small trial with two patients included in this study, the virus didn't cause a complete recovery, but showed some modest promising results. Journal Paper: Pascual-Pasto G, Bazan-Peregrino M, Olaciregui NG, Restrepo-Perdomo CA, Mato-Berciano A, Ottaviani D, Weber K, Correa G, Paco S, Vila-Ubach M, Cuadrado-Vilanova M, Castillo-Ecija H, Botteri G, Garcia-Gerique L, Moreno-Gilabert H, Gimenez-Alejandre M, Alonso-Lopez P, Farrera-Sal M, Torres-Manjon S, Ramos-Lozano D, Moreno R, Aerts I, Doz F, Cassoux N, Chapeaublanc E, Torrebadell M, Roldan M, König A, Suñol M, Claverol J, Lavarino C, De TC, Fu L, Radvanyi F, Munier FL, Catalá-Mora J, Mora J, Alemany R, Cascalló M, Chantada GL, Carcaboso AM. 2019. Therapeutic targeting of the RB1 pathway in retinoblastoma with the oncolytic adenovirus VCN-01. Sci Transl Med 11:eaat9321. Other interesting stories: Exploring how microbes can influence the flavor of coffee   Email questions or comments to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening! Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

Team TWiV cover the discovery of another giant virus from 30,000 year old Siberian permafrost, and how viral aggregation accelerates the production of new infectious viruses and increases fitness, demonstrating an Allee effect. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit,  Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode PhD and postdoctoral programs at Dept of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 30,000 year old Mollivirus sibericum (PNAS) Aggregating viruses promotes early replication (Curr Biol) Letters read on TWiV 521 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Science Picks Brianne - Why don't we have vaccines against everything? Rich- Golden Globe Race Dickson- The Anatomy of Figure Drawingby Robert Demarest and Warder Clyde Allee Kathy- Orientation of the moon’s appearance, Southern Hemisphere Vincent - Paul has Measles in English and Spanish Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

There are three main genera of free living amoeba that infect humans -- Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia, Naegleria that are are important causes of disease in humans and animals. The topic for today's podcast will be one of them-- Acanthamoeba. Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, free-living amoeba that can cause rare, but severe infections of the eye, skin, and central nervous system. Joining me to talk about Acanthamoeba is Parasitology teacher and author of Parasites: Tales of Humanity's Most Unwelcome Guests, Rosemary Drisdelle.

There are three main genera of free living amoeba that infect humans — Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia, Naegleria that are are important causes of disease in humans and animals. The topic for today’s podcast will be one of them– Acanthamoeba. Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, free-living amoeba that can cause rare, but severe infections of the eye, skin, and central nervous system. Joining me to […] The post Acanthamoeba: A rare and potentially blinding parasite appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The genus Legionella consists of environmental bacteria which are the causative agents of the severe pneumonia Legionnaires’ disease. L. longbeachae and L. pneumophila are able to replicate intracellularly in human alveolar macrophages and aquatic or soil amoebae. In order to replicate within host cells the bacteria establish a compartment derived from the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) which is called “Legionella-containing vacuole” (LCV). A bacterial intracellular multiplication/defective in organelle transport (Icm/Dot) type IV secretion system (T4SS) is essential for the formation of this LCV. The Icm/Dot T4SS enables translocation of effector proteins into the host cell. More than 100 effector proteins are presumably translocated during an L. longbeachae infection whereas around 300 translocated effector proteins are known for L. pneumophila. During maturation the LCV communicates with vesicles from the endocytic vesicle trafficking pathway, avoids fusion with lysosomes and instead fuses with the ER. Phosphoinositides (PI) such as phosphatitdylinositol-4-phosphate (PtdIns(4)P) are enriched on the LCV which mediate the binding of Icm/Dot translocated effector proteins like SidCLpn (substrate of Icm/Dot transporter) as well as its paralogous protein SdcALpn. The 73 kDa effector SidM but not the 106 kDa SidCLpn was found in a previous phosphoinositide pulldown assay with L. pneumophila lysate to be the major PtdIns(4)P binding protein. Using L. longbeachae lysate we showed binding of the 111 kDa SidCLlo to PtdIns(4)P in a phosphoinositide pulldown. This result was confirmed by protein-lipid overlay assays using “PIP-strips”. In further analysis the P4C (PtdIns(4)P-binding of SidC) domain was identified as a 19 kDa domain of SidCLlo located in the amino acid region 609 to 782. This P4C domain was located in the same region as the 20 kDa SidCLpn_P4C domain of L. pneumophila. Both P4C domains can be used as LCV markers. This was shown with GST-tagged proteins binding to LCVs in a cell homogenate. The two P4C domains show a sequence identity of only 45% and the full-length protein of 40%. Circular dichroism measurements revealed that the secondary structure of the two proteins is similar. Moreover, isothermal titration calorimetric measurements indicated a 3.4 higher affinity of SidCLlo towards PtdIns(4)P compared with SidCLpn. In RAW 264.7 macrophages infected with L. longbeachae we showed that endogenous SidCLlo as well as heterologously produced SidCLpn is translocated to the LCV in an Icm/Dot-dependent manner. The deletion of the sidCLlo gene led to a reduced recruitment of calnexin to the LCV in infected Dictyostelium discoideum. This effect was complemented by adding plasmid-encoded SidCLlo, SidCLpn or SdcALpn. The same recruitment defect for a L. pneumophila strain lacking the sidCLpn and sdcALpn genes was complemented by the production of SidCLlo and SidCLpn as published before. Therefore, these effectors play a role for pathogen-host interactions by promoting the recruitment of ER to the LCV. L. longbeachae or L. pneumophila wild-type strains outcompeted their sidC deletion mutant in a competition assay in Acanthamoeba castellanii. However neither of the deletion mutants were impaired in their growth in single strain replication experiments. In summary despite of the small sequence identity and the higher binding affinity to PtdIns(4)P of SidCLlo compared to SidCLpn both effector proteins seem to have similar functions during an infection of Legionella. For the characterization of L. longbeachae-containing vacuoles through proteomic analysis, LCVs had to be isolated from infected D. discoideum or RAW 264.7 macrophages. Endogenous SidCLlo or heterologously produced SidCLpn were used as LCV markers for the isolation. Pathogen vacuoles harbouring L. longbeachae were isolated by immuno-affinity purification using antibodies specifically recognizing SidCLlo or SidCLpn. Future investigations aim at optimizing the LCV purification protocol for L. longbeachae to determine the proteome composition of the L. longbeachae-containing vacuole.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Vincent and Dickson review the biology and pathogenesis of the amoebae Naegleria fowlerii and Acanthamoeba castellani. Links for this episode: N. fowlerii life cycle (CDC) N. fowlerii at Artful Amoeba Naegleria and amoebic meningoencephalitis (MDPH) First case of Naegleria PAM in Italy (Emerg Inf Dis) N. fowlerii in well water (Emerg Inf Dis) Recent N. fowlerii case in Minnesota (Clin Inf Dis) Beat the holiday bug (Sydney Morning Herald) Is your neti pot safe? (Dallas News) Acanthamoeba keratitis fact sheet (CDC) Letters read on TWiP 39 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twip@twiv.tv.