Ranaviruses (genus Ranavirus) have been observed in disease epidemics and mass mortality events in free-ranging amphibian, turtle, and tortoise populations worldwide. Infection is highly fatal in turtles, and the potential impact on endangered populations could be devastating. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of ranavirus DNA in blood and oral swabs, report associated clinical si...

The Bordetella pertussis proteins P.69 (also designated pertactin) and pertussis toxin are important virulence factors and have been shown to confer protective immunity in animals and humans. Both proteins are used in the new generation of acellular pertussis vaccines (ACVs), and it is therefore important to study the degree of antigenic variation in these proteins. Sequence analysis of the gen...

BACKGROUND Between July 1997 and April 1998, universal childhood immunization programs in Canada changed from using a whole-cell pertussis to a 5-component acellular pertussis-containing vaccine. To assess effects on pertussis epidemiology of this nationwide change, we analyzed hospitalizations during 1991-2004 using the Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program, Active (IMPACT) pertussis databa...

We have developed the Pertussis Serological Potency Test (PSPT) as an alternative to potency testing of pertussis Whole Cell Vaccines (WCV) in the intracerebral Mouse Protection Test (MPT). The PSPT is based on the humoral antibody response against the whole range of B. pertussis surface-antigens per vaccine dose and correlates well with the MPT. WCV-induced-antibody responses against "protecti...

The reemergence of pertussis has been reported in several countries despite high vaccination coverage. Studies in The Netherlands and Finland have investigated polymorphism in the genes coding for two important virulence factors of Bordetella pertussis, pertactin and pertussis toxin, and identified the emergence and subsequent dominance in circulating strains of pertactin and toxin variants not...

The assessment of atmospheric corrosion is currently based on studies basins (AB). models applied to the estimation imply measurements several meteorological and pollution parameters, which make complex. main parameters be considered in tropical are associated with temperature (T) relative humidity (RH). These also included calculation time humidification (TDH). In addition, pollutants chloride...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Recommendations for the timing of the first well-child visit (WCV) after discharge from a well-baby nursery (WBN) suggest that the visit occur within 48 hours of discharge for those with a WBN length of stay of ≤48 hours and within 3 to 5 days for those with a WBN length of stay of >48 hours. The purpose of these early visits is to detect conditions that may cause read...

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium that causes acute Q fever and chronic infections in humans. A killed, whole cell vaccine is efficacious, but vaccination can result in severe local or systemic adverse reactions. Although T cell responses are considered pivotal for vaccine derived protective immunity, the epitope targets of CD4(+) T cell responses in C. burn...

bordetella pertussis infects the respiratory tract of the human host and causes whooping cough in children. the nature of immunity against bordetella pertussis infection and disease is poorly understood. the aim of this study was to investigate cell mediated immunity in mice immunized with outer membrane component of cell wall, of b. pertussis. a group of mice were immunized with outer membrane...

Benefited from recent breakthrough in wireless power transfer technology, the lifetime of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can be prolonged significantly, generating the concept of wireless rechargeable sensor networks (WRSNs). While most recent works have been focusing on WRSNs with a single wireless charging vehicle (WCV), we investigate the issue of multiple WCVs’ on-line collaborative chargi...