Microbiology Core

临床微生物学和实验室核心（微核心）在这个应用程序中代表了以前分离的微生物学实验室和人类挑战核心的融合。Micro Core将为Cohen博士在项目1中的研究和Elkins博士在项目2中的研究提供标本收集、运输、储存和测试支持，包括检测泌尿生殖器标本中的淋病、衣原体和毛滴虫，以及检测生殖器溃疡病原体，特别是来自软下疳溃疡的ducreyi嗜血杆菌。Micro Core实验室人员执行市售的、fda批准的核酸扩增检测分析，并在没有商业产品存在的情况下开发和验证内部检测分析。微核心的一个关键作用将是按照项目1的要求，为马拉维利隆圭的性病检测提供培训和质量控制和保证计划。此外，我们将追求一个独立的具体目标

The Clinical Microbiology and Laboratory Core (Micro Core) in this application represents a fusion of the previously separate Microbiology Laboratory and Human Challenge Cores. The Micro Core will support specimen collection, transport, storage and testing for Dr. Cohen's studies in Project 1 and Dr. Elkins' studies in Project 2 including detection of gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomonas in urogenital specimens and detection of genital ulcer pathogens with special emphasis on Haemophilus ducreyi from chancroid ulcers. Micro Core lab personnel perform commercially available, FDA-approved nucleic acid amplification detection assays and develop and validate in-house detection assays when no commercial product exists. A key role of the Micro Core will be to provide training and quality control and assurance plans for STD testing in Lilongwe, Malawi as required in Project 1. In addition, we will pursue an independent specific aim to characterize 1-1.ducreyi Class II strains in clinical specimens, founded on Dr. Elkins' recent discovery of an apparent second class of chancroid isolates detailed in the progress report for Project 2 in the current application. To examine the distributions of Class I and Class II H. ducreyi strains for this aim, we will collect and analyze clinical isolates from genital ulcers from geographically diverse populations including STD clinics in Malawi, Madagascar, Cameroon, Congo and China. We will characterize genotypic features associated with the two lineages by PCR amplification length polymorphisms and DNA sequence analyses of the dltA, dsrA and ncaA loci, and phenotypic traits by SDS PAGE and Western Blot for surface protein expression and antigenic characteristics, and in vitro antibiotic susceptibility testing. For Dr. Thomas' studies in Project 3, the Core will conduct human challenge experiments with Neisseria gonorrhoeae variants expressing combinations of pilE, pilC and recA mutations. The resources of the Micro Core include facilities in the UNC Department of Hospital Laboratories, the Verne S. Caviness General Clinical Research Center and in the Division of Infectious Diseases.