Genetic Determinants of Anaplasma Transmission

研究建议：无浆体(立克次体亚目)内的病原体可引起人类和动物疾病，包括人类粒细胞性埃立克体病(HGE)、马埃立克体病以及牛羊无浆体病。这些病原体是革兰氏阴性的小细菌，必须是胞内细菌，需要硬蜱才能传播。扁虱体内的感染是在对受感染的哺乳动物的血餐过程中开始的。然后，无浆体进入中肠上皮细胞，复制，并移动到唾液腺。当受感染的扁虱摄入第二顿血时，细菌通过唾液分泌传播。重要的是，已鉴定出食性嗜血杆菌和边缘嗜血杆菌的壁虱传播率存在差异。HGE的发生率与细菌种群中的遗传变异量之间存在很强的相关性，这表明只有特定的吞噬弧菌基因型才能从储存库物种传播给人类。然而，病原体通过扁虱传播的遗传决定因素尚不清楚，这表明我们在预防疾病暴发方面的知识存在显著差距。我建议研究可传播和不可传播的边缘无浆体菌株，作为鉴定无浆体spp分子决定因素的模型。变速箱。 应聘者：应聘者是一名兽医，有两年的临床实践经验，包括一次实习，将于2002年6月完成她在解剖病理学领域的三年实习。为备战研究雨，考生已完成博士授课工作，并通过博士初试。这份文件中提出的研究构成了她完成专注于媒介传播和紧急疾病的博士研究的计划。 环境：兽医微生物学和病理学系为传染病研究提供现代化的研究设施和高度互动的培训环境，包括学科内和学科间的研究生教育以及大学内外的广泛合作。赞助商在媒介传播疾病方面有一个积极的研究计划，成功地指导了临床医生、研究生和博士后研究员进行独立研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Research Proposal: Pathogens within the genus Anaplasma (order Rickettsiales) cause human and animal diseases including human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), equine ehrlichiosis, and bovine and ovine anaplasmosis. These pathogens are small, Gram-negative, obligately intracellular bacteria that require ixodid ticks for transmission. Infection within the tick is initiated during a blood meal on an infected mammal. Anaplasma then enters the midgut epithelial cells, replicates, and moves to the salivary glands. The bacteria are transmitted via the salivary secretion when the infected tick ingests a second blood meal. Importantly, differences in the tick transmissibility of both A. phagocytophila and A. marginale have been identified. There is strong correlation between the incidence of HGE and the amount of genetic variation in the bacterial population suggesting that only certain A. phagocytophila genotypes are transmitted from the reservoir species to humans. However, the genetic determinants of pathogen transmissibility by ticks are unknown, representing a significant gap in our knowledge relevant to prevention of disease outbreaks. I propose to study transmissible and non-transmissible strains of Anaplasma marginale as a model to identify the molecular determinants of Anaplasma spp. transmission. The Candidate: The candidate is a veterinarian with two years of experience in clinical practice, including an internship, and will complete her 3 year residency in anatomic pathology in June 2002. In preparation for research raining, the candidate has completed the didactic course work for the PhD and passed the doctoral preliminary examination. The research proposed in this document constitutes her plan to complete doctoral research focusing on vector borne and emergent disease. Environment: The Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology provides both modern research facilities for infectious disease research and a highly interactive training environment including intra- and interdisciplinary graduate education and extensive collaboration both within and the outside the university. The sponsor has an active research program in vector borne disease has successfully mentored clinicians, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows to research independence.