Browsing by Author "Waldrop, Steven Grant"

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    Brucella abortus RB51 ΔleuB expressing Salmonella FliC conjugated gonadotropins reduces mouse fetal numbers: A possible feral swine brucellosis immunocontraceptive vaccine
    Waldrop, Steven Grant; Smith, Garrett P.; Boyle, Stephen M.; Sriranganathan, Nammalwar (2021-02)
    Population and health management of wildlife is a key to environmental health, domestic herd health, and ultimately public health. Many different methods including: surgical sterilization, poison baits, and sponsored hunting programs have been used in the attempt to control populations of various nuisance animal species. Particular interest has been given to immunocontraception through wildlife vaccination protocols. This study specifically looked at the potential immunocontraceptive and protective properties of a Brucella abortus RB51 Delta leuB vaccine expressing Salmonella typhimurium FliC conjugated to porcine follicle stimulating hormone beta subunit (FSH beta) or gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) DNA sequences. B. abortus RB51 Delta leuB pNS4-TrcD-FliC-FSH beta (RB51LFSH beta) and B. abortus RB51 Delta leuB pNS4-TrcD-FliC-GnRH (RB51LGnRH) were tested in a pilot breeding study with BALB/c mice, and a significant reduction in fertility characteristics was observed in both male and female mice. Ultimately, this study provides support to test these vaccine candidates in feral swine, a destructive invasive species in the United States of America.
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    Intracellular invasion and survival of Brucella neotomae, another possible zoonotic Brucella species
    Waldrop, Steven Grant; Sriranganathan, Nammalwar (PLOS, 2019)
    In 1967, Brucella neotomae was first isolated from Neotoma lepida, the dessert wood rat, in Utah. With little infection data since its discovery, the zoonotic potential of this Brucella species is largely unknown. Recent reports of isolation from human cerebrospinal fluid, along with current literature suggest that B. neotomae has the ability to infect various hosts and cell types. In this report we extend the knowledge of B. neotomae ATCC 23459's intracellular invasion and survival abilities to a variety of cell lines through gentamicin protection assays. Some of the phagocytic and epithelial cell lines from various mammalian species represent characteristics of some cell types that could be encountered by Brucella in potential hosts. It was found that B. neotomae ATCC 23459 exhibits generally lower intracellular bacterial CFUs compared to the mouse-passaged strain of B. neotomae ATCC 23459, B. suis 1330, and B. abortus 2308. Ultimately, these observations provide a small piece of the puzzle in the investigation of the breadth of B. neotomae's pathogenic potential.