Last data update: Apr 22, 2024. (Total: 46599 publications since 2009)
Records 1-11 (of 11 Records) |
Query Trace: Ullmann H [original query] |
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Harmonizing disability data to improve disability research and policy
Mont D , Madans J , Weeks JD , Ullmann H . Health Aff (Millwood) 2022 41 (10) 1442-1448 Disability is complex and multifaceted, complicating governments' efforts to collect the high-quality, comprehensive data necessary for developing, implementing, and monitoring policies. Yet data are needed to obtain information on functioning in the population, to identify the population with disabilities, and to disaggregate indicators of well-being by disability to determine whether people with disabilities are participating in society to the same extent as those without disabilities. In this article we discuss the need for data harmonization to improve disability research and policy. We describe standard question sets on disability developed for inclusion in surveys and administrative systems, as well as the need for coordination of both statistical and administrative data systems. Until disability data become more harmonized, it will not be possible to support the development of comprehensive, evidence-based policies and programs to address the needs of the population with disabilities. |
A transwell assay method to evaluate Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto migratory chemoattraction toward tick saliva proteins
Van Gundy TJ , Ullmann AJ , Brandt KS , Gilmore RD . Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021 12 (5) 101782 We developed a transwell assay to quantify migration of the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), toward Ixodes scapularis salivary gland proteins. The assay was designed to assess B. burgdorferi s.s. migration upward against gravity through a transwell polycarbonate membrane overlaid with 6% gelatin. Borreliae that channeled into the upper transwell chamber in response to test proteins were enumerated by flow cytometry. The transwell assay measured chemoattractant activity for B. burgdorferi s.s. from salivary gland extract (SGE) harvested from nymphal ticks during bloodmeal engorgement on mice 42 h post-attachment and saliva collected from adult ticks. Additionally, SGE protein fractions separated by size exclusion chromatography demonstrated various levels of chemoattractant activity in the transwell assay. Sialostatin L, and Salp-like proteins 9 and 11 were identified by mass spectrometry in SGE fractions that exhibited elevated activity. Recombinant forms of these proteins were tested in the transwell assay and showed positive chemoattractant properties compared to controls and another tick protein, S15A. These results were reproducible providing evidence that the transwell assay is a useful method for continuing investigations to find tick saliva components instrumental in driving B. burgdorferi s.s. chemotaxis. |
Evaluation of in vivo expressed Borrelia burgdorferi antigens for improved IgM serodiagnosis of early Lyme disease
Brandt KS , Ullmann AJ , Molins CR , Horiuchi K , Biggerstaff BJ , Gilmore RD . Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 93 (3) 196-202 Improved serologic tests are needed for accurate diagnosis and proper treatment of early stage Lyme disease. We evaluated the 3 antigens currently used for 2-tiered IgM immunoblot testing (FlaB, OspC, and BmpA) in combination with 3 additional antigens (BBA65, BBA70, and BBA73) and measured the sensitivity and specificity against a serum repository of positive and negative controls. Using 3 statistical methods for positivity cutoff determinations and scoring criteria, we found increased sensitivities for early Lyme disease when 2 of 6 antigens were positive as compared with the 2 of 3 antigen IgM criteria currently used for second-tier immunoblot scoring. Specificities for negative controls were comparable or superior to using 2 of 3 antigens. These results indicate that IgM sensitivity and specificity of serological testing for Lyme disease in the early stages of illness can be improved by employing antigens that target the initial host antibody responses. |
Evaluation of doxycycline-laden oral bait and topical fipronil delivered in a single bait box to control Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) and reduce Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in small mammal reservoirs and host-seeking ticks
Dolan MC , Schulze TL , Jordan RA , Schulze CJ , Ullmann AJ , Hojgaard A , Williams MA , Piesman J . J Med Entomol 2016 54 (2) 403-410 A field trial was conducted on residential properties in a Lyme disease endemic area of New Jersey to determine the efficacy of Maxforce Tick Management System (TMS) bait boxes modified with doxycycline hyclate-laden bait to reduce the acarological risk of Lyme disease and the utility of galvanized steel shrouds to protect the bait boxes from squirrel depredation and ability to routinely service these devices. The strategy began with a 9-wk deployment against larvae followed by a 17-wk deployment against nymphs and larvae the second year. Passive application of fipronil reduced nymphal and larval tick burdens on small mammals by 76 and 77%, respectively, and nymphal tick abundance by 81% on treated properties. In addition, the percentage of infected small mammals recovered from intervention areas following treatment was reduced by 96% for Borrelia burgdorferi and 93% for Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection prevalence in host-seeking nymphal ticks for both B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum were reduced by 93 and 61%, respectively. Results indicate that Maxforce TMS bait boxes fitted with doxycycline-impregnated bait is an effective means of reducing ticks and infection prevalence for B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum in both rodent reservoirs and questing Ixodes scapularis Say ticks. The protective shroud allows the device to be routinely serviced and protect against squirrel depredation. |
Enhanced protective immunogenicity of homodimeric Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein C
Edmondson DG , Prabhakaran S , Norris SJ , Ullmann AJ , Piesman J , Dolan M , Probst C , Radzimski C , Stocker W , Komorowski L . Clin Vaccine Immunol 2016 24 (1) Lyme borreliosis is caused by tick-transmitted spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group and is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and Europe. Outer surface protein C (OspC) is a 23 kDa outer surface lipoprotein expressed during spirochete transmission from the tick to the vertebrate host. In a previous study, we found that immunization with a recombinant disulfide-bridged dimeric form of OspC (D-OspC) stimulates increased antibody responses relative to immunization with commonly employed monomeric OspC. Here we report that mice immunized with dimeric OspC proteins also exhibited enhanced protection against infection with the cognate B. burgdorferi strain. Mice were protected by four immunizations containing as little as 100 nanograms of dimeric OspC, suggesting that this form of the protein can induce protective immunity within a dose range reasonable for a human or veterinary vaccine. In contrast, monomeric OspC was only partially protective at much higher doses. IgG subclass analysis revealed that D-OspC immunized animals mainly possessed anti-OspC-IgG1. In contrast, infected animals develop anti-OspC restricted to the IgG3 isotype. A subset of antibodies generated by dimeric OspC immunization did not recognize the monomeric variant, indicating that unique epitopes exist on the dimeric form. Moreover, monoclonal antibodies that recognized only dimeric OspC protected mice from B. burgdorferi challenge, whereas another monoclonal that recognized both immunogens was not protective. These studies suggest that this dimeric OspC presents distinctive epitopes that generate antibodies protective against B. burgdorferi infection and could be a useful vaccine component. |
Evaluation of selected Borrelia burgdorferi lp54 encoded gene products expressed during mammalian infection as antigens to improve serodiagnostic testing for early Lyme disease.
Weiner ZP , Crew RM , Brandt KS , Ullmann AJ , Schriefer ME , Molins CR , Gilmore RD . Clin Vaccine Immunol 2015 22 (11) 1176-86 Laboratory testing for the diagnosis of Lyme disease is performed primarily by serologic assays and is accurate for detection beyond the acute stage of the infection. Serodiagnostic assays to detect the early stages of infection, however, are limited in their sensitivity and improvement is warranted. We analyzed a series of Borrelia burgdorferi proteins known to be induced either within feeding ticks and/or during mammalian infection for their utility as serodiagnostic markers against a comprehensive panel of Lyme disease patient serum samples. The antigens were assayed for IgM and IgG reactivity in line immunoblots and separately by ELISA, with a focus on reactivity against early Lyme erythema migrans (EM), early disseminated Lyme neuroborreliosis, and early Lyme carditis patient serum samples. By IgM immunoblotting, we found that recombinant proteins BBA65, BBA70, and BBA73 reacted with early Lyme EM samples at levels comparable to the OspC antigen used in the current IgM blotting criteria. Additionally, these proteins reacted with serum samples from patients with early neuroborreliosis and early carditis suggesting value in detecting early stages of this disease progression. We also found serological reactivity against recombinant proteins BBA69 and BBA73 with early Lyme samples using IgG immunoblotting and ELISA. Significantly, some samples that had been scored negative by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended 2-tiered testing algorithm demonstrated positive reactivity to one or more of the antigens by IgM/IgG immunoblot and ELISA. These results suggest that incorporating additional in vivo expressed antigens in the current IgM/IgG immunoblotting tier in a recombinant protein platform assay may improve the performance of early Lyme disease serologic testing. |
Evaluation of Borrelia burgdorferi BbHtrA protease as a vaccine candidate for Lyme borreliosis in mice
Ullmann AJ , Russell TM , Dolan MC , Williams M , Hojgaard A , Weiner ZP , Johnson BJ . PLoS One 2015 10 (6) e0128868 Borrelia burgdorferi synthesizes an HtrA protease (BbHtrA) which is a surface-exposed, conserved protein within Lyme disease spirochetes with activity toward CheX and BmpD of Borrelia spp, as well as aggrecan, fibronectin and proteoglycans found in skin, joints and neural tissues of vertebrates. An antibody response against BbHtrA is observed in Lyme disease patients and in experimentally infected laboratory mice and rabbits. Given the surface location of BbHtrA on B. burgdorferi and its ability to elicit an antibody response in infected hosts, we explored recombinant BbHtrA as a potential vaccine candidate in a mouse model of tick-transmitted Lyme disease. We immunized mice with two forms of BbHtrA: the proteolytically active native form and BbHtrA ablated of activity by a serine to alanine mutation at amino acid 226 (BbHtrAS226A). Although inoculation with either BbHtrA or BbHtrAS226A produced high-titer antibody responses in C3H/HeJ mice, neither antigen was successful in protecting mice from B. burgdorferi challenge. These results indicate that the search for novel vaccine candidates against Lyme borreliosis remains a challenge. |
Efficacy of an experimental azithromycin cream for prophylaxis of tick-transmitted Lyme disease spirochete infection in a murine model
Piesman J , Hojgaard A , Ullmann AJ , Dolan MC . Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013 58 (1) 348-51 As an alternative to oral prophylaxis for the prevention of tick transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, we tested antibiotic cream prophylactic formulations in a murine model of spirochete infection. A 4% preparation of doxycycline cream afforded no protection, but a single application of 4% azithromycin cream was 100% protective when applied directly to the tick bite site at the time of tick removal. Indeed, the azithromycin cream was 100% effective when applied up to 3 days after tick removal and protected 74% of mice exposed to tick bite when applied up to 2 weeks after tick removal. Azithromycin cream was also protective when applied at a site distal to the tick-bite-site, suggesting it was having a systemic effect in addition to a local transdermal effect. Mice that were protected from tick-transmitted infection did not seroconvert and did not infect larval ticks on xenodiagnosis. Azithromycin cream formulations appear to hold promise for Lyme disease prophylaxis. |
Immunization with adenoviral-vectored tick salivary gland proteins (SALPs) in a murine model of Lyme borreliosis
Ullmann AJ , Dolan MC , Sackal CA , Fikrig E , Piesman J , Zeidner NS . Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2012 4 160-3 Prior exposure of vertebrate hosts to tick salivary proteins can induce specific immunity to tick infestation, as well as affording protection against tick-transmitted Borrelia burgdorferi infection in the mammalian host. Vaccination using an adenovirus expression system to deliver 4 tick salivary proteins (Ad-Salps) derived from Ixodes scapularis, Salp15, Salp25A, Salp25D, and Isac, was explored. Results indicate that vaccination with tick salivary proteins in an adenoviral vector can be used to modulate a Th1 response in the host and partially control spirochete load in immunized mice after infected tick challenge. |
Elimination of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in rodent reservoirs and Ixodes scapularis ticks using a doxycycline hyclate-laden bait
Dolan MC , Schulze TL , Jordan RA , Dietrich G , Schulze CJ , Hojgaard A , Ullmann AJ , Sackal C , Zeidner NS , Piesman J . Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011 85 (6) 1114-20 A field trial was conducted in a Lyme disease-endemic area of New Jersey to determine the efficacy of a doxycyline hyclate rodent bait to prophylactically protect and cure small-mammal reservoirs and reduce infection rates in questing Ixodes scapularis ticks for Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The doxycycline-laden bait was formulated at a concentration of 500 mg/kg and delivered during the immature tick feeding season in rodent-targeted bait boxes. The percentage of infected small mammals recovered from treated areas after 2 years of treatment was reduced by 86.9% for B. burgdorferi and 74% for A. phagocytophilum. Infection rates in questing nymphal ticks for both B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum were reduced by 94.3% and 92%, respectively. Results from this study indicate that doxycycline-impregnated bait is an effective means of reducing infection rates for B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum in both rodent reservoirs and questing I. scapularis ticks. |
The costs of respiratory illnesses arising from Florida gulf coast Karenia brevis blooms
Hoagland P , Jin D , Polansky LY , Kirkpatrick B , Kirkpatrick G , Fleming LE , Reich A , Watkins SM , Ullmann SG , Backer LC . Environ Health Perspect 2009 117 (8) 1239-43 BACKGROUND: Algal blooms of Karenia brevis, a harmful marine algae, occur almost annually off the west coast of Florida. At high concentrations, K. brevis blooms can cause harm through the release of potent toxins, known as brevetoxins, to the atmosphere. Epidemiologic studies suggest that aerosolized brevetoxins are linked to respiratory illnesses in humans. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized a relationship between K. brevis blooms and respiratory illness visits to hospital emergency departments (EDs) while controlling for environmental factors, disease, and tourism. We sought to use this relationship to estimate the costs of illness associated with aerosolized brevetoxins. METHODS: We developed a statistical exposure-response model to express hypotheses about the relationship between respiratory illnesses and bloom events. We estimated the model with data on ED visits, K. brevis cell densities, and measures of pollen, pollutants, respiratory disease, and intra-annual population changes. RESULTS: We found that lagged K. brevis cell counts, low air temperatures, influenza outbreaks, high pollen counts, and tourist visits helped explain the number of respiratory-specific ED diagnoses. The capitalized estimated marginal costs of illness for ED respiratory illnesses associated with K. brevis blooms in Sarasota County, Florida, alone ranged from $0.5 to $4 million, depending on bloom severity. CONCLUSIONS: Blooms of K. brevis lead to significant economic impacts. The costs of illness of ED visits are a conservative estimate of the total economic impacts. It will become increasingly necessary to understand the scale of the economic losses associated with K. brevis blooms to make rational choices about appropriate mitigation. |
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