Abstract

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis. First emerging as a pathogen in newborn nurseries in the 1970s, it is now a pathogen of concern in nursing homes, intensive care units and outpatient settings. Little is known about GBS virulence factors. The overall goals of this application are 1) to use genetic fingerprinting techniques to better describe the molecular epidemiology of GBS of several epidemiologically defined collections; and 2) to identify new genes associated with GBS disease. By combining epidemiologic information with molecular genetics, we can maximize our ability to detect GBS virulence-related genes associated with invasive disease, extra-intestinal colonization, transmission and antibiotic resistance. This strategy also gives us insight as to the relative importance of the identified genes and their potential mechanism. A better understanding of the molecular epidemiology and the identification of new GBS virulence genes will facilitate the discovery of new therapies and prevention strategies for GBS disease.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI051675-04
Application #
7009645
Study Section
Epidemiology and Disease Control Subcommittee 2 (EDC)
Program Officer
Rubin, Fran A
Project Start
2003-01-01
Project End
2007-12-31
Budget Start
2006-01-01
Budget End
2006-12-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$439,630
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
073133571
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109

  Publications

Percha, Bethany; Newman, M E J; Foxman, Betsy (2011) Transmission probabilities and durations of immunity for three pathogenic group B Streptococcus serotypes. Infect Genet Evol 11:1407-12
Srinivasan, Usha; Miller, Brady; Debusscher, Joan et al. (2011) Identification of a novel keyhole phenotype in double-disk diffusion assays of clindamycin-resistant erythromycin-sensitive strains of Streptococcus agalactiae. Microb Drug Resist 17:121-4
Seo, Yong Soo; Srinivasan, Usha; Oh, Kwan-Young et al. (2010) Changing molecular epidemiology of group B streptococcus in Korea. J Korean Med Sci 25:817-23
Shin, Youn-Jeong; Ki, Moran; Foxman, Betsy (2009) Epidemiology of neonatal sepsis in South Korea. Pediatr Int 51:225-32
Pillai, P; Srinivasan, U; Zhang, L et al. (2009) Streptococcus agalactiae pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns cross capsular types. Epidemiol Infect 137:1420-5
Thumma, Jyothi; Aiello, Allison E; Foxman, Betsy (2009) The association between handwashing practices and illness symptoms among college students living in a university dormitory. Am J Infect Control 37:70-2
Foxman, Betsy; de Azevedo, Carmen L B; Buxton, Miatta et al. (2008) Acquisition and transmission of group B Streptococcus during pregnancy. J Infect Dis 198:1375-8
Smith, T C; Roehl, S A; Pillai, P et al. (2007) Distribution of novel and previously investigated virulence genes in colonizing and invasive isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae. Epidemiol Infect 135:1046-54
Foxman, B; Gillespie, B W; Manning, S D et al. (2007) Risk factors for group B streptococcal colonization: potential for different transmission systems by capsular type. Ann Epidemiol 17:854-62
Manning, Shannon D; Ki, Moran; Marrs, Carl F et al. (2006) The frequency of genes encoding three putative group B streptococcal virulence factors among invasive and colonizing isolates. BMC Infect Dis 6:116

Showing the most recent 10 out of 13 publications