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Bacillus anthracis

About: Bacillus anthracis is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3994 publications have been published within this topic receiving 128122 citations.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the efficacy and mechanisms of protection of two live vaccines and of a protective antigen (PA) vaccine against Bacillus anthracis were studied in inbred mice.

129 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results indicated that the sensor yielded a distinct response to B. anthracis spores or vegetative cells but had no significant response to Bacillus thuringiensis species, helpful in the fabrication of a similar biosensor that may be available in anti-bioterrorism in the future.

129 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The characteristics of host and Bacillus anthracis interactions in a murine pulmonary-infection model are described to investigate the importance of specific bacterial genes in virulence, to identify components of the host immune system that are important in providing innate and acquired protection, and for testing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Abstract: Bioweapons are most often designed for delivery to the lung, although this route is not the usual portal of entry for many of the pathogens in the natural environment. Vaccines and therapeutics that are efficacious for natural routes of infection may not be effective against the pulmonary route. Pulmonary models are needed to investigate the importance of specific bacterial genes in virulence, to identify components of the host immune system that are important in providing innate and acquired protection, and for testing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This report describes the characteristics of host and Bacillus anthracis interactions in a murine pulmonary-infection model. The infective dose varied depending on the route and method of inoculation. The germination process in the lung began within 1 h of inoculation into the lung, although growth within the lung was limited. B. anthracis was found in the lung-associated lymph nodes ∼5 h after infection. Minimal pneumonitis was associated with the lung infection, but significant systemic pathology was noted after dissemination. Infected mice typically succumbed to infection ∼3 to 4 days after inoculation. The 50% lethal doses differed among inbred strains of mice, but within a given mouse strain, neither the age nor the sex of the mice influenced susceptibility to B. anthracis.

129 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Bioinformatic analyses of the B. anthracis genome revealed genes with similarity to the iron-regulated surface determinant system responsible for heme uptake in Staphylococcus aureus, and protein product of one of these genes, isdG, binds hemin in a manner resembling the heme binding of known heme oxygenases, suggesting that IsdG functions as a heme-degrading monooxygenase in B. Anthracis.
Abstract: Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, utilizes hemin and hemoglobin for growth in culture, suggesting that these host molecules serve as sources for the nutrient iron during bacterial infection. Bioinformatic analyses of the B. anthracis genome revealed genes with similarity to the iron-regulated surface determinant (isd) system responsible for heme uptake in Staphylococcus aureus. We show that the protein product of one of these genes, isdG, binds hemin in a manner resembling the heme binding of known heme oxygenases. Formation of IsdG:hemin complexes in the presence of a suitable electron donor, e.g., ascorbate or cytochrome P450 reductase, promotes catalytic degradation of hemin to biliverdin with concomitant release of iron. IsdG is required for B. anthracis utilization of hemin as a sole iron source, and it is also necessary for bacterial protection against heme-mediated toxicity. These data suggest that IsdG functions as a heme-degrading monooxygenase in B. anthracis.

128 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A global occurrence dataset of human, livestock and wildlife anthrax outbreaks is compiled and a map of the global distribution of B. anthracis is produced to map where anthrax risk could disrupt sensitive conservation efforts for wild ungulates that coincide with anthrax-prone landscapes.
Abstract: Bacillus anthracis is a spore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium responsible for anthrax, an acute infection that most significantly affects grazing livestock and wild ungulates, but also poses a threat to human health. The geographic extent of B. anthracis is poorly understood, despite multi-decade research on anthrax epizootic and epidemic dynamics; many countries have limited or inadequate surveillance systems, even within known endemic regions. Here, we compile a global occurrence dataset of human, livestock and wildlife anthrax outbreaks. With these records, we use boosted regression trees to produce a map of the global distribution of B. anthracis as a proxy for anthrax risk. We estimate that 1.83 billion people (95% credible interval (CI): 0.59-4.16 billion) live within regions of anthrax risk, but most of that population faces little occupational exposure. More informatively, a global total of 63.8 million poor livestock keepers (95% CI: 17.5-168.6 million) and 1.1 billion livestock (95% CI: 0.4-2.3 billion) live within vulnerable regions. Human and livestock vulnerability are both concentrated in rural rainfed systems throughout arid and temperate land across Eurasia, Africa and North America. We conclude by mapping where anthrax risk could disrupt sensitive conservation efforts for wild ungulates that coincide with anthrax-prone landscapes.

128 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
20241
202381
2022169
202181
2020116
2019106