The introduction of nonnative oysters (i.e., Crassostrea ariakensis) into the Chesapeake Bay has been proposed as necessary for the restoration of the oyster industry; however, nothing is known about the public health risks related to contamination of these oysters with human pathogens. Commercial market-size C. ariakensis triploids were maintained in large marine tanks with water of low (8-ppt...

The microsporidia are emerging human and veterinary pathogens known to infect every tissue type and organ system. Their infectious spore possesses a number of peculiar organelles, including the diagnostic polar tube. In a proteomics-driven effort to find novel components of this organelle in the human-pathogenic species Encephalitozoon cuniculi, we unexpectedly discovered a protein which locali...

Encephalitozoon species are strict intracellular microsporidia. Cocultures with eukaryotic cell lines can become accidently contaminated by mycoplasmas. We propose a decontamination protocol based on differential cell targeting after intraperitoneal inoculation in mice. Mycoplasma-free microsporidia were isolated from the brains and spleens of inoculated mice 24 h postinoculation by using the c...

The use of oligonucleotide microarray technology requires a very detailed attention for the design of specific probes spotted on the solid phase. These problems are far from being commonplace since they refer to complex physicochemical constraints. Despite the widespread use of this technology, there are very few publicly available programs for microarray oligonucleotide design. In this paper, ...

Several species of bumblebees have recently experienced range contractions and possible extinctions. While threats to bees are numerous, few analyses have attempted to understand the relative importance of multiple stressors. Such analyses are critical for prioritizing conservation strategies. Here, we describe a landscape analysis of factors predicted to cause bumblebee declines in the USA. We...

Microsporidia, as a group, cause a wide range of infections, though two species of microsporidia in particular, Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis, are associated with gastrointestinal disease in humans. To date, the mode of transmission and environmental occurrence of microsporidia have not been elucidated due to lack of sensitive and specific screening methods. The prese...

Two species of microsporidia, Encephalitozoon hellem and Encephalitozoon intestinalis, were isolated from AIDS patients and cultured in green monkey kidney cells. A spore germination assay and a cultured-cell infection assay were used to test the efficacy of candidate antiparasitic agents. The calcium channel blocker nifedipine, metronidazole, and two nitric oxide (NO) donors, S-nitroso-N-acety...

Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are frequently reared for meat production in China. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and risk factors of infection in domestic rabbits raised in Henan province, central China. 1,213 serum samples of domestic rabbits were collected and tested for anti-T. gondii and anti-E. cuniculi antibodies...