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M T Cushion

Publications and source records attributed to M T Cushion.

88 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
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Assays for testing Pneumocystis carinii viability.

A series of classical vital stains and fluorescent indicator compounds were evaluated as viability assays of P. carinii. The combination of the acetoxymethyl ester of calcein with either ethidium homodimer or propidium iodide distinguished between live, dead and moribund organisms and provided high fluorescence intensity and low bleaching enabling photodocumentation at high magnifications.

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Factors influencing Pneumocystis infection in the immunocompromised rat.

A compromised immune system is the primary predisposing condition for Pneumocystis infection. Factors that contribute to this underlying state of immunosuppression are poorly understood. The presence of common rodent viruses and the role of anti-Pneumocystis antibodies on the progression of natural infection in the corticosteroid-treated rat model of Pneumocystis pneumonia were evaluated. The development and intensity of infection were not affected by the presence or absence of antibodies to these viruses or to major Pneumocystis antigens. A significant increase in survival of Pneumocystis-infected viral antibody-positive rats was observed when these rats were housed under barrier conditions.

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Analysis of the Pneumocystis carinii genome.

Chromosome-specific DNA probes were isolated to identify a particular chromosome in various karyotype band patterns of Pneumocystis. Bands in two P. carinii karyotype patterns hybridized to various DNA probes indicated that homologous chromosomes are of relatively similar sizes in the two P. carinii strains.

DNA Probes↗
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Analyses of Pneumocystis fatty acids.

The major ester-linked fatty acids of the total lipids extracted from Pneumocystis carinii isolated from the lungs of corticosteroid-treated rats were 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2 and 20:4. Others detected included 14:0, 16:1 and 22:4. The major sphingolipid fatty acids were 16:0, 18:0, 22:0, 24:0 and 24:1; others included 14:0, 18:1, 20:0, 23:0, 24:2 and 26:0. The total lipid fatty acid compositions of preparations from appropriate lung controls were similar to those of the organism.

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PubMedDate not supplied

A survey of birds in Denmark for the presence of Pneumocystis carinii.

One hundred eighty-three toluidine blue O-stained necropsy lung imprint smears from different avian species were examined microscopically for Pneumocystis carinii. No cyst forms of the organism could be identified. Seventy-eight serum samples from a total of 155 chickens were examined by a competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibodies to P. carinii; 53 serum samples were from individual chickens, and 25 samples were pools of sera from two to five chickens. Diluted 1:50, the 78 serum samples showed a specific ELISA-inhibition of 4% to 56% (the 95% confidence limit being 25% to 30% inhibition). Diluted 1:50, nine serum pools representing 34 chickens and 17 of the 53 individual serum samples (32.1%) showed an inhibition greater than 30%. No specific pneumocyst DNA could be detected in serum from 13 of the 53 chickens using polymerase chain reaction and dihydrofolate reductase gene as a specific probe. Specific antibodies to a 116,000-molecular-weight antigen of rat pneumocysts were shown in two (13.3%) of 15 individual chicken serum samples. The results indicate that P. carinii organisms do not commonly reside in the lungs of birds, although some birds may be exposed to external sources of organisms.

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