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T A Casey

Publications and source records attributed to T A Casey.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Characterization of Serpulina (Treponema) hyodysenteriae and related intestinal spirochetes by ribosomal RNA gene restriction patterns.

Serpulina (Treponema) hyodysenteriae strain A-1 partially purified rRNA, labelled with photobiotin, was used as a non-radioactive probe to identify the rRNA gene restriction patterns of S. hyodysenteriae strains and other spirochetes. Sau3A restriction enzyme digests resulted in similar rRNA gene restriction patterns in S. hyodysenteriae strains from five different countries. Some S. hyodysenteriae strains could be differentiated by variations in their rRNA gene restriction patterns after cleavage of DNA by restriction enzymes SspI or BglII. S. innocens and Treponema succinifaciens, non-pathogenic pig intestinal spirochetes, had rRNA gene restriction patterns that differed markedly from the S. hyodysenteriae patterns, and from each other.

Animals

Penetrating keratoplasty for bilateral acute corneal calcification.

A 76-year-old man with bilateral practolol-induced dry eyes developed atypical acute bilateral corneal calcification. Serum calcium, phosphate, and urea levels were within normal limits. The calcium deposition progressed rapidly to involve 90% of the right cornea. Right penetrating keratoplasty was performed with subsequent visual rehabilitation of the patient. Left tectonic penetrating keratoplasty was performed 8 weeks later after corneal perforation. The corneal specimens were examined by light and electron microscopy, which showed an atypical calcareous degeneration involving Bowman's layer as well as the full thickness of the stroma. Transmission electron microscopy showed the granular calcification to consist of extracellular, radially orientated aggregates of fine, needle-shaped crystals. Both transplants remained clear with no evidence of postoperative recurrence. To our knowledge this is the first report of bilateral penetrating keratoplasty for acute calcareous degeneration.

Aged

Susceptibility of porcine intestine to pilus-mediated adhesion by some isolates of piliated enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli increases with age.

Two porcine isolates of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) (serogroup O157 and O141) derived from fatal cases of postweaning diarrhea and lacking K88, K99, F41, and 987P pili (4P- ETEC) were tested for adhesiveness to small-intestinal epithelia of pigs of different ages. Neither strain adhered to isolated intestinal brush borders of newborn (1-day-old) pigs in the presence of mannose. However, mannose-resistant adhesion occurred when brush borders from 10-day- and 3- and 6-week-old pigs were used. Electron microscopy revealed that both strains produced fine (3.5-nm) and type 1 pili at 37 degrees C but only type 1 pili at 18 degrees C. Mannose-resistant in vitro adhesion to brush borders of older pigs correlated with the presence of fine pili. These strains produced predominantly fine pili in ligated intestinal loops of both older and newborn pigs, but adherence was greater in loops in older pigs. Immunoelectron microscopic studies, using antiserum raised against piliated bacteria and absorbed with nonpiliated bacteria, of samples from brush border adherence studies revealed labelled appendages between adherent bacteria and intestinal microvilli. Orogastric inoculation of pigs weaned at 10 and 21 days of age indicated significantly (P less than 0.001) higher levels of adhesion by the ETEC to the ileal epithelia of older pigs than to that of younger ones. We suggest that small-intestinal adhesion and colonization by these ETEC isolates is dependent on receptors that develop progressively with age during the first 3 weeks after birth. Furthermore, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that the fine pili described mediate intestinal adhesion by the 4P- ETEC strains studied.

Age Factors

Colonization of the small intestine of weaned pigs by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli that lack known colonization factors.

Intestinal colonization of 3-week-old weaned pigs by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains that were originally isolated from weaned pigs with fatal diarrhea and that lacked K88, K99, F41, and 987P adhesins (4P- ETEC) was studied by histologic, immunofluorescent, and electron microscopic techniques. In the first experiment, 16 principal pigs were inoculated orogastrically with ETEC strain 2134 (serogroup O157: H19) or 2171 (serogroup 0141:H4), and eight control pigs were not inoculated. In the second experiment, 24 principals were inoculated with ETEC strain 2134, and 12 controls were inoculated with a nonenterotoxigenic strain of E. coli. Principal and control pigs were necropsied at intervals from 24 to 72 hours after inoculation of principals to provide the tissues used for this report. Results from the two experiments and with both ETEC strains were similar and therefore were combined. Adhesion by 4P- ETEC was demonstrated in ileum but not in cecum or colon in 22/40 principal pigs sampled at 24 to 72 hours after orogastric inoculation. Adherent bacteria were most apparent on the intestinal villi covering Peyer's patches. Only occasional adherent bacteria were detected in ileal sections from a few (4/20) of the control pigs. Adherence by 4P- ETEC was characterized by "patches" of bacteria closely associated with the lateral surfaces and less frequently with the tips and the bases of intact villi. In most cases, the adherent bacteria were separated from epithelial cell microvilli and other bacterial cells by a 50-400-nm space. Filamentous bacterial appendages bridged this space and formed a network among adjacent bacteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Pathogenicity of porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli that do not express K88, K99, F41, or 987P adhesins.

Three-week-old weaned and colostrum-deprived neonatal (less than 1 day old) pigs were inoculated to determine the pathogenicity of 2 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolates that do not express K88, K99, F41, or 987P adhesins (strains 2134 and 2171). Strains 2134 and 2171 were isolated from pigs that had diarrhea after weaning attributable to enterotoxigenic E coli infection. We found that both strains of E coli adhered in the ileum and caused diarrhea in pigs of both age groups. In control experiments, adherent bacteria were not seen in the ileum of pigs less than 1 day old or 3 weeks old that were noninoculated or inoculated with a nonpathogenic strain of E coli. These control pigs did not develop diarrhea. Antisera raised against strains 2134 and 2171 and absorbed with the autologous strain, grown at 18 C, were used for bacterial-agglutination and colony-immunoblot assays. Both absorbed antisera reacted with strains 2134 and 2171, but not with strains that express K99, F41, or 987P adhesins. A cross-reaction was observed with 2 wild-type K88 strains, but not with a K12 strain that expresses K88 pili. Indirect immunofluorescence with these absorbed antisera revealed adherent bacteria in frozen sections of ileum from pigs infected with either strain. We concluded that these strains are pathogenic and express a common surface antigen that may be a novel adhesin in E coli strains that cause diarrhea in weaned pigs.

Adhesins, Escherichia coli

Prevalence of mitral valve prolapse in keratoconus patients.

Fifty patients with advanced degrees of keratoconus, requiring corneal transplantation, were screened for mitral valve prolapse by two dimensional echocardiography. The overall prevalence of 58% was found to be statistically higher than the prevalence of 7% found in a group of age and sex-matched controls. It was also found to be higher than the previously reported prevalence of 38% in a group of keratoconus patients with similar age and sex match to our series. The findings of our study in conjunction with the histopathological and biochemical similarities between the two conditions strongly suggest that they may be different manifestations of similar defects in collagen metabolism.

Adolescent

Reclassification of Treponema hyodysenteriae and Treponema innocens in a new genus, Serpula gen. nov., as Serpula hyodysenteriae comb. nov. and Serpula innocens comb. nov.

The intestinal anaerobic spirochetes Treponema hyodysenteriae B78T (T = type strain), B204, B169, and A-1, Treponema innocens B256T and 4/71, Treponema succinifaciens 6091T, and Treponema bryantii RUS-1T were compared by performing DNA-DNA reassociation experiments, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell proteins, restriction endonuclease analysis of DNA, and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. DNA-DNA relative reassociation experiments in which the S1 nuclease method was used showed that T. hyodysenteriae B78T and B204 had 93% sequence homology with each other and approximately 40% sequence homology with T. innocens B256T and 4/71. Both T. hyodysenteriae B78T and T. innocens B256T exhibited negligible levels of DNA homology (less than or equal to 5%) with T. succinifaciens 6091T. The results of comparisons of protein electrophoretic profiles corroborated the DNA-DNA reassociation results. We found high levels of similarity (greater than or equal to 96%) in electrophoretic profiles among T. hyodysenteriae strains, moderate levels of similarity (43 to 49%) between T. hyodysenteriae and T. innocens, and no detectable similarity between the profiles of either T. hyodysenteriae or T. innocens and those of T. succinifaciens, T. bryantii, and Escherichia coli. Restriction endonuclease analysis of DNA was not useful in assessing genetic relationships since there was heterogeneity even between strains of T. hyodysenteriae. Partial 16S rRNA sequences of the intestinal spirochetes were determined by using a modified Sanger method and were compared in order to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships among these and other spirochetes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacterial Proteins

Penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus: complications and long-term success.

A series of 100 penetrating keratoplasties for keratoconus performed between 1968 abd 1986 were reviewed for long-term results. The mean follow-up was 6.1 years with a range of 4-16 years. The systemic associations and the postoperative complications were analysed. Grafting in cases associated with Down's syndrome had a higher incidence of complications. 93% of grafts remained clear and 81% achieved a final corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or better. 21% of eyes developed a homograft reaction, with 50% of rejection episodes occurring in the first year after operation. Factors associated with higher incidence of rejection included loose sutures, traumatic wound dehiscence, and grafts larger than 8.5 mm. Only three grafts with rejection episodes lost graft clarity, while rejection in the rest was successfully reversed with topical steroid therapy. No relationship was found between donor age and long-term graft clarity.

Adolescent

Characterization of bovine septicemic, bovine diarrheal, and human enteroinvasive Escherichia coli that hybridize with K88 and F41 accessory gene probes but do not express these adhesins.

Certain DNA probes derived from accessory genes of cloned K88 and F41 determinants hybridize with Escherichia coli strains that express K88 or F41 and with certain other E. coli strains that do not express these antigens. We found that these probes hybridized with human enteroinvasive E. coli, and with bovine E. coli isolates which produced a fatal septicemia in experimentally infected piglets. These strains did not hybridize with probes derived from the structural subunit genes encoding the K88 and F41 antigens. E. coli strains isolated from turkeys with septicemia, Shigella and Salmonella strains did not hybridize to the K88 and F41 accessory gene probes. The K88 and F41 accessory genes probes hybridized with a 200 kb plasmid which is required for invasion by human enteroinvasive E. coli. The K88 and F41 accessory gene homology in the bovine isolates was located on a 150 kb transmissible plasmid but was unrelated to plasmids encoding aerobactin, Vir, or colicin V, which are suspected virulence factors in septicemic E. coli. A common plasmid-encoded antigen was associated with bovine isolates that hybridized with the K88 and F41 accessory gene probes. This included strains which express CS31A, a surface antigen associated with bovine septicemic E. coli, which also hybridized with the K88 and F4 accessory gene probes. The results suggest that the K88 and F41 accessory gene probes hybridized with sequences that may be associated with a common mechanism of pilus expression in distinct groups of E. coli pathogens.

Animals

Detection and identification of Treponema hyodysenteriae by using oligodeoxynucleotide probes complementary to 16S rRNA.

Oligodeoxynucleotide probes (17 and 28 bases long) complementary to a unique region of Treponema hyodysenteriae 16S rRNA were developed. These probes bound specifically to partially purified rRNA and whole-cell rRNA of T. hyodysenteriae. No binding to partially purified rRNA or whole-cell rRNA of Treponema innocens, Treponema succinifaciens, Treponema bryantii, or Escherichia coli occurred under stringent conditions. The 28-base probe was 5 to 10 times more sensitive than the 17-base probe when hybridized with T. hyodysenteriae rRNA. The 28-base probe detected T. hyodysenteriae in the feces of experimentally inoculated pigs exhibiting clinical signs of swine dysentery.

Animals

Phenotype and genotype of Escherichia coli isolated from pigs with postweaning diarrhea in Hungary.

A total of 205 Escherichia coli isolates from 88 diarrheal weanling (4- to 10-week-old) pigs from 59 farms were tested by slide agglutination for K88, K99, F41, and 987P antigens. K88 antigen was detected in 61% of the isolates representing 60% of the pigs and 56% of the farms. K88 antigen was associated with serogroup O149 and 91% of the K88+ isolates. K99, F41, and 987P were not detected. Of the K88- isolates, 70 were additionally tested by colony hybridization with DNA probes for adherence factors K88, K99, 987P, and F41 and for enterotoxin genes STaP, STaH, STb, and LT and by Vero cell assay for verotoxins (VT). The 70 K88- isolates could be divided into three categories: LT-, VT-, STaP+, and/or STb+ (34 isolates); LT-, STaP+, STb+, and/or VT+ (17 isolates); and nontoxigenic (19 isolates). Only one of the K88- isolates carried a known adherence factor (987P) detectable with DNA probes. Most of the STaP+ and STb+ isolates belonged to O groups O141, O147, and O157. All but 1 of the 17 VT+ isolates belonged to O groups O138, O139, O141, and O149. Only three of the VT+ strains were isolated from pigs with edema disease. We concluded that 73% of the K88- isolates had the capability to produce enterotoxins or VT that could have contributed to weanling pig diarrhea.

Adhesins, Escherichia coli

Corneal storage.

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Cornea

Corneo-scleral rim cultures: donor contamination a case of fungal endophthalmitis transmitted by K-Sol stored cornea.

This retrospective study of 549 corneo-scleral rim cultures shows that gentamicin, used in MK and K-Sol medium storage at 4 degrees C, has decreased donor contamination from 43% in whole-globe storage to 13%, but failed to eliminate coagulase negative staphylococci (37%), streptococci (28%) and fungi (28%). Donor-to-host transmitted staphylococcal and streptococcal endophthalmitis have been reported previously. We present the first documented case of donor-to-recipient transmitted fungal endophthalmitis following corneal transplantation using corneas stored in MK or K-Sol solution at 4 degrees C; Candida albicans was isolated. Recommendations are made to assess critically the true incidence of donor fungal contamination and the necessity of adding anti-mycotic agents to preservation medium for 4 degrees C storage. In the absence of ideal antimicrobial cover for corneal preservation solutions, stringent prophylactic measures to reduce contamination and continued monitoring of corneo-scleral rim cultures are warranted, if the poor visual consequences of donor-to-host transmitted endophthalmitis are to be avoided.

Adolescent

Postweaning diarrhea in swine: experimental model of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection.

A reproducible model of postweaning colibacillosis was obtained by controlling management and environmental variables to simulate conditions often seen at weaning. Suckling pigs were exposed briefly to starter diet at 1 week of age, weaned at 3 weeks of age, held at an ambient temperature of 20 +/- 2 C, and again given the starter diet. One day after weaning, each pig was given 10(10) colony-forming units of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain M1823B (O157:K88ac:H43-LT+ STb+) in broth containing 1.2% sodium bicarbonate via stomach tube. In vitro adhesion by strain M1823B to isolated intestinal branch borders was used to test pigs for susceptibility to K88. In this model, 3 syndromes were induced in susceptible pigs: (1) peracute fatal diarrhea; (2) moderate diarrhea, weight loss, and fecal shedding of the inoculum strain; and (3) no diarrhea, weight loss, and fecal shedding of the inoculum strain. Rotavirus particles were not found in fecal specimens of pigs with diarrhea. The K88-susceptible, noninoculated control pigs remained clinically normal. It was concluded that susceptibility to adhesion by K88+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was a requirement for the production of disease in this model; inoculation with rotavirus was not necessary.

Animals

Mitotic activity of corneal endothelial cells in organ culture with recombinant human epidermal growth factor.

Recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF) was assessed for its capacity to stimulate proliferation of human corneal endothelial cells in vitro in organ culture with 87 human corneas. The EGF in defined serum-free (S-F) media was able to stimulate endothelial cell mitosis (t test P less than 0.01) in matched transected human corneas after a four-day incubation period as judged by histologic studies. Clearly defined endothelial mitotic figures were seen in all stages of cell division throughout the endothelial cell layer. The implication of increasing corneal endothelial cell numbers in donor corneas before transplantation using a human growth factor, potentially available in pure form in unlimited quantities, is discussed.

Adolescent

Reducing the risk of corneal graft rejection. A comparison of different methods.

Corneal graft rejection represents the leading cause of failure in corneal transplantation. Two of the major risk factors for graft rejection are previous sensitization, usually in the form of a previous rejected corneal graft and corneal vascularization. The major histocompatibility MHC antigens (HLA, A, B and DR) are the target of the corneal graft rejection process. Because HLA, A, B, and DR antigens have been found in the corneal epithelium, the corneal stroma, and the corneal endothelium, matching patients and donors would seem to reduce the incidence of rejection. The results of studies on HLA, A, B, and DR matching are discussed. Cyclosporin, a fungal by-product, prevents the proliferation of sensitized cytotoxic T cells. Its use topically in corneal transplant patients in a controlled series has also reduced the incidence of rejection. Its use systemically has also been tried in an effort to prevent corneal graft rejection.

Adult