71 results on '"Brooks TJ"'
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2. Quantitative Recovery of Alkaline Phosphatase and γ-Glutamyl Transferase Isoenzymes after Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis
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Brooks, TJ and Sammons, HG
- Abstract
Loss of activity of the isoenzymes of γ-glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase has been shown to occur during electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. After studying the possible factors concerned in this loss, reasonable recovery from the gel can be obtained only for the isoenzyme staying at the origin. Maximum recovery is 60% for origin γ-glutamyl transferase and 92% for origin alkaline phosphatase.
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- 1980
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3. Current concepts and practical applications for recovery, growth, and peak performance following significant athletic injury.
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Brooks TJ, Bradstreet TC, and Partridge JA
- Abstract
For decades, physicians, athletic trainers, and other health care professionals have worked to standardize the recovery process following injury to enhance patient outcomes and to help set appropriate goals for return to competition. Traditionally, these efforts have focused primarily on physical and/or physiological aspects of healing with little consideration for psychological aspects. Concurrently, mental health professionals who work with athletes have developed strategies to enhance performance and minimize negative influences of mental aspects of recovery while promoting approaches that include mental as well as physical recovery. Several strategies have emerged that further encourage a multi-faceted and interdisciplinary approach when helping injured patients return to participation. While important in a healthy population, the practical applications of these strategies are likely more critical for an athlete working through the recovery process with an ultimate goal of returning to competition. Despite these realities, both practical experience and a dearth of literature point to the traditional athletic healthcare providers' common focus on physical aspects of recovery and psychological professionals' focus primarily on mental aspects has resulted in sub-optimal outcomes compared to the likely benefits of an integrated approach. This article is intended to characterize current concepts in the fields of sport psychology and mental health concerning the importance of mental aspects of recovery in returning to play. Next, the authors will examine how modern theories can influence practice and discuss how these strategies can be effectively integrated and leveraged to enhance recovery and the athlete's enjoyment of the rehabilitation and ultimately restoration process., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Brooks, Bradstreet and Partridge.)
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- 2022
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4. Integrating Datasets on Public Health and Clinical Aspects of Sickle Cell Disease for Effective Community-Based Research and Practice.
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Isokpehi RD, Johnson CP, Tucker AN, Guatam A, Brooks TJ, Johnson MO, Cozart T, and Wathington DJ
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Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disease that has multiple aspects including public health and clinical aspects. The goals of the research study were to (1) understand the public health aspects of sickle cell disease, and (2) understand the overlap between public health aspects and clinical aspects that can inform research and practice beneficial to stakeholders in sickle cell disease management. The approach involved the construction of datasets from textual data sources produced by experts on sickle cell disease including from landmark publications published in 2020 on sickle cell disease in the United States. The interactive analytics of the integrated datasets that we produced identified that community-based approaches are common to both public health and clinical aspects of sickle cell disease. An interactive visualization that we produced can aid the understanding of the alignment of governmental organizations to recommendations for addressing sickle cell disease in the United States. From a global perspective, the interactive analytics of the integrated datasets can support the knowledge transfer stage of the SICKLE recommendations (Skills transfer, Increasing self-efficacy, Coordination, Knowledge transfer, Linking to adult services, and Evaluating readiness) for effective pediatric to adult transition care for patients with sickle cell disease. Considering the increased digital transformations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the constructed datasets from expert recommendations can be integrated within remote digital platforms that expand access to care for individuals living with sickle cell disease. Finally, the interactive analytics of integrated expert recommendations on sickle cell disease management can support individual and team expertise for effective community-based research and practice.
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- 2020
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5. Presence and Persistence of Zika Virus RNA in Semen, United Kingdom, 2016.
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Atkinson B, Thorburn F, Petridou C, Bailey D, Hewson R, Simpson AJ, Brooks TJ, and Aarons EJ
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- Adult, Humans, Male, United Kingdom epidemiology, Zika Virus Infection virology, RNA, Viral isolation & purification, Semen virology, Zika Virus isolation & purification, Zika Virus Infection transmission
- Abstract
Zika virus RNA has been detected in semen collected several months after onset of symptoms of infection. Given the potential for sexual transmission of Zika virus and for serious fetal abnormalities resulting from infection during pregnancy, information regarding the persistence of Zika virus in semen is critical for advancing our understanding of potential risks. We tested serial semen samples from symptomatic male patients in the United Kingdom who had a diagnosis of imported Zika virus infection. Among the initial semen samples from 23 patients, Zika virus RNA was detected at high levels in 13 (56.5%) and was not detected in 9 (39.1%); detection was indeterminate in 1 sample (4.4%). After symptomatic infection, a substantial proportion of men have detectable Zika virus RNA at high copy numbers in semen during early convalescence, suggesting high risk for sexual transmission. Viral RNA clearance times are not consistent and can be prolonged.
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- 2017
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6. Diagnosis of Ebola Virus Disease: Past, Present, and Future.
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Broadhurst MJ, Brooks TJ, and Pollock NR
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- Clinical Laboratory Techniques trends, Diagnostic Tests, Routine trends, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola epidemiology, Humans, Clinical Laboratory Techniques methods, Diagnostic Tests, Routine methods, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola diagnosis
- Abstract
Laboratory diagnosis of Ebola virus disease plays a critical role in outbreak response efforts; however, establishing safe and expeditious testing strategies for this high-biosafety-level pathogen in resource-poor environments remains extremely challenging. Since the discovery of Ebola virus in 1976 via traditional viral culture techniques and electron microscopy, diagnostic methodologies have trended toward faster, more accurate molecular assays. Importantly, technological advances have been paired with increasing efforts to support decentralized diagnostic testing capacity that can be deployed at or near the point of patient care. The unprecedented scope of the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola epidemic spurred tremendous innovation in this arena, and a variety of new diagnostic platforms that have the potential both to immediately improve ongoing surveillance efforts in West Africa and to transform future outbreak responses have reached the field. In this review, we describe the evolution of Ebola virus disease diagnostic testing and efforts to deploy field diagnostic laboratories in prior outbreaks. We then explore the diagnostic challenges pervading the 2014-2015 epidemic and provide a comprehensive examination of novel diagnostic tests that are likely to address some of these challenges moving forward., (Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)
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- 2016
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7. Viraemia and Ebola virus secretion in survivors of Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional cohort study.
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Green E, Hunt L, Ross JCG, Nissen NM, Curran T, Badhan A, Sutherland KA, Richards J, Lee JS, Allen SH, Laird S, Blackman M, Collacott I, Parker PA, Walbridge A, Phillips R, Sellu SJ, Dama A, Sheriff AK, Zombo J, Ngegba D, Wurie AH, Checchi F, and Brooks TJ
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- Adult, Arthralgia etiology, Biomarkers blood, Biomarkers urine, Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Ebolavirus pathogenicity, Female, Health Personnel, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola epidemiology, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola virology, Humans, Infection Control methods, Male, Sierra Leone, Ebolavirus isolation & purification, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola complications, Survivors, Viremia
- Abstract
Background: In survivors of Ebola virus disease, clinical sequelae including uveitis, arthralgia, and fatigue are common and necessitate systematic follow-up. However, the infection risk to health-care providers is poorly defined. Here we report Ebola virus RT-PCR data for body site and fluid samples from a large cohort of Ebola virus survivors at clinic follow-up., Methods: In this cross-sectional cohort study, consecutive survivors of Ebola virus disease attending Kerry Town survivor clinic (Freetown, Sierra Leone), who had been discharged from the Kerry Town Ebola treatment unit, were invited to participate. We collected and tested axillary, blood, conjunctival, forehead, mouth, rectal, semen, urine, and vaginal specimens for presence of Ebola virus using RT-PCR. We regarded samples to be positive for Ebola virus disease if the cycle threshold was 40 or lower. We collected demographic data from survivors of their age, sex, time since discharge from the treatment unit, and length of acute admission in the Ebola treatment unit using anonymised standard forms., Findings: Between April 2, and June 16, 2015, of 151 survivors of Ebola virus disease invited to participate, 112 (74%) provided consent. The median age of participants was 21·5 years (IQR 14-31·5) with 34 (30%) participants younger than 16 years. 50 (45%) of 112 participants were male. We tested a total of 555 specimens: 103 from the axilla, 93 from blood, 92 from conjunctiva, 54 from forehead, 105 from mouth, 17 from the rectum, one from semen, 69 from urine, and 21 from the vagina. The median time from Ebola treatment unit discharge to specimen collection was 142 days (IQR 127-159). 15 participants had a total of 74 swabs taken less than 100 days from discharge. The semen sample from one participant tested positive for Ebola virus at 114 days after discharge from the treatment unit; specimens taken from the axilla, blood, conjunctiva, forehead, mouth, rectum, and urine of the same participant tested negative. All specimens from the other 111 participants tested negative., Interpretation: Patients recovering from Ebola virus disease who do not meet the case definition for acute disease pose a low infection risk to health-care providers 6 weeks after clearance of viraemia. Personal protective equipment after this time might be limited to standard barrier precautions, unless contact with fluids from sanctuary sites is envisaged., Funding: Save the Children International, Public Health England., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2016
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8. Detection of Zika Virus in Semen.
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Atkinson B, Hearn P, Afrough B, Lumley S, Carter D, Aarons EJ, Simpson AJ, Brooks TJ, and Hewson R
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- Aged, Humans, Male, Travel, Zika Virus Infection diagnosis, Semen virology, Zika Virus classification, Zika Virus genetics, Zika Virus Infection transmission, Zika Virus Infection virology
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- 2016
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9. Experimental Treatment of Ebola Virus Disease with TKM-130803: A Single-Arm Phase 2 Clinical Trial.
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Dunning J, Sahr F, Rojek A, Gannon F, Carson G, Idriss B, Massaquoi T, Gandi R, Joseph S, Osman HK, Brooks TJ, Simpson AJ, Goodfellow I, Thorne L, Arias A, Merson L, Castle L, Howell-Jones R, Pardinaz-Solis R, Hope-Gill B, Ferri M, Grove J, Kowalski M, Stepniewska K, Lang T, Whitehead J, Olliaro P, Samai M, and Horby PW
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- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Ebolavirus pathogenicity, Female, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola diagnosis, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola genetics, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola mortality, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola virology, Host-Pathogen Interactions, Humans, Infusions, Intravenous, Male, Middle Aged, Nanoparticles, RNA, Small Interfering administration & dosage, RNA, Viral blood, RNAi Therapeutics adverse effects, Sierra Leone, Survival Analysis, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Viral Load drug effects, Viral Load genetics, Young Adult, Antiviral Agents therapeutic use, Ebolavirus genetics, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola drug therapy, RNA, Small Interfering therapeutic use, RNA, Viral genetics, RNAi Therapeutics methods
- Abstract
Background: TKM-130803, a small interfering RNA lipid nanoparticle product, has been developed for the treatment of Ebola virus disease (EVD), but its efficacy and safety in humans has not been evaluated., Methods and Findings: In this single-arm phase 2 trial, adults with laboratory-confirmed EVD received 0.3 mg/kg of TKM-130803 by intravenous infusion once daily for up to 7 d. On days when trial enrolment capacity was reached, patients were enrolled into a concurrent observational cohort. The primary outcome was survival to day 14 after admission, excluding patients who died within 48 h of admission. After 14 adults with EVD had received TKM-130803, the pre-specified futility boundary was reached, indicating a probability of survival to day 14 of ≤0.55, and enrolment was stopped. Pre-treatment geometric mean Ebola virus load in the 14 TKM-130803 recipients was 2.24 × 109 RNA copies/ml plasma (95% CI 7.52 × 108, 6.66 × 109). Two of the TKM-130803 recipients died within 48 h of admission and were therefore excluded from the primary outcome analysis. Of the remaining 12 TKM-130803 recipients, nine died and three survived. The probability that a TKM-130803 recipient who survived for 48 h will subsequently survive to day 14 was estimated to be 0.27 (95% CI 0.06, 0.58). TKM-130803 infusions were well tolerated, with 56 doses administered and only one possible infusion-related reaction observed. Three patients were enrolled in the observational cohort, of whom two died., Conclusions: Administration of TKM-130803 at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg/d by intravenous infusion to adult patients with severe EVD was not shown to improve survival when compared to historic controls., Trial Registration: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201501000997429.
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- 2016
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10. Performance of the GeneXpert Ebola Assay for Diagnosis of Ebola Virus Disease in Sierra Leone: A Field Evaluation Study.
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Semper AE, Broadhurst MJ, Richards J, Foster GM, Simpson AJ, Logue CH, Kelly JD, Miller A, Brooks TJ, Murray M, and Pollock NR
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- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola blood, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Point-of-Care Systems, Sensitivity and Specificity, Sierra Leone, Young Adult, Ebolavirus genetics, Glycoproteins genetics, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola diagnosis, Nucleoproteins genetics, RNA, Viral blood, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction methods, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction methods
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Background: Throughout the Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa, field laboratory testing for EVD has relied on complex, multi-step real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assays; an accurate sample-to-answer RT-PCR test would reduce time to results and potentially increase access to testing. We evaluated the performance of the Cepheid GeneXpert Ebola assay on clinical venipuncture whole blood (WB) and buccal swab (BS) specimens submitted to a field biocontainment laboratory in Sierra Leone for routine EVD testing by RT-PCR ("Trombley assay")., Methods and Findings: This study was conducted in the Public Health England EVD diagnostic laboratory in Port Loko, Sierra Leone, using residual diagnostic specimens remaining after clinical testing. EDTA-WB specimens (n = 218) were collected from suspected or confirmed EVD patients between April 1 and July 20, 2015. BS specimens (n = 71) were collected as part of a national postmortem screening program between March 7 and July 20, 2015. EDTA-WB and BS specimens were tested with Xpert (targets: glycoprotein [GP] and nucleoprotein [NP] genes) and Trombley (target: NP gene) assays in parallel. All WB specimens were fresh; 84/218 were tested in duplicate on Xpert to compare WB sampling methods (pipette versus swab); 43/71 BS specimens had been previously frozen. In all, 7/218 (3.2%) WB and 7/71 (9.9%) BS samples had Xpert results that were reported as "invalid" or "error" and were excluded, leaving 211 WB and 64 BS samples with valid Trombley and Xpert results. For WB, 22/22 Trombley-positive samples were Xpert-positive (sensitivity 100%, 95% CI 84.6%-100%), and 181/189 Trombley-negative samples were Xpert-negative (specificity 95.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 91.8%-98.2%). Seven of the eight Trombley-negative, Xpert-positive (Xpert cycle threshold [Ct] range 37.7-43.4) WB samples were confirmed to be follow-up submissions from previously Trombley-positive EVD patients, suggesting a revised Xpert specificity of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0%-100%). For Xpert-positive WB samples (n = 22), Xpert NP Ct values were consistently lower than GP Ct values (mean difference -4.06, 95% limits of agreement -6.09, -2.03); Trombley (NP) Ct values closely matched Xpert NP Ct values (mean difference -0.04, 95% limits of agreement -2.93, 2.84). Xpert results (positive/negative) for WB sampled by pipette versus swab were concordant for 78/79 (98.7%) WB samples, with comparable Ct values for positive results. For BS specimens, 20/20 Trombley-positive samples were Xpert-positive (sensitivity 100%, 95% CI 83.2%-100%), and 44/44 Trombley-negative samples were Xpert-negative (specificity 100%, 95% CI 92.0%-100%). This study was limited to testing residual diagnostic samples, some of which had been frozen before use; it was not possible to test the performance of the Xpert Ebola assay at point of care., Conclusions: The Xpert Ebola assay had excellent performance compared to an established RT-PCR benchmark on WB and BS samples in a field laboratory setting. Future studies should evaluate feasibility and performance outside of a biocontainment laboratory setting to facilitate expanded access to testing.
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- 2016
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11. A non-fatal case of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome imported into the UK (ex Panama), July 2014.
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Atkinson B, Jameson LJ, Bovill BA, Aarons EJ, Clewlow J, Lumley S, Latham J, Jenkins MH, MacGowan AP, Simpson AJ, Ahmed J, Brooks TJ, and Hewson R
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- Adult, Cluster Analysis, Female, Orthohantavirus classification, Orthohantavirus genetics, Humans, Panama, Phylogeny, Sequence Homology, United Kingdom, Orthohantavirus isolation & purification, Hantavirus Infections diagnosis, Hantavirus Infections pathology, Heart Arrest etiology, Heart Arrest pathology, Travel
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- 2015
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12. Injectional anthrax at a Scottish district general hospital.
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Inverarity DJ, Forrester VM, Cumming JG, Paterson PJ, Campbell RJ, Brooks TJ, Carson GL, and Ruddy JP
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- Adult, Anthrax diagnosis, Anthrax drug therapy, Anthrax etiology, Anthrax mortality, Anthrax pathology, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Female, Hospitals, General, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Retrospective Studies, Scotland epidemiology, Substance Abuse, Intravenous complications, Young Adult, Anthrax epidemiology
- Abstract
This retrospective, descriptive case-series reviews the clinical presentations and significant laboratory findings of patients diagnosed with and treated for injectional anthrax (IA) since December 2009 at Monklands Hospital in Central Scotland and represents the largest series of IA cases to be described from a single location. Twenty-one patients who fulfilled National Anthrax Control Team standardized case definitions of confirmed, probable or possible IA are reported. All cases survived and none required limb amputation in contrast to an overall mortality of 28% being experienced for this condition in Scotland. We document the spectrum of presentations of soft tissue infection ranging from mild cases which were managed predominantly with oral antibiotics to severe cases with significant oedema, organ failure and coagulopathy. We describe the surgical management, intensive care management and antibiotic management including the first description of daptomycin being used to treat human anthrax. It is noted that some people who had injected heroin infected with Bacillus anthracis did not develop evidence of IA. Also highlighted are biochemical and haematological parameters which proved useful in identifying deteriorating patients who required greater levels of support and surgical debridement.
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- 2015
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13. Melioidosis diagnostic workshop, 2013.
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Hoffmaster AR, AuCoin D, Baccam P, Baggett HC, Baird R, Bhengsri S, Blaney DD, Brett PJ, Brooks TJ, Brown KA, Chantratita N, Cheng AC, Dance DA, Decuypere S, Defenbaugh D, Gee JE, Houghton R, Jorakate P, Lertmemongkolchai G, Limmathurotsakul D, Merlin TL, Mukhopadhyay C, Norton R, Peacock SJ, Rolim DB, Simpson AJ, Steinmetz I, Stoddard RA, Stokes MM, Sue D, Tuanyok A, Whistler T, Wuthiekanun V, and Walke HT
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- Humans, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Melioidosis diagnosis
- Abstract
Melioidosis is a severe disease that can be difficult to diagnose because of its diverse clinical manifestations and a lack of adequate diagnostic capabilities for suspected cases. There is broad interest in improving detection and diagnosis of this disease not only in melioidosis-endemic regions but also outside these regions because melioidosis may be underreported and poses a potential bioterrorism challenge for public health authorities. Therefore, a workshop of academic, government, and private sector personnel from around the world was convened to discuss the current state of melioidosis diagnostics, diagnostic needs, and future directions.
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- 2015
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14. Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.
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Fletcher TE, Brooks TJ, and Beeching NJ
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- Early Diagnosis, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola diagnosis, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola therapy, Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral epidemiology, Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral therapy, Humans, United Kingdom epidemiology, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola epidemiology, Patient Isolation methods, Protective Devices, Travel
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- 2014
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15. Non-fatal case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever imported into the United Kingdom (ex Bulgaria), June 2014.
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Lumley S, Atkinson B, Dowall S, Pitman J, Staplehurst S, Busuttil J, Simpson A, Aarons E, Petridou C, Nijjar M, Glover S, Brooks T, and Hewson R
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- Aged, Antibodies, Viral blood, Bulgaria, DNA, Viral analysis, Fever etiology, Headache etiology, Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo genetics, Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean blood, Humans, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, United Kingdom, Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo isolation & purification, Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean diagnosis, Travel
- Abstract
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) was diagnosed in a United Kingdom traveller who returned from Bulgaria in June 2014. The patient developed a moderately severe disease including fever, headaches and petechial rash. CCHF was diagnosed following identification of CCHF virus (CCHFV) RNA in a serum sample taken five days after symptom onset. Sequence analysis of the CCHFV genome showed that the virus clusters within the Europe 1 clade, which includes viruses from eastern Europe.
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- 2014
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16. UK hantavirus, renal failure, and pet rats.
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Taori SK, Jameson LJ, Campbell A, Drew PJ, McCarthy ND, Hart J, Osborne JC, Sudhanva M, and Brooks TJ
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- Adult, Animals, Humans, Male, Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome virology, Pets virology, Rats virology, Seoul virus
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- 2013
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17. Pet rats as a source of hantavirus in England and Wales, 2013.
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Jameson LJ, Taori SK, Atkinson B, Levick P, Featherstone CA, van der Burgt G, McCarthy N, Hart J, Osborne JC, Walsh AL, Brooks TJ, and Hewson R
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- Acute Kidney Injury diagnosis, Acute Kidney Injury virology, Animals, Antibodies, Viral blood, England epidemiology, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect, Orthohantavirus genetics, Hantavirus Infections epidemiology, Hantavirus Infections transmission, Hantavirus Infections virology, Humans, RNA, Viral analysis, RNA, Viral genetics, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Rodent Diseases epidemiology, Seoul virus genetics, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Wales epidemiology, Orthohantavirus isolation & purification, Hantavirus Infections diagnosis, Rats virology, Rodent Diseases transmission, Seoul virus isolation & purification
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- 2013
18. Undifferentiated febrile illnesses amongst British troops in Helmand, Afghanistan.
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Bailey MS, Trinick TR, Dunbar JA, Hatch R, Osborne JC, Brooks TJ, and Green AD
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- Afghanistan, Fever epidemiology, Headache epidemiology, Headache etiology, Humans, Muscular Diseases epidemiology, Muscular Diseases etiology, Phlebotomus Fever diagnosis, Phlebotomus Fever epidemiology, Q Fever diagnosis, Q Fever epidemiology, Rickettsia Infections diagnosis, Rickettsia Infections epidemiology, United Kingdom, Fever etiology, Military Personnel
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Objectives: Undifferentiated febrile illnesses have been a threat to British expeditionary forces ever since the Crusades. The infections responsible were identified during the Colonial Era, both World Wars and smaller conflicts since, but nearly all remain a significant threat today. Undiagnosed febrile illnesses have occurred amongst British troops in Helmand, Afghanistan since 2006 and so a fever study was performed to identify them., Methods: From May to October 2008, all undifferentiated fever cases seen at the British field hospital in Helmand, Afghanistan were assessed using a standard protocol. Demographic details, clinical features and laboratory results were recorded and paired serum samples were sent for testing at the UK Special Pathogens Reference Unit (SPRU)., Results: Over 6 months, there were 26 cases of"Helmand Fever" assessed and 23 diagnoses were made of which 12 (52%) were sandfly fever, 6 (26%) were acute Qfever and 5 (22%) were rickettsial infections. Four cases had co-infections and 7 cases were not diagnosed (mostly due to inadequate samples). The clinical features and laboratory results available at the British field hospital did not allow these diseases to be distinguished from each other. The exact type of rickettsial infection could not be identified at SPRU., Conclusions: These cases probably represent the "tip of an iceberg" for British and Allied forces. More resources for diagnostic facilities and follow-up of patients are required to improve the management and surveillance of "Helmand Fever" cases; until then doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 2 weeks should be given to all troops who present with an undifferentiated febrile illness in Helmand, Afghanistan. Patients with acute Q fever should be followed-up for at least 2 years to exclude chronic Q fever. Prevention of these diseases requires a better understanding of their epidemiology, but prophylaxis with doxycycline and possibly Q fever vaccine should be considered.
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- 2011
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19. Evaluation of azithromycin, trovafloxacin and grepafloxacin as prophylaxis against experimental murine Brucella melitensis infection.
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Atkins HS, Spencer S, Brew SD, Jenner DC, Sefton AM, MacMillan AP, Brooks TJ, and Simpson AJ
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- Animals, Brucella melitensis isolation & purification, Colony Count, Microbial, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Humans, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Spleen microbiology, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Antibiotic Prophylaxis methods, Azithromycin therapeutic use, Brucella melitensis drug effects, Brucellosis prevention & control, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use, Naphthyridines therapeutic use, Piperazines therapeutic use
- Abstract
The prophylactic potential of the azalide azithromycin as well as the fluoroquinolones trovafloxacin and grepafloxacin was assessed for the control of infection with Brucella melitensis in an experimental mouse model, determined by reduction in splenic bacterial burden. Trovafloxacin showed limited protective efficacy when administered 2h following a low-dose B. melitensis challenge, whereas grepafloxacin was ineffective. In comparison, azithromycin provided significant control of infection both following low- and high-dose challenges. Overall, the data confirm the potential utility of azithromycin in the prophylaxis of brucellosis and suggest that neither trovafloxacin nor grepafloxacin would likely be valuable for post-exposure prophylaxis of Brucella infection., ((c) 2009. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
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- 2010
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20. Evaluation of azithromycin, trovafloxacin and grepafloxacin as prophylaxis for experimental murine melioidosis.
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Kenny DJ, Sefton AM, Brooks TJ, Laws TR, Simpson AJ, and Atkins HS
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- Animals, Burkholderia pseudomallei isolation & purification, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Humans, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Survival Analysis, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Antibiotic Prophylaxis methods, Azithromycin therapeutic use, Burkholderia pseudomallei drug effects, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use, Melioidosis prevention & control, Naphthyridines therapeutic use, Piperazines therapeutic use
- Abstract
The efficacies of the azalide azithromycin and the fluoroquinolones trovafloxacin and grepafloxacin for pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis of infection with high or low challenge doses of Burkholderia pseudomallei strain 576 were assessed in an experimental mouse model. Trovafloxacin and grepafloxacin afforded significant levels of protection, whereas azithromycin was ineffective and potentially detrimental. Overall, the data suggest that some fluoroquinolones may have potential utility in prophylaxis of melioidosis and suggest that azithromycin would not be effective in prophylaxis of B. pseudomallei infection., ((c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.)
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- 2010
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21. Anthrax infection in drug users.
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Booth MG, Hood J, Brooks TJ, and Hart A
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- Anthrax diagnosis, Anthrax epidemiology, Anthrax therapy, Humans, Injections, Scotland epidemiology, Anthrax transmission, Heroin Dependence microbiology, Substance Abuse, Intravenous microbiology
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- 2010
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22. Efficacy of the quinolones trovafloxacin and grepafloxacin for therapy of experimental tularaemia and plague.
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Kenny DJ, Sefton AM, Steward J, Brooks TJ, Simpson AJ, and Atkins HS
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- Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Treatment Outcome, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use, Naphthyridines therapeutic use, Piperazines therapeutic use, Plague drug therapy, Tularemia drug therapy
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- 2009
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23. Efficacy of moxifloxacin or gatifloxacin as prophylaxis against experimental murine Brucella melitensis infection.
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Atkins HS, Spencer S, Brew SD, Laws TR, Thirlwall RE, MacMillan AP, Brooks TJ, and Simpson AJ
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- Animals, Brucella melitensis drug effects, Brucellosis microbiology, Colony Count, Microbial, Doxycycline therapeutic use, Female, Gatifloxacin, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Moxifloxacin, Spleen microbiology, Treatment Outcome, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Antibiotic Prophylaxis methods, Aza Compounds therapeutic use, Brucellosis prevention & control, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use, Quinolines therapeutic use
- Abstract
The prophylactic potential of moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin was assessed in comparison with doxycycline, an established therapeutic antibiotic, to limit or control infection by Brucella melitensis in an experimental mouse model, determined by reduced bacterial burden in the spleen. Although moxifloxacin was found to have a small protective effect when administered 6 h following infection, neither moxifloxacin nor gatifloxacin showed significant efficacy in vivo. In comparison, doxycycline provided significant protection when prophylaxis was started at 6 h, 7 days or 14 days following infection. Overall, these results confirm the utility of doxycycline in the prophylaxis of brucellosis and suggest that neither moxifloxacin nor gatifloxacin are likely to be valuable for post-exposure prophylaxis of Brucella infection.
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- 2009
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24. Presymptomatic prediction of sepsis in intensive care unit patients.
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Lukaszewski RA, Yates AM, Jackson MC, Swingler K, Scherer JM, Simpson AJ, Sadler P, McQuillan P, Titball RW, Brooks TJ, and Pearce MJ
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- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Bacteria metabolism, Female, Humans, Intensive Care Units, Male, Middle Aged, Neural Networks, Computer, Pilot Projects, Predictive Value of Tests, Sepsis immunology, Cytokines blood, Sepsis diagnosis
- Abstract
Postoperative or posttraumatic sepsis remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in hospital populations, especially in populations in intensive care units (ICUs). Central to the successful control of sepsis-associated infections is the ability to rapidly diagnose and treat disease. The ability to identify sepsis patients before they show any symptoms would have major benefits for the health care of ICU patients. For this study, 92 ICU patients who had undergone procedures that increased the risk of developing sepsis were recruited upon admission. Blood samples were taken daily until either a clinical diagnosis of sepsis was made or until the patient was discharged from the ICU. In addition to standard clinical and laboratory parameter testing, the levels of expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, FasL, and CCL2 mRNA were also measured by real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. The results of the analysis of the data using a nonlinear technique (neural network analysis) demonstrated discernible differences prior to the onset of overt sepsis. Neural networks using cytokine and chemokine data were able to correctly predict patient outcomes in an average of 83.09% of patient cases between 4 and 1 days before clinical diagnosis with high sensitivity and selectivity (91.43% and 80.20%, respectively). The neural network also had a predictive accuracy of 94.55% when data from 22 healthy volunteers was analyzed in conjunction with the ICU patient data. Our observations from this pilot study indicate that it may be possible to predict the onset of sepsis in a mixed patient population by using a panel of just seven biomarkers.
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. The father of UMC: reflections on the genius of David Schultz Pankratz, MD, PhD.
- Author
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Brooks TJ Jr
- Subjects
- History, 20th Century, Humans, Mississippi, Faculty, Medical history, Schools, Medical history
- Published
- 2008
26. Structural modification of a base disaccharide alters antiadhesion properties towards Yersinia pestis.
- Author
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Thomas RJ, Hacking A, and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Cell Line, Humans, Molecular Structure, Yersinia pestis drug effects, Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology, Bacterial Adhesion drug effects, Disaccharides chemistry, Disaccharides pharmacology, Epithelial Cells microbiology, Yersinia pestis physiology
- Abstract
Incubation in the presence of structurally modified disaccharides altered the in vitro attachment of Yersinia pestis GB to three human respiratory epithelial cell lines. Each disaccharide resulted in decreased attachment to the alveolar epithelial (A549) cell line. The best inhibitor of attachment for each cell line was the benzylated derivative of Galbeta1-4GalNAc. Highly negatively charged saccharides were efficient inhibitors, particularly for the bronchial epithelial (BEAS2-B) cell line. The data indicate that targeted modification of receptor ligands could offer a novel therapeutic preventing Y. pestis attachment to host cells.
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Treatment of murine pneumonic Francisella tularensis infection with gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin or ciprofloxacin.
- Author
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Steward J, Piercy T, Lever MS, Simpson AJ, and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Animals, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Female, Gatifloxacin, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Moxifloxacin, Aza Compounds therapeutic use, Ciprofloxacin therapeutic use, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use, Pneumonia, Bacterial drug therapy, Quinolines therapeutic use, Tularemia drug therapy
- Abstract
The efficacies of gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin were assessed in a BALB/c mouse model of pneumonic tularemia and compared with the efficacy of ciprofloxacin. The rate of relapse following dexamethasone treatment was also investigated. Mice were given 100 mg/kg of the antibiotic by oral administration twice daily for 14 days following an aerosol challenge. All three fluoroquinolones prevented disease during the treatment period, but significant failure rates occurred after the cessation of therapy. Both gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin were more effective than ciprofloxacin at reducing late mortality. Fluoroquinolones may therefore be considered useful candidates for the treatment of pneumonic tularemia.
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. In vivo efficacy of fluoroquinolones against systemic tularaemia infection in mice.
- Author
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Piercy T, Steward J, Lever MS, and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Administration, Oral, Animals, Anti-Bacterial Agents administration & dosage, Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology, Aza Compounds administration & dosage, Aza Compounds pharmacology, Ciprofloxacin administration & dosage, Ciprofloxacin pharmacology, Colony Count, Microbial, Dexamethasone administration & dosage, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Fluoroquinolones administration & dosage, Fluoroquinolones pharmacology, Gatifloxacin, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Moxifloxacin, Quinolines administration & dosage, Quinolines pharmacology, Survival Analysis, Tularemia mortality, Tularemia pathology, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Aza Compounds therapeutic use, Ciprofloxacin therapeutic use, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use, Francisella tularensis drug effects, Quinolines therapeutic use, Tularemia drug therapy
- Abstract
Objectives: The in vivo efficacy of ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin were assessed in an experimental Francisella tularensis Schu S4 infection in the BALB/c mouse model., Methods: Mice were given 100 mg/kg of antibiotic by oral administration twice daily commencing at 6, 24 or 48 h post-exposure and continued for 14 days post-exposure. All mice were challenged subcutaneously with 1 x 10(6) cfu F. tularensis Schu S4 and observed for a period of 56 days., Results: Treatment initiated 6 h post-exposure resulted in 94, 100 and 100% survival for ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin, respectively. When treatment was delayed until 24 h post-exposure the survival rates were ciprofloxacin 67%, gatifloxacin 96% and moxifloxacin 100%. Treatment initiated at 48 h post-exposure resulted in a significant reduction in the survival rate of the ciprofloxacin-treated mice, with 0% survival compared with 84 and 62% for gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin, respectively. Non-treated infected control mice died within 96 h post-exposure. Dexamethasone given at day 42 for 7 days to suppress the animals' immune system caused relapse in all of the treatment groups., Conclusions: Both gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin were more effective at preventing mortality than ciprofloxacin and could be considered as alternative antibiotics in the treatment of systemic F. tularensis infection.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. The birthing of UMC.
- Author
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Brooks TJ Jr
- Subjects
- Anniversaries and Special Events, Faculty, Medical, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, Humans, Mississippi, Schools, Medical organization & administration, Schools, Medical history
- Published
- 2005
30. Comparison of gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin and ciprofloxacin for treatment of experimental Burkholderia pseudomallei infection.
- Author
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Steward J, Piercy T, Lever MS, Nelson M, Simpson AJ, and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Animals, Aza Compounds therapeutic use, Ciprofloxacin therapeutic use, Dexamethasone pharmacology, Drug Administration Schedule, Female, Gatifloxacin, Glucocorticoids pharmacology, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Moxifloxacin, Quinolines therapeutic use, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use, Melioidosis prevention & control
- Abstract
Objectives: To compare the efficacy of moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin and ciprofloxacin for the post-exposure prophylaxis and treatment of experimental Burkholderia pseudomallei infection. The presence of persistent infection in treated animals and the rate of relapse following dexamethasone treatment were also investigated., Methods: BALB/c mice were inoculated subcutaneously with 1.75 x 10(6) cfu of B. pseudomallei strain 576. Gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin and ciprofloxacin (100 mg/kg) were given orally at 12 hourly intervals for 14 days starting at 6 h, 7 days or 12 days post-challenge. Control mice did not receive antibiotic therapy., Results: No regimen gave 100% protection. Prophylaxis was most effective when started 6 h post-challenge, with survival rates at 42 days for ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin being 58%, 75% and 75%, respectively. For treatment started at day 7 post-challenge, survival rates were 17%, 11% and 44%, respectively. When antibiotic treatment was delayed until day 12 post-challenge, survival rates fell to 21%, 17% and 28%, respectively. Following dexamethasone treatment of survivors at 42 days post-challenge, relapses occurred in all treatment groups., Conclusions: Fluoroquinolones do not provide good post-exposure protection against infection with B. pseudomallei. The newer agents moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin are not significantly better than ciprofloxacin for this purpose.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. A strategic vaccine facility for the UK.
- Author
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Duggan JM and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Bioterrorism prevention & control, Communicable Disease Control methods, Communicable Diseases, Emerging immunology, Communicable Diseases, Emerging prevention & control, Humans, United Kingdom, Vaccination, Facility Design and Construction, Vaccines isolation & purification
- Abstract
This paper describes a proposed Strategic Vaccine Facility (SVF) to provide a capability to the UK to deal with new and emerging disease threats. It would underpin the vaccine manufacturing industry by developing expertise and technology to enable rapid manufacture of small batches of vaccines for emergency use against agents, such as bioterrorist agents and emerging diseases. It would have a rare ability to work with dangerous pathogens under containment, allowing the production of inactivated and live vaccines, which would be difficult in a conventional plant. The facility's output will include vaccine candidates and manufacturing protocols for transfer to industry, small vaccine batches for emergency use or clinical trials, and vaccine reference standards. It would also be available for manufacturing small batches of experimental and public health vaccines for the UK and the developing world, allowing clinical trials to be undertaken against key diseases.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Efficacy of the latest fluoroquinolones against experimental Yersinia pestis.
- Author
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Steward J, Lever MS, Russell P, Beedham RJ, Stagg AJ, Taylor RR, and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Animals, Ciprofloxacin pharmacology, Ciprofloxacin therapeutic use, Disease Models, Animal, Fluoroquinolones pharmacokinetics, Gatifloxacin, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Plague microbiology, Plague prevention & control, Fluoroquinolones pharmacology, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use, Plague drug therapy, Yersinia pestis drug effects
- Abstract
The efficacies of prophylactic and therapeutic gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin were assessed in a BALB/c mouse model of systemic and pneumonic plague and compared with ciprofloxacin. Mice were given 100 mg/kg of the antibiotic by oral administration twice daily for 7 days starting 1h prior to infection or following infection. All antibiotics offered full protection for up to 6h following systemic challenge, and for up to 30 h following an aerosol challenge. The efficacy of each of the antibiotics decreased when antibiotics were started 18 h following systemic challenge and 48 h following aerosol challenge. Fluoroquinolones may therefore be considered useful candidates for the treatment of bubonic and pneumonic plague.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Post-exposure prophylaxis of systemic anthrax in mice and treatment with fluoroquinolones.
- Author
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Steward J, Lever MS, Simpson AJ, Sefton AM, and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Animals, Anthrax microbiology, Anti-Infective Agents pharmacokinetics, Aza Compounds pharmacokinetics, Aza Compounds therapeutic use, Bacillus anthracis drug effects, Ciprofloxacin pharmacokinetics, Ciprofloxacin therapeutic use, Female, Fluoroquinolones pharmacokinetics, Gatifloxacin, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Moxifloxacin, Quinolines pharmacokinetics, Quinolines therapeutic use, Survival Analysis, Anthrax prevention & control, Anti-Infective Agents therapeutic use, Fluoroquinolones therapeutic use
- Abstract
Objectives: To compare the fluoroquinolones gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin with ciprofloxacin for post-exposure prophylaxis of systemic anthrax in a BALB/c mouse model., Methods: Treated mice and controls were inoculated subcutaneously with 5 x 10(4) spores/mouse of Bacillus anthracis Ames strain and observed for 37 days after challenge. Treated mice were given 100 mg/kg of antibiotic orally twice daily for 14 days, starting at various times post-challenge., Results: Treatment starting 6 h post-challenge resulted in survival rates of 90%, 15% and 40% for gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Treatment commencing 24 h post-challenge resulted in survival rates of 65%, 10% and 5%, respectively. Treatment starting more than 24 h after exposure had little effect on survival., Conclusions: Gatifloxacin appeared to be more effective than moxifloxacin or ciprofloxacin, at similar doses, for early post-exposure treatment of murine systemic anthrax. However, these results might be due to differences in potency or pharmacokinetic properties.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Oligosaccharide receptor mimics inhibit Legionella pneumophila attachment to human respiratory epithelial cells.
- Author
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Thomas RJ and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Adhesins, Bacterial metabolism, Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology, Cell Line, Colony Count, Microbial, G(M1) Ganglioside analysis, Gangliosides, Glycolipids analysis, Glycosphingolipids analysis, Humans, Kinetics, Legionella pneumophila drug effects, Molecular Sequence Data, Monocytes microbiology, Oligosaccharides chemistry, Periodic Acid pharmacology, Receptors, Cell Surface chemistry, Receptors, Cell Surface metabolism, Respiratory Mucosa cytology, Time Factors, Tunicamycin pharmacology, U937 Cells, Bacterial Adhesion drug effects, Epithelial Cells microbiology, Legionella pneumophila physiology, Oligosaccharides pharmacology
- Abstract
Legionnaire's disease is caused by the intracellular pathogen Legionella pneumophila, presenting as an acute pneumonia. Attachment is the key step during infection, often relying on an interaction between host cell oligosaccharides and bacterial adhesins. Inhibition of this interaction by receptor mimics offers possible novel therapeutic treatments. L. pneumophila attachment to the A549 cell line was significantly reduced by treatment with tunicamycin (73.6%) and sodium metaperiodate (63.7%). This indicates the importance of cell surface oligosaccharide chains in adhesion. A number of putative anti-adhesion compounds inhibited attachment to the A549 and U937 cell lines. The most inhibitory compounds were polymeric saccharides, GalNAcbeta1-4Gal, Galbeta1-4GlcNAc and para-nitrophenol. These compounds inhibited adhesion to a range of human respiratory cell lines, including nasal epithelial, bronchial epithelial and alveolar epithelial cell lines and the human monocytic cell line, U937. Some eukaryotic receptors for L. pneumophila were determined to be the glycolipids, asialo-GM1 and asialo-GM2 that contain the inhibitory saccharide moiety, GalNAcbeta1-4Gal. The identified compounds have the potential to be used as novel treatments for Legionnaire's disease.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Serodiagnosis of human plague by a combination of immunomagnetic separation and flow cytometry.
- Author
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Splettstoesser WD, Grunow R, Rahalison L, Brooks TJ, Chanteau S, and Neubauer H
- Subjects
- Antibodies blood, Antibodies immunology, Bacterial Proteins immunology, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Humans, Immunoblotting, Predictive Value of Tests, Reproducibility of Results, Time Factors, Yersinia pestis immunology, Antibodies analysis, Flow Cytometry methods, Immunomagnetic Separation methods, Plague blood, Plague diagnosis, Serologic Tests methods
- Abstract
Background: Plague is a severe, highly communicable bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis. It is still endemic in more than 20 countries worldwide. Although known as a devastating disease for centuries, laboratory confirmation of clinical suspected cases is still problematic. No standardized and internationally approved test system is commercially available. The aim of this study was the introduction and evaluation of a combination of immunomagnetic separation and flow cytometry for the serodiagnosis of human plague., Methods: Paramagnetic polystyrene beads were coated with purified F1 capsular antigen (F1 CA) and reacted with sera from plague patients, from 26 laboratory personnel vaccinated against plague and from 102 healthy blood donors (HBD). After incubation with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated anti-human rabbit IgG, particle-associated fluorescence was detected by flow cytometry., Results: Anti-F1 CA antibodies could be demonstrated in all patients with bacteriologically confirmed plague and in 22 sera (84.6%) from vaccinees. Only one serum in the HBD group showed a weakly positive reaction. The total assay time was less than 2 h., Conclusions: Compared with a recently published combination of an anti-F1 CA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblot, the new assay showed the same sensitivity as the ELISA and almost the same specificity (99.0 versus 100%) as the immunoblot. Allowing a rapid, reliable, and quantitative analysis, immunomagnetic separation combined with flow cytometry might replace both conventional immunoassays., (Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)
- Published
- 2003
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Antibody and interleukin-12 treatment in murine models of encephalitogenic flavivirus (St. Louis encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis) and alphavirus (Venezuelan equine encephalitis) infection.
- Author
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Phillpotts RJ, Jones LD, Lukaszewski RA, Lawrie C, and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Animals, Antibodies, Monoclonal administration & dosage, Antibodies, Monoclonal toxicity, Antiviral Agents administration & dosage, Antiviral Agents therapeutic use, Antiviral Agents toxicity, Disease Models, Animal, Interleukin-12 administration & dosage, Interleukin-12 toxicity, Mice, Recombinant Proteins administration & dosage, Recombinant Proteins therapeutic use, Recombinant Proteins toxicity, Antibodies, Monoclonal therapeutic use, Encephalitis, St. Louis drug therapy, Encephalitis, Tick-Borne drug therapy, Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine drug therapy, Interleukin-12 therapeutic use
- Abstract
Early and sustained treatment with interleukin-12 (IL-12) ameliorated disease in a mouse model of infection with the encephalitogenic flavivirus, St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV, Japanese encephalitis serogroup). However, this effect was not reproduced in murine infections with either the flavivirus tick-bore encephalitis virus (TBEV) or the alphavirus Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV). IL-12 exacerbated TBEV disease when used in conjunction with monoclonal antibody (mAb), suggesting an enhancement of immunopathology, and was without clinical effects in VEEV infection. These data confirm the need to fully understand the pathogenesis of viral infection before cytokine intervention may be employed as a broad-spectrum antiviral therapy.
- Published
- 2003
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Madelung Deformity in a Collegiate Gymnast: A Case Report.
- Author
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Brooks TJ
- Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To present the case of a 21-year-old female collegiate gymnast with acute left wrist pain. BACKGROUND: Madelung deformity is a developmental abnormality of the wrist. It is characterized by anatomic changes in the radius, ulna, and carpal bones, leading to palmar and ulnar wrist subluxation. It is more common in female patients and is usually present bilaterally. The deformity usually becomes evident clinically between the ages of 6 and 13 years. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS: Traumatic distal radius physeal arrest, congenital anatomic variant. TREATMENT: The athlete was treated with symptomatic therapeutic modalities and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication for pain. She was able to continue to participate successfully in competitive gymnastics, minimally restricted, with the aid of palmar wrist tape and a commercially available wrist brace to prevent end-range wrist extension. UNIQUENESS: Madelung deformity can result in wrist pain and loss of forearm rotation, leading to decreased function of the wrist and hand. This patient was able to participate successfully in elite- and college-level gymnastics with no wrist pain or injury until the age of 21 years. Furthermore, she was able to continue to participate, experiencing only periodic pain, with the aid of taping and bracing support and without the need for reconstructive surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Although rare, Madelung deformity is typically corrected surgically in athletes with chronic pain and disability. This case demonstrates an example of successful conservative management in which the athlete continued to participate in sport.
- Published
- 2001
38. Serodiagnosis of human plague by an anti-F1 capsular antigen specific IgG/IgM ELISA and immunoblot.
- Author
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Neubauer H, Rahalison L, Brooks TJ, Aleksic S, Chanteau S, and Splettstösser WD
- Subjects
- Antibodies, Bacterial analysis, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay methods, Germany epidemiology, Humans, Immunoblotting, Madagascar epidemiology, Mass Screening, Plague diagnosis, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Serologic Tests methods, Disease Outbreaks, Immunoglobulin G analysis, Immunoglobulin M analysis, Plague immunology
- Abstract
Plague is a re-emerging disease endemic in at least 24 countries. Non-endemic countries should be able to confirm plague to prevent outbreaks due to imported cases. We established a combination of a IgG/IgM screening ELISA and a confirmation immunoblot employing F1 capsular antigen (CA) for the serodiagnosis of plague in countries where yersiniosis is present. The ELISA and the immunoblot assay showed a specificity of 96.1% and 100% among sera from healthy German blood donors. This group had a seroprevalence of 39% of anti-yersinia outer protein (YOP) antibodies obviously caused by previous Y. enterocolitica infection. The ELISA detected anti-F1 CA antibodies in 22 and the immunoblot in 20 out of 26 sera of plague vaccinees. Five control sera from bacteriologically confirmed plague cases from Madagascar reacted positively. It can be concluded that anti-YOP antibodies do not affect assays based on purified F1 CA.
- Published
- 2000
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Pegylated alpha interferon is an effective treatment for virulent venezuelan equine encephalitis virus and has profound effects on the host immune response to infection.
- Author
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Lukaszewski RA and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Animals, Antigens, CD immunology, Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte immunology, B-Lymphocytes cytology, B-Lymphocytes immunology, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes cytology, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes immunology, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes cytology, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes immunology, Cell Line, Cricetinae, Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine drug effects, Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine immunology, Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine pathogenicity, Female, Inhalation Exposure, Injections, Subcutaneous, Interferon alpha-2, Interleukin-12 therapeutic use, Interleukin-4 therapeutic use, Lectins, C-Type, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Recombinant Proteins, Virulence, Antiviral Agents therapeutic use, Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine drug therapy, Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine immunology, Interferon-alpha therapeutic use, Polyethylene Glycols therapeutic use
- Abstract
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is a highly infectious alphavirus endemic in parts of Central and South America. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, and the natural reservoir is the small rodent population, with epidemics occurring in horses and occasionally humans. Following infection, VEEV replicates in lymphoid tissues prior to invasion of the central nervous system. Treatment of VEEV-infected BALB/c mice with polyethylene glycol-conjugated alpha interferon (PEG IFN-alpha) results in a greatly enhanced survival from either a subcutaneous or an aerosol infection. Virus is undetectable within PEG IFN-alpha-treated individuals by day 30 postinfection (p.i.). Treatment results in a number of changes to the immune response characteristics normally associated with VEEV infection. Increased macrophage activation occurs in PEG IFN-alpha-treated BALB/c mice infected with VEEV. The rapid activation of splenic CD4, CD8, and B cells by day 2 p.i. normally associated with VEEV infection is absent in PEG IFN-alpha-treated mice. The high tumor necrosis factor alpha production by macrophages from untreated mice is greatly diminished in PEG IFN-alpha-treated mice. These results suggest key immunological mechanisms targeted by this lethal alphavirus that can be modulated by prolonged exposure to IFN-alpha.
- Published
- 2000
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Acclimation response of spring wheat in a free-air CO(2) enrichment (FACE) atmosphere with variable soil nitrogen regimes. 3. Canopy architecture and gas exchange.
- Author
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Brooks TJ, Wall GW, Pinter PJ Jr, Kimball BA, Lamorte RL, Leavitt SW, Matthias AD, Adamsen FJ, Hunsaker DJ, and Webber AN
- Abstract
The response of whole-canopy net CO(2) exchange rate (CER) and canopy architecture to CO(2) enrichment and N stress during 1996 and 1997 for open-field-grown wheat ecosystem (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Yecora Rojo) are described. Every Control (C) and FACE (F) CO(2) treatment (defined as ambient and ambient +200 mumol mol(-1), respectively) contained a Low- and High-N treatment. Low-N treatments constituted initial soil content amended with supplemental nitrogen applied at a rate of 70 kg N ha(-1) (1996) and 15 kg N ha(-1) (1997), whereas High-N treatments were supplemented with 350 kg N ha(-1) (1996 and 1997). Elevated CO(2) enhanced season-long carbon accumulation by 8% and 16% under Low-N and High-N, respectively. N-stress reduced season-long carbon accumulation 14% under ambient CO(2), but by as much as 22% under CO(2) enrichment. Averaging both years, green plant area index (GPAI) peaked approximately 76 days after planting at 7.13 for FH, 6.00 for CH, 3.89 for FL, and 3.89 for CL treatments. Leaf tip angle distribution (LTA) indicated that Low-N canopies were more erectophile than those of High-N canopies: 48 degrees for FH, 52 degrees for CH, and 58 degrees for both FL and CL treatments. Temporal trends in canopy greenness indicated a decrease in leaf chlorophyll content from the flag to flag-2 leaves of 25% for FH, 28% for CH, 17% for CL, and 33% for FL during 1997. These results indicate that significant modifications of canopy architecture occurs in response to both CO(2) and N-stress. Optimization of canopy architecture may serve as a mechanism to diminish CO(2) and N-stress effects on CER.
- Published
- 2000
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Acclimation response of spring wheat in a free-air CO(2) enrichment (FACE) atmosphere with variable soil nitrogen regimes. 2. Net assimilation and stomatal conductance of leaves.
- Author
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Wall GW, Adam NR, Brooks TJ, Kimball BA, Pinter PJ Jr, Lamorte RL, Adamsen FJ, Hunsaker DJ, Wechsung G, Wechsung F, Grossman-Clarke S, Leavitt SW, Matthias AD, and Webber AN
- Abstract
Atmospheric CO(2) concentration continues to rise. It is important, therefore, to determine what acclimatory c hanges will occur within the photosynthetic apparatus of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Yecora Rojo) grown in a future high-CO(2) world at ample and limited soil N contents. Wheat was grown in an open field exposed to the CO(2) concentration of ambient air [370 mumol (CO(2)) mol(-1); Control] and air enriched to approximately 200 mumol (CO(2)) mol(-1) above ambient using a Free-Air CO(2) Enrichment (FACE) apparatus (main plot). A High (35 g m(-2)) or Low (7 and 1.5 g m(-2) for 1996 and 1997, respectfully) level of N was applied to each half of the main CO(2) treatment plots (split-plot). Under High-N, FACE reduced stomatal conductance (g (s)) by 30% at mid-morning (2 h prior to solar noon), 36% at midday (solar noon) and 27% at mid-afternoon (2.5 h after solar noon), whereas under Low-N, g (s) was reduced by as much as 31% at mid-morning, 44% at midday and 28% at mid-afternoon compared with Control. But, no significant CO(2) x N interaction effects occurred. Across seasons and growth stages, daily accumulation of carbon (A') was 27% greater in FACE than Control. High-N increased A' by 18% compared with Low-N. In contrast to results for g (s), however, significant CO(2) x N interaction effects occurred because FACE increased A' by 30% at High-N, but by only 23% at Low-N. FACE enhanced the seasonal accumulation of carbon (A'') by 29% during 1996 (moderate N-stress), but by only 21% during 1997 (severe N-stress). These results support the premise that in a future high-CO(2) world an acclimatory (down-regulation) response in the photosynthetic apparatus of field-grown wheat is anticipated. They also demonstrate, however, that the stimulatory effect of a rise in atmospheric CO(2) on carbon gain in wheat can be maintained if nutrients such as nitrogen are in ample supply.
- Published
- 2000
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Interferon-alpha protects mice against lethal infection with St Louis encephalitis virus delivered by the aerosol and subcutaneous routes.
- Author
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Brooks TJ and Phillpotts RJ
- Subjects
- Animals, Brain pathology, Brain virology, Encephalitis Virus, St. Louis isolation & purification, Encephalitis, St. Louis drug therapy, Encephalitis, St. Louis pathology, Encephalitis, St. Louis virology, Interferon Type I administration & dosage, Interferon-alpha, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Recombinant Fusion Proteins administration & dosage, Recombinant Fusion Proteins therapeutic use, Recombinant Proteins, Encephalitis, St. Louis prevention & control, Interferon Type I therapeutic use
- Abstract
In common with other flaviviruses, there is no specific therapy for St Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus infections. A number of cases have occurred where infection may have been acquired by the aerosol route in laboratory accidents. The recombinant human interferon hybrids IFN-alpha A/D (Roche Laboratories) and IFN-alpha B/D (Ciba-Geigy) have activity in murine models. Given for several days around the time of exposure to the virus or shortly after, these compounds reduce the mortality from SLE virus administered to mice subcutaneously by up to 70%. In an aerosol model of SLE disease, the mortality was reduced to 30-50% compared to 100% in controls, depending on the challenge level of virus. These results suggest that interferon-alpha could be used to reduce the mortality from SLE infection after known exposure to the virus.
- Published
- 1999
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. The political agenda of health care for African Americans.
- Author
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Brooks TJ 3rd
- Subjects
- Humans, Managed Care Programs legislation & jurisprudence, Organizational Objectives, Tennessee, Black or African American, Health Care Coalitions, Health Care Reform, Politics
- Abstract
Health care reform presents both challenges and opportunities for African Americans. On the one hand, reform could result in the closure of black medical institutions and fewer black physicians. On the other hand, reform gives African Americans an opportunity to bargain for available resources to gain equality in health care services. To this end, the Volunteer State Medical Association has been involved in state health care reform. Its goals are to resolve the current financial crisis at black medical institutions; to assist in the survival and development of local black managed care organizations; to assure that all licensed black physicians have continued access to patients; and to develop black-owned health-related businesses. The association has formed the Tennessee Coalition for Quality Health Care, a group of African American politicians, physicians, educators, and health care administrators who can negotiate with state and federal officials in the issue of health care reform.
- Published
- 1997
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. A simple device for the exposure of animals to infectious microorganisms by the airborne route.
- Author
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Phillpotts RJ, Brooks TJ, and Cox CS
- Subjects
- Administration, Inhalation, Animals, Bacillus subtilis growth & development, Bacteriological Techniques, Cells, Cultured, Encephalitis Virus, St. Louis growth & development, Mice, Nebulizers and Vaporizers, Regression Analysis, Aerosols administration & dosage, Encephalitis, St. Louis transmission, Equipment Design, Virus Diseases transmission
- Abstract
In order to evaluate prophylaxis and therapy for individuals infected with pathogens by the airborne route, we have designed and built a simple apparatus in which small laboratory animals may be exposed to aerosols of infectious microorganisms. Animals are kept in a chamber closed by a HEPA filter and exposed to the pathogen aerosolized using a Collison nebulizer. Air in the exposure chamber may be sampled to show that the infectious agent is present but the dose of agent must be expressed as 50% effective doses determined by titration. An effective dose may be defined by whatever criteria are chosen to judge disease. Using this apparatus we have shown that St Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus is infectious for mice by the airborne route. These data support the idea that there may be significant hazard to personnel exposed to aerosols of infectious SLE after a laboratory accident.
- Published
- 1997
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. An outbreak of chickenpox in a military field hospital--the implications for biological warfare.
- Author
-
Hepburn NC and Brooks TJ
- Subjects
- Chickenpox prevention & control, Chickenpox transmission, Facility Design and Construction, Humans, Kuwait, Patient Isolation methods, Retrospective Studies, United Kingdom, Warfare, Biological Warfare, Chickenpox epidemiology, Disease Outbreaks, Hospitals, Military, Military Personnel
- Abstract
An outbreak of chickenpox with spread to patients and staff on the isolation ward of a British field hospital during the Gulf war is described. The implications for the design and operation of field hospital isolation units should transmissible biological warfare agents be encountered in any future conflict are discussed.
- Published
- 1991
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Quantitative recovery of alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase isoenzymes after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
- Author
-
Brooks TJ and Sammons HG
- Subjects
- Bile enzymology, Bone and Bones enzymology, Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel methods, Humans, Zinc pharmacology, Alkaline Phosphatase blood, Isoenzymes blood, gamma-Glutamyltransferase blood
- Abstract
Loss of activity of the isoenzymes of gamma-glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase has been shown to occur during electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. After studying the possible factors concerned in this loss, reasonable recovery from the gel can be obtained only for the isoenzyme staying at the origin. Maximum recovery is 60% for origin gamma-glutamyl transferase and 92% for origin alkaline phosphatase.
- Published
- 1980
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. A simple modification to an LKB 8600 reaction rate analyser for rapid measurement of enzymes showing lag phases in a coupled system.
- Author
-
Brooks TJ and Sammons HG
- Subjects
- Chemical Phenomena, Chemistry, Humans, Kinetics, Nucleotidases blood, Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet instrumentation, Time Factors, Enzymes blood
- Abstract
An enzyme assay which utilizes a coupled enzyme system may show a lag phase. To help to overcome problems associated with the kinetic measurement of these enzymes a modification to an LKB 8600 reaction rate analyser is described. It has been applied successfully to a kinetic method for the measurement of 5'-nucleotidase activity in serum.
- Published
- 1978
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Health care reimbursement in Mississippi: problems and possible solutions.
- Author
-
Brooks TJ 3rd
- Subjects
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S., Medical Assistance, Mississippi, United States, Delivery of Health Care economics, Reimbursement Mechanisms trends
- Published
- 1982
49. Regional health planning: what to look for.
- Author
-
Brooks TJ 3rd
- Subjects
- Mississippi, Health Planning
- Published
- 1976
50. The human Enteroviruses.
- Author
-
Brooks TJ Jr and Phillips BJ
- Subjects
- Enterovirus classification, Gastroenteritis diagnosis, Humans, Enterovirus Infections complications, Enterovirus Infections diagnosis, Gastroenteritis etiology
- Published
- 1983
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