Influenza B viruses (IBVs) can cause severe disease and death much like influenza A viruses (IAVs), and the prevention of influenza virus infection by vaccination is the [...]

The innate immune system is a crucial part of protecting the body from invading pathogens. The under or overexpression of any aspect in innate immunity can lead to inflam[...]

This dissertation presents three analyses that leverage genomic data from human, animal, and wastewater surveillance to study the evolution, epidemiology, and ecology of [...]

Influenza B viruses (FLUBVs) contribute significantly to seasonal influenza epidemics, co-circulating with influenza A viruses and disproportionately affecting children a[...]

J Paramyxovirus (JPV) was first isolated from moribund mice with hemorrhagic lung lesions in Australia in 1972. JPV is a paramyxovirus with a non-segmented, negative-stra[...]

The increased susceptibility of neonates to specific pathogens has previously been attributed to an underdeveloped immune system. More recent data suggest neonates have e[...]

Malaria during pregnancy presents with increased rates of miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, premature delivery, and low birth-weight neonates. The cellular an[...]

Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins and their impact on T cells in humans andmice are well described. S. aureus prevalence has not only increased in veterinary clinics, bu[...]

Virulence of the intracellular pathogen of foals and AIDS patients, Rhodococcus equi, requires the plasmid encoded virulence determinant VapA (virulence associated protei[...]

The use of avian influenza vaccination in poultry would have greater world-wideacceptance if a reliable test that clearly discriminates naturally infected from vaccinated[...]

Although the emergence of a novel pathogen from an existing virus (or viruses) may be a multi-faceted process involving many interdependent viral, host, and/or environmen[...]

Tpl2 is a serine threonine kinase that regulates inflammatory pathways of the immune system. Small molecule inhibitors of Tpl2 are being developed as possible therapeutic[...]

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is still one of the major infectious diseases in the world with over 9 million cases and 1.5 million deaths in 2014. Iron is a crucial mi[...]

Avian Leukosis viruses (ALV) previously found as contaminant of Mareks Disease vaccines were molecularly characterized. All three isolates, named PDRC-1039, PDRC-3246 and[...]

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a respiratory tract virus that causes significant morbidity and mortality in children less than 5 years of age, and is a major global[...]

Human protein kinases (HPKs) have profound effects on cellular responses. To better understand the role of HPKs and the signaling networks that influence influenza replic[...]

Numerous idiopathic inflammatory disorders of the canine central nervous system (CNS) have been described over the past several decades. These include specific histopatho[...]

Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) infection is associated with runting, mortality, immunosuppression, and chronic neoplasia with T and/or B cell lymphomas in a variety of[...]

Vaccines are an important public health measure for prevention and treatment of diseases. In addition to the vaccine immunogen, many vaccines incorporate adjuvants, to st[...]

Malaria poses a serious threat to global health, with 3.2 billion people in 95 countries at risk of infection. Pregnant women and young children in malaria-endemic areas [...]

Avian influenza viruses are endemic in wild aquatic birds and were generally thought to be apathogenic in humans until the 1997 outbreak of an extremely virulent highly p[...]

The rapid evolution of RNA viruses makes it difficult to control newly emerging infections. The genomes of RNA viruses evolve by mutations, recombination events, and natu[...]

Avian influenza (AI) undergoes antigenic drift, enabling it to evade the host immune response, allowing higher replication and enhanced transmission. Ongoing surveillanc[...]

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe respiratory disease and hospitalizations in infants and young children. It also causes significant mo[...]

Defining mechanisms of gene regulation is critical for understanding how pathogenic mycobacteria survive in diverse environments and for identifying novel drug targets. F[...]