Understanding the mechanism by which IFNa treatment leads to removal of the HCV virus from an infected cell is of interest to Associate Professor Peter White.
Molecular Typing of Australian Bordetella Pertussis Isolates
Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is an acute respiratory disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. It is estimated that 20–40 million cases and 400,000 deaths occur annually worldwide. Disease is most severe in infants and young children but often mild in adults. However adults are an important reservoir of infection.
Bordetella pertussis is genetically homogenous. Conventional typing methods such as multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) have shown only limited discrimination in B. pertussis. Mutational changes, which accumulate over time, would reflect true genetic relationships of isolates. Through comparative genome sequencing we have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in B. pertussis and used them for global epidemiological studies. In this project we will use SNPs and other molecular markers to type Australian isolates from recent outbreaks to understand the evolution of B. pertussis. The project involves genome comparisons, real-time PCR, sequencing and bioinformatic analysis.
References (available upon request)
- Halperin, S. A., 2007. The Control of Pertussis — 2007 and Beyond. New England Journal of Medicine 356:110-113
- Mooi, F.R., van Loo, I.H., King, A.J., 2001. Adaptation of Bordetella pertussis to vaccination: a cause for its reemergence? Emerging Infectious Diseases 7, 526-528.
BABS personnel that are responsible for this project