Spring/Summer 2012 Aesculapian Magazine - University of Georgia ...
Spring/Summer 2012 Aesculapian Magazine - University of Georgia ... Spring/Summer 2012 Aesculapian Magazine - University of Georgia ...
Quinn. Because of this, he says, there is an abundance of vaccine “flavors” — modifications of BCG, adenoviral or DNA-based vaccines — and everyone is trying to find the right combination of factors to invoke a protective immune response. “The immunology [of tuberculosis] is really interesting,” says Estes. “It’s a slow-growing organism, it goes into latency and becomes inactive. It can also become drug resistant.” All of those factors make tuberculosis a complex and worrisome disease to work with. Quinn and Estes have a half a dozen vaccine candidates between them, in addition to their efforts to determine the best animal models to use in overall tuberculosis vaccine development. By focusing on these complex models and their applicability to humans, UGA will serve as a conduit for all kinds of other tuberculosis research, says Quinn. “By doing the animal modeling, we think we can fill a crucial hole in testing before human trials,” he says. Dr. Fred Quinn in his lab. M. tuberculosis bacteria (red) inside human lung cells. Internal structural fibers (green) highlight the shapes of the cells. Image courtesy of Fred Quinn Photo by Laura Smith
Growing challenges Vaccination may be one of the only channels left to combat drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis, which are on the rise. Overuse and incorrect use of anti-TB drugs have led to drug resistance on every continent. “Once people get over the night sweats and fever symptoms,” says Estes, “they think they are cured and stop taking the drugs, and that’s how you get drug-resistant strains.” In addition to spreading drug resistance, high rates of HIV in the developing world pose another unique challenge. “The HIV connection changed the landscape of TB control,” says Quinn. These dual epidemics cause major problems in resource-poor countries and disadvantaged populations — Russian prisoners and South African miners, for example. Infection with HIV raises the risk of reactivating latent tuberculosis disease, and having both infections together exacerbates the effects of both. Estes will focus his studies on HIV and TB co-infection, and he is also working on therapeutics for end-stage wasting in HIVpositive patients. Quinn and Estes are optimistic that UGA is on the path to becoming a frontrunner in the race to control tuberculosis, thanks to the Animal Health Research Center and a dedicated, diverse group of researchers from different disciplines around UGA’s campus. “We’ve got everything here — the genetics expertise, the immunological expertise, the vaccine development expertise, the animal modeling expertise,” says Quinn. “We’re the whole package.” For More InForMatIon About the CVM’s department of Infectious Diseases, visit: www.vet.uga.edu/id TB Facts* Tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s second leading cause of death due to a single infectious agent. (HIV/AIDS is first.) At least one-third of the estimated 34 million people worldwide who are infected with HIV are also infected with TB bacteria but do not yet have active TB. These people are 21 to 34 times more likely to develop active TB disease. Over 95% of TB deaths occur in developing countries, and it is among the top three causes of death for women aged 15 to 44. In 2009, about 10 million children were orphaned due to the death of their parents from TB. In 2010, about 500,000 children, ages 14 and under, worldwide became ill with active TB. Between 58,000 and 71,000 children died from the disease. People who are ill with active TB can infect up to 15 other people through close contact over the course of a year. Drug-resistant strains of TB have been found in every country surveyed by the World Health Organization. 78 countries, including the United States, reported at least 1 case of TB in 2011. TB is treatable, curable and preventable. TB Research at UGA *Source: World Health Organization Multiple TB-related research projects are underway on the UGA campus, including at least five within the UGA CVM Department of Infectious Diseases. The research ranges from development of novel therapeutics, such as vaccines, to development of new diagnostics. Aesculapian Spring/Summer 2012 38
- Page 1 and 2: Aesculapian Vol. 12 , No. 2 College
- Page 3 and 4: Image courtesy of Fred Quinn Cabern
- Page 5 and 6: Jackwood now heads Department of Po
- Page 7 and 8: Photo by Flint Buchanan get consist
- Page 9 and 10: Photos by Sue Myers Smith D o n ’
- Page 11 and 12: Photo courtesy of Natalie Toney bee
- Page 13 and 14: news froM The VeTerinary Teaching h
- Page 15 and 16: Photo by Sue Myers Smith Photos and
- Page 17 and 18: Livingston and Seifarth enjoy their
- Page 19 and 20: Jacky Fortier pours a glass of Moun
- Page 21 and 22: Photo by Christopher B. Herron grad
- Page 23 and 24: training gives us an edge over MDs
- Page 25 and 26: 2012 Phi Zeta Veterinary Honor Soci
- Page 27 and 28: CVM students selected for bovine ex
- Page 29 and 30: will help expose students to not on
- Page 31 and 32: Soyoung Kwon First graduate of the
- Page 33 and 34: Steve Budsberg, Karen Cornell, Mary
- Page 35 and 36: Glisson to lead U.S. Poultry Founda
- Page 37: The most widely used diagnostic tes
- Page 41 and 42: A new president: Dr. Flynn Nance Dr
- Page 43 and 44: Dr. Heather Wilson Barron (DVM ’9
- Page 45 and 46: Mueller and Waggoner win 2012 Frate
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Growing challenges<br />
Vaccination may be one <strong>of</strong> the only channels left to<br />
combat drug-resistant strains <strong>of</strong> tuberculosis, which are on<br />
the rise. Overuse and incorrect use <strong>of</strong> anti-TB drugs have<br />
led to drug resistance on every continent. “Once people<br />
get over the night sweats and fever symptoms,” says Estes,<br />
“they think they are cured and stop taking the drugs, and<br />
that’s how you get drug-resistant strains.”<br />
In addition to spreading drug resistance, high rates<br />
<strong>of</strong> HIV in the developing world pose another unique<br />
challenge. “The HIV connection changed the landscape <strong>of</strong><br />
TB control,” says Quinn. These dual epidemics cause major<br />
problems in resource-poor countries and disadvantaged<br />
populations — Russian prisoners and South African<br />
miners, for example.<br />
Infection with HIV raises the risk <strong>of</strong> reactivating<br />
latent tuberculosis disease, and having both infections<br />
together exacerbates the effects <strong>of</strong> both. Estes will focus<br />
his studies on HIV and TB co-infection, and he is also<br />
working on therapeutics for end-stage wasting in HIVpositive<br />
patients.<br />
Quinn and Estes are optimistic that UGA is on the<br />
path to becoming a frontrunner in the race to control<br />
tuberculosis, thanks to the Animal Health Research<br />
Center and a dedicated, diverse group <strong>of</strong> researchers from<br />
different disciplines around UGA’s campus.<br />
“We’ve got everything here — the genetics expertise,<br />
the immunological expertise, the vaccine development<br />
expertise, the animal modeling expertise,” says Quinn.<br />
“We’re the whole package.”<br />
For More<br />
InForMatIon<br />
About the CVM’s department <strong>of</strong><br />
Infectious Diseases, visit:<br />
www.vet.uga.edu/id<br />
TB Facts*<br />
Tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s second<br />
leading cause <strong>of</strong> death due to a single<br />
infectious agent. (HIV/AIDS is first.)<br />
At least one-third <strong>of</strong> the estimated 34<br />
million people worldwide who are infected<br />
with HIV are also infected with TB bacteria<br />
but do not yet have active TB. These people<br />
are 21 to 34 times more likely to develop<br />
active TB disease.<br />
Over 95% <strong>of</strong> TB deaths occur in developing<br />
countries, and it is among the top three<br />
causes <strong>of</strong> death for women aged 15 to 44.<br />
In 2009, about 10 million children were<br />
orphaned due to the death <strong>of</strong> their parents<br />
from TB.<br />
In 2010, about 500,000 children, ages 14 and<br />
under, worldwide became ill with active TB.<br />
Between 58,000 and 71,000 children died<br />
from the disease.<br />
People who are ill with active TB can infect<br />
up to 15 other people through close contact<br />
over the course <strong>of</strong> a year.<br />
Drug-resistant strains <strong>of</strong> TB have been found<br />
in every country surveyed by the World<br />
Health Organization.<br />
78 countries, including the United States,<br />
reported at least 1 case <strong>of</strong> TB in 2011.<br />
TB is treatable, curable and preventable.<br />
TB Research at UGA<br />
*Source: World Health Organization<br />
Multiple TB-related research projects are<br />
underway on the UGA campus, including at<br />
least five within the UGA CVM Department <strong>of</strong><br />
Infectious Diseases.<br />
The research ranges from development<br />
<strong>of</strong> novel therapeutics, such as vaccines, to<br />
development <strong>of</strong> new diagnostics.<br />
<strong>Aesculapian</strong> <strong>Spring</strong>/<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2012</strong> 38