Browsing by Subject "Rotavirus"
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Open Access Examining interactions of lead and repeated Rotavirus infection on infant cognitive development(2018-04-26) Reilly, DelaneyRotavirus is a major cause of severe childhood gastroenteritis globally. When children are frequently exposed to unsanitary conditions they are more likely to be repeatedly exposed to pathogens that cause diarrheal diseases and gut inflammation. This chronic inflammation can decrease cognitive function and generally stunt growth. Additionally, lead is well known to be neurodevelopmentally toxic, causing lower cognitive functioning at levels of 5ug/dL, the current CDC maximum acceptable blood lead level. Children in the developing world may be more likely to have a double burden of these growth stunting factors, disadvantaging them in global competition. Therefore, this project evaluated if the effects of repeated early life Rotavirus infection and elevated blood lead levels increase cognitive stunting beyond what might be expected of either threat individually. To understand these potential interactions, infants from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan were assessed for cognition at 6 months using the Bayley’s Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. This score was evaluated in relation to the child’s blood lead level and incidence of Rotavirus infection while controlling for covariates such as home socioeconomic status, maternal reasoning abilities, nutrition, and other pathogenic burden. No relationship was found in this cohort, but it should be noted that the number of infants in this study with a non-zero Rota incidence was 43 of the 634 participants. Therefore, it is not able to be determined if the data is masking a potential reaction or if there is truly no interaction. It is possible that increased gut injury could be increasing lead uptake, as was hypothesized, but it may also be injuring the gut enough to decrease all absorption, thus decreasing lead uptake. Further study of this and other environmental health interactions are needed to evaluate if and how any stunting effects that may be seen are impacting these populations and potentially presenting a greater than additive risk.Item Open Access The actin cytoskeleton as a barrier to virus infection of polarized epithelial cells.(Viruses, 2011-12-21) Delorme-Axford, Elizabeth; Coyne, Carolyn BMany diverse viruses target a polarized epithelial monolayer during host invasion. The polarized epithelium is adept at restricting the movement of solutes, ions, macromolecules, and pathogens across the mucosa. This regulation can be attributed to the presence of a junctional complex between adjacent cells and to an intricate network of actin filaments that provides support to the subapical membrane and stabilizes intercellular junctions. It is therefore not surprising that many viruses have evolved highly varied strategies to dissolve or modulate the cortical actin meshwork to promote infection of polarized cells. In this review, we will discuss the cell biological properties of the actin cytoskeleton in polarized epithelial cells and review the known mechanisms utilized by viral pathogens to manipulate this system in order to facilitate their infection.