Kevin R. Macaluso
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View article: Advancing Mycobacterium leprae transmission research: Insights from the R2STOP fund
Advancing Mycobacterium leprae transmission research: Insights from the R2STOP fund Open
Background Leprosy remains a significant public health burden in many low- and middle-income countries, with the transmission pathways of Mycobacterium leprae remaining incompletely understood. The Research to Stop Transmission of Neglecte…
View article: Management of extensively drug-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> bacteremia with cefiderocol and sulbactam-durlobactam: a case report
Management of extensively drug-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> bacteremia with cefiderocol and sulbactam-durlobactam: a case report Open
Background Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii presents an urgent threat to public health due to its significant morbidity and mortality, with limited evidence-based treatment options. Recent drug developments of cefid…
View article: Identification and characterization of a Relish-type NF-κB, DvRelish, in Dermacentor variabilis in response to Rickettsia rickettsii infection
Identification and characterization of a Relish-type NF-κB, DvRelish, in Dermacentor variabilis in response to Rickettsia rickettsii infection Open
Ixodid ticks serve as hosts and transmission vectors for several obligate intracellular bacteria, including members of the spotted fever group (SFG) of Rickettsia . Although ticks generate an immune response to bacterial insults, many of t…
View article: A conserved interaction between the effector Sca4 and host clathrin suggests additional contributions for Sca4 during rickettsial infection
A conserved interaction between the effector Sca4 and host clathrin suggests additional contributions for Sca4 during rickettsial infection Open
Intracellular bacterial pathogens deploy secreted effector proteins that manipulate diverse host machinery and pathways to promote infection. Although many effectors carry out a single function or interaction, there are a growing number of…
View article: A conserved interaction between the effector Sca4 and host endocytic machinery suggests additional roles for Sca4 during rickettsial infection
A conserved interaction between the effector Sca4 and host endocytic machinery suggests additional roles for Sca4 during rickettsial infection Open
Intracellular bacterial pathogens deploy secreted effector proteins that manipulate diverse host machinery and pathways to promote infection. Although many effectors carry out a single specific function or interaction, there are a growing …
View article: Cat Flea Coinfection with <i>Rickettsia felis</i> and <i>Rickettsia typhi</i>
Cat Flea Coinfection with <i>Rickettsia felis</i> and <i>Rickettsia typhi</i> Open
Purpose: Flea-borne rickettsioses, collectively referred to as a term for etiological agents Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia typhi, and RFLOs (R. felis-like organisms), has become a public health concern aro…
View article: Critical roles of <i>Rickettsia parkeri</i> outer membrane protein B (OmpB) in the tick host
Critical roles of <i>Rickettsia parkeri</i> outer membrane protein B (OmpB) in the tick host Open
Rickettsia parkeri is a pathogen of public health concern and transmitted by the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum . Rickettsiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that enter and replicate in diverse host cells. Rickettsial outer membr…
View article: Salivary glands of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis: Dissection and microscopy guide
Salivary glands of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis: Dissection and microscopy guide Open
Fleas are morphologically unique ectoparasites that are hardly mistaken for any other insect. Most flea species that feed on humans and their companion animals, including the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), have medical and veteri…
View article: Revisiting the sialome of the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis
Revisiting the sialome of the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis Open
The hematophagous behaviour emerged independently in several instances during arthropod evolution. Survey of salivary gland and saliva composition and its pharmacological activity led to the conclusion that blood-feeding arthropods evolved…
View article: Transposon mutagenesis of Rickettsia felis sca1 confers a distinct phenotype during flea infection
Transposon mutagenesis of Rickettsia felis sca1 confers a distinct phenotype during flea infection Open
Since its recognition in 1994 as the causative agent of human flea-borne spotted fever, Rickettsia felis , has been detected worldwide in over 40 different arthropod species. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis , is a well-described biolog…
View article: The role of cofeeding arthropods in the transmission of Rickettsia felis
The role of cofeeding arthropods in the transmission of Rickettsia felis Open
Rickettsia felis is an emerging etiological agent of rickettsioses worldwide. The cosmopolitan cat flea ( Ctenocephalides felis ) is the primary vector of R . felis , but R . felis has also been reported in other species of hematophagous a…
View article: Association between Growth Rate and Pathogenicity of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia
Association between Growth Rate and Pathogenicity of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Open
Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia amblyommatis are spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) associated with Amblyomma ticks. R. parkeri is a recognized human pathogen that causes an eschar-associated febrile illness, while R. amblyommatis has…
View article: Mycobacterium leprae Infection in Ticks and Tick-Derived Cells
Mycobacterium leprae Infection in Ticks and Tick-Derived Cells Open
Leprosy is a zoonosis in the southern United States involving humans and wild armadillos. The majority of patients presenting with zoonotic strains of Mycobacterium leprae note extensive outdoor activity but only rarely report any history …
View article: Unpacking the intricacies of Rickettsia–vector interactions
Unpacking the intricacies of Rickettsia–vector interactions Open
View article: Dynamic gene expression in salivary glands of the cat flea during <i>Rickettsia felis</i> infection
Dynamic gene expression in salivary glands of the cat flea during <i>Rickettsia felis</i> infection Open
The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is an arthropod vector capable of transmitting several human pathogens including Rickettsia species. Earlier studies identified Rickettsia felis in the salivary glands of the cat flea and transmission o…
View article: Evolution of <i>Wolbachia</i> mutualism and reproductive parasitism: insight from two novel strains that co-infect cat fleas
Evolution of <i>Wolbachia</i> mutualism and reproductive parasitism: insight from two novel strains that co-infect cat fleas Open
Wolbachiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that infect arthropods and certain nematodes. Usually maternally inherited, they may provision nutrients to (mutualism) or alter sexual biology of (reproductive parasitism) their invertebrate …
View article: Comparative Analysis of Infection by Rickettsia rickettsii Sheila Smith and Taiaçu Strains in a Murine Model
Comparative Analysis of Infection by Rickettsia rickettsii Sheila Smith and Taiaçu Strains in a Murine Model Open
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a life-threatening tick-borne disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, which is widely distributed throughout the Americas. Over 4000 cases of RMSF are recorded annually in the United States, while on…
View article: The complete mitochondrial genome of the cat flea, <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i>
The complete mitochondrial genome of the cat flea, <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> Open
The cat flea, Ctenocephalides fells, is widely recognized as a global veterinary pest and a vector of pathogenic bacteria. We recently reported on the C. felis nuclear genome, which is characterized by over 38% protein…
View article: A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity
A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity Open
View article: Evolution of<i>Wolbachia</i>Mutualism and Reproductive Parasitism: Insight from Two Novel Strains that Co-infect Cat Fleas
Evolution of<i>Wolbachia</i>Mutualism and Reproductive Parasitism: Insight from Two Novel Strains that Co-infect Cat Fleas Open
Wolbachiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that infect arthropods and certain nematodes. Usually maternally inherited, they may provision nutrients to (mutualism) or alter sexual biology of (reproductive parasitism) their invertebrate …
View article: A non-coding RNA controls transcription of a gene encoding a DNA binding protein that modulates biofilm development in Bartonella henselae
A non-coding RNA controls transcription of a gene encoding a DNA binding protein that modulates biofilm development in Bartonella henselae Open
Bartonella henselae (Bh) is a Gram-negative zoonotic bacterium that can grow as large aggregates and form biofilms in vitro dependent upon the adhesin BadA. Previously, we reported that the Houston-1 strain of Bh has a family of nine small…
View article: A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity
A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity Open
Background Fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) are small flightless parasites of birds and mammals; their blood-feeding can transmit many serious pathogens (i.e. the etiological agents of bubonic plague, endemic and murine typhus). The lack of f…
View article: Overview of a Special Issue on Geospatial Analysis of Invasive Arthropod Alien Species
Overview of a Special Issue on Geospatial Analysis of Invasive Arthropod Alien Species Open
View article: Additional file 6 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity
Additional file 6 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity Open
Additional file 6: Table S3. Analysis of C. felis proteins that did not cluster with other Holometabola.
View article: Additional file 5 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity
Additional file 5 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity Open
Additional file 5: Table S2. Pan-genomes across sequenced Holometabola.
View article: Additional file 7 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity
Additional file 7 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity Open
Additional file 7: Table S4. Elements of the C. felis microbiome and associated Wolbachia phylogeny estimation.
View article: Additional file 8 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity
Additional file 8 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity Open
Additional file 8: Table S5. Coverage of corrected PacBio reads against all 16,622 polished assembly contigs.
View article: Additional file 2 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity
Additional file 2 of A chromosome-level assembly of the cat flea genome uncovers rampant gene duplication and genome size plasticity Open
Additional file 2: Table S1. Functional predictions and enrichment analysis of C. felis proteins.
View article: Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels mediate salivary gland function and blood feeding in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum
Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels mediate salivary gland function and blood feeding in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum Open
Our data contribute to understanding of tick salivary gland function and could guide future campaigns aiming to develop chemical or reverse vaccinology technologies to reduce the worldwide burden of tick feeding and tick-vectored pathogens.
View article: Spotted Fever Group <i>Rickettsia</i> Infection and Transmission Dynamics in <i>Amblyomma maculatum</i>
Spotted Fever Group <i>Rickettsia</i> Infection and Transmission Dynamics in <i>Amblyomma maculatum</i> Open
Tick vectors are capable of transmitting several rickettsial species to vertebrate hosts, resulting in various levels of disease. Studies have demonstrated the transmissibility of both rickettsial pathogens and novel Rickettsia species or …