Nazima Nisar

Mycoplasma pneumoniae and its role in asthma

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M pneumoniae), primarily recognised as a causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia has recently been linked to asthma. An infection with M pneumoniae may precede the onset of asthma or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Chronic infection with M pneumoniae has been suspected to play a part in some patients with asthma. The role of immunoglobulin E-related hypersensitivity and induction of T helper type 2 immune response leading to inflammatory response in M pneumoniae-infected patients with asthma have also been proposed. Use of macrolides in reducing asthma symptoms only in M pneumoniae-infected patients supports the use of macrolides in patients with asthma having M pneumoniae infection. As macrolides are both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drugs, the therapeutic role of their biphasic nature in reducing asthma symptoms needs further attention in clinical research.

Expression and Immunological Characterization of the Carboxy-Terminal Region of the P1 Adhesin Protein of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

ABSTRACT Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the causative agent of primary atypical pneumonia in humans. Adherence of M. pneumoniae to host cells requires several adhesin proteins, such as P1, P30, and P116. A major limitation in developing a specific diagnostic test for M. pneumoniae is the inability to express adhesin proteins in heterologous expression systems due to unusual usage of the UGA stop codon, leading to premature termination of these proteins in Escherichia coli. In the present study, we successfully expressed the C-terminal (P1-C1) and N-terminal (P1-N1) regions of the P1 protein in E. coli. On screening these recombinant proteins with sera from M. pneumoniae-infected patients, only the P1-C1 protein was found to be immunogenic. This protein can be used as an antigen for immunodiagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection, as well as in adherence inhibition studies to understand the pathophysiology of the disease.

Anaerobic septicaemia by Fusobacterium necrophorum: Lemierre's syndrome.

Lemierre’s syndrome is characterized by acute pharyngotonsillitis with secondary thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein which is complicated by multiple metastatic foci of infections. This syndrome is caused byFusobacterium necrophorum in healthy young persons and is extremely rare in occurrence. A pre-school child with Lemierre’s syndrome is reported. The diagnostic and therapeutic aspects are emphasized in order to sensitize physicians to this uncommon condition.