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Soto LF, Romaní AC, Jiménez-Avalos G, Silva Y, Ordinola-Ramirez CM, Lopez Lapa RM, Requena D. Immunoinformatic analysis of the whole proteome for vaccine design: An application to Clostridium perfringens. Front Immunol 2022; 13:942907. [PMID: 36110855 PMCID: PMC9469472 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.942907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens is a dangerous bacterium and known biological warfare weapon associated with several diseases, whose lethal toxins can produce necrosis in humans. However, there is no safe and fully effective vaccine against C. perfringens for humans yet. To address this problem, we computationally screened its whole proteome, identifying highly immunogenic proteins, domains, and epitopes. First, we identified that the proteins with the highest epitope density are Collagenase A, Exo-alpha-sialidase, alpha n-acetylglucosaminidase and hyaluronoglucosaminidase, representing potential recombinant vaccine candidates. Second, we further explored the toxins, finding that the non-toxic domain of Perfringolysin O is enriched in CTL and HTL epitopes. This domain could be used as a potential sub-unit vaccine to combat gas gangrene. And third, we designed a multi-epitope protein containing 24 HTL-epitopes and 34 CTL-epitopes from extracellular regions of transmembrane proteins. Also, we analyzed the structural properties of this novel protein using molecular dynamics. Altogether, we are presenting a thorough immunoinformatic exploration of the whole proteome of C. perfringens, as well as promising whole-protein, domain-based and multi-epitope vaccine candidates. These can be evaluated in preclinical trials to assess their immunogenicity and protection against C. perfringens infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis F. Soto
- Escuela Profesional de Genética y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Ana C. Romaní
- Escuela Profesional de Genética y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Gabriel Jiménez-Avalos
- Departamento de Ciencias Celulares y Moleculares, Laboratorio de Bioinformática, Biología Molecular y Desarrollos Tecnológicos, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH), Lima, Peru
| | - Yshoner Silva
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
| | - Carla M. Ordinola-Ramirez
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
| | - Rainer M. Lopez Lapa
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
- Instituto de Ganadería y Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
| | - David Requena
- Laboratory of Cellular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: David Requena,
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2
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Al-Khalidi T, Genidy R, Almutawa M, Mustafa M, Adra S, Kanawati NE, Binashour T, Barqawi HJ. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the United Arab Emirates population towards Herpes Zoster vaccination: A cross-sectional study. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2073752. [PMID: 35622980 PMCID: PMC9359366 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2073752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Herpes Zoster is a viral infection that occurs due to reactivation of the Varicella Zoster virus. A vaccine has been approved for adults aged 50 and above for the prevention of Herpes Zoster and its complications. This study aims to assess the at-risk population’s awareness of the disease and its vaccine, and attitudes and practices toward the vaccine. A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among 420 adults above the age of 50. Non-probability, convenience sampling was used to select participants from public venues. SPSS-25 was used to analyze the data. 64.3% (n = 270) of participants heard of Herpes Zoster. 78.3% (n = 329) did not recognize the link between chickenpox and Herpes Zoster. Multiple linear regression showed that being female, Arab expatriate, or healthcare professional were the only positive predictors of Herpes Zoster knowledge. 14.8% (n = 62) heard of Herpes Zoster vaccine but 96.7% (n = 406) had not taken it. Participants with chronic diseases were 2.064 times more likely to hear about the vaccine than healthy participants (p = 0.026). Multiple linear regression showed that being a healthcare professional was the only significant predictor of Herpes Zoster vaccine knowledge. 28.1% (n = 118) were not willing to take optional vaccines. Those reluctant to take optional vaccines were 26.023 times more likely to take them if recommended by a healthcare professional (p < 0.001). Attitudes toward Herpes Zoster vaccine were generally positive; however, due to lack of knowledge, poor practices were observed. Nationwide campaigns aimed toward at-risk groups can raise awareness on Herpes Zoster and its vaccine, subsequently improving Herpes Zoster vaccination rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teba Al-Khalidi
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Radwa Genidy
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Muna Almutawa
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammad Mustafa
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Saryia Adra
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Thureya Binashour
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hiba Jawdat Barqawi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.,Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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3
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ÖZNUR MUZ FN, ÖNSÜZ MF, METİNTAS S, ARSLANTAS D, ÜNSAL A, OKTAR D, YÜCEL E, TEPETAŞ M. Assesment of Physicians’ Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccine. CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.33808/clinexphealthsci.1005495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study is to physicians attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine.
Methods: Our research is a cross-sectional study, which was conducted between January 4th and February 26th, 2021. A Google Forms questionnaire was prepared according to the literature. The first part of the two-part questionnaire included the sociodemographic characteristics of the physicians and some variables thought to be related to COVID-19. In the second part, questions from the “Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccine Scale (ATCVS)” were included. Multiple linear regression analysis with variables that were significant in univariate analysis was used for further analysis.
Results: Three hundred fifteen (71.9%) of a total of 438 participants stated that they were assigned to units related to COVID-19 during the pandemic. With more than 10 years of work in the profession, physicians had a more positive attitude towards vaccination than those with 1 – 5 years’ experience. Most of the physicians reported that there were insufficient studies on these newly developed vaccines. Possible adverse effects, uncertainty about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine, and beliefs that people are not at risk for severe disease were prominent.
Conclusions: Despite all the uncertainties about the efficacy, safety, and long-term adverse effects of newly developed COVID vaccines, it was determined that 79% of the physicians approached the vaccine positively. The most important reason for vaccine hesitation was the insufficient studies about COVID-19 vaccines.
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4
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Xu Z, Ho M, Bordoloi D, Kudchodkar S, Khoshnejad M, Giron L, Zaidi F, Jeong M, Roberts CC, Park YK, Maslow J, Abdel-Mohsen M, Muthumani K. Techniques for Developing and Assessing Immune Responses Induced by Synthetic DNA Vaccines for Emerging Infectious Diseases. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2410:229-263. [PMID: 34914050 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1884-4_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Vaccines are one of mankind's greatest medical advances, and their use has drastically reduced and in some cases eliminated (e.g., smallpox) disease and death caused by infectious agents. Traditional vaccine modalities including live-attenuated pathogen vaccines, wholly inactivated pathogen vaccines, and protein-based pathogen subunit vaccines have successfully been used to create efficacious vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and yellow fever. These traditional vaccine modalities, however, take many months to years to develop and have thus proven less effective for use in creating vaccines to emerging or reemerging infectious diseases (EIDs) including influenza, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), West Nile virus (WNV), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses 1 and 2 (SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2). As factors such as climate change and increased globalization continue to increase the pace of EID development, newer vaccine modalities are required to develop vaccines that can prevent or attenuate EID outbreaks throughout the world. One such modality, DNA vaccines, has been studied for over 30 years and has numerous qualities that make them ideal for meeting the challenge of EIDs including; (1) DNA vaccine candidates can be designed within hours of publishing of a pathogens genetic sequence; (2) they can be manufactured cheaply and rapidly in large quantities; (3) they are thermostable and have reduced requirement for a cold-chain during distribution, and (4) they have a remarkable safety record in the clinic. Optimizations made in plasmid design as well as in DNA vaccine delivery have greatly improved the immunogenicity of these vaccines. Here we describe the process of making a DNA vaccine to an EID pathogen and describe methods used for assessing the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of DNA vaccines in small animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Xu
- Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michelle Ho
- Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Devivasha Bordoloi
- Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Makan Khoshnejad
- Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Leila Giron
- Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Faraz Zaidi
- Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Joel Maslow
- GeneOne Life Science Inc., Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Kar Muthumani
- Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- GeneOne Life Science Inc., Seoul, South Korea.
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Koff WC, Schenkelberg T, Williams T, Baric RS, McDermott A, Cameron CM, Cameron MJ, Friemann MB, Neumann G, Kawaoka Y, Kelvin AA, Ross TM, Schultz-Cherry S, Mastro TD, Priddy FH, Moore KA, Ostrowsky JT, Osterholm MT, Goudsmit J. Development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines for those most vulnerable. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:13/579/eabd1525. [PMID: 33536277 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abd1525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Development of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines is a global priority and the best hope for ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Remarkably, in less than 1 year, vaccines have been developed and shown to be efficacious and are already being deployed worldwide. Yet, many challenges remain. Immune senescence and comorbidities in aging populations and immune dysregulation in populations living in low-resource settings may impede vaccine effectiveness. Distribution of vaccines among these populations where vaccine access is historically low remains challenging. In this Review, we address these challenges and provide strategies for ensuring that vaccines are developed and deployed for those most vulnerable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne C Koff
- Human Vaccines Project, New York, NY 10119, USA. .,Human Immunomics Initiative, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Theodore Schenkelberg
- Human Vaccines Project, New York, NY 10119, USA.,Human Immunomics Initiative, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tere Williams
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Adrian McDermott
- Vaccine Immunology Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Cheryl M Cameron
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Mark J Cameron
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Matthew B Friemann
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Gabriele Neumann
- Influenza Research Institute, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yoshihiro Kawaoka
- Influenza Research Institute, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.,Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Alyson A Kelvin
- Departments of Pediatrics, Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Ted M Ross
- Animal Health Research Center, Center for Vaccines, Immunology and Infectious Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Stacey Schultz-Cherry
- Infectious Diseases Research, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | | | - Frances H Priddy
- Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
| | - Kristine A Moore
- Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455, USA
| | - Julia T Ostrowsky
- Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael T Osterholm
- Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455, USA
| | - Jaap Goudsmit
- Human Vaccines Project, New York, NY 10119, USA.,Human Immunomics Initiative, Departments of Epidemiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Pollard AJ, Bijker EM. A guide to vaccinology: from basic principles to new developments. Nat Rev Immunol 2020; 21:83-100. [PMID: 33353987 PMCID: PMC7754704 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-020-00479-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 668] [Impact Index Per Article: 167.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Immunization is a cornerstone of public health policy and is demonstrably highly cost-effective when used to protect child health. Although it could be argued that immunology has not thus far contributed much to vaccine development, in that most of the vaccines we use today were developed and tested empirically, it is clear that there are major challenges ahead to develop new vaccines for difficult-to-target pathogens, for which we urgently need a better understanding of protective immunity. Moreover, recognition of the huge potential and challenges for vaccines to control disease outbreaks and protect the older population, together with the availability of an array of new technologies, make it the perfect time for immunologists to be involved in designing the next generation of powerful immunogens. This Review provides an introductory overview of vaccines, immunization and related issues and thereby aims to inform a broad scientific audience about the underlying immunological concepts. This Review, aimed at a broad scientific audience, provides an introductory guide to the history, development and immunological basis of vaccines, immunization and related issues to provide insight into the challenges facing immunologists who are designing the next generation of vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Pollard
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals Trust, Oxford, UK.
| | - Else M Bijker
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals Trust, Oxford, UK
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7
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Vaccine implants: current status and recent advancements. Emerg Top Life Sci 2020; 4:319-330. [DOI: 10.1042/etls20200164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Implants have long been used in the field of drug delivery as controlled release vehicles and are now being investigated as single-shot vaccine technologies. Implants have shown great promise, minimizing the need for multiple immunizations while stimulating potent immune responses with reduced doses of vaccine. Synchronous release of vaccine components from implants over an appropriate period of time is important in order to avoid issues including immune tolerance, sequestration or deletion. Traditionally, implants require surgical implantation and removal, which can be a barrier to their widespread use. Degradable and in situ implants are now being developed that can be administered using minimally invasive subcutaneous or intramuscular injection techniques. Injectable hydrogels remain the most commonly studied approach for sustained vaccine delivery due to their ease of administration and tunable degradation properties. Despite exciting advancements in the field of vaccine implants, few technologies have progressed to clinical trials. To increase the likelihood of clinical translation of vaccine implants, strategic testing of disease-relevant antigens in appropriate species is essential. In this review, the significance of vaccine implants and the different types of implants being developed to deliver vaccines are discussed.
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8
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Mokrzan EM, Ahearn CP, Buzzo JR, Novotny LA, Zhang Y, Goodman SD, Bakaletz LO. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae newly released (NRel) from biofilms by antibody-mediated dispersal versus antibody-mediated disruption are phenotypically distinct. Biofilm 2020; 2:100039. [PMID: 33447823 PMCID: PMC7798465 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2020.100039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilms contribute significantly to the chronicity and recurrence of bacterial diseases due to the fact that biofilm-resident bacteria are highly recalcitrant to killing by host immune effectors and antibiotics. Thus, antibody-mediated release of bacteria from biofilm residence into the surrounding milieu supports a powerful strategy to resolve otherwise difficult-to-treat biofilm-associated diseases. In our prior work, we revealed that antibodies directed against two unique determinants of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) [e.g. the Type IV pilus (T4P) or a bacterial DNABII DNA-binding protein, a species-independent target that provides structural integrity to bacterial biofilms] release biofilm-resident bacteria via discrete mechanisms. Herein, we now show that the phenotype of the resultant newly released (or NRel) NTHI is dependent upon the specific mechanism of release. We used flow cytometry, proteomic profiles, and targeted transcriptomics to demonstrate that the two NRel populations were significantly different not only from planktonically grown NTHI, but importantly, from each other despite genetic identity. Moreover, each NRel population had a distinct, significantly increased susceptibility to killing by either a sulfonamide or β-lactam antibiotic compared to planktonic NTHI, an observation consistent with their individual proteomes and further supported by relative differences in targeted gene expression. The distinct phenotypes of NTHI released from biofilms by antibodies directed against specific epitopes of T4P or DNABII binding proteins provide new opportunities to develop targeted therapeutic strategies for biofilm eradication and disease resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine M Mokrzan
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Christian P Ahearn
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - John R Buzzo
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Laura A Novotny
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.,The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC - James), Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Steven D Goodman
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Lauren O Bakaletz
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
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