Inside This IssuePrograms in Review Council Meetings Membership Notes NEB Web Site Elections Future Meetings Science Fair Winners Obituary |
Region I Meeting, 2003
The Northeast Branch of the American Society for Microbiology is pleased to host the Region I Meeting this year, sponsored in conjunction with the Connecticut Valley, Eastern New York, and New York City Branches. We would like to acknowledge the generous support of the American Society for Microbiology to this 38th Annual Meeting, which will be held at the Boston Marriott Hotel Quincy, Quincy, MA, on October 29-November 1, 2003. There are many exciting programs planned; CAP inspector training will be available. A draft of the program schedule is enclosed in this Newsletter; programs are subject to change. The preliminary program , registration forms, and call for abstracts will be mailed later in the year. For additional information please call Garry Greer, Meeting Chairperson (617) 983-6602 or the NEB Secretary, Irene George, 617-983-6371.back to top
Programs in Review
The first NEB dinner-lecture of the year, co-sponsored with the Massachusetts Department of Public Heath (MDPH), was held at the Best Western TLC Hotel in Waltham on December 3, 2002. Over thirty people attended the meeting. Ralph Timperi, Assistant Commissioner, MDPH and Director of the State Laboratory Institute (SLI) in Boston, MA spoke on The Role of Clinical Microbiology Laboratories and Bioterrorism. He pointed out that clinical laboratories are a key in the early detection and prevention of biological threats; they are as important as is the astute infectious disease physician, who recognizes and responds to unusual clusters of symptoms.
Laboratory-based surveillance can function as an early warning system in the event of a biological threat said Mr. Timperi. The organization of such a network of laboratories, termed the Laboratory Response Network (LRN), consists of networks, or hubs, of laboratories linked by computer, with public health laboratories acting as sentinel laboratories in the system. In order for such a network to function effectively, all laboratories need to be electronically connected. However, not all laboratories are connected.
Early warning surveillance by simply “mining” large amounts of data lacks specificity, and early outbreak detection would be difficult if this was the sole system relied upon. Mr. Timperi informed us that Public Health laboratories are capable of performing the same early outbreak identification using a few samples, molecular methods, and the national database. This is possible because LRN laboratories use rapid diagnostic test methods and are constantly adding to their capacity to detect biological threat agents. They obtain the method- ology and reagents for critical bioterrorism (BT) agents from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, GA.
The CDC currently makes and validates all reagents using various methods. The goal is to have about two hundred and fifty laboratories that can do full confirmatory testing for biological threat agents.
Rex Bicchieri (L) and Ralph Timperi (R)
Most clinical laboratories have had at least one technologist receive BT screening training at the State Laboratory Institute. Screening protocols are available to all laboratories on the CDC website. Web-based modules for training to supplement this are also being developed. The national natural diseases incidence will serve as the baseline for levels of diseases observed locally.
Mr. Timperi told us that after September 11, 2002, 69% of the nationwide environmental testing was done by public health laboratories. Public fear arising from the anthrax incidents and subsequent threat hoaxes led to the testing of many environmental specimens, that revealed many system-wide problems. The SLI received approximately fifty-five threat letters claiming to contain anthrax or other threat agents. Mr. Timperi also described the current national smallpox vaccination plan and the BT response teams for the state. He said that the vaccination program is voluntary and has contraindications for many people. There are many choices to be made, both nationally and personally regarding decisions to undergo vaccination
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Council Meeting Schedule, 2003
Council Meetings this year will be held at the State Laboratory Institute in Jamaica Plain. Members and all interested microbiol-ogists and scientists are welcome to attend. Please notify Irene H. George at (617) 983-6371 in advance. The final Council Meeting for the coming year is scheduled for June 10, 2003.
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Membership Notes
Please check the mailing label on future announcements and Newsletters for your membership expiration date and any corrections that need to be made. We have created a membership database in order to send items of interest more easily and rapidly by e-mail, therefore don't forget to include your e-mail address. Please notify Irene H. George, Secretary, of any changes at (617) 983-6371 or by email at irene.george@state.ma.us.
Membership in the national branch automatically makes you a member of the local branch in some organizations, but this is NOT the case in the ASM. You may be both a National Member and a NEB member, but you have to join each individually. The Northeast Branch membership currently consists of 256 paid members, which includes:
| Emeritus | 24 |
| Honorary | 4 |
| Students | 21 |
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Visit Our Web Site!!
The NEB has established a home page on the World Wide Web. All current events and the Newsletter are available here. Visit us via the ASM Home Page:
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Council Elections
Ballots have been mailed to NEBASM members this month. Please cast your vote and return the ballot by the June 4 deadline!
Thank you!
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Sex, Drugs, and Penguins: A Study of Antibiotic Resistance in Antarctica
ASM Foundation Speaker Robert V. Miller, PhD, Regents Professor from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, spoke on Sex, Drugs and Penguins: A Study of Drug Resistance in Antarctica at the NEB second dinner meeting of the year. This was held at the Doubletree Guest Suites, Waltham, MA on February 6, 2003, and was attended by over thirty people. Dr. Miller conducted this study while on sabbatical at Cardiff, Wales on a grant from Burroughs Welcome.
Emergence of antibiotic resistance in medicine has been a problem since such drugs first came into use. The first report was of B. subtilis “acclimating” to mercuric chloride. Sulfonamides were introduced in 1940, followed the same year by the first report of resistance. In1997 vancomycin resistance in S. aureus was identified, and recently multi-drug resistant tuberculosis has resulted in an increase of the disease in some states.
Resistance, Dr. Miller explained, can be due to genetic changes, or extrachromosomal DNA elements known as drug-resistant plasmids. The mechanism of each of these types of drug resistance is different and distinct. Targets of antibiotics may be cell wall biosynthesis and integrity (ampicillin), protein systhesis (streptomycin, tetracycline, kanamycin), or DNA synthesis and integrity (nalidixic acid). Chromosomal encoded antibiotic
(L to R) Paulette Howarth, Foundation Speaker Robert V. Miller,
Irene George and Barbara Werner
resistance acts on a target, producing alterations at the receptor site so it can no longer bind the antibiotic; alterations in transport and permeability occur. Plasmid encoded drug resistance is more transfer. The transfer is not limited to conjugation but can occur by viral delivery (transduction) and transformation. This may not be limited to the few species in which it is known to occur.
Antibiotic resistance in wild bacterial populations can occur naturally, as when it occurs for protection from antibiotic producing organisms or to transfer resistance genes. It can also occur arthropogenically, as seen in prophylactic use by physicians and patients, over-use of antibiotics in animal feeds by ranchers, or use of inappropriate drug protocols. Overuse of antibiotics therefore exacerbates the problem.
To answer the question as to what antibiotic resistance would be like in a wild bacterial population before the antibiotic era, Dr. Miller went to Palmer Station, just inside the Arctic Circle. Antarctica has less antibiotic use than anywhere else in the world. There are a number of experimental stations there and only cruise ships visit.
Five hundred fifty mL samples of water from five different areas were cultured for bacteria. Three areas near the Station, one pristine area, and one, a runoff from penguin colony were studied; a 500 gram sample of penguin feces from the penguin colony was also taken. The number of colony forming units (CFU’s) was determined and the level of contamination was determined from the ratio of the number of colonies growing at 6oC (psychro-phyles) vs those growing at 20oC (less adapted organisms, probably contaminants). Samples contained mostly fusobacteria and some vibrio, with little fungal growth. Resistance to tetracycline (Te) , amikacin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid (NA) and streptomycin was determined. The pristine area showed more organisms growing at 6oC than 20oC and low numbers of contaminants were seen in samples taken at sites on the other side of the peninsula, away from the Station. In such environments, single non-plasmid resistance was expected, and most isolates did have single drug resistance.
Chromosomal drug resistance, such as to Te and NA, was observed in areas distant from the Station. Drug resistance was greater in areas closer to the Station. The Pump House area and penguin colony showed more CFU/mL and both had resistance to a number of antibiotics. Organisms from penguin feces were mostly multi-drug resistant (MDR) and resistance to all drugs was seen, with a high proportion of tetracycline resistant organisms. Only a few instances of plasmid encoded resistance were found in any of the samples. The following conclusions were made: (1) that drug resistance in general was low in all samples except in penguin feces, (2) there is slightly more resistance in waters near human/bird populations, (3) MDR is low but is highest in penguin feces and (4) most MDR is chromosomal in nature. .
Dr. Miller noted that in spite of a longstanding treaty signed by all nations agreeing to ship nothing in or out of Antarctica, shipping does occur. Waste, for example, is shipped off the stations and garbage is carried from Palmer Station to San Diego. To test for possible contamination, samples of both surface waters and waters 300 meters deep were taken as the boat cruised. High levels of contamination were found in surface waters near land masses, along with bacteria demonstrating resistance to 25µg penicillin. High levels of resistance were also found in deep waters all the way to San Diego; some was chromosomal in nature, with resistance to5µg tetracycline.
Dr. Miller suggests limiting both cruise ships and sewage discharge in Antarctica, and hopes excessive antibiotic use worldwide will stop. In the absence of excessive antibiotic usage, the level of resistance will decrease naturally and resistant bacterial populations will become sensitive. He hopes to continue the Antarctic study, and has recently begun a study of the occurrence of resistant bacteria in bilge water.
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ASM Membership
Full membership in the American Society for Microbiology was reduced to $49 in 2001 and journal purchase as part of your membership is no longer necessary. This should make it much easier for those who are not actively involved in laboratory research and do not need personal copies of the journal, to justify membership.
ASM membership applications may be obtained through the Northeast Branch both at our meetings and by contacting the NEB Secretary.
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Future Meetings
National:
May 18-22, 2003
ASM 103rd General Meeting, Washington, DC
September 14-17, 2003
Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy(43rd). Chicago, IL
For above meeting contact Meetings Dept., American Society for Microbiology, 1752 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-942-9248. www.asmusa.org.
Local:
October 29-31, 2003
Region I Meeting of the Northeast, New York City, Connecticut Valley and Eastern New York Branches of the ASM. Hosted by the Northeast Branch. At the Boston Marriott Quincy Hotel, Quincy, MA.
Registration: Irene H. George, 617-983-6371. See Insert for details.
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Science Fair Winners
Congratulations again to all science fair winners for their outstanding work! The projects done by these students are quite noteworthy. The NEB annually contributes $300 to the MA Science Fair, $100 to each of the five MA regional fairs, and $200 to the VT science fair. Recipients of awards in Massachusetts this year were as follows:
Region 2: Worcester Regional Science and Engineering Fair
Nicholette Schlichting from Wachusetts Regional High School for The effect of garlic on the life span of C. elegans
Region 3: Rensselaer/BBC Science Fair held at Bristol Community College
Miles C. Miller from Bishop Feehan High School for The effects of pH on the loop organ-forming capabilities and trapping rate of Rhabditis by Arthrobotrys conoides
Region 4: Somerville Science Fair
Tri Vu and David Wolfman from Somerville High School for Pseudo-Halogens
and
Paul Riker from Hamilton Regional High School
for Powered Lift Aircraft
South Shore Region 5 Science Fair held at
Bridgewater State College
Bethany Croke from Stoughton High School for In Living Color: The separation of dyes through chromatography
and
Joseph Giacomelli from Falmouth High School for
Does the Bioluminescent bacterium, Vibrio fischeri have a circadian rhythm?
Region 6: Boston Science Fair
Matthew Hicks from Jeremiah Burke High School
for Bacterial Mutation
We could not obtain the names of the winners at the MA State Science Fair at MIT or the VT Science Fair in time for publication in this Newsletter.
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Obituary: Harold Amos
Harold Amos, the Maude and Lillian Presley Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Emeritus at Harvard Medical School, died Feb. 26. He was 84.
A faculty member for nearly 50 years, Amos made significant research contributions to the fields of animal cell culture, bacterial metabolism, and animal and bacterial virology. He was the first African American to chair a department at the Medical School and is remembered by generations of students and colleagues as an extraordinarily dedicated and caring teacher and mentor as well as a staunch advocate for minorities in biomedical science. He also served on the President’s Cancer Panel and the National Cancer Advisory Board, and for more than 30 years served in various leadership positions with the American Cancer Society.
From: Harvard University Gazette, March 6, 2003
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