Alex R. Hoffmaster

Genetic diversity of clinical isolates of Bacillus cereususing multilocus sequence typing (2008)

Hoffmaster, Alex R, Novak, Ryan T, Marston, Chung K, Gee, Jay E, Helsel, Leta, Pruckler, James M, ...

Abstract Background Bacillus cereus is most commonly associated with foodborne illness (diarrheal and emetic) but is also an opportunistic pathogen that can cause severe and fatal infections. Several...

Molecular approaches to identify and differentiate Bacillus anthracisfrom phenotypically similar Bacillusspecies isolates (2006)

Marston, Chung K, Gee, Jay E, Popovic, Tanja, Hoffmaster, Alex R

Abstract Background Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus can usually be distinguished by standard microbiological methods (e.g., motility, hemolysis, penicillin susceptibility and susceptibility to...

Identification of Anthrax Toxin Genes in a Bacillus cereus Associated With An Illness Resembling Inhalation Anthrax (2006)

Hoffmaster, Alex R., Ravel, Jacques, Rasko, David A., Chapman, Gail D., Chute, Michael D., Marston, CHung K., ...

Bacillus anthracis is the etiologic agent of anthrax, an acute fatal disease among mammals. It was thought to differ from Bacillus cereus, an opportunistic pathogen and cause of food poisoning, by...

ATXA-dependent gene expression in Bacillus anthracis (1999)

Hoffmaster, Alex R

The Bacillus anthracis toxin genes, cya, lef , and pag , can be viewed as a regulon, in which transcription of all three genes is activated in trans by the same regulatory gene, atxA , in response to...

Two-Component Direct Fluorescent-Antibody Assay for Rapid Identification of Bacillus Anthracis (1998)

De, Barun K., Bragg, Sandra L., Sanden, Gary N., Wilson, Kathy E., Diem, Lois A., Marston, Chung K., ...

A two-component direct fluorescent-antibody (DFA) assay, using fluorescein-labeled monoclonal antibodies specific to the Bacillus anthracis cell wall (CW-DFA) and capsule (CAP-DFA) antigens, was...

Autogenous Regulation of the Bacillus anthracis pag Operon

Hoffmaster, Alex R., Koehler, Theresa M.

Protective antigen (PA) is an important component of the edema and lethal toxins produced by Bacillus anthracis. PA is essential for binding the toxins to the target cell receptor and for...

Use of 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing for Rapid Identification and Differentiation of Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. mallei

Gee, Jay E., Sacchi, Claudio T., Glass, Mindy B., De, Barun K., Weyant, Robbin S., Levett, Paul N., ...

Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. mallei, the causative agents of melioidosis and glanders, respectively, are designated category B biothreat agents. Current methods for identifying these organisms...

Identification of anthrax toxin genes in a Bacillus cereus associated with an illness resembling inhalation anthrax

Hoffmaster, Alex R., Ravel, Jacques, Rasko, David A., Chapman, Gail D., Chute, Michael D., Marston, Chung K., ...

Bacillus anthracis is the etiologic agent of anthrax, an acute fatal disease among mammals. It was thought to differ from Bacillus cereus, an opportunistic pathogen and cause of food poisoning, by...

Characterization of a Bacillus anthracis Isolate Causing a Rare Case of Fatal Anthrax in a 2-Year-Old Boy from Hong Kong

Cheung, Danny T. L., Kam, Kai Man, Hau, Kong Lung, Au, Tak Kong, Marston, Chung K., Gee, Jay E., ...

We used multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and pagA sequencing to genotype a Bacillus anthracis isolate from a fatal case of human anthrax in Hong Kong. The isolate has a...

Effects of Long-Term Storage on Plasmid Stability in Bacillus anthracis

Marston, Chung K., Hoffmaster, Alex R., Wilson, Kathy E., Bragg, Sandra L., Plikaytis, Brian, Brachman, Philip, ...

The plasmid profiles of 619 cultures of Bacillus anthracis which had been isolated and stored between 1954 and 1989 were analyzed using the Laboratory Response Network real-time PCR assay targeting a...

Autogenous Regulation of the Bacillus anthracis pag Operon

Hoffmaster, Alex R., Koehler, Theresa M.

Protective antigen (PA) is an important component of the edema and lethal toxins produced by Bacillus anthracis. PA is essential for binding the toxins to the target cell receptor and for...

Use of 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing for Rapid Identification and Differentiation of Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. mallei

Gee, Jay E., Sacchi, Claudio T., Glass, Mindy B., De, Barun K., Weyant, Robbin S., Levett, Paul N., ...

Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. mallei, the causative agents of melioidosis and glanders, respectively, are designated category B biothreat agents. Current methods for identifying these organisms...

Identification of anthrax toxin genes in a Bacillus cereus associated with an illness resembling inhalation anthrax

Hoffmaster, Alex R., Ravel, Jacques, Rasko, David A., Chapman, Gail D., Chute, Michael D., Marston, Chung K., ...

Bacillus anthracis is the etiologic agent of anthrax, an acute fatal disease among mammals. It was thought to differ from Bacillus cereus, an opportunistic pathogen and cause of food poisoning, by...

Characterization of a Bacillus anthracis Isolate Causing a Rare Case of Fatal Anthrax in a 2-Year-Old Boy from Hong Kong

Cheung, Danny T. L., Kam, Kai Man, Hau, Kong Lung, Au, Tak Kong, Marston, Chung K., Gee, Jay E., ...

We used multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and pagA sequencing to genotype a Bacillus anthracis isolate from a fatal case of human anthrax in Hong Kong. The isolate has a...

Effects of Long-Term Storage on Plasmid Stability in Bacillus anthracis

Marston, Chung K., Hoffmaster, Alex R., Wilson, Kathy E., Bragg, Sandra L., Plikaytis, Brian, Brachman, Philip, ...

The plasmid profiles of 619 cultures of Bacillus anthracis which had been isolated and stored between 1954 and 1989 were analyzed using the Laboratory Response Network real-time PCR assay targeting a...

Capsule Production in Bacillus cereus Strains Associated with Severe Pneumonia

Sue, David, Hoffmaster, Alex R., Popovic, Tanja, Wilkins, Patricia P.

We identified three encapsulated Bacillus cereus strains, isolated from patients with severe pneumonia, in a collection of B. cereus isolates associated with human illness. We found that the extent...

Characterization of Bacillus cereus Isolates Associated with Fatal Pneumonias: Strains Are Closely Related to Bacillus anthracis and Harbor B. anthracis Virulence Genes†

Hoffmaster, Alex R., Hill, Karen K., Gee, Jay E., Marston, Chung K., De, Barun K., Popovic, Tanja, ...

Bacillus cereus is ubiquitous in nature, and while most isolates appear to be harmless, some are associated with food-borne illnesses, periodontal diseases, and other more serious infections. In one...

Genetic Diversity in a Bacillus anthracis Historical Collection (1954 to 1988)▿

Sue, David, Marston, Chung K., Hoffmaster, Alex R., Wilkins, Patricia P.

Bacillus anthracis, the etiologic agent of anthrax, has been widely described as a genetically monomorphic species. We used both multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) and pagA...

Pre-Columbian Origins for North American Anthrax

Kenefic, Leo J., Pearson, Talima, Okinaka, Richard T., Schupp, James M., Wagner, David M., Ravel, Jacques, ...

Disease introduction into the New World during colonial expansion is well documented and had a major impact on indigenous populations; however, few diseases have been associated with early human...

Two-Component Direct Fluorescent-Antibody Assay for Rapid Identification of Bacillus anthracis

De, Barun K., Bragg, Sandra L., Sanden, Gary N., Wilson, Kathy E., Diem, Lois A., Marston, Chung K., ...

A two-component direct fluorescent-antibody (DFA) assay, using fluorescein-labeled monoclonal antibodies specific to the Bacillus anthracis cell wall (CW-DFA) and capsule (CAP-DFA) antigens, was...

Molecular Subtyping of Bacillus anthracis and the 2001 Bioterrorism-Associated Anthrax Outbreak, United States

Hoffmaster, Alex R., Fitzgerald, Collette C., Ribot, Efrain, Mayer, Leonard W., Popovic, Tanja

Molecular subtyping of Bacillus anthracis played an important role in differentiating and identifying anthrax strains during the 2001 bioterrorism-associated outbreak. Because B. anthracis has a low...