Polio Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Polio virus is the type species of the Enterovirus genus in the family Picornaviridae. Enteroviruses are transient inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract, and are stable at an acidic pH. Picornaviruses are small with an RNA genome. There are three poliovirus serotypes (P1, P2, and P3). Immunity […]
Rabies virus Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Rabies is a disease caused by the rabies virus. Rabies virus belongs to the order Mononegavirales, viruses with single RNA genomes. Classified in the Rhabdoviridae family, which includes at least three genera of animal viruses, Lyssavirus, Ephemerovirus, and Vesiculovirus. Disease/Infection Progressive encephalomyelitis Pathogenicity Laboratory Associated Infections […]
Salmonella enterica species (S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis serotypes) Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Salmonella serotypes of family Enterobacteriaceae are gram negative rods; motile, aerobic and facultatively anaerobic; serological identification of somatic, flagellar and Vi antigens. They are organized into two species S. enterica and S. bongori. S enterica serotypes S. typhimurium and enteritidis are serotypes most frequent in the […]
Streptococcus pyogenes Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Streptococcus pyogenes Group A (β-hemolytic) streptococci (GAS), is an aerobic, gram-positive extracellular bacterium. It is made up of non-motile, non-sporing cocci that are less than 2 µm in length and that form chains and large colonies greater than 0.5 mm in size. It has a β-hemolytic […]
Orthopoxvirus Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Orthopoxviruses are one of several genuses that cause Poxvirus Diseases. There are several species of Orthopoxviruses which can infect both animals and humans. Most notable of these species is the Variola virus which causes smallpox. After an extensive vaccination campaign, smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980. […]
Vibrio cholera Pacini O1 biovar eltor str. N16961 Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Vibrio cholerae is a gram negative, non-spore forming, curved rod bacterium that contains a motile flagellum. It is a facultative anaerobe and part of the Vibronaceae family. There are over 200 subtypes, and the O1 and O139 serotypes cause epidemic cholera in humans. Vibrio cholera Pacini […]
Yersinia enterocolitica Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-414-7647 Agent Yersinia enterocolitica is a gram negative rod-shaped to ovoid bacilli member of the enterbacteriacae family. Some strains produce a heat-stabile enterotoxin (ST). Disease/Infection Only a few strains of Y. enterocolitica cause illness in humans. Yersinia enterocolitica can cause yersiniosis, enterocolitis, or pseudotuberculosis. Pathogenicity Based on data […]
Clostridium difficile Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent The Clostridia species are gram-positive, rod-shaped, spore-formers. They are generally obligate anaerobes and are ubiquitous saprophytes or part of the normal flora. Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic pathogen that produces large, oval, subterminal spores and two toxins. Toxin A is an enterotoxin that causes fluid accumulation […]
Newcastle Disease virus Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Newcastle Disease virus causes severe disease in poultry worldwide. It primarily affects the respiratory system of birds, but nervous system and enteric (or viscerotropic) forms occur. Newcastle Disease virus belongs to serotype 1 of the avian paramyxoviruses. Based on pathogenic studies Newcastle Disease virus is categorized […]
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Enterococcus spp. is facultatively anaerobic, catalase-negative Gram-positive cocci bacterium that are arranged individually, in pairs, or short chains. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci VRE are those enterococci that are resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin. E. faecalis is the most frequent species isolated from human intestine samples (80-90%), E. faecium […]