Lisa Lott

Publications of Lisa Lott

• Genome sequences of human adenovirus 14 isolates from mild respiratory cases and a fatal pneumonia, isolated during 2006-2007 epidemics in North America.

  Authors: Huo-Shu H Houng, Heping Gong, Adriana E Kajon, Morris S Jones, Robert A Kuschner, Arthur Lyons, Lisa Lott, Kuei-Hsiang Lin, David Metzgar

  Respiratory research. 01/2010; 11:116.

  Human adenovirus 14 (HAdV-14) is a recognized causative agent of epidemic febrile respiratory illness (FRI). Last reported in Eurasia in 1963, this virus has since been conspicuously absent in broadHuman adenovirus 14 (HAdV-14) is a recognized causative agent of epidemic febrile respiratory illness (FRI). Last reported in Eurasia in 1963, this virus has since been conspicuously absent in broad surveys, and was never isolated in North America despite inclusion of specific tests for this serotype in surveillance methods. In 2006 and 2007, this virus suddenly emerged in North America, causing high attack rate epidemics of FRI and, in some cases, severe pneumonias and occasional fatalities. Some outbreaks have been relatively mild, with low rates of progression beyond uncomplicated FRI, while other outbreaks have involved high rates of more serious outcomes. In this paper we present the complete genomic sequence of this emerging pathogen, and compare genomic sequences of isolates from both mild and severe outbreaks. We also compare the genome sequences of the recent isolates with those of the prototype HAdV-14 that circulated in Eurasia 30 years ago and the closely related sequence of HAdV-11a, which has been circulating in southeast Asia. The data suggest that the currently circulating strain of HAdV-14 is closely related to the historically recognized prototype throughout its genome, though it does display a couple of potentially functional mutations in the fiber knob and E1A genes. There are no polymorphisms that suggest an obvious explanation for the divergence in severity between outbreak events, suggesting that differences in outcome are more likely environmental or host determined rather than viral genetics.

• Health care transmission of a newly emergent adenovirus serotype in health care personnel at a military hospital in Texas, 2007.

  Authors: Fernanda C Lessa, Philip L Gould, Neil Pascoe, Dean D Erdman, Xiaoyan Lu, Michel L Bunning, Vincent C Marconi, Lisa Lott, Marc-Alain Widdowson, Larry J Anderson, Arjun Srinivasan

  The Journal of infectious diseases. 12/2009; 200(11):1759-65.

  BACKGROUND: Adenoviruses can cause outbreaks of febrile respiratory illness in military trainees, but until 2007, adenovirus serotype 14 (Ad14) was never associated with such outbreaks. From AprilBACKGROUND: Adenoviruses can cause outbreaks of febrile respiratory illness in military trainees, but until 2007, adenovirus serotype 14 (Ad14) was never associated with such outbreaks. From April through June 2007, 15 trainees at one base were hospitalized for pneumonia due to Ad14. Subsequent reports of febrile respiratory illness among health care personnel suggested nosocomial transmission. METHODS: Health care personnel participants completed a questionnaire and provided blood and nasal wash specimens for Ad14 diagnostic testing. We defined a confirmed case of Ad14 infection as one with titers > or = 1:80 or nasal wash specimens positive for Ad14 by polymerase chain reaction, whereas a possible case was defined by titers of 1:20 or 1:40. We also collected environmental samples. RESULTS: Among 218 tested health care personnel, 35 (16%) had titers > or = 1:20; of these, 7 had possible cases and 28 had confirmed cases of infection. Confirmed case patients were more likely to report febrile respiratory illness (57% vs 11%; P< .001) and to have had direct contact with patients with Ad14 infection (82% vs 62%; P.04 ). Of the 23 confirmed case patients with direct contact with Ad14-infected patients, 52% reported that patients were not in contact and droplet precautions at the time of exposure. Ad14 was recovered from several hospital surfaces. CONCLUSION: Our findings of possible nosocomial transmission of Ad14 highlight the need to reinforce infection control guidelines.

• Adenovirus Microsatellite Reveals Dynamics of Transmission During a Recent HAdV-14 Epidemic.

  Authors: Huo-Shu H Houng, Lisa Lott, Heping Gong, Robert A Kuschner, Julia A. Lynch, David Metzgar

  Journal of clinical microbiology. 05/2009;

  This study reveals diverse length polymorphisms in long mononucleotide repeats (microsatellites) in several serotypes of epidemic human respiratory adenovirus. The length of one of theseThis study reveals diverse length polymorphisms in long mononucleotide repeats (microsatellites) in several serotypes of epidemic human respiratory adenovirus. The length of one of these microsatellites, a homopolymeric thymidine (poly T) repeat, is measured in 68 isolates of adenovirus serotype 14. These isolates were collected during a series of sudden and sometimes fatal outbreaks among both military recruits and civilians as the virus emerged for the first time in the United States in 2006 and 2007. The results demonstrate the usefulness of adenoviral microsatellites as high-resolution molecular strain markers. The described homopolymer is hypervariable in length, varying from 12 to 17 base pairs in the analyzed sample set. All intermediate lengths were identified in at least one isolate. Furthermore, the specific length of the marker is stable over significant periods of time (up to 7 months) at individual sites where the virus is in consistent circulation. The microsatellite can also maintain specific length identity through site-to-site transmission events, determined by analysis of isolates from three advanced training sites that appeared to be subject to pathogen transfer from one of the affected recruit training installations. Public database searches revealed that the polymorphic nature of the microsatellite extends to other species B serotypes, and that other polymorphic microsatellites can be readily identified in a variety of epidemic respiratory adenovirus clades. This study shows that microsatellites are a ubiquitous source of polymorphic markers for human adenoviruses, and demonstrates their use through an epidemiological analysis of isolates from a recent North American epidemic.

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• Outbreak of Severe Respiratory Disease Associated with Emergent Human Adenovirus Serotype 14 at a US Air Force Training Facility in 2007.

  Authors: Jacqueline E Tate, Michel L Bunning, Lisa Lott, Xiaoyan Lu, John Su, David Metzgar, Lorie Brosch, Catherine A Panozzo, Vincent C Marconi, Dennis J Faix, Mila Prill, Brian Johnson, Dean D Erdman, Vincent Fonseca, Larry J Anderson, Marc-Alain Widdowson

  The Journal of infectious diseases. 05/2009;

  Background. In 2007, a US Air Force training facility reported a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses associated with a rare human adenovirus (Ad) serotype, Ad14. We investigated this outbreak toBackground. In 2007, a US Air Force training facility reported a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses associated with a rare human adenovirus (Ad) serotype, Ad14. We investigated this outbreak to better understand its epidemiology, clinical spectrum, and associated risk factors. Methods. Data were collected from ongoing febrile respiratory illness (FRI) surveillance and from a retrospective cohort investigation. Because an Ad7 vaccine is in development, Ad7 antibody titers in pretraining serum samples from trainees with mild and those with severe Ad14 illness were compared. Results. During 2007, an estimated 551 (48%) of 1147 trainees with FRI were infected with Ad14; 23 were hospitalized with pneumonia, 4 required admission to an intensive care unit, and 1 died. Among cohort members ([Formula: see text]), the Ad14 infection rate was high (50%). Of those infected, 40% experienced FRI. No cohort members were hospitalized. Male sex (risk ratio [RR], 4.7 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.2-10.1]) and an ill close contact (RR, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.2-2.2]) were associated with infection. Preexisting Ad7 neutralizing antibodies were found in 7 (37%) of 19 Ad14-positive trainees with mild illness but in 0 of 16 trainees with Ad14 pneumonia ([Formula: see text]). Conclusions. Emergence of Ad14, a rare Ad serotype, caused a protracted outbreak of respiratory illness among military recruits. Most infected recruits experienced FRI or milder illnesses. Some required hospitalization, and 1 died. Natural Ad7 infection may protect against severe Ad14 illness.

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• Evaluation and validation of a real-time PCR assay for detection and quantitation of human adenovirus 14 from clinical samples.

  Authors: David Metzgar, Greg Skochko, Carl Gibbins, Nolan Hudson, Lisa Lott, Morris S Jones

  PloS one. 01/2009; 4(9):e7081.

  In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that Human adenovirus type 14 (HAdV-14) infected 106 military personnel and was responsible for the death of one U.S. soldier atIn 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that Human adenovirus type 14 (HAdV-14) infected 106 military personnel and was responsible for the death of one U.S. soldier at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Identification of the responsible adenovirus, which had not previously been seen in North America and for which rapid diagnostic tools were unavailable, required retrospective analysis at reference laboratories. Initial quarantine measures were also reliant on relatively slow traditional PCR analysis at other locations. To address this problem, we developed a real-time PCR assay that detects a 225 base pair sequence in the HAdV-14a hexon gene. Fifty-one oropharyngeal swab specimens from the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA and Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory, Lackland AFB, TX were used to validate the new assay. The described assay detected eight of eight and 19 of 19 confirmed HAdV-14a clinical isolates in two separate cohorts from respiratory disease outbreaks. The real-time PCR assay had a wide dynamic range, detecting from 10(2) to 10(7) copies of genomic DNA per reaction. The assay did not cross-react with other adenoviruses, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, or common respiratory tract bacteria. The described assay is easy to use, sensitive and specific for HAdV-14a in clinical throat swab specimens, and very rapid since turnaround time is less than four hours to obtain an answer.