Christine Obusan

Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines · Microbiology and Cell Biology Academic Group

We report two pheretimoid earthworm species cultivated in Folia Tropica vermifacility in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. One species is Pheretima losbanosensis sp. nov., which belongs to P. dubia group in Sims & Easton 1972, characterized by having three pairs of spermathecal pores in 6/7–8/9. It has an adult size of 220–228 mm x 8–9 mm; and has 26...

With recent initiatives to ban bisphenol A (BPA) in certain commercial products, manufacturers shifted to the production and use of BPA analogues. However, some of these BPA alternatives still possess endocrine disruptive activities. Many fungal enzymes are known to biodegrade phenolic compounds, such as BPA. However, the activity of these enzymes...

The relatively high frequency of marine mammal stranding events in the Philippines provide many research opportunities. A select set of stranders (n = 21) from 2017 to 2018 were sampled for bacteriology and histopathology. Pertinent tissues and bacteria were collected from individuals representing eight cetacean species (i.e. Feresa attenuata, Kogi...

Laguna Lake is the largest inland freshwater body in the Philippines. Although it is classified to be usable for agricultural and recreational purposes by the country's Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), studies looking at lake ecology revealed severe fecal contamination which contributes to the deterioration of water quality....

We described 19 new species of pheretimoid earthworms in Palawan, Philippines. Of these, eight are Pheretima belonging to the Ph. darnleiensis group, characterised by having either four or five pairs of spermathecal pores located in 5/6–8/9. These were Pheretima ingentis sp. nov., Ph. palawanensis sp. nov., Ph. atongensis sp. nov., Ph. ascensa sp....

In this paper, we report the draft genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. isolate H28, isolated from sediments of the Meycauayan River in the Philippines. This species exhibits production of melanin as well as the ability to utilize and degrade both high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

Toxoplasma gondii infections affect marine mammal species worldwide. Investigating the presence of the protozoan parasite in marine mammals is crucial to understanding land-sea connection in relation to the movement of pathogenic and potentially pathogenic microorganisms in the marine environment. The main objective of this study was to detect T. g...

The relatively high frequency of marine mammal stranding events in the Philippines provide many research opportunities. A select set of stranders (n=21) from 2017 to 2018 were sampled for bacteriology and histopathology. Pertinent tissues and bacteria were collected from eight species (i.e. Feresa attenuata, Kogia breviceps, Globicephala macrorhync...

Background: The stranding events of cetaceans in the Philippines provide opportunities for gathering biological information and specimens, especially from the pelagic forms. As part of an effort to monitor the health of wild cetaceans, this study detected Leptospira spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, causative agents of the emerging zoonotic diseases lep...

As sentinels, cetaceans provide the link between ocean and human health by indicating the emergence of disease threats, pathogenic microorganisms, and antimicrobial resistance. Cetaceans that stranded in the Philippines from January 2012 to March 2013 were screened for antibiotic resistance. The susceptibility patterns of Achromobacter xylosidans,...

As sentinels, cetaceans provide the link between ocean and human health by indicating the emergence of disease threats, pathogenic microorganisms, and antimicrobial resistance. Cetaceans that stranded in the Philippines from January 2012 to March 2013 were screened for antibiotic resistance. The susceptibility patterns of Achromobacter xylosidans,...

The general consensus of a rapidly changing ocean ecosystem being affected by anthropogenic activities needs to be understood in relation to both wildlife and human health. The risks and challenges for the Philippines include lack of scientific information on waterborne diseases that are potentially zoonotic. The present study fills in this knowled...

The general consensus of a rapidly changing ocean ecosystem being affected by anthropogenic activities needs to be understood in relation to both wildlife and human health. The risks and challenges for the Philippines include lack of scientific information on waterborne diseases that are potentially zoo-notic. The present study fills in this knowle...

The general consensus of a rapidly changing ocean ecosystem being affected by anthropogenic activities needs to be understood in relation to both wildlife and human health. The risks and challenges for the Philippines include lack of scientific information on waterborne diseases that are potentially zoo-notic. The present study fills in this knowle...