Research articles from Texas Tech (sick buildings) Supports mold is harmful

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Faculty

C Straus, PhD

Professor Microbiology and Immunology

Office Phone: 806.743.2523

Laboratory Phone: 806.743.2466

Room: 5B195

Research Interests

Pathogenic bacteriology, role of bacterial

endotoxins and exotoxins in disease; Streptococci;

Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Pasteurella; The microbiology

of indoor air

Research Efforts

The focus of the research from my laboratory

during the past several years has been on the

mechanisms by which pathogenic bacteria cause lung

infections in experimental animals and man. Organisms

that are included in these studies are the group B.

streptococci, Pseudomonas cepacia, Klebsiella

pneumoniae, and Pasteurella haemolytica. Our work with

the group B. streptococci led to the isolation of an

enzyme that may be responsible for some of the

neurological sequelae seen in neonatal infections by

this organism. Our work with Klebsiella pneumoniae led

to the development of an animal model for chronic lung

infection by this organism. We have demonstrated the

production of at least two compounds by Pseudomonas

cepacia (a lipase and an extracellullar toxic complex)

that we feel may be responsible for the lung pathology

seen in cystic fibrosis patients infected with this

organism. We have developed a vaccine against shipping

fever caused by Pasteurella haemolytica in cattle and

goats. And finally, we have shown that the fungi

Penicillum chrysogenum and Stachybotrys chartarum are

reponsible for some of the adverse health effects seen

in sick building syndrome.

Selected Publications

Straus, D.C., J.D. Cooley, and C.W. Purdy. 1996. In

vivo production of neuraminidase by Pasteurella

multocida A:3 in goats after transthoracic challenge.

Curr. Microbiol. 33:266-269.

Purdy, C.W., R.H. Raleigh, J.K. , J.L. Watts,

and D.C. Straus. 1997. Serotyping and enzyme

characterization of Pasteurella haemolytica and

Pasteurella multocida isolates recovered from

pneumonic lungs of stressed feeder calves. Curr.

Microbiol. 34:244-249.

Purdy, C.W., D.C. Straus, and J.R. Ayres. 1997.

Efficacy of a subcutaneously administered, ultraviolet

light-killed Pasteurella multocida A:3-containing

bacterin against a transthoracic challenge exposure in

goats. Amer. J. Vet. Res. 58:841-847.

Purdy, C.W., J.D. Cooley, and D.C. Straus. 1998.

Cross-protection studies with three serotypes of

Pasteurella haemolytica in the goat model. Curr.

Microbiol. 36:207-211.

Cooley, J.D., W.C. Wong, C.A. Jumper, and D.C. Straus.

1998. Correlation between the prevalence of certain

fungi and sick building syndrome. Occup. Environ. Med.

55:579-584.

Purdy, C.W., J.D. Cooley, and D.C. Straus. 1998.

Pasteurella haemolytica ultraviolet irradiated vaccine

compared by parental and aerosol routes in the goat

model. Curr. Microbiol. 37:132-136.

Straus, D.C., C.W. Purdy, R.W. Loan, R.E. Briggs, and

G.H. . 1998. In vivo production of neuraminidase

by Pasteurella haemolytica in cattle following natural

infection. Curr. Microbiol. 37:240-244.

McGrath, J.J., W.C. Wong, J.D. Cooley, and D.C.

Straus. 1999. Continually measured fungal profiles in

sick building syndrome. Curr. Microbiol. 38:33-36.

Cooley, J.D., W.C. Wong, C.A. Jumper, and D.C. Straus.

1999. Cellular and humoral responses in an animal

model inhaling Penicillilum chrysogenum spores.

Proceedings of the Third International Conference on

Bioaerosols, Fungi, and Mycotoxins pp.403-410.

Pratt, J., J.D. Cooley, C.W. Purdy, and D.C. Straus.

2000. Lipase activity from strains of Pasteurella

multocida. Curr. Microbiol. 40:306-309.

Purdy, C.W., D.C. Straus, G.H. , R.E. Briggs and

R.W. Loan. 2000. Conglutinin and immunoconglutinin

activity of market-stressed feeder calves. Am. J. Vet.

Res. 61 : 1403-1409.

Cooley, J.D., W.C. Wong, C.A. Jumper, J.C. ,

H.J. , C.J. Schwab, and D.C. Straus. 2000. An

animal model for Penicilliosis induced by the nasal

instillation of viable Penicillium chrysogenum

conidia. Thorax 55:489-496.

Purdy, C.W., D.C. Straus, D.B., P.P. ,

and R.N. . 2001 Water quality in cattle feedyards

in winter and summer. Am. J. Vet. Res. 62: 1462-1467.

Karunasena, E., N. Markham, T. Brasel, J.D. Cooley,

and D.C. Straus. 2001. Evaluation of fungal growth on

organic ceiling tile and inorganic ceiling tile.

Mycopathologica 150: 91-95.

Purdy, C.W., D.C. Straus, J.A. Harp, and R. Mock.

2001. Microbial pathogen survival study in high plains

feedyard playa. (In press, Tx. J. Sci).

Purdy, C.W., D.C. Straus, N. Chirase, D.B. , J.

R. Ayers, and M.D. Hoover. 2001. Effects of

aerosolized endotoxin in feedyard dust on adult sheep.

(In press, Am. J. Vet. Res.)

Straus, D.C. 2001. Consequences of mold exposure in

buildings. Tx. J. Rural Health. 19: 8-13.

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER

Department of Microbiology and Immunology

3601 4th Street, STOP 6591

Lubbock, Texas 79430-6591

Phone: 806.743.2545 | Fax: 806.743.2334

Email: Micro & Immuno

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