Browsing by Author "Nielsen, Kirsten"

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    ATI-2307 Exhibits Equivalent Antifungal Activity in Cryptococcus neoformans Clinical Isolates With High and Low Fluconazole IC50
    (Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 11, 695240., 2021-06-23) Gerlach, Elliot S.; Luggya, Tony S.; Akampurira, Andrew; Rhein, Joshua; Nielsen, Kirsten
    Half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) to the experimental drug ATI-2307 and complete inhibition (IC90) of the common clinically used antifungal drug amphotericin B were determined by microbroth dilution assay for a collection of 69 clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from Uganda that had high fluconazole IC50 values. The majority of the clinical isolates tested had fluconazole IC50 at or above 8 µg/mL, but were susceptible to both amphotericin B (IC90 ≤1 μg/mL) and ATI-2307 (IC50 ≤0.0312 µg/mL). No correlation between increased fluconazole minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and ATI-2307 or amphotericin B MIC was observed, suggesting that the cellular changes impacting fluconazole susceptibility did not impact the effectiveness of ATI-2307. Our results suggest that ATI-2307 is a promising new antifungal drug for use in the context of high fluconazole or other antifungal drug MICs and/or in combination drug therapy regimens.
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    MinION Whole‑Genome Sequencing in Resource‑Limited Settings: Challenges and Opportunities
    (Current Clinical Microbiology Reports, 2022-11-17) Wasswa, Fredrickson B.; Kassaza, Kennedy; Nielsen, Kirsten; Bazira, Joel
    The introduction of MinION whole-genome sequencing technology greatly increased and simplified complete genome sequencing in various fields of science across the globe. Sequences have been generated from complex organisms to microorganisms and are stored in genome databases that are readily accessible by researchers. Various new software for genome analysis, along with upgrades to older software packages, are being generated. New protocols are also being validated that enable WGS technology to be rapidly and increasingly used for sequencing in field settings. MinION WGS technology has been implemented in developed countries due to its advantages: portability, real-time analysis, and lower cost compared to other sequencing technologies. While these same advantages are critical in developing countries, MinION WGS technology is still under-utilized in resource-limited settings. In this review, we look at the applications, advantages, challenges, and opportunities of using MinION WGS in resource-limited settings.