Quorum Sensing in Pathogenic Burkholderias Aspergillus fumigatus and Invasive Aspergillosis Bill Nierman J. Craig Venter Institute Rockville, MD

Quorum Sensing Control of Virulence in Pathogenic Burkholderias First describe in Vibrio fischeri in 1979 Bacteria cell-cell communication mechanism Involves autoinducers that are hormone- like in action Synchronizes population wide behaviors via transcriptionally controlled regulons

Interaction of Aspergillus with the host Immune dysfunction Frequency of aspergillosis Immune hyperactivity Frequency of aspergillosis Acute IA Subacute IA Tracheobronchitis Aspergilloma Chronic cavitary Chronic fibrosing Allergic BPA Allergic sinusitis.

Invasive Aspergillosis Lifetime Risk Chronic granulomatosis disease (25-40%) Transplant recipients (1-25%) – 1% Kidney – 10-15% Bone Marrow; Leading cause of infectious death – 25% Lung (colonization/infection) Neutropenic patients with leukemia (5-25%) – Leading cause of infectious death AIDS (4%) Multiple myeloma (4%) SCIDS (4%)