Jillian Murray | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (original) (raw)

Papers by Jillian Murray

Research paper thumbnail of Determining the Provincial and National Burden of Influenza-Associated Severe Acute Respiratory Illness in South Africa Using a Rapid Assessment Methodology

PloS one, 2015

Local disease burden data are necessary to set national influenza vaccination policy. In 2010 the... more Local disease burden data are necessary to set national influenza vaccination policy. In 2010 the population of South Africa was 50 million and the HIV prevalence was 11%. We used a previously developed methodology to determine severe influenza burden in South Africa. Hospitalized severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) incidence was calculated, stratified by HIV status, for four age groups using data from population-based surveillance in one site situated in Gauteng Province for 2009-2011. These rates were adjusted for each of the remaining 8 provinces based on their prevalence of risk factors for pneumonia and healthcare-seeking behavior. We estimated non-hospitalized influenza-associated SARI from healthcare utilization surveys at two sites and used the percent of SARI cases positive for influenza from sentinel surveillance to derive the influenza-associated SARI rate. We applied rates of hospitalized and non-hospitalized influenza-associated SARI to census data to calculate the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Raised against Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Virus Nucleocapsid (N) Protein: Identification of a Region in the Carboxy Terminus of N Involved in the Interaction with P Protein

Virology, 2001

To investigate structure and biological properties of the nucleocapsid (N) protein of respiratory... more To investigate structure and biological properties of the nucleocapsid (N) protein of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), we have generated a panel of 16 monoclonal antibodies, raised against recombinant N protein, and epitope mapped seven of these to three ...

Research paper thumbnail of Investigations into the amino-terminal domain of the respiratory syncytial virus nucleocapsid protein reveal elements important for nucleocapsid formation and interaction with the phosphoprotein

Virology, 2003

Bacterially expressed nucleocapsid (N) protein, from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used ... more Bacterially expressed nucleocapsid (N) protein, from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used to investigate RNA binding in a modified North-Western blotting protocol. The recombinant protein demonstrated no sequence specificity in binding RNA representing either the antigenomic leader sequence or the nonspecific sequence derived from a plasmid vector. When recombinant N was purified on CsCl gradients, two types of structure, both with densities indicating that they contained RNA, could be visualised by negative-stain electron microscopy. Structures similar to nucleocapsids (NC) from RSV-infected cells were observed, as were ring structures. A small fragment of the N (amino acids 1-92) was all that was required for the production of NC-like structures. Another mutant with an internal deletion could form rings but not NC-like structures. This suggests that this domain (amino acids 121-160) may be important for maintaining helical stability. Further analysis has also identified a p...

Research paper thumbnail of Sorting of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Matrix Protein into Detergent-Resistant Structures Is Dependent on Cell-Surface Expression of the Glycoproteins

Virology, 2002

The interaction of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Matrix (M) protein with the plasma membr... more The interaction of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Matrix (M) protein with the plasma membrane was investigated using polyclonal and monoclonal antisera raised against recombinant M expressed in bacteria. M bound mainly to the plasma membrane, although a significant proportion bound to internal membranes. However, no localisation of M with the Golgi was observed, suggesting that transport of M to the plasma membrane was independent of the transport mechanism for the viral glycoproteins. Expression from a recombinant baculovirus demonstrated the ability of M to bind membranes in the absence of viral glycoprotein expression. When cell-surface expression of the viral glycoproteins was prevented using Brefeldin A, M was still found in association with the plasma membrane, but the characteristics of M's membrane-binding ability were different to that found in untreated infected cells. In the presence of normal glycoprotein expression, M was sorted into lipid rafts and, in addition, formed structures that could only be disrupted by treatment with high salt buffers, a feature suggesting an interaction with the cytoskeleton or the formation of strong intramolecular associations. Brefeldin A prevented M from being sorted into lipid rafts or from forming strong intramolecular associations. Brefeldin A also affected the stability of M bound to the plasma membrane, as M was more readily dissociated in the presence of the inhibitor. Coexpression of M and F resulted in the incorporation of M into lipid rafts but did not cause the formation of the strong intramolecular bonds, suggesting that additional factors are required for this phenomena.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigations into the amino-terminal domain of the respiratory syncytial virus nucleocapsid protein reveal elements important for nucleocapsid formation and interaction with the phosphoprotein

Virology, 2003

Bacterially expressed nucleocapsid (N) protein, from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used ... more Bacterially expressed nucleocapsid (N) protein, from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used to investigate RNA binding in a modified North-Western blotting protocol. The recombinant protein demonstrated no sequence specificity in binding RNA representing either the antigenomic leader sequence or the nonspecific sequence derived from a plasmid vector. When recombinant N was purified on CsCl gradients, two types of structure, both with densities indicating that they contained RNA, could be visualised by negative-stain electron microscopy. Structures similar to nucleocapsids (NC) from RSV-infected cells were observed, as were ring structures. A small fragment of the N (amino acids 1-92) was all that was required for the production of NC-like structures. Another mutant with an internal deletion could form rings but not NC-like structures. This suggests that this domain (amino acids 121-160) may be important for maintaining helical stability. Further analysis has also identified a potential site in the amino-terminus that may be involved in an interaction with the phosphoprotein. A domain model of the RSV N protein is presented which, similar to that of other paramyxoviruses, supports the idea that the amino-terminus is important for NC assembly.

Research paper thumbnail of Global invasive bacterial vaccine-preventable diseases surveillance--2008-2014

MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, Jan 12, 2014

Meningitis and pneumonia are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children globally infec... more Meningitis and pneumonia are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children globally infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae causing a large proportion of disease. Vaccines are available to prevent many of the common types of these infections. S. pneumoniae was estimated to have caused 11% of deaths in children aged <5 years globally in the pre-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) era. Since 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended inclusion of PCV in childhood immunization programs worldwide, especially in countries with high child mortality. As of November 26, 2014, a total of 112 (58%) of all 194 WHO member states and 44 (58%) of the 76 member states ever eligible for support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), have introduced PCV. Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) surveillance that includes data on serotypes, along with meningitis and pneumonia syndromic surveillance, provides impo...

Research paper thumbnail of Determining the Provincial and National Burden of Influenza-Associated Severe Acute Respiratory Illness in South Africa Using a Rapid Assessment Methodology

PloS one, 2015

Local disease burden data are necessary to set national influenza vaccination policy. In 2010 the... more Local disease burden data are necessary to set national influenza vaccination policy. In 2010 the population of South Africa was 50 million and the HIV prevalence was 11%. We used a previously developed methodology to determine severe influenza burden in South Africa. Hospitalized severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) incidence was calculated, stratified by HIV status, for four age groups using data from population-based surveillance in one site situated in Gauteng Province for 2009-2011. These rates were adjusted for each of the remaining 8 provinces based on their prevalence of risk factors for pneumonia and healthcare-seeking behavior. We estimated non-hospitalized influenza-associated SARI from healthcare utilization surveys at two sites and used the percent of SARI cases positive for influenza from sentinel surveillance to derive the influenza-associated SARI rate. We applied rates of hospitalized and non-hospitalized influenza-associated SARI to census data to calculate the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Raised against Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Virus Nucleocapsid (N) Protein: Identification of a Region in the Carboxy Terminus of N Involved in the Interaction with P Protein

Virology, 2001

To investigate structure and biological properties of the nucleocapsid (N) protein of respiratory... more To investigate structure and biological properties of the nucleocapsid (N) protein of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), we have generated a panel of 16 monoclonal antibodies, raised against recombinant N protein, and epitope mapped seven of these to three ...

Research paper thumbnail of Investigations into the amino-terminal domain of the respiratory syncytial virus nucleocapsid protein reveal elements important for nucleocapsid formation and interaction with the phosphoprotein

Virology, 2003

Bacterially expressed nucleocapsid (N) protein, from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used ... more Bacterially expressed nucleocapsid (N) protein, from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used to investigate RNA binding in a modified North-Western blotting protocol. The recombinant protein demonstrated no sequence specificity in binding RNA representing either the antigenomic leader sequence or the nonspecific sequence derived from a plasmid vector. When recombinant N was purified on CsCl gradients, two types of structure, both with densities indicating that they contained RNA, could be visualised by negative-stain electron microscopy. Structures similar to nucleocapsids (NC) from RSV-infected cells were observed, as were ring structures. A small fragment of the N (amino acids 1-92) was all that was required for the production of NC-like structures. Another mutant with an internal deletion could form rings but not NC-like structures. This suggests that this domain (amino acids 121-160) may be important for maintaining helical stability. Further analysis has also identified a p...

Research paper thumbnail of Sorting of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Matrix Protein into Detergent-Resistant Structures Is Dependent on Cell-Surface Expression of the Glycoproteins

Virology, 2002

The interaction of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Matrix (M) protein with the plasma membr... more The interaction of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Matrix (M) protein with the plasma membrane was investigated using polyclonal and monoclonal antisera raised against recombinant M expressed in bacteria. M bound mainly to the plasma membrane, although a significant proportion bound to internal membranes. However, no localisation of M with the Golgi was observed, suggesting that transport of M to the plasma membrane was independent of the transport mechanism for the viral glycoproteins. Expression from a recombinant baculovirus demonstrated the ability of M to bind membranes in the absence of viral glycoprotein expression. When cell-surface expression of the viral glycoproteins was prevented using Brefeldin A, M was still found in association with the plasma membrane, but the characteristics of M&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s membrane-binding ability were different to that found in untreated infected cells. In the presence of normal glycoprotein expression, M was sorted into lipid rafts and, in addition, formed structures that could only be disrupted by treatment with high salt buffers, a feature suggesting an interaction with the cytoskeleton or the formation of strong intramolecular associations. Brefeldin A prevented M from being sorted into lipid rafts or from forming strong intramolecular associations. Brefeldin A also affected the stability of M bound to the plasma membrane, as M was more readily dissociated in the presence of the inhibitor. Coexpression of M and F resulted in the incorporation of M into lipid rafts but did not cause the formation of the strong intramolecular bonds, suggesting that additional factors are required for this phenomena.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigations into the amino-terminal domain of the respiratory syncytial virus nucleocapsid protein reveal elements important for nucleocapsid formation and interaction with the phosphoprotein

Virology, 2003

Bacterially expressed nucleocapsid (N) protein, from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used ... more Bacterially expressed nucleocapsid (N) protein, from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used to investigate RNA binding in a modified North-Western blotting protocol. The recombinant protein demonstrated no sequence specificity in binding RNA representing either the antigenomic leader sequence or the nonspecific sequence derived from a plasmid vector. When recombinant N was purified on CsCl gradients, two types of structure, both with densities indicating that they contained RNA, could be visualised by negative-stain electron microscopy. Structures similar to nucleocapsids (NC) from RSV-infected cells were observed, as were ring structures. A small fragment of the N (amino acids 1-92) was all that was required for the production of NC-like structures. Another mutant with an internal deletion could form rings but not NC-like structures. This suggests that this domain (amino acids 121-160) may be important for maintaining helical stability. Further analysis has also identified a potential site in the amino-terminus that may be involved in an interaction with the phosphoprotein. A domain model of the RSV N protein is presented which, similar to that of other paramyxoviruses, supports the idea that the amino-terminus is important for NC assembly.

Research paper thumbnail of Global invasive bacterial vaccine-preventable diseases surveillance--2008-2014

MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, Jan 12, 2014

Meningitis and pneumonia are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children globally infec... more Meningitis and pneumonia are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children globally infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae causing a large proportion of disease. Vaccines are available to prevent many of the common types of these infections. S. pneumoniae was estimated to have caused 11% of deaths in children aged <5 years globally in the pre-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) era. Since 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended inclusion of PCV in childhood immunization programs worldwide, especially in countries with high child mortality. As of November 26, 2014, a total of 112 (58%) of all 194 WHO member states and 44 (58%) of the 76 member states ever eligible for support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), have introduced PCV. Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) surveillance that includes data on serotypes, along with meningitis and pneumonia syndromic surveillance, provides impo...