Herbert L. DuPont

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Herbert "Bert" Lancashire DuPont (born November 12, 1938, in Toledo, Ohio [1] ) is an American physician, medical school professor, and medical researcher, specializing in infectious diseases.

Contents

Education and career

DuPont graduated in 1961 from Ohio Wesleyan University with a bachelor's degree and in 1965 from the Emory University School of Medicine with an M.D. At the University of Minnesota Hospitals in Minneapolis, he did his medical internship from 1965 to 1966 and his medical residency from 1966 to 1967. [2] [3] During his medical residency he was supervised by Dr. Wesley W. Spink (1904–1988) and became interested in infectious diseases. [4]

From 1967 to 1969 DuPont held a fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in Baltimore. There he also did his military service as Epidemic Intelligence Officer of the Centers of Disease Control (CDC). At UMSOM he became in 1970 an assistant professor and in 1972 an associate professor. In 1973 he became a professor of medicine at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston (now called the McGovern Medical School, part of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston), as well as the first director of a newly established department of infectious diseases and medical microbiology. At the McGovern Medical School, he is the director of the Center for Infectious Diseases and since 1988 holds the Mary W. Kelsey Distinguished Chair in the Medical Sciences. Since 1977 he is a professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Since 1995 he has held a variety of appointments at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center. [2]

DuPont's research is particularly concerned with diarrheal diseases. In 1971 he was one of the researchers who described the biological properties of the Norwalk virus (later classified as one of the human noroviruses), [5] and in a much-cited 1971 paper in the New England Journal of Medicine, [6] he described the pathogenesis of diarrhea by Escherichia coli . His research also deals with other diarrheal agents such as Shigella , [7] rotaviruses, [8] Salmonella serotype Typhi bacteria, [9] Cryptosporidium parvum , [10] and Giardia . [11] [12] He and his colleagues demonstrated the effectiveness of rifaximin against travelers' diarrhea. [13] [14] [15] In field studies in Mexico, he showed that tap water with viral pathogens, including rotaviruses, was a major source of infection with viral diarrhea. [4]

He is the author or co-author of 17 books and over 500 articles. [16] In 1990 he was the president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). [17] He received in 2007 from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases the Maxwell Finland Award [4] and in 2010 from the IDSA the Alexander Fleming Award for lifetime achievement.

He has been cited in The Best Doctors in America for his work in infectious diseases and been awarded France's Bronze Medal of Honor and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Zurich. [16]

Family

His older brother Robert DuPont is a psychiatrist who in the 1970s was the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Herbert DuPont and his wife, Margaret Wright DuPont, are both graduates of Ohio Wesleyan University's class of 1961. She has a master's degree in psychology from the Ohio State University. [18]

Their partnership has included taking medical and undergraduates students annually to Mexico to work in the area of infectious disease research. [16]

They established the Herbert L. and Margaret Wright DuPont Endowed Professorship at Ohio Wesleyan University. [18]

Selected publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diarrhea</span> Loose or liquid bowel movements

Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea or diarrhœa in British English, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin with loss of the normal stretchiness of the skin and irritable behaviour. This can progress to decreased urination, loss of skin color, a fast heart rate, and a decrease in responsiveness as it becomes more severe. Loose but non-watery stools in babies who are exclusively breastfed, however, are normal.

<i>Rotavirus</i> Specific genus of RNA viruses

Rotavirus is a genus of double-stranded RNA viruses in the family Reoviridae. Rotaviruses are the most common cause of diarrhoeal disease among infants and young children. Nearly every child in the world is infected with a rotavirus at least once by the age of five. Immunity develops with each infection, so subsequent infections are less severe. Adults are rarely affected. There are nine species of the genus, referred to as A, B, C, D, F, G, H, I and J. Rotavirus A, the most common species, causes more than 90% of rotavirus infections in humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giardiasis</span> Parasitic disease that results in diarrhea

Giardiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Giardia duodenalis. Infected individuals who experience symptoms may have diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Less common symptoms include vomiting and blood in the stool. Symptoms usually begin one to three weeks after exposure and, without treatment, may last two to six weeks or longer.

<i>Clostridioides difficile</i> infection Disease caused by C. difficile bacteria

Clostridioides difficile infection , also known as Clostridium difficile infection, is a symptomatic infection due to the spore-forming bacterium Clostridioides difficile. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, fever, nausea, and abdominal pain. It makes up about 20% of cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Antibiotics can contribute to detrimental changes in gut microbiota; specifically, they decrease short-chain fatty acid absorption which results in osmotic, or watery, diarrhea. Complications may include pseudomembranous colitis, toxic megacolon, perforation of the colon, and sepsis.

Enteritis is inflammation of the small intestine. It is most commonly caused by food or drink contaminated with pathogenic microbes, such as Serratia, but may have other causes such as NSAIDs, radiation therapy as well as autoimmune conditions like Crohn's disease and celiac disease. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, dehydration, and fever. Related diseases of the gastrointestinal system include inflammation of the stomach and large intestine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gastroenteritis</span> Inflammation of the stomach and small intestine

Gastroenteritis, also known as infectious diarrhea or simply as gastro, is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract including the stomach and intestine. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Fever, lack of energy, and dehydration may also occur. This typically lasts less than two weeks. Although it is not related to influenza, in the U.S. it is sometimes called the "stomach flu".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travelers' diarrhea</span> Stomach and intestinal infection

Travelers' diarrhea (TD) is a stomach and intestinal infection. TD is defined as the passage of unformed stool while traveling. It may be accompanied by abdominal cramps, nausea, fever, headache and bloating. Occasionally bloody diarrhea may occur. Most travelers recover within three to four days with little or no treatment. About 12% of people may have symptoms for a week.

Wilderness-acquired diarrhea is a variety of traveler's diarrhea in which backpackers and other outdoor enthusiasts are affected. Potential sources are contaminated food or water, or "hand-to-mouth", directly from another person who is infected. Cases generally resolve spontaneously, with or without treatment, and the cause is typically unknown. The National Outdoor Leadership School has recorded about one incident per 5,000 person-field days by following strict protocols on hygiene and water treatment. More limited, separate studies have presented highly varied estimated rates of affliction that range from 3 percent to 74 percent of wilderness visitors. One survey found that long-distance Appalachian Trail hikers reported diarrhea as their most common illness. Based on reviews of epidemiologic data and literature, some researchers believe that the risks have been over-stated and are poorly understood by the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rifaximin</span> Antibiotic medication

Rifaximin, is a non-absorbable, broad spectrum antibiotic mainly used to treat travelers' diarrhea. It is based on the rifamycin antibiotics family. Since its approval in Italy in 1987, it has been licensed in over more than 30 countries for the treatment of a variety of gastrointestinal diseases like irritable bowel syndrome, and hepatic encephalopathy. It acts by inhibiting RNA synthesis in susceptible bacteria by binding to the RNA polymerase enzyme. This binding blocks translocation, which stops transcription. It is marketed under the brand name Xifaxan by Salix Pharmaceuticals.

The discovery of disease-causing pathogens is an important activity in the field of medical science. Many viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, helminthes and prions are identified as a confirmed or potential pathogen. In the United States, a Centers for Disease Control program, begun in 1995, identified over a hundred patients with life-threatening illnesses that were considered to be of an infectious cause, but that could not be linked to a known pathogen. The association of pathogens with disease can be a complex and controversial process, in some cases requiring decades or even centuries to achieve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotaviral gastroenteritis</span> Medical condition

Rotavirus gastroenteritis is a major cause of severe diarrhoea among infants and young children globally. It is caused by rotavirus, a genus of double-stranded RNA virus in the family Reoviridae. The diarrhea tends to be watery and is frequently accompanied by fever, vomiting and abdominal pain. By the age of five, nearly every child in the world has been infected with rotavirus at least once. However, with each infection, immunity develops, and subsequent infections are less severe; adults are rarely affected. There are five species of this virus, referred to as A, B, C, D, and E. Rotavirus A, the most common, causes more than 90% of infections in humans.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli are a pathotype of Escherichia coli which cause acute and chronic diarrhea in both the developed and developing world. They may also cause urinary tract infections. EAEC are defined by their "stacked-brick" pattern of adhesion to the human laryngeal epithelial cell line HEp-2. The pathogenesis of EAEC involves the aggregation of and adherence of the bacteria to the intestinal mucosa, where they elaborate enterotoxins and cytotoxins that damage host cells and induce inflammation that results in diarrhea.

Travel health nursing is a nursing specialty which promotes the health and safety of national and international travelers. Similar to travel medicine, it is an interdisciplinary practice which draws from the knowledge bases of vaccines, epidemiology, tropical medicine, public health, and health education. Travel nursing has experienced an increase in global demand due to the evolution of travel medicine. Travel health nursing was recognized during the 1980s as an emerging occupation to meet the needs of the traveling public, and additional education and training was established. Travel health nurses typically work in "private practice, hospital outpatient units, universities, the government, and the military", and have more opportunities and leadership roles as travel has become more common. However, they also experience organizational and support-related conflicts with general practitioners and patients in healthcare settings.

Robert Steffen is an Emeritus Professor at the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Switzerland and an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Public in Houston. He is an editor of the Journal of Travel Medicine.

John Gill Bartlett was an American physician and medical researcher, specializing in infectious diseases. He is known as a pioneer in HIV/AIDS research and for his work on vancomycin as a treatment for Clostridioides difficile infection.

Sydney "Sid" Martin Finegold was an American physician, medical school professor, and medical researcher, specializing in anaerobic bacteriology.

Edward Harold Kass was an American physician, medical school professor, medical researcher in infectious diseases, medical journal editor, and historian of medicine. He is known for his research on toxic shock syndrome and urinary tract infections.

Wesley William Spink was an American physician, medical school professor, and medical researcher. He was "an internationally recognized authority on infectious diseases and is credited with controlling the spread of brucellosis ".

Richard L. Guerrant is an American physician, medical school professor, and medical researcher, specializing in infectious diseases and tropical medicine.

Walter James Nungester was an American bacteriologist and immunologist. He was the president of the American Society for Microbiology in 1951.

References

  1. ↑ biographical information from American Men and Women of Science, Thomson Gale 2004
  2. 1 2 "Curriculum Vitae, Herbert L. DuPont" (PDF). cloudfront.net.
  3. ↑ "Herbert L DuPont, M.D." Baylor College of Medicine.
  4. 1 2 3 "Herbert L. DuPont, MD" (PDF). National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (nfid.org).
  5. ↑ Dolin, R.; Blacklow, N. R.; DuPont, H.; Buscho, R. F.; Wyatt, R. G.; Kasel, J. A.; Hornick, R.; Chanock, R. M. (1972). "Biological properties of Norwalk agent of acute infectious nonbacterial gastroenteritis". Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 140 (2): 578–583. doi:10.3181/00379727-140-36508. PMID   4624851. S2CID   26828518.
  6. ↑ DuPont, Herbert L.; Formal, Samuel B.; Hornick, Richard B.; Snyder, Merrill J.; Libonati, Joseph P.; Sheahan, Daniel G.; Labrec, Eugene H.; Kalas, John P. (1971). "Pathogenesis of Escherichia coli Diarrhea". New England Journal of Medicine. 285 (1): 1–9. doi:10.1056/NEJM197107012850101. PMID   4996788. (over 800 citations)
  7. ↑ Levine, M. M.; DuPont, H. L.; Formal, S. B.; Hornick, R. B.; Takeuchi, A.; Gangarosa, E. J.; Snyder, M. J.; Libonati, J. P. (1973). "Pathogenesis of Shigella dysenteriae 1 (Shiga) Dysentery". Journal of Infectious Diseases. 127 (3): 261–270. doi:10.1093/infdis/127.3.261. PMID   4631877.
  8. ↑ Mathewson, John J.; Winsor, Donald K.; DuPont, Herbert L.; Secor, Sandra L. (1989). "Evaluation of assay systems for the detection of rotavirus in stool specimens". Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 12 (2): 139–141. doi:10.1016/0732-8893(89)90004-7. PMID   2546712.
  9. ↑ DuPont, H. L.; Hornick, R. B.; Snyder, M. J.; Dawkins, A. T.; Heiner, G. G.; Woodward, T. E. (1971). "Studies of immunity in typhoid fever: Protection Induced by Killed Oral Antigens or by Primary Infection". Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 44 (5): 667–672. PMC   2427859 . PMID   5316750.
  10. ↑ DuPont, Herbert L.; Chappell, Cynthia L.; Sterling, Charles R.; Okhuysen, Pablo C.; Rose, Joan B.; Jakubowski, Walter (1995). "The Infectivity of Cryptosporidium parvum in Healthy Volunteers". New England Journal of Medicine. 332 (13): 855–859. doi: 10.1056/nejm199503303321304 . PMID   7870140. (over 1200 citations)
  11. ↑ Pickering, Larry K.; Woodward, William E.; DuPont, Herbert L.; Sullivan, Peggy (1984). "Occurrence of Giardia lamblia in children in day care centers". The Journal of Pediatrics. 104 (4): 522–526. doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(84)80540-5. PMID   6707812.
  12. ↑ DuPont, Herbert L. (2013). "Giardia: Both a harmless commensal and a devastating pathogen". Journal of Clinical Investigation. 123 (6): 2352–2354. doi:10.1172/JCI69932. PMC   3668824 . PMID   23728170.
  13. ↑ Steffen, R.; et al. (including Herbert L. DuPont) (2003). "Therapy of travelers' diarrhea with rifaximin on various continents". The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 98 (5): 1073–1078. doi:10.1016/S0002-9270(02)06005-7. PMID   12809830.
  14. ↑ Koo, H. L.; DuPont, H. L. (2010). "Rifaximin: A unique gastrointestinal-selective antibiotic for enteric diseases". Current Opinion in Gastroenterology. 26 (1): 17–25. doi:10.1097/MOG.0b013e328333dc8d. PMC   4737517 . PMID   19881343.
  15. ↑ Garey, K. W.; Ghantoji, S. S.; Shah, D. N.; Habib, M.; Arora, V.; Jiang, Z.-D.; DuPont, H. L. (2011). "A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study to assess the ability of rifaximin to prevent recurrent diarrhoea in patients with Clostridium difficile infection". Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 66 (12): 2850–2855. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkr377 . PMID   21948965.
  16. 1 2 3 "Distinguished Achiement Citation. Herbert L. DuPont, Class of 1961" (PDF). Ohio Wesleyan University. 20 May 2006.
  17. ↑ "Past IDSA Presidents". Infectious Diseases Society of America.
  18. 1 2 "Committed to Shaping Young Minds". Planned Giving/Tower Society, Ohio Wesleyan Society.
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