Sherwood Gorbach

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Sherwood Leslie Gorbach (born 1934) is an Emeritus Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. [1] He was editor-in-chief of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases from 2000 to 2016. [2]

Contents

Education

He graduated from Brandeis University in 1955, [3] and completed his MD at Tufts University School of Medicine in 1962. [4]

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) is a strain of Lactobacillus rhamnosus that was isolated in 1983 from the intestinal tract of a healthy human by Gorbach and Barry Goldin; [5] the 'GG' derives from the first letters of their surnames. [6]

Awards

He was awarded the Alexander Fleming Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Infectious Diseases Society of America in 2007. [7]

Selected publications

Articles

Books

Related Research Articles

Ciprofloxacin Antibiotic

Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone (flor-o-KWIN-o-lone) antibiotic used to treat a number of bacterial infections. This includes bone and joint infections, intra abdominal infections, certain type of infectious diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, skin infections, typhoid fever, and urinary tract infections, among others. For some infections it is used in addition to other antibiotics. It can be taken by mouth, as eye drops, as ear drops, or intravenously.

Linezolid Antibiotic medication

Linezolid is an antibiotic used for the treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria that are resistant to other antibiotics. Linezolid is active against most Gram-positive bacteria that cause disease, including streptococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The main uses are infections of the skin and pneumonia although it may be used for a variety of other infections including drug-resistant tuberculosis. It is used either by injection into a vein or by mouth.

Probiotic microorganisms said to provide health benefits when consumed

Probiotics are live microorganisms promoted with claims that they provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora. Probiotics are considered generally safe to consume, but may cause bacteria-host interactions and unwanted side effects in rare cases. There is some evidence that probiotics are beneficial for some conditions, but there is little evidence for many of the health benefits claimed for them.

<i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> Species of bacterium

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a species of Gram-positive bacteria in the genus Lactobacillus. L. acidophilus is a homofermentative, microaerophilic species, fermenting sugars into lactic acid, and grows readily at rather low pH values and has an optimum growth temperature of around 37 °C (99 °F). L. acidophilus is found in the human and animal gastrointestinal tract and mouth. Some strains of L. acidophilus may be considered to have probiotic characteristics. These strains are commercially used in many dairy products, sometimes together with Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in the production of acidophilus-type yogurt, or acidophiline. Its genome has been sequenced.

Vancomycin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Antibiotica resistant bacteria

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) are strains of Staphylococcus aureus that have become resistant to the glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin.

Carbapenem Class of highly effective antibiotic agents

Carbapenems are a class of highly effective antibiotic agents commonly used for the treatment of severe or high-risk bacterial infections. This class of antibiotics is usually reserved for known or suspected multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. Similar to penicillins and cephalosporins, carbapenems are members of the beta lactam class of antibiotics, which kill bacteria by binding to penicillin-binding proteins, thus inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis. However, these agents individually exhibit a broader spectrum of activity compared to most cephalosporins and penicillins. Furthermore, carbapenems are typically unaffected by emerging antibiotic resistance, even to other beta-lactams.

<i>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</i> Species of bacterium

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus is a bacterium that originally was considered to be a subspecies of L. casei, but genetic research found it to be a separate species in the L. casei clade, which also includes L. paracasei and L. zeae. It is a short Gram-positive homofermentative facultative anaerobic non-spore-forming rod that often appears in chains. Some strains of L. rhamnosus bacteria are being used as probiotics, and are particularly useful in treating infections of the female urogenital tract, most particularly very difficult to treat cases of bacterial vaginosis. The species Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Limosilactobacillus reuteri are commonly found in the healthy female genito-urinary tract and are helpful to regain control of dysbiotic bacterial overgrowth during an active infection. L. rhamnosus sometimes is used in dairy products such as fermented milk and as non-starter-lactic acid bacterium (NSLAB) in long-ripened cheese. While frequently considered a beneficial organism, L. rhamnosus may not be as beneficial to certain subsets of the population; in rare circumstances, especially those primarily involving weakened immune system or infants, it may cause endocarditis. Despite the rare infections caused by L. rhamnosus, the species is included in the list of bacterial species with qualified presumed safety (QPS) status of the European Food Safety Agency.

Lincosamides

Lincosamides are a class of antibiotics, which include lincomycin, clindamycin, and pirlimycin.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri is a lactic acid bacterium found in a variety of natural environments, including the gastrointestinal tract of humans and other animals. It does not appear to be pathogenic and may have health effects.

Vaginal flora

Vaginal flora, vaginal microbiota or vaginal microbiome are the microorganisms that colonize the vagina. They were discovered by the German gynecologist Albert Döderlein in 1892 and are part of the overall human flora. The amount and type of bacteria present have significant implications for a woman's overall health. The primary colonizing bacteria of a healthy individual are of the genus Lactobacillus, such as L. crispatus, and the lactic acid they produce is thought to protect against infection by pathogenic species.

Limosilactobacillus fermentum is a Gram-positive species in the heterofermentative genus Limosilactobacillus. It is associated with active dental caries lesions. It is also commonly found in fermenting animal and plant material including sourdough and cocoa fermentation. A few strains are considered probiotic or "friendly" bacteria in animals and at least one strain has been applied to treat urogenital infections in women. Some strains of lactobacilli formerly mistakenly classified as L. fermentum have since been reclassified as Limosilactobacillus reuteri. Commercialized strains of L. fermentum used as probiotics include PCC, ME-3 and CECT5716

Chronic bacterial prostatitis Bacterial infection of the prostate gland

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is a bacterial infection of the prostate gland. It should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as acute bacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS).

<i>Streptococcus dysgalactiae</i> Species of bacterium

Streptococcus dysgalactiae is a gram positive, beta-haemolytic, coccal bacterium belonging to the family Streptococcaceae. It is capable of infecting both humans and animals, but is most frequently encountered as a commensal of the alimentary tract, genital tract, or less commonly, as a part of the skin flora. The clinical manifestations in human disease range from superficial skin-infections and tonsillitis, to severe necrotising fasciitis and bacteraemia. The incidence of invasive disease has been reported to be rising. Several different animal species are susceptible to infection by S. dysgalactiae, but bovine mastitis and infectious arthritis in lambs have been most frequently reported.

BioGaia is a Swedish biotechnology company that develops, markets and sells a range of products with probiotics.

Lactobacillus gasseri is a species in the genus Lactobacillus identified in 1980 by François Gasser and his associates. It is part of the vaginal flora. Its genome has been sequenced. L. gasseri is a normal inhabitant of the lower reproductive tract in healthy women. It also produces Lactocillin.

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.

<i>Lactobacillus bulgaricus</i> GLB44 Subspecies of bacterium

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is a bacterial subspecies traditionally isolated from European yogurts. Lactobacillus bulgaricusGLB44 differs from the rest of the L. bulgaricus strains as it was isolated from the leaves of Galanthus nivalis in Bulgaria, becoming the only known strain of this subspecies that has vegan origin available as a commercial probiotic. Probiotics are health promoting bacteria which, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer a benefit on the host, normally associated with positive effects on the digestive and immune systems, and are usually prescribed during or after antibiotic treatment to alleviate the symptoms of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Probiotics are also associated with decreasing of the risk of traveler's diarrhea. The natural habitat of the snowdrop flower are European mountainous regions. Thus, GLB44 is capable of surviving in freezing temperatures, as the snowdrop flowers between January and May in nature, when the temperatures can fall below freezing in this region. These characteristics of its natural habitat allows for GLB44 to survive in foods that are plant based and remain unaffected when stored in refrigerator temperatures.

<i>Clostridioides difficile <span style="font-style:normal;">(bacteria)</span></i> Species of bacteria

Clostridioides difficile, also known as C. difficile, or C. diff, is Gram-positive species of spore-forming bacteria. Clostridioides spp. are anaerobic, motile bacteria, ubiquitous in nature and especially prevalent in soil. Its vegetative cells are rod-shaped, pleomorphic, and occur in pairs or short chains. Under the microscope, they appear as long, irregular cells with a bulge at their terminal ends. Under Gram staining, C. difficile cells are Gram-positive and show optimum growth on blood agar at human body temperatures in the absence of oxygen. C. difficile is catalase- and superoxide dismutase-negative, and produces two types of toxins: enterotoxin A and cytotoxin B, which disrupts cytoskeleton signal transductions in the host. Under stress conditions, the bacteria produce spores that are able to tolerate extreme conditions that the active bacteria cannot tolerate.

Human milk microbiome Community of microorganisms in human milk

The human milk microbiota, also known as human milk probiotics (HMP), refers to the microbiota residing in the human mammary glands and breast milk. Human breast milk has been traditionally assumed to be sterile, but more recently both microbial culture and culture-independent techniques have confirmed that human milk contains diverse communities of bacteria which are distinct from other microbial communities inhabiting the human body.

Lactobacillus vaccine Vaccine using an inactivated strain of Lactobacillus

Lactobacillus vaccines are used in the therapy and prophylaxis of non-specific bacterial vaginitis and trichomoniasis. The vaccines consist of specific inactivated strains of Lactobacilli, called "aberrant" strains in the relevant literature dating from the 1980s. These strains were isolated from the vaginal secretions of patients suffering from acute colpitis. The lactobacilli in question are polymorphic, often shortened or coccoid in shape and do not produce an acidic, anti-pathogenic vaginal environment. A colonization with aberrant lactobacilli has been associated with an increased susceptibility to vaginal infections and a high rate of relapse following antimicrobial treatment. Intramuscular administration of inactivated aberrant lactobacilli provokes a humoral immune response. The production of specific antibodies both in serum and in the vaginal secretion has been demonstrated. As a result of the immune stimulation, the abnormal lactobacilli are inhibited, the population of normal, rod-shaped lactobacilli can grow and exert its defense functions against pathogenic microorganisms.

References

  1. "Sherwood Leslie Gorbach, MD". Tufts University School of Medicine . Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. "PAST EDITORS". Clinical Infectious Diseases . Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  3. "Repairing the World, Pioneering New Drug". Brandeis Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  4. "Physician honored for pioneering work in infectious disease". Tufts Journal. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  5. US 483928,Gorbach, Sherwood L.&Goldin, Barry R.,"Lactobacillus strains and methods of selection", assigned to New England Medical Centre Inc.
  6. Silva M, Jacobus NV, Deneke C, Gorbach SL (August 1987). "Antimicrobial substance from a human Lactobacillus strain". Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 31 (8): 1231–3. doi:10.1128/aac.31.8.1231. PMC   174909 . PMID   3307619.
  7. "Alexander Fleming Award Winners". Infectious Diseases Society of America . Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  8. Wormser, Gary P.; Finch, Douglas A. (2004). "Review of Therapy of Infectious Diseases edited by L. M. Baddour and S. L. Gorbach". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 38 (4): 598. doi: 10.1086/381265 .