Mary B Brown

Mary B Brown,

Professor

Department: Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology
Business Phone: (352) 294-4029
Business Email: mbbrown@ufl.edu

Accomplishments

Division G Lecturer
2001 · American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting
Program Committee
1998-2002 · 13th & 14th Congresses of the IOM
Chair, Division G
1998-1999 · American Society for Microbiology
Treasurer
1992-1996 · International Organization for Mycoplasmology
Treasurer; Member, working teams on bovine, wildlife and zoological mycoplasmas, International Research Program on Comparative Mycoplasmology (IRPCM)
1992-1996 · International Organization for Mycoplasmology
Division G Councilor; Fellow, Morris Animal Foundation
1992 · American Society for Microbiology
Division G. Councilor
1992 · American Society for Microbiology
Board of Directors
1990-1996 · International Organization for Mycoplasmology
Membership Secretary
1990-1992 · International Organization for Mycoplasmology

Teaching Profile

Courses Taught
2009-2011,2013-2024
VEM5143 Sm An Appl Vet Micro
2015-2016,2019-2020
PHC7979 Advanced Research
2009,2011-2013,2013-2017,2015-2019,2017-2019,2019
VME6464 Molecular Pathogenesis
2018
VME7979 Advanced Research
2018
VME7980 Research for Doctoral Dissertation
2017-2018
PHC7980 Research for Doctoral Dissertation
2011,2013-2016,2016-2017
VME6934 Topics in Veterinary Medical Sciences
2017
PHC6937 Special Topics in Public Health
2011,2015
DEN5127 Infectious Diseases
2012-2013
VME6905 Problems in Veterinary Medical Sciences
2022-2024
VME4906 Problems in Veterinary Science
2022-2024
VEM5141 Vet Microbiology

Research Profile

My laboratory is involved in defining the pathogenic mechanisms by which mycoplasmas cause both respiratory and urogenital infections. We work with a number of host species, including rodents, food and fiber animals, reptiles, and humans.

Emerging mycoplasmal infections in reptiles Recently we have been involved in the elucidation of the etiologic agent, characterization of clinical disease, and diagnosis of respiratory mycoplasmosis in two environmentally threatened species of tortoise and in American alligators. In experimental transmission studies designed to fulfill Koch’s postulates, we demonstrated that Mycoplasma agassizii was the etiologic agent of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) in both gopher and desert tortoises and that Mycoplasma alligatoris caused a septic lethal infection in alligators. We have developed serological diagnostic tests (ELISA) as well as a PCR based diagnostic tests to allow epidemiological surveys of large natural populations. We have ongoing investigations into mechanisms of transmission and pathogenesis of these infections.

Recurrent urinary tract infection in women Urinary tract infections (UTI) represent a significant medical problem for women. The major infectious agents associated with UTI are Gram negative aerobic rods (primarily Escherichia coli) and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. However, as many as one third of women seen with clinical signs of UTI (dysuria, frequency, and urgency) are considered to have UTI which is “abacterial” in origin. Although the evidence for involvement of Ureaplasma urealyticum in nongonococcal urethritis and prostatitis in men is compelling, few studies have addressed the role of this microorganism in UTI in women. This prospective study will follow women from the onset of a clinical episode of UTI over a minimum one year period including periods of quiescence as well as any subsequent UTI. The overall objective of this project is determine the role of U. urealyticum both as an etiologic agent of UTI in women and as a potential risk factor for establishment of susceptibility to recurrent and chronic urinary tract infection.

Models of Intrauterine Infection Microbial infections of the chorioamnion and amniotic fluid have devastating effects on pregnancy outcome. Genital mycoplasmosis is a naturally occurring disease of rats that makes it ideally suited as a model to study the adverse effects of infectious agents in pregnancy as well as the immunomodulatory effects of infectious agents and their impact on reproductive function. We have demonstrated that M. pulmonis causes an ascending infection in Sprague Dawley rats which is characterized by placentitis and chorioamnionitis and results in significant fetal wastage and decreased birth weight. It is our hypothesis that an infectious agent could trigger host responses which have deleterious effects on pregnancy maintenance by altering the normal cytokine levels secreted for pregnancy regulation.

Mycoplasmosis in food and fiber animals Our laboratory is studying the role of an extracellular protease produced by Mycoplasma mycoides in virulence of mycoplasmal infections of goats. In addition, we have ongoing studies to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of M. bovis infections of dairy calves.

Tortoise Mycoplasma Testing More information about our lab’s Tortoise Mycoplasma Testing service can be found on the College’s Diagnostics Laboratory web-page.

Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)

0000-0002-9703-0534

Publications

2023
Establishing Galleria mellonella as an invertebrate model for the emerging multi-host pathogen Helcococcus ovis
Virulence. 14(1) [DOI] 10.1080/21505594.2023.2186377. [PMID] 36862000.
2023
Sequencing and characterization of Helcococcus ovis: a comprehensive comparative genomic analysis of virulence.
BMC genomics. 24(1) [DOI] 10.1186/s12864-023-09581-1. [PMID] 37648976.
2021
Molecular characterization of “Candidatus Anaplasma testudinis”: An emerging pathogen in the threatened Florida gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. 12(3) [DOI] 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101672.
2021
Nicotine Induces Maternal and Fetal Inflammatory Responses Which Predispose Intrauterine Infection Risk in a Rat Model
Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 23(10):1763-1770 [DOI] 10.1093/ntr/ntab080. [PMID] 33894055.
2020
A Uniquely Altered Oral Microbiome Composition Was Observed in Pregnant Rats With Porphyromonas gingivalis Induced Periodontal Disease.
Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 10 [DOI] 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00092. [PMID] 32211345.
2020
Efficacy data of halogenated phenazine and quinoline agents and an NH125 analogue to veterinary mycoplasmas.
BMC veterinary research. 16(1) [DOI] 10.1186/s12917-020-02324-4. [PMID] 32252763.
2020
Prenatal infection with Mycoplasma pulmonis in rats exaggerates the angiotensin II pressor response in adult offspring.
American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology. 318(2):R338-R350 [DOI] 10.1152/ajpregu.00194.2019. [PMID] 31850818.
2019
Turning the Tide against Antibiotic Resistance by Evaluating Novel, Halogenated Phenazine, Quinoline, and NH125 Compounds against Ureaplasma Species Clinical Isolates and Mycoplasma Type Strains
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 63(3) [DOI] 10.1128/aac.02265-18.
2018
Identifying genome-wide immune gene variation underlying infectious disease in wildlife populations – a next generation sequencing approach in the gopher tortoise.
BMC genomics. 19(1) [DOI] 10.1186/s12864-018-4452-0. [PMID] 29351737.
2018
Porphyromonas gingivalis strain-dependent inhibition of uterine spiral artery remodeling in the pregnant rat†
Biology of Reproduction. [DOI] 10.1093/biolre/ioy119. [PMID] 29788108.
2017
Antibacterial Resistance in Ureaplasma Species and Mycoplasma hominis Isolates from Urine Cultures in College-Aged Females.
Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy. 61(10) [DOI] 10.1128/AAC.01104-17. [PMID] 28827422.
2017
Impact of gestational nicotine exposure on intrauterine and fetal infection in a rodent model.
Biology of reproduction. 96(5):1071-1084 [DOI] 10.1093/biolre/iox025. [PMID] 28419180.
2017
Porphyromonas gingivalisand adverse pregnancy outcome
Journal of Oral Microbiology. 9(1) [DOI] 10.1080/20002297.2017.1374153. [PMID] 29291034.
2015
Distance To Human Populations Influences Epidemiology of Respiratory Disease in Desert Tortoises
The Journal of Wildlife Management. 79(1):122-136 [DOI] 10.1002/jwmg.816.
2015
Mycoplasma agassizii in Morafka’s desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) in Mexico.
Journal of wildlife diseases. 51(1):89-100 [DOI] 10.7589/2014-04-083. [PMID] 25375948.
2014
Immune profiling of BALB/C and C57BL/6 mice reveals a correlation between Ureaplasma parvum-Induced fetal inflammatory response syndrome-like pathology and increased placental expression of TLR2 and CD14.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989). 71(3):241-51 [DOI] 10.1111/aji.12192. [PMID] 24372928.
2014
M1/M2 macrophage polarity in normal and complicated pregnancy.
Frontiers in immunology. 5 [DOI] 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00606. [PMID] 25505471.
2014
Mycoplasmosis and upper respiratory tract disease of tortoises: a review and update.
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997). 201(3):257-64 [DOI] 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.05.039. [PMID] 24951264.
2014
Preferential lymphatic growth in bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue in sustained lung inflammation.
The American journal of pathology. 184(5):1577-92 [DOI] 10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.01.021. [PMID] 24631179.
2013
Detection of Mycoplasma agassizii in the Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri).
Journal of wildlife diseases. 49(3):704-8 [DOI] 10.7589/2012-07-181. [PMID] 23778626.
2013
Symptoms and risk factors associated with first urinary tract infection in college age women: a prospective cohort study.
The Journal of urology. 189(3):904-10 [DOI] 10.1016/j.juro.2012.09.087. [PMID] 23017515.
2012
Disruption of the S41 peptidase gene in mycoplasma mycoides capri impacts proteome profile, H(2)O(2) production, and sensitivity to heat shock.
PloS one. 7(12) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0051345. [PMID] 23300541.
2012
Effect of experimental genital mycoplasmosis on gene expression in the fetal brain.
Journal of reproductive immunology. 93(1):9-16 [DOI] 10.1016/j.jri.2011.11.005. [PMID] 22244476.
2012
Gopher Tortoise Hatchling Survival: Field Study and Meta-Analysis
Herpetologica. 68:334-344
2012
Host genetic background impacts disease outcome during intrauterine infection with Ureaplasma parvum.
PloS one. 7(8) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0044047. [PMID] 22952869.
2012
Oral inoculation of young dairy calves with Mycoplasma bovis results in colonization of tonsils, development of otitis media and local immunity.
PloS one. 7(9) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0044523. [PMID] 22970240.
2012
Population-Level Influence of a Recurring Disease On a Long-Lived Wildlife Host
Oikos. 121(3):377-388 [DOI] 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2011.19735.x.
2012
Recommendations for the use of sapropterin in phenylketonuria.
Molecular genetics and metabolism. 106(3):269-76 [DOI] 10.1016/j.ymgme.2012.04.004. [PMID] 22575621.
2011
Histologic and Molecular Characteristics of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Intrauterine Ureaplasma Parvum Infection
Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. 50
2011
Ureaplasma parvum infection alters filamin A dynamics in host cells.
BMC infectious diseases. 11 [DOI] 10.1186/1471-2334-11-101. [PMID] 21507248.
2010
Enhancement of targeted homologous recombination in Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri by inclusion of heterologous recA.
Applied and environmental microbiology. 76(20):6951-4 [DOI] 10.1128/AEM.00056-10. [PMID] 20802067.
2010
Mycoplasma agassizii strain variation and distinct host antibody responses explain differences between enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and Western blot assays.
Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI. 17(11):1739-45 [DOI] 10.1128/CVI.00215-10. [PMID] 20810678.
2010
Social behavior drives the dynamics of respiratory disease in threatened tortoises.
Ecology. 91(5):1257-62 [PMID] 20503858.
2009
Complicated urinary tract infection is associated with uroepithelial expression of proinflammatory protein S100A8.
Infection and immunity. 77(10):4265-74 [DOI] 10.1128/IAI.00458-09. [PMID] 19667050.
2009
Different inflammatory responses are associated with Ureaplasma parvum-induced UTI and urolith formation.
BMC infectious diseases. 9 [DOI] 10.1186/1471-2334-9-9. [PMID] 19171043.
2009
Field evaluation of a Mycoplasma bovis bacterin in young dairy calves.
Vaccine. 27(21):2781-8 [DOI] 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.02.100. [PMID] 19428889.
2008
Colonization of maternal and fetal tissues by Porphyromonas gingivalis is strain-dependent in a rodent animal model.
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 199(1):86.e1-7 [DOI] 10.1016/j.ajog.2007.11.067. [PMID] 18355778.
2008
Evanescent-wave biosensor for field serodiagnosis of tortoise mycoplasmosis.
Veterinary immunology and immunopathology. 124(3-4):322-31 [DOI] 10.1016/j.vetimm.2008.04.009. [PMID] 18499267.
2008
Hematogenous infection of Sprague-Dawley rats with Mycoplasma pulmonis: development of a model for maternal and fetal infection.
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 198(3):318.e1-7 [PMID] 18068142.
2007
Effect of experimental genital mycoplasmosis on production of matrix metalloproteinases in membranes and amniotic fluid of Sprague-Dawley rats.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989). 57(2):116-21 [PMID] 17217365.
2007
Improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to reveal Mycoplasma agassizii exposure: a valuable tool in the management of environmentally sensitive tortoise populations.
Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI. 14(9):1190-5 [PMID] 17626160.
2006
Assessing the relationship between preterm delivery and various microorganisms recovered from the lower genital tract.
The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians. 19(6):357-63 [PMID] 16801313.
2006
Rat strains differ in susceptibility to Ureaplasma parvum-induced urinary tract infection and struvite stone formation.
Infection and immunity. 74(12):6656-64 [PMID] 16982825.
2005
Experimental genital mycoplasmosis causes increased levels of mRNA for IL-6 and TNF-alpha in the placenta.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989). 53(4):189-98 [PMID] 15760380.
2004
Beta 2 microglobulin and resistance to murine respiratory mycoplasmosis.
Contemporary topics in laboratory animal science. 43(3):18-24 [PMID] 15174812.
2004
Mycoplasma testudineum sp. nov., from a desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) with upper respiratory tract disease.
International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology. 54(Pt 5):1527-1529 [DOI] 10.1099/ijs.0.63072-0. [PMID] 15388705.
2004
Rat strains differ in susceptibility to maternal and fetal infection with Mycoplasma pulmonis.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989). 51(3):211-9 [PMID] 15209390.
2004
Sample size, library composition, and genotypic diversity among natural populations of Escherichia coli from different animals influence accuracy of determining sources of fecal pollution.
Applied and environmental microbiology. 70(8):4478-85 [PMID] 15294775.
2003
Placental lesions caused by experimental infection of Sprague-Dawley rats with Mycoplasma pulmonis.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989). 50(3):254-62 [PMID] 14629031.
2002
In vitro drug susceptibility pattern of Mycoplasma alligatoris isolated from symptomatic American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis).
Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians. 33(2):108-11 [PMID] 12398297.
2001
Genital mycoplasmosis in rats: a model for intrauterine infection.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989). 46(3):232-41 [PMID] 11554697.
2001
Mycoplasma agassizii sp. nov., isolated from the upper respiratory tract of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus).
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 51(Pt 2):413-418 [DOI] 10.1099/00207713-51-2-413. [PMID] 11321087.
2001
Mycoplasma alligatoris sp. nov., from American alligators.
International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology. 51(Pt 2):419-424 [DOI] 10.1099/00207713-51-2-419. [PMID] 11321088.
2001
Mycoplasma microti sp. nov., isolated from the respiratory tract of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster).
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 51(Pt 2):409-412 [DOI] 10.1099/00207713-51-2-409. [PMID] 11321086.
1999
Seroepidemiology of upper respiratory tract disease in the desert tortoise in the western Mojave Desert of California.
Journal of wildlife diseases. 35(4):716-27 [PMID] 10574531.
1999
Upper respiratory tract disease in the gopher tortoise is caused by Mycoplasma agassizii.
Journal of clinical microbiology. 37(7):2262-9 [PMID] 10364595.
1998
Pathology of diseases in wild desert tortoises from California.
Journal of wildlife diseases. 34(3):508-23 [PMID] 9706560.

Grants

Mar 2020 – Jun 2023
Project FZ02 Laboratory sample analysis and testing and storage, Desert Tortoise Pre-Translocation Analyses for MCAGCC, Twentynine Palms, CA
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: TETRA TECH INC via US NAVY
Sep 2018 ACTIVE
Agassizs Desert Tortoises (Gopherus Agassizii) Post-Translocation Genetic Assimilation at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: US NAVY
Mar 2016 – Feb 2021
INFECTIOUS DISEASE DIAGNOSTICS: CULTURE, PCR & SEROLOGY – FEDERAL
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: MULTIPLE FEDERAL AGENCIES
Dec 2015 – Nov 2016
Determining the levels of antibody to Mycoplasma hyorhinis in human sera
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER via NATL INST OF HLTH
Jul 2014 – Jul 2017
Porphyromonas gingivalis strain specific effects on the deep placental bed
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NICHD
Apr 2007 – Apr 2017
Diagnosis, Serology, and PCR Detection of Mycoplasmas: Ruminant Testing.
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: MULTIPLE SPONSORS
Jun 2005 – Jun 2020
Virulence Testing of Mycoplasmal Strains.
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: MULTIPLE SPONSORS
Sep 1998 – Jun 2020
98092368
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: MULTIPLE SPONSORS

Education

PhD – Biology
1984 · University of Alabama at Birmingham

Contact Details

Phones:
Business:
(352) 294-4029
Emails:
Business:
mbbrown@ufl.edu
Addresses:
Business Mailing:
PO Box 110880
GAINESVILLE FL 32611
Business Street:
V2-149 VAB
GAINESVILLE FL 32611