A new book has been published by Springer Verlag, edited by Dr Richard Epand, entitled “Host Defense Peptides and Their Potential as Therapeutic Agents“.  The book contains a chapter titled “Antiviral Host Defense Peptides” which was authored by Dr Peter Barlow and colleagues from Edinburgh Napier University, Filipa Henderson-Sousa, Dr Craig Stevens and Dr Lorna Proudfoot.

This book offers an overview of the current understanding of host defense peptides and their potential for clinical applications.  Within this, the antiviral properties of cathelicidins and defensins are reviewed and the potential for these peptides to be used as novel antiviral agents is examined.

The book and individual chapter are available for download now.

A new paper (Storrie et al.) has been published in the journal PLoS One, which characterises the pathways involved in the inflammation that is induced by the abortifacient emerging pathogen, Waddlia chondrophila.  W.chondrophila is an organism that shares many similarities with Chlamydia abortus and can cause disease in cattle and in humans.  This study characterises the inflammatory response to W.chondrophila in in vitro models of human infection.

The full-text paper can be found on the PLoS One website.

An important new study, published in The Lancet, has indicated that there may be a causal link between Zika virus infection and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) during an outbreak in French Polynesia in 2013-14.  Peter was asked to offer comment on the study by the Science Media Centre (as a spokesperson for the British Society for Immunology) and by Agence France Presse.

Peter’s comments were published by over 450 media publications or news agencies including;

• NBC News (Link)
• ABC News (Link)
• CBS News (Link)
• Daily Mail (Link)
• Washington Post (Link)
• Fox News (Link)
• The Associated Press (Link)
• Agence France Presse (Link)

Peter’s statement can be read below;

“This study provides evidence to suggest a causal link between Zika virus infection and Guillain-Barré syndrome in French Polynesia. However, there is still a significant amount of work to be undertaken before the same conclusions can be extended to the Zika outbreak in South America, where local population factors may also play a role.

“Because the patient group that was analysed in this study is relatively small, the exact link between Zika and Guillain-Barré syndrome remains inconclusive. The authors also had to consider their findings in the context of Dengue virus infection circulating in the local population, which is another viral infection associated with Guillain-Barré.

“However, the evidence that links Zika virus with Guillain-Barré syndrome is now substantially more compelling.”

Peter was asked to provide a comment on the potential link between Zika virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome to the Science Media Centre via the British Society for Immunology.  The full statement is below;

Dr Peter Barlow, British Society for Immunology spokesperson and Reader in Immunology & Infection at Edinburgh Napier University, said:

“Guillain-Barré syndrome is a condition that can occur when the natural immune response generated by an infection, such as a virus, damages nerve cells. It is generally quite rare but can cause paralysis and prolonged or permanent nerve damage. The exact cause of why Guillain-Barré syndrome is associated with infection still remains to be identified.

“It has been suggested that there is a link between Zika virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome, in addition to the ongoing concerns relating to congenital microcephaly when Zika virus infection occurs in pregnancy.

“While the link between Zika and Guillain-Barré syndrome has not yet been fully proven, it is clear that the advice given by the WHO and CDC to prevent Zika infection should still be followed. People living in, or travelling to, Zika affected areas should take careful measures to protect themselves against mosquito bites which could pass on the infection. In the event that a firm link between Zika and Guillain-Barré syndrome is identified, this is the best and most appropriate way to prevent infection.”

Peter conducted an interview with Voice of America News on the recent discovery of antibiotic resistant bacteria in China and Malaysia.

The full interview and article can be found here

Peter was interviewed today on Sky News by presenter Kay Burley on the recent discovery of strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia, that possess the resistance gene MCR-1, rendering them resistant to the antibiotic Colistin.

In the interview, Peter called for an effective global strategy that addressed the use of antibiotics in humans, and in livestock, and also noted that we need increased and sustained investment into the discovery of new classes of antibiotic compounds.

Peter was recently invited to comment on the novel Ebola case in Glasgow, where nurse Pauline Cafferkey contracted the virus while volunteering in West Africa, and became symptomatic after returning to the UK. The interview was conducted by STV News, and the edited video is found below.

Peter also wrote a commentary in online news site The Conversation, entitled ‘Why Glasgow Ebola case is very unlikely to spread’. The article can be found here.

A new opinion article for The Conversation has been published by Peter which looks at the implications of the newly developed 15 minute saliva and urine test for Ebola. The article, entitled “New 15-minute saliva test for Ebola may be big boost in the fight against outbreak“, looks at the implications that this test could have for Ebola screening, and how it could be used to halt the spread of the deadly disease.

You can read the piece on The Conversation now.

Peter has written a new opinion article for online news site The Conversation which has also been republished on the popular website IFLScience.  The article, entitled “Bird flu is back, but should we be worried“, looks at the recent avian influenza outbreak which has occurred in Yorkshire, and the potential implications for human health from this new outbreak, which has also affected the Netherlands and Germany.

The piece highlights the low risk that H5N8 poses to humans, and the unlikely potential for a sustained outbreak.

Peter was recently interviewed as part of STV’s Scotland Tonight programme, and spoke about concerns regarding the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa.  Peter appeared alongside Dr. Aileen Keel, Acting Chief Medical Officer, emphasising the high quality health surveillance systems that are in place in the UK and Scotland, and the potential for an Ebola outbreak to occur in this country.

The segment can be found on the STV news website.