This study develops a low-dose murine model of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection to analyze immune responses and identifies key cell types involved in disease progression.

mBio · Aug 18, 2025Peer-reviewedMicrobiology

Buruli ulcer surveillance in south-eastern Australian possums: infection status, lesion mapping and internal distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans

Emma C. Hobbs, Jessica L. Porter, Jean Y. H. Lee, Panayiotis Loukopoulos, Pam Whiteley, Lee Francis Skerratt, Timothy P. Stinear, Katherine B. Gibney, Anna Louise Meredith

This study investigates Buruli ulcer in possums in Victoria, Australia, finding M. ulcerans in 78% of clinically affected and 65% of non-lesioned possums, with lesions mapped and systemic bacterial dissemination observed.

PLoS neglected tropical diseases · Nov 5, 2024Peer-reviewedMicrobiology

A low-cost and versatile paramagnetic bead DNA extraction method for Mycobacterium ulcerans environmental surveillance.

Jean Y. H. Lee, Jessica L. Porter, Emma C. Hobbs, Pam Whiteley, Andrew H. Buultjens, Timothy P. Stinear

The paper develops a low-cost DNA extraction method using paramagnetic beads for environmental surveillance of Mycobacterium ulcerans in possum excreta and tissue swabs, showing cost savings and comparable DNA quality to commercial kits.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology · Sep 10, 2024Peer-reviewedMicrobiology

Bioluminscent Mycobacterium ulcerans, a tool to study host-pathogen interactions in a murine tail model of Buruli ulcer

Till F. Omansen, Renee A. Marcsisin, Brendon Y. Chua, Weiguang Zeng, David C. Jackson, Jessica L. Porter, Ymkje Stienstra, Tjip S. van der Werf, Timothy P. Stinear

This study uses bioluminescent Mycobacterium ulcerans in a mouse tail model to monitor Buruli ulcer progression and evaluate immune responses.

bioRxiv · Oct 3, 2018 · PreprintMicrobiology

A target-specific assay for rapid and quantitative detection of Mycobacterium chimaera DNA in environmental and clinical specimens

Enrique Zozaya-Valdés, Jessica L. Porter, John Coventry, Janet A. M. Fyfe, Glen P. Carter, Anders Gonçalves da Silva, Torsten Seemann, Paul D. R. Johnson, Andrew James Stewardson, Ivan Bastian, Sally A. Roberts, Benjamin P. Howden, Deborah A. Williamson, Timothy P. Stinear

The paper develops a TaqMan qPCR assay for specific and rapid detection of M. chimaera DNA in clinical and environmental samples, showing higher sensitivity than culture methods.

bioRxiv · Feb 9, 2017 · PreprintMicrobiology

Mycobacterium ulcerans low infectious dose and atypical mechanical transmission support insect bites and puncturing injuries in the spread of Buruli ulcer.

John R. Wallace, Kirstie M. Mangas, Jessica L. Porter, Renee Marcsisin, Sacha J. Pidot, Brian Howden, Till F. Omansen, Weiguang Zeng, Jason K. Axford, Paul D. R. Johnson, Timothy P. Stinear

The paper demonstrates that a low dose of Mycobacterium ulcerans can cause Buruli ulcer through skin punctures from mosquito bites or needles in mice.

bioRxiv · Aug 27, 2016 · PreprintMicrobiology