Dr. Frank G. Rodgers
Ph.D., University of Surrey, England, 1977
Pathogenic Microbiology
Despite antimicrobial and other therapies, infectious agents remain a major threat to human health.
Recently, we have seen the recrudescence of pathogens previously thought to be of little importance
as well as the introduction of newer hitherto undetected agents of infection.
These pathogens often express enhanced virulence potential and their proliferation
within the community makes it imperative to understand 
the molecular mechanisms
of their disease induction. In my laboratory we have investigated the molecular mechanisms
of pathogenesis of a number of agents. Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (a cause of
hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in children, hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and other life threatening
conditions); we have also studied Legionella pneumophila the causal agent of Legionnaires' disease,
a pneumonic illness especially prevalent in immunocompromised patients; Listeria
monocytogenes, the cause of listeriosis, a food borne disease, expressed as
septicemia and meningoencephalitis that is common in both pregnant and immunodeficient
humans and animals; Campylobacter jejuni, the major cause of acute bacterial
gastroenteritis in the U.S. and elsewhere. The pathogens we study express their
virulence either through a phase of intracellular replication (albeit facultative)
leading to cell damage or they exert their effects through the expression
of potent toxins that are taken up by target cells. The outcome of these toxic events is apoptosis,
cell necrosis or the interruption of protein synthesis. Yet others do both.
Using molecular techniques, we are investigating the recognition events of the earliest interaction
of pathogens and their toxic products with the host. It is anticipated that our pathogenic studies at
the molecular level will lead eventually to novel, more effective control measures for these infectious
agents.
Associated Publications:
Manuscripts in Refereed Journals (from 1998 only shown):
• Woodward, D.L., Clark, C.G., Caldeira, R.A., Ahmed, R., Soule, G., Bryden, L., Tabor, H., Melito, P., Foster, R., Walsh, J., Ng, L-K., Malcolm, G.B., Strockbine, N. and Rodgers, F.G. (2005). Shigella boydii 20 serovar nov., a new and emerging Shigella serotype. J. Med. Microbiol. 54: 741-748
• Isaacs, S., Aramini, J., Ceibin, B., Farrar, J., Ahmed, R., Middleton, D., Howes, M., Chan, E., Pichette, S., Campbell, K., Gupta, A., Lior, L., Pearce, M., Clark, C., Rodgers, F., Jamieson, F., Brophy, I. and Ellis, A. (2005). An international outbreak of salmonellosis associated with raw almonds contaminated with a rare phage type of Salmonella Enteritidis. J. Food Protect. 68: 191-198.
• Kalluri, P., Cummings, K.C., Abbott, S., Malcolm, G.B., Hutchinson, K., Beall, A., Joyce, K., Polyak, C., Woodward, D., Caldeira, R., Rodgers, F., Mintz, E.D., Strockbine, N. (2004). Epidemiological features of a newly described serotype of Shigella boydii. Epidemiol. and Infect. 132: 579-583.
• Endz, H.Ph., van West, H., Godschalk, P.C.R., de Haan, L., Halabi, Y., van den Braak, N., Kesztyus, B.I., Leyde, E., Ott, A., Verkooyen, R., Price, L.J., Woodward, D.L., Rodgers, F.G., An g, C.W., van Koningsveld, R., van Belkum, A. and Gerstenbluth, I. (2003). Risk factors associated with Campylobacter jejuni infections in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 5588-5592.
• Krenten-Boaretto, B., Buxton, J. A., Doré, K., Fyfe, M.,Middleton, D., McEwen , King, A., Paccagnella, A., Grimsrud, K., Zazulak, I., Talbot, J., Rennie, R., Pieroni, P., Ahmed, R., Rodgers, F., Polari, F., Wilson. J., Michel, P., Naus, M., Henry, B., Cieben, B., Jamieson, F . (2003). Using Provincial Client Registries for Control Selection: Lessons Learned. Canadian Communicable Disease Report(CCDR) 29: 173-179.
• Clark, C.G., Price, L., Ahmed, R., Woodward, D.L., Rod gers, F.G., Jamieson, F., Ciebin, B., Li, A. and Ellis, A. (2003). Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni associated with a waterborne outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario and assessment of the methods used for typing and subtyping. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 9: 1232-1241.
• Demczuk, W., Soule, G., Clark, C., Khakhria, R., Ahmed, R. and Rodgers, F. G. (2003). Page-based typing scheme for Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg, a causative agent of food poisonings in Canada. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 4279-4284.
• Wang, G., Clark, C.G., Liu, C., Pucknell, C., Munro, C., Kruk, T., Caldeira, R., Woodward, D.L. and Rodgers, F.G. (2003). Detection and characterization of the hemolysin genes in Aeromonas hyrdophila and Aeromonas sobria by multiplex PCR. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 1048-1054.
• Oberhelman, R.A., Gilman, R.H., Sheen, P., Cordova, J., Waltz, S., LeBron, C., Taylor, D.N., Cabrera, L., Zimic, M., Meza, R., Perez, J., Rodgers, F.G., Woodward, D.L. and Price, L.J. (2003). Campylobacter transmission in a Peruvian periurban shantytown: a longitudinal study using strain typing of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from chickens and humans in household clusters. J. Infect. Dis . 187: 260-269.
• Clark , C.G., Kruk,T.M.A.C., Bryden, L., Hirvi, Y., Ahmed, R. and Rodgers, F.G. (2003). Subtypin g of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis Strains Using Manual and Automated Pst I-Sph I (PS) Ribotypin g . J. Clin. Microbiol. 41 : 27-33.
• Wang, G., Clark, C. and Rodgers, F.G. (2002). Detection in Escherichia coli of the major virulence factors, the components of type 2 Shiga toxin and the O157:H7 serotype by multiplex PCR. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40 : 3613-3619.
• Wang, G., Clark, C., Brown, T.M., Pucknell, C., Barton, C., Price, L., Woodward, D. and Rodgers, F.G. (2002). Colony multiplex PCR for the identification and differentiation of Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter lari, Campylobacter upsaliensis and Campylobacter fetus subsp fetus . J. Clin. Microbiol. 40 : 4744-4747.
Published Chapters, Reports, and Invited Reviews (from 1998 only shown):
• Report and Proceedings of a WHO Consultation of Experts (2003): “Developing a Strategy for Global Surveillance of Foodborne Diseases and Risk Analysis” Geneva, Switzerland, 26-29 November 2001, WHO/CDS/CSR/APH, p1-.
• Rodgers, F.G. and Woodward, D.L. (2003). Latin American and the Caribbean Network of Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance for Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio cholerae (Spanish and En glish). PAHO, WHO Report to Director General
• Demczuk, W., Cuff, W.R., Ahmed, R., Woodward, D.L., Clark, C.G. and Rodgers, F.G. (2003). Enteric Pathogens in Canada - Annual Summary 1999. pp. 1-87 (English and French versions).
• Report and Proceedings of a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Consultation of Experts (2002): “Reunion Annual Regional de los Paises Participantes en la Red de Monitoreo/Vi gilantica de la Resistencia a los Antibioticos” Asuncion, Paraguay, 31 January - 2February 2001, HCP/HCT/201/02, p1-139.
• Chan, E-S., Aramini, J., Ciebin, B., Middleton, D., Ahmed, R., Howes, M., Brophy, I., Mentis, I., Jamieson, F., Rodgers, F., Nazarowec-White, M., Pichette, S., Farrar, J., Gutierrez, M., Weis, W., Lior, L., Ellis, A. and Isaacs, S. (2002).
Natural or Raw Almonds and an outbreak of a rare phage type of Salmonella Enteritidis infection. Canadian Communicable Disease Report (CCDR) 28 : 97-99.
• Demczuk, W., Ahmed, R., Woodward, D., Clark, C. and Rodgers, F. (2002). Enteric Pathogens in Canada - Annual Summary 2000. pp. 1-78 (English and French versions).
• Report and Proceedings of a WHO Consultation of Experts: “The Increasing Incidence of Human Campylobacteriosis” Copenhagen, Denmark, 21-25 November 2000, WHO/CDS/CSR/APH 2001.7, p1-135.
• Rodgers, F.G. and Woodward, D.L. (2001). “ Paraguay Site Visit.” Report on National Laboratory Network, PAHO-NLEP Collaborative Project on Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio cholerae in Latin America and the Caribbean. Oct. 1-5, 2001, pp 1-21 (+ appendix).
• Stratton, J., Stefaniw, L., Grimsrud, K., Werker, D.H., Ellis, A., Ashton, E., Chui, L., Blewett, E., Ahmed, R., Clark, C., Rodgers, F., Trottier, L. and Jensen, B. (2001). Outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B Var. Java due to contaminated alfalfa sprouts in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Canadian Communicable Disease Report (CCDR) 27: 133-138.
• Cuff, W.R., Ahmed, R., Woodward, D.L., Clark, C.G. and Rodgers, F.G. (2001). Enteric Pathogens in Canada - Annual Summary 1998. pp. 1-71 (English and French versions).
• Division of Enteric Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases and National Laboratory for Enteric Pathogens. (2001). Risk of enteric illness associated with travel: a case review of gastroenteritis among Canadian travellers: January to April, 2000. Canadian Communicable Disease Report (CCDR) 27: 45-49.
• Rodgers, F.G., Woodward, D.L. and Heitmann, I.S. (2000). “ Argentina Site Visit.” Report on National Laboratory Network, PAHO-NLEP Collaborative Project on Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio cholerae in Latin America and the Caribbean. Dec. 4-8, 2000, pp 1-28 (+ appendix).
• Walkerton Outbreak Team. (2000). Waterborne outbreak of gastroenteritis associated with a contaminated municipal water supply, Walkerton, Ontario, May-June 2000. Canadian Communicable Disease Report (CCDR) 26: 170-173.
• Macdonald, C., Drew, J., Carlson, R., Dzogan, S., Tataryn, S., Macdonald, A., Ali, A., Ahmed, R., Easy, R., Clark, C. and Rodgers, F. (2000) Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 leading to the recall of ground beef - Winnipeg, Manitoba, May 1999. Canadian Communicable Disease Report (CCDR) 26: 109-11.
• Cuff, W., Woodward, D.L., Clark, C., Ahmed, R., Khakhria, R. and Rodgers, F.G. (2000). Enteric Pathogens in Canada - Annual Summary 1997. pp. 1-75 (English and French versions).
• LCDC Outbreak Team. (2000). Human risk from exposure to natural dog treats. Canadian Communicable Disease Report (CCDR) 26: 41-42.
• WHO Proceedings Consultation Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Pathogens, Geneva, Switzerland, 31 March- 1 April 1999.
• Rodgers, F.G., Woodward, D.L. and Llop, A. (1999). “ Brazil Site Visit.” Report on National Laboratory Network, PAHO-NLEP Collaborative Project on Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio cholerae in Latin America and the Caribbean. Nov. 16-19, 1999, pp 1-14 (+ appendix).
• Khakhria, R., Woodward, D., Cuff, W., Rodgers, F.G. and Johnson, W. (1999). Enteric Pathogens in Canada - Annual Summary 1996. pp.1-54 (English and French versions).
• Ellis, A. et al. (1999). National Foodborne, Waterborne, and Enteric Outbreak Summary Report 1997-1998. Canad. J. Infect. Dis. 10: 201-206.
• Rodgers, F.G., Woodward, D.L. and Anand, C.M., Gabastou, J-M. (1999). “ Peru Site Visit.” Report on National Laboratory Network, PAHO-NLEP Collaborative Project on Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio cholerae in Latin America and the Caribbean. May 24-28, 1999, pp 1-17 (+ appendix).
• Crowe, L., Lau, W., McLeod, L., Anand, C.M., Ciebin, B., LeBer, C., McCartney, S., Easy, R., Clark, C., Rodgers, F.G. et al. (1999). Outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection associated with eating fresh parsley - United States and Canada, July-August 1998. Morbidity, Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 48: 285-289.
• Rodgers, F. G. (1998). Legionella. In: (Eds) L. Collier, A. Balows and M. Sussman. “Toply and Wilson’s Microbiology and Microbial Infections” 9th Edition, Edward Arnold, London, England. 1998; Chapter 49, pp. 1147-1165.
• Tilton, R.C., Johnson, W. M., Murray, A. B., Persing, D. H., Rodgers, F. G., Salkin, I. F. and Staneck, J. L. (1998).JCM Commentary. ASM News 64: 252-253.
Awards:
• College of Life Science and Agriculture Teaching Excellence Award (Teacher of the Year, 2004)
Grant reviewer for:
• NIH Grant Study Section ZAI1 ALR-M (M4) “Cooperative Research for the Development of Vaccines, Adjuvants Therapeutics, Immunotherapeutics and Diagnostics”
Projects funded:
• Principal Investigator: USDA/AES/Hatch H-494. $30,000 Oct 2006-Sept 2009. “Regulation of Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxins and their impact on host cell apoptosis”
• Principal Investigator: NHIRC/Prometheus. $79,852. “Electrically discharged silver ion (EDSI) therapy for hospital acquired wound infections. March 2005 to December 2007.
Click HERE to E-mail Dr. Rodgers at fgr@cisunix.unh.edu
