Topic
Koch's postulates
About: Koch's postulates is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 148 publications have been published within this topic receiving 5182 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: A set of molecular guidelines for establishing disease causation with sequence-based technology is proposed, and the importance of the scientific concordance of evidence in supporting causal associations is emphasized.
Abstract: Over 100 years ago, Robert Koch introduced his ideas about how to prove a causal relationship between a microorganism and a disease. Koch9s postulates created a scientific standard for causal evidence that established the credibility of microbes as pathogens and led to the development of modern microbiology. In more recent times, Koch9s postulates have evolved to accommodate a broader understanding of the host-parasite relationship as well as experimental advances. Techniques such as in situ hybridization, PCR, and representational difference analysis reveal previously uncharacterized, fastidious or uncultivated, microbial pathogens that resist the application of Koch9s original postulates, but they also provide new approaches for proving disease causation. In particular, the increasing reliance on sequence-based methods for microbial identification requires a reassessment of the original postulates and the rationale that guided Koch and later revisionists. Recent investigations of Whipple9s disease, human ehrlichiosis, hepatitis C, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and Kaposi9s sarcoma illustrate some of these issues. A set of molecular guidelines for establishing disease causation with sequence-based technology is proposed, and the importance of the scientific concordance of evidence in supporting causal associations is emphasized.
969 citations
TL;DR: Understanding of the aetiology of SARS will expedite the development of diagnostic tests, antiviral therapies and vaccines, and may allow a more concise case definition for this emerging disease.
Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has recently emerged as a new human disease, resulting globally in 435 deaths from 6,234 probable cases (as of 3 May 2003). Here we provide proof from experimental infection of cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) that the newly discovered SARS-associated coronavirus (SCV) is the aetiological agent of this disease. Our understanding of the aetiology of SARS will expedite the development of diagnostic tests, antiviral therapies and vaccines, and may allow a more concise case definition for this emerging disease.
893 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The Henle-Koch postulates are reviewed in terms of their full validity in Koch's day and in light of subsequent developments, and a set of guidelines for both acute infectious and chronic diseases is presented.
Abstract: The Henle-Koch postulates are reviewed in terms of their full validity in Koch's day and in light of subsequent developments. The changing guidelines developed for viral diseases, for viruses in relation to cancer and to chronic central nervous system infection, and for causative agents in chronic diseases are discussed chronologically. A set of guidelines for both acute infectious and chronic diseases is presented. The need for recognizing the role of the host and the spectrum of host responses, for sound biologic sense in evaluating causal roles of agents in disease, and for flexibility in adapting our guidelines to new knowledge are emphasized.
697 citations
TL;DR: The possibility to design specific primers for highly conserved genes such as 16S ribosomal gene together with the use of molecular probes randomly cloned from phytoplasma genome, allowed discriminating and molecularly classifying them.
Abstract: Phytoplasma associated diseases are spread worldwide, and in several cases are associated with severe epidemic of very often quarantine importance. These plant pathogens are prokaryotes belonging to the Mollicutes class since they lack a cell wall; up to now they were not cultivated in axenic culture therefore Koch postulates are only sometimes fulfilled by using alternative tools, such as graft or insect transmission. The possibility to design specific primers for highly conserved genes such as 16S ribosomal gene together with the use of molecular probes randomly cloned from phytoplasma genome, allowed discriminating and molecularly classifying them. Now a certain amount of knowledge is available that allow starting epidemiological studies in order to prevent further spreading of phytoplasma-associated diseases. In this paper molecular, biological and epidemiological characteristics of phytoplasma associated with important diseases worldwide are described.
335 citations
TL;DR: These guidelines were an attempt to establish a standard for identifying the specific causation of an infectious disease and to convince sceptics that microorganisms could cause disease.
Abstract: Koch's postulates were derived from Robert Koch's work on infectious diseases, such as anthrax and tuberculosis, which still engage us to this day. These guidelines were an attempt to establish a standard for identifying the specific causation of an infectious disease and to convince sceptics that microorganisms could cause disease. They were also established to encourage an increasing number of novice microbiologists to use more rigorous criteria before claiming a causal relationship between a microorganism and a disease.
273 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2016 | 5 |