Research Associate, Division of Infectious Diseases
My research interests concern the interface of the pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. ulcerans, with human and experimental animal hosts. Studies in tuberculosis concern pathogenesis following infection with wild-type and gene deletion mutants as well as the impact of the immune system on the response to chemotherapeutic agents. Studies on M. ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli Ulcer, have focused on differential response to vaccination in different mouse strains and the evaluation of novel chemotherapy regimens in comparison with the new WHO standard of rifampin and streptomycin. Business Address: Center for Tuberculosis Research Dept. of Medicine, Div. of Infectious Diseases Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 1551 E. Jefferson St., Room 154 Baltimore, MD 21287                                      Tel: 410-502-8236 Fax: 410-614-8173 Email Dr. Converse
Publications

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1. Converse PJ, Nuermberger EL, Almeida DV, Grosset JH. Treating Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer): from surgery to antibiotics, is the pill mightier than the knife? Future Microbiol. 2011 Oct;6(10):1185-98. Review.

2. Converse PJ, Almeida DV, Nuermberger EL, Grosset JH. BCG-mediated protection against Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in the mouse. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2011Mar 15;5(3):e985.

3. Kloos H, Converse PJ., Mulatu MS, Haile Mariam D, Assefa Y. Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: The 2010 Update.  Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 25:71-98 (2011).

4. Zhang M, Li SY, Rosenthal IM, Almeida DV, Ahmad Z, Converse PJ, Peloquin CA, Nuermberger EL, Grosset JH. Treatment of tuberculosis with rifamycin-containing regimens in immune-deficient mice. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011 May 1;183(9):1254-61.

5. Almeida D, Converse PJ, Ahmad Z, Dooley KE, Nuermberger EL, Grosset JH. Activities of rifampin, Rifapentine and clarithromycin alone and in combination against  Mycobacterium ulcerans disease in mice. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2011 Jan 4;5(1):e933.

6. Zhang T, Li SY, Converse PJ, Almeida DV, Grosset JH, Nuermberger EL. Using bioluminescence to monitor treatment response in real time in mice with Mycobacterium  ulcerans infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2011 Jan;55(1):56-61.

7. Mulatu MS, Converse PJ., Haile Mariam D, Kloos H  Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: The 2009 Update Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 24:64-86 (2010).

8. Converse PJ, Eisenach KD, Theus SA, Nuermberger EL, Tyagi S, Ly LH, Geiman DE, Guo H, Nolan ST, Akar NC, Klinkenberg LG, Gupta R, Lun S, Karakousis PC,Lamichhane G, McMurray DN, Grosset JH, Bishai WR. The impact of mouse passaging of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains prior to virulence testing in the mouse and guinea pig aerosol models. PLoS One. 2010 Apr 21;5(4):e10289.

9.  Yam KC, D'Angelo I, Kalscheuer R, Zhu H, Wang JX, Snieckus V, Ly LH, Converse PJ, Jacobs WR Jr, Strynadka N, Eltis LD. Studies of a ring-cleaving dioxygenase illuminate the role of cholesterol metabolism in the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PLoS Pathog. 2009 Mar;5(3):e1000344.

10.    Converse PJ, Karakousis PC, Klinkenberg LG, Kesavan AK, Ly LH, Allen SS, Grosset JH, Jain SK, Lamichhane G, Manabe YC, McMurray DN, Nuermberger EL, Bishai WR. Role of the dosR-dosS two-component regulatory system in Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence in three animal models. Infect Immun. 2009 Mar;77(3):1230-7.

11. Converse, P.J., Mulatu M.S., Kloos H., Haile Mariam, D., Wuhib, T., Pankhurst, A. Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: The 2008 Update. Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 23:73-94 (2009).

12.    Abdul-Majid KB, Ly LH, Converse PJ, Geiman DE, McMurray DN, Bishai WR. Altered cellular infiltration and cytokine levels during early Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigC mutant infection are associated with late-stage disease attenuation and milder immunopathology in mice. BMC Microbiol. 2008 Sep 17;8:151.

13.    Bryk R, Gold B, Venugopal A, Singh J, Samy R, Pupek K, Cao H, Popescu C, Gurney M, Hotha S, Cherian J, Rhee K, Ly L, Converse PJ, Ehrt S, Vandal O, Jiang  X, Schneider J, Lin G, Nathan C. Selective killing of nonreplicating mycobacteria. Cell Host Microbe. 2008 Mar 13;3(3):137-45.

14. Kloos H, Assefa Y, Haile Mariam D, Mulatu MS, Converse PJ. Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: The 2007 Update, with an Emphasis on the ART Scale-Up. Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 22:71-95 (2008).

15.    Jain, S. K., S. M. Hernandez-Abanto, Q. J. Cheng, P. Singh, L. H. Ly, L. G. Klinkenberg, N. E. Morrison, P. J. Converse, E. Nuermberger, J. Grosset, D. N. McMurray, P. C. Karakousis, G. Lamichhane, and W. R. Bishai. 2007. Accelerated detection ofMycobacterium tuberculosis genes essential for bacterial survival in guinea pigs, compared with mice. J Infect Dis 195:1634-42.

16.    Mulatu, M. S., H. Kloos, P. Converse, and D. Haile Mariam. 2007. Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: The 2006 Update. Ethiop. J. Health Dev 21:70-91.

17.    Shah, S. S., J. P. McGowan, R. S. Klein, P. J. Converse, S. Blum, and M. N. Gourevitch. 2006. Agreement between Mantoux skin testing and QuantiFERON-TB assay using dual mycobacterial antigens in current and former injection drug users. Med Sci Monit 12:MT11-6.

18.    Converse, P. J., M. S. Mulatu, H. Kloos, D. Haile Mariam, T. Wuhib, and A. Pankhurst. 2006. Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: The 2005 Update. Ethiop. J. Health Dev 20:60-70.

19.    Mulatu, M. S., H. Kloos, P. Converse, T. Wuhib, and A. Pankhurst. 2005. Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: The 2004 Update. Ethiop. J. Health Dev 19:65-85.

20.    Converse, P. J. 2004. Dual infection: the challenge of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in Ethiopia. Northeast African Studies 7:147-165.

21.    Sun, R., P. J. Converse, C. Ko, S. Tyagi, N. E. Morrison, and W. R. Bishai. 2004. Mycobacterium tuberculosis ECF sigma factor sigC is required for lethality in mice and for the conditional expression of a defined gene set. Mol Microbiol 52:25-38.

22.    Geiman, D. E., D. Kaushal, C. Ko, S. Tyagi, Y. C. Manabe, B. G. Schroeder, R. D. Fleischmann, N. E. Morrison, P. J. Converse, P. Chen, and W. R. Bishai. 2004. Attenuation of late-stage disease in mice infected by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutant lacking the SigF alternate sigma factor and identification of SigF-dependent genes by microarray analysis. Infect Immun 72:1733-45.

23.    Kloos, H., M. S. Mulatu, and P. J. Converse. 2004. Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: 2003 Update. Ethiop. J. Health Dev 18:57-64.

24.    Ando, M., T. Yoshimatsu, C. Ko, P. J. Converse, and W. R. Bishai. 2003. Deletion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor E results in delayed time to death with bacterial persistence in the lungs of aerosol-infected mice. Infect Immun 71:7170-2.

25.    Converse, P. J., T. Wuhib, M. S. Mulatu, and K. H. 2003. Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the diaspora. Ethiop. J. Health Dev 17:33-85.

26.    Ando, M., Y. C. Manabe, P. J. Converse, E. Miyazaki, R. Harrison, J. R. Murphy, and W. R. Bishai. 2003. Characterization of the role of the divalent metal ion-dependent transcriptional repressor MntR in the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus. Infect Immun 71:2584-90.

27.    Kimura, M., P. J. Converse, J. Astemborski, J. S. Rothel, D. Vlahov, G. W. Comstock, N. M. Graham, R. E. Chaisson, and W. R. Bishai. 1999. Comparison between a whole blood interferon-gamma release assay and tuberculin skin testing for the detection of tuberculosis infection among patients at risk for tuberculosis exposure. J Infect Dis 179:1297-300.

28.    Sugisaki, K., A. M. Dannenberg, Jr., Y. Abe, J. Tsuruta, W. J. Su, W. Said, L. Feng, T. Yoshimura, P. J. Converse, and P. Mounts. 1998. Nonspecific and immune-specific up-regulation of cytokines in rabbit dermal tuberculous (BCG) lesions. J Leukoc Biol 63:440-50.

29.    DeKeyser, F. G., J. M. Wainstock, L. Rose, P. J. Converse, and W. Dooley. 1998. Distress, symptom distress, and immune function in women with suspected breast cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum 25:1415-22.

30.    Converse, P. J., A. M. Dannenberg, Jr., T. Shigenaga, D. N. McMurray, S. W. Phalen, J. L. Stanford, G. A. Rook, T. Koru-Sengul, H. Abbey, J. E. Estep, and M. L. Pitt. 1998. Pulmonary bovine-type tuberculosis in rabbits: bacillary virulence, inhaled dose effects, tuberculin sensitivity, and Mycobacterium vaccae immunotherapy. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 5:871-81.

31.    Converse, P. J., S. L. Jones, J. Astemborski, D. Vlahov, and N. M. Graham. 1997. Comparison of a tuberculin interferon-gamma assay with the tuberculin skin test in high-risk adults: effect of human immunodeficiency virus infection. J Infect Dis 176:144-50.

32.    Esa, A. H., and P. J. Converse. 1996. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid blocks IL-2-independent lymphocyte proliferation and enhances responses to PPD. Scand J Immunol 43:127-33.

33. Converse, P. J., A. M. Dannenberg, Jr., J. E. Estep, K. Sugisaki, Y. Abe, B. H. Schofield, and M. L. Pitt. 1996. Cavitary tuberculosis produced in rabbits by aerosolized virulent tubercle bacilli. Infect Immun 64:4776-87.

34.  Converse, P. J., V. L. Haines, A. Wondimu, L. E. Craig, and W. M. Meyers. 1995. Infection of SCID mice with Mycobacterium leprae and control with antigen-activated "immune" human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Infect Immun 63:1047-54.

35.    Ohman, R., C. Walford, P. Converse, and M. Ridell. 1991. Reactions to antigens from actinomycetes including Mycobacterium leprae in leprosy patients. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis 59:320-2.

36.    Kaleab, B., T. Ottenoff, P. Converse, E. Halapi, G. Tadesse, M. Rottenberg, and R. Kiessling. 1990. Mycobacterial-induced cytotoxic T cells as well as nonspecific killer cells derived from healthy individuals and leprosy patients. Eur J Immunol 20:2651-9.

37.    Converse, P. J., T. E. Fehniger, A. Ehrnst, O. Strannegard, and S. Britton. 1990. Immune responses to fractionated cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigens after HIV infection. Loss of cellular and humoral reactivity to antigens recognized by HIV-, CMV+ individuals. Clin Exp Immunol 82:559-66.

38.    Converse, P., T. H. Ottenhoff, S. Work Teklemariam, G. E. Hancock, M. Dietz, M. Becx-Bleumink, A. Wondimu, R. Kiessling, Z. A. Cohn, and G. Kaplan. 1990. Intradermal recombinant interleukin 2 enhances peripheral blood T-cell responses to mitogen and antigens in patients with lepromatous leprosy. Scand J Immunol 32:83-91.

39.    Ottenhoff, T. H., P. J. Converse, N. Gebre, A. Wondimu, J. P. Ehrenberg, and R. Kiessling. 1989. T cell responses to fractionated Mycobacterium leprae antigens in leprosy. The lepromatous nonresponder defect can be overcome in vitro by stimulation with fractionated M. leprae components. Eur J Immunol 19:707-13.

40.    Kaplan, G., R. Kiessling, S. Teklemariam, G. Hancock, G. Sheftel, C. K. Job, P. Converse, T. H. Ottenhoff, M. Becx-Bleumink, M. Dietz, and et al. 1989. The reconstitution of cell-mediated immunity in the cutaneous lesions of lepromatous leprosy by recombinant interleukin 2. J Exp Med 169:893-907.

41.    Converse, P. J., T. H. Ottenhoff, N. Gebre, J. P. Ehrenberg, and R. Kiessling. 1988. Cellular, humoral, and gamma interferon responses to Mycobacterium leprae and BCG antigens in healthy individuals exposed to leprosy. Scand J Immunol 27:515-25.

42.    Ottenhoff, T. H., M. Mengistu, G. Tadesse, R. R. De Vries, and P. J. Converse. 1987. HLA-DR and DQ antigens in insulin-dependent diabetics in Ethiopia. Tissue Antigens 30:193-7.

43.    Ottenhoff, T. H., P. J. Converse, G. Bjune, and R. R. de Vries. 1987. HLA antigens and neural reversal reactions in Ethiopian borderline tuberculoid leprosy patients. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis 55:261-6.

44.    Esa, A. H., P. J. Converse, and A. D. Hess. 1987. Cyclosporine inhibits soluble antigen and alloantigen presentation by human monocytes in vitro. Int J Immunopharmacol 9:893-902.

45.    Converse, P. J., R. M. Mshana, and G. J. Bjune. 1987. Cimetidine inhibits suppressor factor production in Ethiopian lepromatous leprosy patients. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis 55:548-53.

46.    Converse, P. J., and G. Bjune. 1986. Natural killer (NK) cell activity and reversal reaction in leprosy. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis 54:503-9.

47.    Vogelsang, G. B., A. D. Hess, A. W. Berkman, P. J. Tutschka, E. R. Farmer, P. J. Converse, and G. W. Santos. 1985. An in vitro predictive test for graft versus host disease in patients with genotypic HLA-identical bone marrow transplants. N Engl J Med 313:645-50.

48.   Converse, P. J., and A. D. Hess. 1985. Effect of cyclosporin and interleukin-2 on the restoration of in vitro immune responses to cytomegalovirus. Scand J Immunol 21:109-18.

49.    Converse, P. J., A. D. Hess, P. J. Tutschka, and G. W. Santos. 1983. Effect of cyclosporine on the response of normal human lymphocytes to cytomegalovirus in vitro. Infect Immun 41:1226-33.

50.    Simpson, T. W., P. J. Converse, and B. Gebrian. 1982. Medical and psychosocial problems of Indochinese refugees in the USA, New Developments in Tropical Medicine.

51.    Converse, P. J., and D. R. Williams. 1978. Increased HLA-B heterozygosity with age. Tissue Antigens 12:275-8.