About

Rebecca Bacon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at Duke University and a member of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute. Her role involves research in animal pathology, with a focus on pathology services related to research animals. She is based at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, and can be contacted via her email rebecca.bacon@duke.edu. Her work contributes to the understanding of disease processes in research animals, supporting the broader mission of advancing biomedical research and vaccine development.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Biology
• Pathology
• Surgery
• Physiology
• Zoology
• Internal medicine
• Immunology
• Genetics
• Neuroscience

Selected publications

• A review of chronic enterocolitis of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and potential as a naturally occurring model for post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome

  Frontiers in Veterinary Science · 2026-04-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Chronic enterocolitis (CE) is a disease of significant concern in colony-housed rhesus macaques, leading to chronic diarrhea and severe weight loss necessitating euthanasia in up to 25% of adults. Despite over three decades of research into this syndrome, mitigating strategies have been met with variable success and chronic diarrhea remains an ongoing problem in research colonies. Some risk factors, clinicopathologic characteristics, and histopathologic characteristics have been investigated, but an underlying cause has yet to be determined, making identification of at-risk individuals and development of specific therapies difficult. There is some evidence for the syndrome occurring as a post-infectious sequela, particularly with respect to Campylobacter spp. infections, though associations with protozoal agents and other bacteria have been investigated as well. If causality is proven, the syndrome could be used as a naturally occurring model for post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) in humans, a syndrome which develops in over one-third of people following an episode of infectious gastroenteritis. Existing animal models fail to replicate PI-IBS in its entirety, preventing the development of effective therapies for this disruptive disease. Given the impact CE has on research colonies, particularly when macaques are in short supply for critical research, as well as the potential as a translational research model, further investigation into this syndrome is crucial. This review will aim to revisit the characterization of CE in rhesus macaques, provide a brief summary of existing animal models for PI-IBS, and discuss recent work on the suitability of CE as a model for the human disease.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Reply to Nachamkin, “Diversity of <i>Campylobacter</i> species in a rhesus macaque breeding colony”

  mSphere · 2025-03-25

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Single-dose cathepsin L CRISPR nanotherapy mitigates PASC-like lung damage in hamsters

  Nano Research · 2025-06-18

  articleOpen access

  Respiratory post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) persists in many SARS-CoV-2 survivors, yet no therapies specifically address its long-term pulmonary damage. We demonstrate that a single-dose CRISPR-CasRx nanotherapy targeting the host enzyme cathepsin L (SCNC) effectively reduces acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in Syrian hamsters, with antiviral efficacy comparable to Paxlovid. Importantly, SCNC outperforms Paxlovid in alleviating alveolar epithelial hyperplasia and lung inflammation at 31 days post-infection, a recognized PASC time point. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals that SCNC enhances alveolar repair by promoting the differentiation of alveolar type 2 cells into alveolar type 1 cells and by reducing inflammatory infiltration through multiple signaling pathways. Thus, SCNC exerts a dual mechanism: host-directed viral inhibition and promotion of epithelial repair with reduced inflammation. This distinguishes it from therapies focused solely on viral suppression or symptom relief. These findings support SCNC as a promising therapeutic candidate for acute infection and, particularly, for PASC-related lung injury, where options remain limited.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Supplemental Tables for Whole-Genome Sequences of <i>Campylobacter coli </i>and <i>Campylobacter jejuni</i> Isolates from Rhesus Macaques (<i>Macaca mulatta</i>) with and without Intestinal Disease

  Figshare · 2024-01-01

  datasetOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  <i>Campylobacter jejuni </i>and <i>Campylobacter coli</i> infection can lead to post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome in humans and may produce a similar syndrome in rhesus macaques (<i>Macaca mulatta</i>). A collection of 8 <i>C. jejuni </i>isolates and 103 <i>C. coli </i>isolates was obtained from rhesus macaques with and without intestinal disease and whole genome sequencing was performed. The supplemental data files for these isolates are provided in two tables here.

  PublisherDOI

• Three novel neoplasms in Nancy Ma’s owl monkeys ( <i>Aotus nancymaae</i> )

  Veterinary Pathology · 2024-12-18 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st author

  Neoplasms are only sporadically reported in New World primates and rarely in owl monkeys ( Aotus spp. ), specifically. Previous reports of neoplasms in owl monkeys are primarily restricted to lymphoma induced by Herpesvirus saimiri infection, although other tumors in the central nervous, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems have been sporadically reported. Herein, we describe 3 previously unreported neoplasms in owl monkeys ( Aotus nancymaae ) including a pericardial mesothelioma in a 6-year-old male, a nephroblastoma in a 2-year-old male, and a cervical neoplasm with characteristics of an epithelioid trophoblastic tumor in a 4-year-old female, all occurring in the same closed breeding colony at a research facility in central Texas. Reporting of spontaneously occurring neoplasms in research colony populations is important for identifying potential animal models of human diseases and for improving colony management and species health.

  PublisherDOI

• Which is the best imaging modality to diagnose a manica flexoria tear?

  Equine Veterinary Education · 2024-10-18 · 2 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Summary The manica flexoria (MF) is an extension of the medial and lateral borders of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) that forms a sleeve around the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT), within the digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS), just proximal to the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joint. Tears of the MF have been described associated with cases of nonseptic tenosynovitis presenting with lameness, with ponies and cobs being over‐represented. Ultrasonography and contrast tenography are the predominant imaging modalities used to diagnose tears of the MF, with tenoscopic evaluation still serving as the gold standard. However, the sensitivity and specificity of additional techniques such as contrast computed tomographic tenography and MRI are now being investigated as other modalities that could be of value to identify MF tears. Additional techniques have been described to combine with traditional ultrasonography, with the aim to improve the sensitivity of identifying MF tears, such as dynamic extension/flexion techniques and saline injections of the DFTS. The overall aim of this paper was to review current evidence to determine the best noninvasive diagnostic imaging modality, with a high sensitivity and specificity, to more accurately diagnose MF tears and aid more thorough surgical planning.

  PublisherDOI

• Diversity of <i>Campylobacter</i> spp. circulating in a rhesus macaque ( <i>Macaca mulatta</i> ) breeding colony using culture and molecular methods

  mSphere · 2024-10-23 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli represent the leading causes of bacterial gastroenteritis in humans, and infections can produce post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). Rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ) (RM) are similarly susceptible to acute campylobacteriosis and represent a potential model of PI-IBS. We characterized the Campylobacter species circulating in an RM breeding colony using culture, qPCR, and whole genome sequencing (WGS). We also compared the C. jejuni and C. coli prevalence in RM as detected with qPCR versus culture and identified risk factors for bacteria presence and intestinal disease. Culture of 275 samples yielded C. coli (103) and C. jejuni (8), of which 21.6% were resistant to quinolones and 3.6% were resistant to macrolides. Multidrug-resistant isolates were obtained exclusively from animals exhibiting diarrhea or with histologically confirmed chronic enterocolitis. WGS revealed a non-clonal population of Campylobacter spp. Genotypic predictions of resistance were excellent except for aminoglycosides. All sequenced isolates contained genes for all subunits of cytolethal distending toxin. qPCR detected a prevalence of 45.9% for C. coli and 29.6% for C. jejuni . The quantity of either bacteria was significantly higher ( P &lt; 0.05) in animals with intestinal disease compared to healthy animals, though only young age was significantly associated with the presence of Campylobacter sp. or intestinal disease. Significantly more C. jejuni positive animals were detected with qPCR than with culture. These results provide a comprehensive characterization of Campylobacter spp. circulating in a breeding colony of RM in the United States and suggest that qPCR is superior for the detection of C. jejuni in RM. IMPORTANCE Gastrointestinal disease is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization in non-human primate colonies and accounts for over one-third of non-research related euthanasia. In rhesus macaques, this manifests as both acute diarrhea and chronic enterocolitis (CE), a syndrome of chronic diarrhea resulting in poor weight gain or weight loss which is minimally responsive to treatment. Campylobacter spp. are major causes of acute enterocolitis in rhesus macaques and may predispose individuals to the development of CE, similar to post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome in humans. Despite these concerns, there are few studies characterizing Campylobacter in rhesus macaque colonies, in particular utilizing whole genome sequencing and assessing findings with respect to the health status of the host. Our findings provide insight into Campylobacter strains circulating in rhesus macaque colonies, which can improve clinical monitoring, assist in treatment decisions, and provide new avenues of investigation into campylobacteriosis as a catalyst for CE.

  PublisherDOI

• Whole-genome sequences of <i>Campylobacter coli</i> and <i>Campylobacter jejuni</i> isolates from rhesus macaques ( <i>Macaca mulatta</i> ) with and without intestinal disease

  Microbiology Resource Announcements · 2024-03-06 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli infection can lead to post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome in humans and may produce a similar syndrome in rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ). We report the complete genomes of 8 C . jejuni isolates and 103 C . coli isolates obtained from rhesus macaques with and without intestinal disease.

  PublisherDOI

• Analysis of cell populations in the normal rhesus macaque ( <i>Macaca mulatta</i> ) lower intestinal tract and diagnostic thresholds for chronic enterocolitis

  Veterinary Pathology · 2023 · 5 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Biology
  • Medicine
  • Immunology

  ) are used extensively in biomedical research, often with a focus on the gastrointestinal tract, and yet a full characterization of their normal resident intestinal cell populations has not been published. In addition, chronic enterocolitis (CE), also known as idiopathic chronic diarrhea, affects up to 25% of colony-housed rhesus macaques, often requiring euthanasia for welfare concerns and severely limiting their value as a breeding animal or research subject. We aimed to characterize subjective and objective variables in sections of the ileum, cecum, colon, and rectum in 16 healthy rhesus macaques and compare these results with a cohort of 37 animals euthanized for CE to produce relevant diagnostic thresholds and to improve case definitions for future studies. We found neutrophils to be an infrequent but expected component of the large intestinal leukocyte population. Animals with CE had significantly increased total leukocyte populations between crypts in the cecum, colon, and rectum; variable increases in specific cell populations across all levels of the distal intestinal tract; and significantly increased intraepithelial CD3+ T cells in the colon and rectum. Concentrations of enteroendocrine cells, enterochromaffin cells, and intestinal mast cells were not significantly different between healthy and affected individuals. This study characterizes individual leukocyte populations in the rhesus macaque lower intestinal tract, is the first to evaluate rhesus macaque intestinal mast cells, and provides key diagnostic thresholds for evaluating animals with potential CE.

  PublisherDOI

• <i>Talaromyces</i> spp. infections in dogs from the Southern United States

  Veterinary Pathology · 2022 · 6 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Biology
  • Pathology
  • Medicine

  spp. involved in infections, and adds to the existing knowledge of clinical presentations and outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Carolyn L. Hodo

  The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

  6 shared

• Stanton B. Gray

  The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

  4 shared

• Joyce K. Cohen

  Emory University

  3 shared

• Keri N. Norman

  Texas A&M University

  3 shared

• Alton G. Swennes

  3 shared

• Michael Esmail

  Tufts University

  3 shared

• Zeli Shen

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  3 shared

• Sara D. Lawhon

  Texas A&M University

  3 shared

Education

• PhD, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

  Texas A&M University

  2024

• DVM

  North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine

  2015

• Non-degree program, Public Health Microbiology and Emerging Infectious Diseases

  George Washington University

  2011

• Bachelor of Science, Biology

  William & Mary

  2009