Alf YW Chu

Alf YW Chu

BSc(Hons), PhD
University of Westminster, London, UK
Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Microbiology,
Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Scientific Officer (Medical)
Public Health Laboratory Services Branch,
Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Kong Kong SAR
Fellow of Institute of Biomedical Science (FIBMS)
Member of the Australian Society for Microbiology (MASM)
Founding Fellow of the Faculty of Science of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (FFSc(RCPA))
Email

alf@cuhk.edu.hk

Research interest
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in antimicrobial resistance dissemination in bacteria
Multidrug resistance (MDR) mechanism
Comparative and functional genomics
Publications (Representative)

  1. Tse, H, AKL Tsang, YW Chu, DNC Tsang (2021) Draft Genome Sequences of 19 Clinical Isolates of Candida auris from Hong Kong. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 10(1) e00308-20.
  2. Chu, YW, H Tse & D Tsang (2019) Adoption of the New CLSI Fluoroquinolone Breakpoints for Enterobacteriaceae. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 57(11) e01176-19.
  3. Chu, YW, VWN Tung, TKM Cheung, MY Chu, N Cheng, C Lai, DNC Tsang & JYC Lo. (2011) Carbapenemases in enterobacteria in Hong Kong, China, 2009. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 17:130-132.
  4. Chu, YW, CH Wong, MY Chu, CPF Cheung, TKM Cheung, C Tse, WK Luk & JYC Lo. (2009) Varibaculum cambriense infections in Hong Kong, China, 2006. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 15:1137-1139.
  5. Chan, J, YW Chu, MY Chu, TKM Cheung & JYC Lo. (2009) Epidemiological Analysis of Streptococcus pyogenes infections in Hong Kong. Pathology. 41:681-686.
  6. Chu, YW, TKM Cheung, MY Chu, JYC Lo & L Dijkshoorn. (2009) OXA-23-type imipenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii in Hong Kong. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 34:285-286.
  7. Chu, YW, TKM Cheung, MY Chu, VYM Tsang, JTL Fung, KM Kam & JYC Lo. (2009) Resistance to tetracycline, erythromycin and clindamycin in Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in Hong Kong. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 34:181-182.
  8. Zarrilli, R, M Giannouli, A Di Popolo, YW Chu, M Vaneechoutte, L Dijkshoorn & TC Chang. (2009) Identification of Acinetobacter Genomic Species 13TU by Sequence Analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA Gene Spacer Region. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 47:1281-1282.
  9. Cheung TKM, YW Chu, MY Chu, VYM Tsang & JYC Lo. (2008) Panton-Valentine leucocidin-positive meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the community in Hong Kong. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 57:1440- 1443.
  10. Chu, YW, TKM Cheung, CH Wong, GKL Tsang, K Lee, SSY Lau & KM Kam. (2008) Quinolone resistance and correlation to other antimicrobial resistances in faecal isolates of Escherichia coli in Hong Kong. Chemotherapy. 54:274-278.
  11. Chu, YW, AKF Chan, GKL Tsang & JYC Lo. (2007) Detection of cysteine-dependent Escherichia coli (CDEC) in a public health laboratory setting in Hong Kong. Journal of Medical Microbiology. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 56:1704.
  12. Chu, YW, C Tse, GKL Tsang, DKS So, JTL Fung & JYC Lo. (2007) Invasive group B Streptococcus isolates showing reduced susceptibility to penicillin in Hong Kong. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 60:1407-1409.
  13. Chu, YW, GKL Tsang, CH Wong, MSW Kwok, RKO Wong, JYC Lo & KM Kam. (2007) Authors’ reply to “Controversial data on the association of Aeromonas with diarrhoea in a recent Hong Kong study”. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 56:998.
  14. Chu, YW, TKM Cheung, V Tung, F Tiu, J Lo, R Lam, R Lai & KK Wong. (2007) A blood isolate of Neisseria meningitidis showing reduced susceptibility to quinolones in Hong Kong. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 30:94-95.
  15. Luey, CKY, YW Chu, TKM Cheung, CCP Law, MY Chu, DTL Cheung & KM Kam. (2007) Rapid pulsed-field gel electrophoresis protocol for subtyping of Streptococcus suis serotype 2. Journal of Microbiological Methods. 68:648-50.
  16. Chu, YW, TKM Cheung, TK Ng, D Tsang, WK To, KM Kam & JYC Lo. (2006) Quinolone resistance determinant qnrA3 in clinical isolates of Salmonella in 2000-2005 in Hong Kong. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 58:904-905.
  17. Chu, YW, SL Chau & ETS Houang. (2006) Presence of active efflux systems AdeABC, AdeDE and AdeXYZ in different Acinetobacter genomic DNA groups. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 55:477-478.
  18. Chu, YW, GKL Tsang, CH Wong, MSW Kwok, RKO Wong, JYC Lo & KM Kam. (2006) Lack of association between presentation of diarrhoeal symptoms and faecal isolation of Aeromonas app. amongst out-patients in Hong Kong. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 55:349-351.
  19. Chu, YW, TKM Cheung, YW Ngan & KM Kam. (2005) EDTA susceptibility leading to false detection of metallo-beta-lactamase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Etest and an imipenem-EDTA disk method. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 26:340-341.
  20. Cheung, TKM, YW Chu, MY Chu, CH Ma, RWH Yung & KM Kam. (2005) Plasmid- mediated resistance to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime in clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis in Hong Kong. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 56:586-589.
  21. Cheung, TKM, YW Chu, GKL Tsang, JYW Ngan, ISC Hui & KM Kam. (2005) Emergence of CTX-M-type beta-lactam resistance in Shigella spp. in Hong Kong. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 25:350-352.
  22. Chau, SL, YW Chu & ETS Houang. (2004) Novel resistance-nodulation-cell division efflux system AdeDE in Acinetobacter genomic DNA group 3. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 48:4054-4055.
  23. Chu, YW, MY Chu, KY Luey, YW Ngan, KL Tsang & KM Kam. (2004) Genetic relatedness and quinolone resistance of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated in 2002 in Hong Kong. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 42:3321-3323.
  24. Houang, ETS, YW Chu, WS Lo, KY Chu & AFB Cheng. (2003) Epidemiology of rifampin ADP-ribosyltransferase (arr-2) and the metallo-beta-lactamase (blaIMP-4) gene cassettes in new class 1 integrons in Acinetobacter strains isolated from blood cultures 1997 to 2000. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 47:1382-1390.
  25. Houang, ETS, YW Chu, KY Chu, KC Ng, CM Leung & AFB Cheng. (2003) Significance of genomic DNA Group delineation in comparative studies of antimicrobial susceptibility of Acinetobacter spp. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 47:1472-1475.
  26. Booton, GC, DJ Kelly, YW Chu, DV Seal, E Houang, DSC Lam, TJ Byers & PA Fuerst. (2002) 18S ribosomal DNA typing and tracking of Acanthamoeba species isolates from corneal scrape specimens, contact lenses, lens cases, and home water supplies of Acanthamoeba keratitis patients in Hong Kong. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 40:1621-1625.
  27. Chu, YW, Afzal-Shah M, ETS Houang, M-F Palepou, DJ Lyon, N Woodford & DM Livermore. (2001) IMP-4, a novel metallo-beta-lactamase from nosocomial Acinetobacter spp. collected in Hong Kong between 1994 and 1998. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 45:710-714.
  28. Houang, ETS, YW Chu, CM Leung, KY Chu, J Berlau, KC Ng & AFB Cheng. (2001) Epidemiology and infection control implications of Acinetobacter spp. in Hong Kong. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 39:228-234.
  29. Chu, YW, CM Leung, ETS Houang, KC Ng, CB Leung, HY Leung & AFB Cheng. (1999) Skin carriage of acinetobacters in Hong Kong. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 37:2962-2967.
  30. Chu, YW, ETS Houang & AFB Cheng. (1998) Novel combination of mutations in the DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV genes in laboratory-grown fluoroquinolone-resistant Shigella flexneri mutants. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 41:3051-3052.
  31. Houang, ETS, YW Chu, TKC Ng & AFB Cheng. (1998) Study of the relatedness of isolates of Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei obtained in 1986 and 1987 and in 1994 and 1995 from Hong Kong. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 36:2404-2407.
  32. Chu, YW, ETS Houang, DJ Lyon, JM Ling, TK Ng & AFB Cheng. (1998) Antimicrobial resistance in Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei in Hong Kong, 1986 to 1995. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 42:440- 443.
  33. Chu, YW, D Renno & G Saunders. (1997) Extracellular pH affects regulation of the pcbAB gene in Penicillium chrysogenum. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 47:250-254.
  34. Vichitsoonthonkul, T, YW Chu, V Patel, R Patel & G Saunders. (1996) Factors affecting DNA binding proteins and pcbC transcription levels in Penicillium chrysogenum. Current Genetics 30:447-454.
  35. Chu, YW, D Renno & G Saunders. (1995) Detection of a protein which binds specifically to the upstream region of the pcbAB gene in Penicillium chrysogenum. Current Genetics 27:184-189.
  1. Brueggemann, A, MJJ van Rensburg, D Shaw, N McCarthy, KA Jolley, MCJ Maiden, MPG van der Linden, Z Amin- Chowdhury, DE Bennett, R Borrow, MCC Brandileone, K Broughton, R Campbell, B Cao, C Casanova, EH Choi, YW Chu, SA Clark, H Claus, J Coelho, M Corcoran, S Cottrell, RJ Cunney, T Dalby, H Davies, L de Gouveia, AE Deghmane, W Demczuk, S Desmet, RJ Drew, M du Plessis, H Erlendsdottir, NK Fry, K Fuursted, SJ Gray, B Henriques-Normark, T Hale, M Hilty, S Hoffmann, H Humphreys, M Ip, S Jacobsson, J Johnston, J Kozakova, KG Kristinsson, P Krizova, A Kuch, SN Ladhani, TT Lâm, V Lebedova, L Lindholm, D Litt, I Martin, D Martiny, W Mattheus, M McElligott, M Meehan, S Meiring, P Mölling, E Morfeldt, J Morgan, RM Mulhall, C Muñoz-Almagro, DR Murdoch, J Murphy, M Musilek, A Mzabi, A Perez-Argüello, M Perrin, M Perry, A Redin, R Roberts, M Roberts, A Rokney, M Ron, K Scott, CL Sheppard, L Siira, A Skoczyńska, M Sloan, HC Slotved, AJ Smith, JY Song, MK Taha, M Toropainen, D Tsang, A Vainio, NM van Sorge, Ee Varon, J Vlach, U Vogel, S Vohrnova, A von Gottberg, RC Zanella, F Zhou. (2021) Changes in the incidence of invasive disease due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis during the COVID-19 pandemic in 26 countries and territories in the Invasive Respiratory Infection Surveillance Initiative: a prospective analysis of surveillance data. Lancet Digit Health 2021; 3: e360–70; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(21)00077-7
  2. Kam, KM, CK Luey, MB Parsons, KL Cooper, GB Nair, M Alam, MA Islam, DT Cheung, YW Chu, T Ramamurthy, GP Pazhani, SK Bhattacharya, H Watanabe, J Terajima, E Arakawa, OA Ratchtrachenchai, S Huttayananont, EM Ribot, P Gerner-Smidt, B Swaminathan; Vibrio parahaemolyticus PulseNet PFGE Protocol Working Group. (2008) Evaluation and validation of a PulseNet standardized pulsed-field gel electrophoresis protocol for subtyping Vibrio parahaemolyticus: an international multicenter collaborative study. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 46:2766-2773.
  1. Vichitsoonthonkul, T, YW Chu, H Sodhi & G Saunders. (1994) Beta-lactam antibiotics produced by genetically engineered filamentous fungi. In: Murooka Y, Imanaka T (eds) Bioprocess Technology Volume 19: Recombinant Microbes for Industrial and Agricultural Applications, Marcel Dekker, New York pp 119-135.

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