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Xi Y, Li X, Liu L, Xiu F, Yi X, Chen H, You X. Sneaky tactics: Ingenious immune evasion mechanisms of Bartonella. Virulence 2024; 15:2322961. [PMID: 38443331 PMCID: PMC10936683 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2322961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative Bartonella species are facultative intracellular bacteria that can survive in the harsh intracellular milieu of host cells. They have evolved strategies to evade detection and degradation by the host immune system, which ensures their proliferation in the host. Following infection, Bartonella alters the initial immunogenic surface-exposed proteins to evade immune recognition via antigen or phase variation. The diverse lipopolysaccharide structures of certain Bartonella species allow them to escape recognition by the host pattern recognition receptors. Additionally, the survival of mature erythrocytes and their resistance to lysosomal fusion further complicate the immune clearance of this species. Certain Bartonella species also evade immune attacks by producing biofilms and anti-inflammatory cytokines and decreasing endothelial cell apoptosis. Overall, these factors create a challenging landscape for the host immune system to rapidly and effectively eradicate the Bartonella species, thereby facilitating the persistence of Bartonella infections and creating a substantial obstacle for therapeutic interventions. This review focuses on the effects of three human-specific Bartonella species, particularly their mechanisms of host invasion and immune escape, to gain new perspectives in the development of effective diagnostic tools, prophylactic measures, and treatment options for Bartonella infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Xi
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Xinru Li
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Feichen Xiu
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Xinchao Yi
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Hongliang Chen
- Chenzhou NO.1 People’s Hospital, The Affiliated Chenzhou Hospital, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, ChenZhou, China
| | - Xiaoxing You
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
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Kumadaki K, Suzuki N, Tatematsu K, Doi Y, Tsukamoto K. Comparison of Biological Activities of BafA Family Autotransporters within Bartonella Species Derived from Cats and Rodents. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0018622. [PMID: 36744895 PMCID: PMC10016083 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00186-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonella species are hemotropic, facultative intracellular bacteria, some of which cause zoonoses, that are widely disseminated among many mammals, including humans. During infection in humans, vascular endothelial cells play a crucial role as a replicative niche for Bartonella, and some are capable of promoting vascular proliferation. Along with well-studied pathogenic factors such as a trimeric autotransporter adhesin BadA or VirB/D4 type IV secretion system, bacteria-secreted protein BafA is also involved in Bartonella-induced vasoproliferation. Genes encoding BafA orthologs have been found in the genomes of most Bartonella species, but their functionality remains unclear. In this study, we focused on three cat-derived zoonotic species (B. henselae, B. koehlerae, and B. clarridgeiae) and two rodent-derived species (B. grahamii and B. doshiae) and compared the activity of BafA derived from each species. Recombinant BafA proteins of B. henselae, B. koehlerae, B. clarridgeiae, and B. grahamii, species that also cause human disease, induced cell proliferation and tube formation in cultured endothelial cells, while BafA derived from B. doshiae, a species that is rarely found in humans, showed neither activity. Additionally, treatment of cells with these BafA proteins increased phosphorylation of both vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, with the exception of B. doshiae BafA. Differential bafA mRNA expression and BafA secretion among the species likely contributed to the differences in the cell proliferation phenotype of the bacteria-infected cells. These findings suggest that the biological activity of BafA may be involved in the infectivity or pathogenicity of Bartonella species in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayo Kumadaki
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Natsumi Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kaoru Tatematsu
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yohei Doi
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kentaro Tsukamoto
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
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3
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Ebani VV, Nardoni S, Mancianti F. Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Wild Canids. Vet Sci 2023; 10:vetsci10020165. [PMID: 36851469 PMCID: PMC9964035 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10020165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Wild canids, as well as other wild animal species, are largely exposed to bites by ticks and other hematophagous vectors where the features favoring their presence and spread are found in wooded and semi-wooded areas. Much of the information about arthropod-borne infections concerns domestic and companion animals, whereas data about these infections in wild canids are not exhaustive. The present study is a narrative review of the literature concerning vector-borne infections in wild canids, highlighting their role in the epidemiology of arthropod-borne bacteria and protozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Virginia Ebani
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Centre for Climate Change Impact, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Center “Nutraceuticals and Food for Health”, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-050-221-6968
| | - Simona Nardoni
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Mancianti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Center “Nutraceuticals and Food for Health”, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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Moniuszko H, Wojnarowski K, Cholewińska P. Not Only Leptotrombidium spp. an Annotated Checklist of Chigger Mites (Actinotrichida: Trombiculidae) Associated with Bacterial Pathogens. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101084. [PMID: 36297141 PMCID: PMC9611227 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mites of the family Trombiculidae are known for playing a role in maintaining and spreading the scrub typhus etiologic agent, an intracellular Gram-negative bacterium, Orientia tsutsugamushi. Species of the genus Leptotrombidium are investigated most thoroughly, particularly in SE Asia, and a few are proven vectors for the pathogen. The mentioned association, however, is not the only one among trombiculids. Here, we present a list of chiggers indicated in the literature as positive for bacterial pathogens, tested throughout almost 100 years of research. Taxonomic identities of trombiculids follow recent revisions and checklists. Results point at 100 species, from 28 genera, evidenced for association with 31 bacterial taxa. Pathogen-positive mites constitute around 3.3% of the total number of species comprising the family. Discussed arachnids inhabit six biogeographic realms and represent free-living instars as well as external and internal parasites of rodents, soricomorphs, scadents, lagomorphs, peramelemorphs, bats, passerine birds, reptiles and humans. A variety of so far detected bacteria, including novel species, along with the mites’ vast geographical distribution and parasitism on differentiated hosts, indicate that revealing of more cases of Trombiculidae-pathogens association is highly probable, especially utilizing the newest techniques enabling a large-scale bacterial communities survey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Moniuszko
- Section of Basic Research in Horticulture, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Konrad Wojnarowski
- Chair for Fish Diseases and Fisheries Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Paulina Cholewińska
- Institute of Animal Breeding, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 51-630 Wroclaw, Poland
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5
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Han HJ, Li ZM, Li X, Liu JX, Peng QM, Wang R, Gu XL, Jiang Y, Zhou CM, Li D, Xiao X, Yu XJ. Bats and their ectoparasites (Nycteribiidae and Spinturnicidae) carry diverse novel Bartonella genotypes, China. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:e845-e858. [PMID: 34695291 PMCID: PMC9543326 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bartonella species are facultative intracellular bacteria and recognized worldwide as emerging zoonotic pathogens. Bartonella were isolated or identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in bats and their ectoparasites worldwide, whereas the association between them was scarce, especially in Asia. In this study, a retrospective analysis with frozen samples was carried out to identify the genetic diversity of Bartonella in bats and their ectoparasites and to investigate the relationships of Bartonella carried by bats and their ectoparasites. Bats and their ectoparasites (bat flies and bat mites) were collected from caves in Hubei Province, Central China, from May 2018 to July 2020. Bartonella were screened by PCR amplification and sequencing of three genes (gltA, rpoB, and ftsZ). Bats, bat flies, and bat mites carried diverse novel Bartonella genotypes with a high prevalence. The sharing of some Bartonella genotypes between bats and bat flies or bat mites indicated a potential role of bat flies and bat mites as vectors of bartonellae, while the higher genetic diversity of Bartonella in bat flies than that in bats might be due to the vertical transmission of this bacterium in bat flies. Therefore, bat flies might also act as reservoirs of Bartonella. In addition, human‐pathogenic B. mayotimonesis was identified in both bats and their ectoparasites, which expanded our knowledge on the geographic distribution of this bacterium and suggested a potential bat origin with bat flies and bat mites playing important roles in the maintenance and transmission of Bartonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Ju Han
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ze-Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xia Li
- Microbiological Laboratory, Yantai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yantai, China
| | - Jian-Xiao Liu
- Clinical Laboratory, Xingtai Third Hospital, Xingtai, China
| | - Qiu-Ming Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao-Lan Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuan-Min Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Institute of Epidemiology Research, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Xue-Jie Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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6
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Brown LD, Maness R, Hall C, Gibson JD. Reactive oxygen species-mediated immunity against bacterial infection in the gut of cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 136:103620. [PMID: 34216781 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fleas (Order Siphonaptera) transmit numerous bacterial pathogens that cause severe human diseases (e.g., cat scratch disease, flea-borne spotted fever, murine typhus, plague). Because initial entry of these infectious agents occurs while blood feeding, the immune response in the flea gut is considered to be the first line of defense against invading microbes. However, relatively few studies have identified the flea immune molecules that effectively resist or limit infection in the gut. In other hematophagous insects, an immediate immune response to imbibed pathogens is the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we utilized cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) to investigate whether oral infection with a well-known insect bacterial pathogen (Serratia marcescens) induces ROS synthesis in the flea gut, and whether production of ROS provides a defense mechanism against microbial colonization. Specifically, we treated fleas with an antioxidant to limit the number of free radicals in the digestive tract prior to infection, and then measured the following: S. marcescens infection loads, hydrogen peroxide (ROS) levels, and mRNA abundance of ROS signaling pathway genes. Overall, our data shows that ROS levels increase in response to infection in the flea gut, and that this increase helps to strengthen the flea immune response through the microbicidal activity of ROS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa D Brown
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Rd., Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
| | - Ryne Maness
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Rd., Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
| | - Clark Hall
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Rd., Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
| | - Joshua D Gibson
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Rd., Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
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7
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Garland H, Stoll S, Patel S, Mogal R. A case of Bartonellosis presenting as a puzzling multisystem disorder complicated by nosocomial COVID-19 infection. BMJ Case Rep 2021; 14:14/8/e244002. [PMID: 34413042 PMCID: PMC8378352 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-244002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The most commonly considered infection with a Bartonella species is cat-scratch disease caused by Bartonella henselae Here, we discuss a unique case of a 60-year-old man who presented with Bartonella infection complicated by nosocomial COVID-19. He was admitted with a history of chest pain, persistent fever, rash and influenza-like symptoms. Positive Bartonella serology confirmed diagnosis and the patient developed complications of pericardial effusion in addition to COVID-19 infection, requiring non-invasive ventilation and admission to the intensive care unit. We discuss his symptoms, investigations, treatment and outcomes, while also highlighting the challenges of assessing patients presenting with fever of unknown origin during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah Stoll
- West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Shalinee Patel
- West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Rahul Mogal
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Watford General Hospital, Watford, Hertfordshire, UK
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8
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Deng H, Pang Q, Zhao B, Vayssier-Taussat M. Molecular Mechanisms of Bartonella and Mammalian Erythrocyte Interactions: A Review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:431. [PMID: 30619777 PMCID: PMC6299047 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonellosis is an infectious disease caused by Bartonella species that are distributed worldwide with animal and public health impact varying according to Bartonella species, infection phase, immunological characteristics, and geographical region. Bartonella is widely present in various mammals including cats, rodents, ruminants, and humans. At least 13 Bartonella species or subspecies are zoonotic. Each species has few reservoir animals in which it is often asymptomatic. Bartonella infection may lead to various clinical symptoms in humans. As described in the B.tribocorum-rat model, when Bartonella was seeded into the blood stream, they could escape immunity, adhered to and invaded host erythrocytes. They then replicated and persisted in the infected erythrocytes for several weeks. This review summarizes the current knowledge of how Bartonella prevent phagocytosis and complement activation, what pathogenesis factors are involved in erythrocyte adhesion and invasion, and how Bartonella could replicate and persist in mammalian erythrocytes. Current advances in research will help us to decipher molecular mechanisms of interactions between Bartonella and mammalian erythrocytes and may help in the development of biological strategies for the prevention and control of bartonellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongkuan Deng
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Qiuxiang Pang
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Bosheng Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Muriel Vayssier-Taussat
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne, Maisons-Alfort, France
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9
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Álvarez-Fernández A, Breitschwerdt EB, Solano-Gallego L. Bartonella infections in cats and dogs including zoonotic aspects. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:624. [PMID: 30514361 PMCID: PMC6280416 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3152-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonellosis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution that can infect humans and a large number of mammals including small companion animals (cats and dogs). In recent years, an increasing number of studies from around the world have reported Bartonella infections, although publications have predominantly focused on the North American perspective. Currently, clinico-pathological data from Europe are more limited, suggesting that bartonellosis may be an infrequent or underdiagnosed infectious disease in cats and dogs. Research is needed to confirm or exclude Bartonella infection as a cause of a spectrum of feline and canine diseases. Bartonella spp. can cause acute or chronic infections in cats, dogs and humans. On a comparative medical basis, different clinical manifestations, such as periods of intermittent fever, granulomatous inflammation involving the heart, liver, lymph nodes and other tissues, endocarditis, bacillary angiomatosis, peliosis hepatis, uveitis and vasoproliferative tumors have been reported in cats, dogs and humans. The purpose of this review is to provide an update and European perspective on Bartonella infections in cats and dogs, including clinical, diagnostic, epidemiological, pathological, treatment and zoonotic aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Álvarez-Fernández
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Edward B. Breitschwerdt
- Department of Clinical Sciences and the Comparative Medicine Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Dr, Raleigh, NC 27607 USA
| | - Laia Solano-Gallego
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
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10
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Kell DB, Pretorius E. No effects without causes: the Iron Dysregulation and Dormant Microbes hypothesis for chronic, inflammatory diseases. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 93:1518-1557. [PMID: 29575574 PMCID: PMC6055827 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Since the successful conquest of many acute, communicable (infectious) diseases through the use of vaccines and antibiotics, the currently most prevalent diseases are chronic and progressive in nature, and are all accompanied by inflammation. These diseases include neurodegenerative (e.g. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's), vascular (e.g. atherosclerosis, pre-eclampsia, type 2 diabetes) and autoimmune (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis) diseases that may appear to have little in common. In fact they all share significant features, in particular chronic inflammation and its attendant inflammatory cytokines. Such effects do not happen without underlying and initially 'external' causes, and it is of interest to seek these causes. Taking a systems approach, we argue that these causes include (i) stress-induced iron dysregulation, and (ii) its ability to awaken dormant, non-replicating microbes with which the host has become infected. Other external causes may be dietary. Such microbes are capable of shedding small, but functionally significant amounts of highly inflammagenic molecules such as lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid. Sequelae include significant coagulopathies, not least the recently discovered amyloidogenic clotting of blood, leading to cell death and the release of further inflammagens. The extensive evidence discussed here implies, as was found with ulcers, that almost all chronic, infectious diseases do in fact harbour a microbial component. What differs is simply the microbes and the anatomical location from and at which they exert damage. This analysis offers novel avenues for diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B. Kell
- School of ChemistryThe University of Manchester, 131 Princess StreetManchesterLancsM1 7DNU.K.
- The Manchester Institute of BiotechnologyThe University of Manchester, 131 Princess StreetManchesterLancsM1 7DNU.K.
- Department of Physiological SciencesStellenbosch University, Stellenbosch Private Bag X1Matieland7602South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological SciencesStellenbosch University, Stellenbosch Private Bag X1Matieland7602South Africa
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11
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Kleynhans DJ, Sarli J, Hatyoka LM, Alagaili AN, Bennett NC, Mohammed OB, Bastos ADS. Molecular assessment of Bartonella in Gerbillus nanus from Saudi Arabia reveals high levels of prevalence, diversity and co-infection. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 65:244-250. [PMID: 30071312 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Bartonellae bacteria are associated with several re-emerging human diseases. These vector-borne pathogens have a global distribution, yet data on Bartonella prevalence and diversity in the Arabian Peninsula are limited. In this study we assessed the Bartonella infection status of the Baluchistan gerbil (Gerbillus nanus), a species associated with pastoral communities throughout the Middle East region, using a multi-gene PCR screening approach. The results demonstrated that 94 (68.1%) of the 138 gerbils trapped on a monthly basis, over a period of one year, were PCR-positive. Sequencing of the gltA gene region confirmed the presence of four discrete Bartonella lineages (I-IV) and high levels of co-infection (33.0%). Each of the four lineages, varied in overall abundance (7.5%-47.9%) and had discernible seasonal peaks. Bartonella status was significantly correlated with ectoparasite presence, but not with sex, nor with season. Statistical analyses further revealed that co-infected individuals had a significantly higher relative body condition. Multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) performed with a concatenated dataset of three genetic loci (gltA, nuoG, and rpoB), 1452 nucleotides (nt) in length confirmed that lineage IV, which occurred in 24 PCR-positive animals (25.5%), is most closely related to zoonotic B. elizabethae. The remaining three lineages (I-III) formed a monophyletic clade which, on the basis of gltA was shown to contain bartonellae from diverse Gerbillinae species from the Middle East, suggestive of a gerbil-associated species complex in this region. Lineage I was identical to a Candidatus B. sanaae strain identified previously in Bushy-tailed jirds (Sekeetamys calurus) from Egypt, wherease MLSA indicate that lineages II and III are novel. The high levels of infection and co-infection, together with the presence of multiple Bartonella lineages indicate that Gerbillus nanus is likely a natural reservoir of Bartonella in the Arabian Peninsula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dewald J Kleynhans
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Joshua Sarli
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Luiza M Hatyoka
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Abdulaziz N Alagaili
- KSU Mammals Research Chair, Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa; KSU Mammals Research Chair, Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Osama B Mohammed
- KSU Mammals Research Chair, Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Armanda D S Bastos
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
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12
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Razanske I, Rosef O, Radzijevskaja J, Klepeckiene K, Lipatova I, Paulauskas A. Infections with Bartonella spp. in free-ranging cervids and deer keds (Lipoptena cervi) in Norway. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 58:26-30. [PMID: 30245047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Bartonella bacteria are arthropod-borne and can cause long-term bacteremia in humans and animals. The predominant arthropod vectors and the mode of transmission for many novel Bartonella species remain elusive or essentially unstudied. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in Norwegian cervids and deer keds (Lipoptena cervi) and to characterise the bacteria by sequencing of the partial gltA gene and 16 S-23 S rRNA intergenic spacer region (ITS) in order to evaluate a possible transmission route. A total of 260 spleen samples and 118 deer keds were collected from cervids by hunters in the Southern part of Norway. Bartonella DNA was detected in 10.5% of spleen samples of roe deer (n = 67), in 35.1% red deer (n = 37), in 35.9% moose (n = 156), and in 85% pools of adult wingless deer ked (n = 59). Two Bartonella lineages were identified based on phylogenetic analysis of the gltA gene and ITS region sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Razanske
- Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos str. 8, LT-44404 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Olav Rosef
- Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos str. 8, LT-44404 Kaunas, Lithuania; Rosef Field Research Station, Frolandsveien, 2665, 4828 Mjåvatn, Norway
| | | | | | - Indre Lipatova
- Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos str. 8, LT-44404 Kaunas, Lithuania
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13
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Abstract
Carrion's disease (CD) is a neglected biphasic vector-borne illness related to Bartonella bacilliformis. It is found in the Andean valleys and is transmitted mainly by members of the Lutzomyia genus but also by blood transfusions and from mother to child. The acute phase, Oroya fever, presents severe anemia and fever. The lethality is high in the absence of adequate treatment, despite the organism being susceptible to most antibiotics. Partial immunity is developed after infection by B. bacilliformis, resulting in high numbers of asymptomatic carriers. Following infection there is the chronic phase, Peruvian warts, involving abnormal proliferation of the endothelial cells. Despite potentially being eradicable, CD has been expanded due to human migration and geographical expansion of the vector. Moreover, in vitro studies have demonstrated the risk of the development of antimicrobial resistance. These findings, together with the description of new Bartonella species producing CD-like infections, the presence of undescribed potential vectors in new areas, the lack of adequate diagnostic tools and knowledge of the immunology and bacterial pathogenesis of CD, and poor international visibility, have led to the risk of increasing the potential expansion of resistant strains which will challenge current treatment schemes as well as the possible appearance of CD in areas where it is not endemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Gomes
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Ruiz
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Abstract
Since the reclassification of the genus Bartonella in 1993, the number of species has grown from 1 to 45 currently designated members. Likewise, the association of different Bartonella species with human disease continues to grow, as does the range of clinical presentations associated with these bacteria. Among these, blood-culture-negative endocarditis stands out as a common, often undiagnosed, clinical presentation of infection with several different Bartonella species. The limitations of laboratory tests resulting in this underdiagnosis of Bartonella endocarditis are discussed. The varied clinical picture of Bartonella infection and a review of clinical aspects of endocarditis caused by Bartonella are presented. We also summarize the current knowledge of the molecular basis of Bartonella pathogenesis, focusing on surface adhesins in the two Bartonella species that most commonly cause endocarditis, B. henselae and B. quintana. We discuss evidence that surface adhesins are important factors for autoaggregation and biofilm formation by Bartonella species. Finally, we propose that biofilm formation is a critical step in the formation of vegetative masses during Bartonella-mediated endocarditis and represents a potential reservoir for persistence by these bacteria.
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15
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Pons MJ, Gomes C, Aguilar R, Barrios D, Aguilar-Luis MA, Ruiz J, Dobaño C, del Valle-Mendoza J, Moncunill G. Immunosuppressive and angiogenic cytokine profile associated with Bartonella bacilliformis infection in post-outbreak and endemic areas of Carrion's disease in Peru. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017. [PMID: 28628613 PMCID: PMC5491314 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of immune responses in Bartonella bacilliformis carriers are needed to understand acquisition of immunity to Carrion's disease and may allow identifying biomarkers associated with bacterial infection and disease phases. Serum samples from 144 healthy subjects from 5 villages in the North of Peru collected in 2014 were analyzed. Four villages had a Carrion's disease outbreak in 2013, and the other is a traditionally endemic area. Thirty cytokines, chemokines and growth factors were determined in sera by fluorescent bead-based quantitative suspension array technology, and analyzed in relation to available data on bacteremia quantified by RT-PCR, and IgM and IgG levels measured by ELISA against B. bacilliformis lysates. The presence of bacteremia was associated with low concentrations of HGF (p = 0.005), IL-15 (p = 0.002), IL-6 (p = 0.05), IP-10 (p = 0.008), MIG (p = 0.03) and MIP-1α (p = 0.03). In multi-marker analysis, the same and further TH1-related and pro-inflammatory biomarkers were inversely associated with infection, whereas angiogenic chemokines and IL-10 were positively associated. Only EGF and eotaxin showed a moderate positive correlation with bacteremia. IgM seropositivity, which reflects a recent acute infection, was associated with lower levels of eotaxin (p = 0.05), IL-6 (p = 0.001), and VEGF (p = 0.03). Only GM-CSF and IL-10 concentrations were positively associated with higher levels of IgM (p = 0.01 and p = 0.007). Additionally, IgG seropositivity and levels were associated with high levels of angiogenic markers VEGF (p = 0.047) and eotaxin (p = 0.006), respectively. Our findings suggest that B. bacilliformis infection causes immunosuppression, led in part by overproduction of IL-10. This immunosuppression probably contributes to the chronicity of asymptomatic infections favoring B. bacilliformis persistence in the host, allowing the subsequent transmission to the vector. In addition, angiogenic markers associated with bacteremia and IgG levels may be related to the induction of endothelial cell proliferation in cutaneous lesions during chronic infections, being possible candidate biomarkers of asymptomatic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J. Pons
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
- Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Perú
| | - Cláudia Gomes
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ruth Aguilar
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Diana Barrios
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Miguel Angel Aguilar-Luis
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
- Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Perú
| | - Joaquim Ruiz
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carlota Dobaño
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Juana del Valle-Mendoza
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
- Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Perú
- * E-mail: (GM); (JdV)
| | - Gemma Moncunill
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- * E-mail: (GM); (JdV)
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16
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Bergmann M, Englert T, Stuetzer B, Hawley JR, Lappin MR, Hartmann K. Prevalence of Bartonella
species infections in cats in Southern Germany. Vet Rec 2017; 180:325. [DOI: 10.1136/vr.103843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Bergmann
- Clinic of Small Animal Medicine; Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich; Veterinaerstrasse 13 Munich 80539 Germany
| | - T. Englert
- Clinic of Small Animal Medicine; Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich; Veterinaerstrasse 13 Munich 80539 Germany
| | - B. Stuetzer
- Clinic of Small Animal Medicine; Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich; Veterinaerstrasse 13 Munich 80539 Germany
| | - J. R. Hawley
- Center for Companion Animal Studies; Department of Clinical Sciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University; Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - M. R. Lappin
- Center for Companion Animal Studies; Department of Clinical Sciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University; Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - K. Hartmann
- Clinic of Small Animal Medicine; Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich; Veterinaerstrasse 13 Munich 80539 Germany
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17
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Picascia A, Pagliuca C, Sommese L, Colicchio R, Casamassimi A, Labonia F, Pastore G, Pagliarulo C, Cicatiello AG, Castaldo F, Schiano C, Maiello C, Mezza E, D'Armiento FP, Salvatore P, Napoli C. Seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae in patients awaiting heart transplant in Southern Italy. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2017; 50:239-244. [PMID: 26051222 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2015.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bartonella henselae is the etiologic agent of cat-scratch disease. B. henselae infections are responsible for a widening spectrum of human diseases, although often symptomless, ranging from self-limited to life-threatening and show different courses and organ involvement due to the balance between host and pathogen. The role of the host immune response to B. henselae is critical in preventing progression to systemic disease. Indeed in immunocompromised patients, such as solid organ transplant patients, B. henselae results in severe disseminated disease and pathologic vasoproliferation. The purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of B. henselae in patients awaiting heart transplant compared to healthy individuals enrolled in the Regional Reference Laboratory of Transplant Immunology of Second University of Naples. METHODS Serum samples of 38 patients awaiting heart transplant in comparison to 50 healthy donors were examined using immunfluorescence assay. RESULTS We found a B. henselae significant antibody positivity rate of 21% in patients awaiting heart transplant (p = 0.002). There was a positive rate of 8% (p > 0.05) for immunoglobulin (Ig)M and a significant value of 13% (p = 0.02) for IgG, whereas controls were negative both for IgM and IgG antibodies against B. henselae. The differences in comorbidity between cases and controls were statistically different (1.41 ± 0.96 vs 0.42 ± 0.32; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Although this study was conducted in a small number of patients, we suggest that the identification of these bacteria should be included as a routine screening analysis in pretransplant patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonietta Picascia
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy; U.O.C. Division of Immunohematology, Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Immunology, Regional Reference Laboratory of Transplant Immunology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
| | - Chiara Pagliuca
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy; Department of Integrated Activities of Laboratory Medicine, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy
| | - Linda Sommese
- U.O.C. Division of Immunohematology, Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Immunology, Regional Reference Laboratory of Transplant Immunology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Colicchio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy; Institute of Diagnostic and Nuclear Development (SDN), Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Naples, Italy
| | - Amelia Casamassimi
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Labonia
- Department of Integrated Activities of Laboratory Medicine, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy
| | - Gabiria Pastore
- Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy
| | - Caterina Pagliarulo
- Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Castaldo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Schiano
- Institute of Diagnostic and Nuclear Development (SDN), Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Naples, Italy
| | - Ciro Maiello
- Department of Cardiothoracic Sciences, Monaldi Hospital, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Ernesto Mezza
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pathology, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo D'Armiento
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pathology, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy
| | - Paola Salvatore
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy
| | - Claudio Napoli
- U.O.C. Division of Immunohematology, Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Immunology, Regional Reference Laboratory of Transplant Immunology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy; Institute of Diagnostic and Nuclear Development (SDN), Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Naples, Italy
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18
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Brook CE, Bai Y, Yu EO, Ranaivoson HC, Shin H, Dobson AP, Metcalf CJE, Kosoy MY, Dittmar K. Elucidating transmission dynamics and host-parasite-vector relationships for rodent-borne Bartonella spp. in Madagascar. Epidemics 2017; 20:56-66. [PMID: 28351673 PMCID: PMC5608689 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Revised: 11/06/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
At least five distinct species of Bartonella infect R. rattus rodents and their ectoparasites in Madagascar. Infection dynamics for zoonotic B. elizabethae are consistent with an SIS or SIR model in rodent hosts. Infection dynamics for non-zoonotic B. phoceensis & rattimassiliensis are consistent with an SI model in rodent hosts. Transmission of B. elizabethae and B. phoceensis & rattimassiliensis, respectiviely, are affected by S. fonquerniei & X. cheopsis fleas and Polyplax spp. lice. S. fonquerniei/X. cheopsis fleas may vector B. elizabethae and Polyplax spp. lice vector B. phoceensis/rattimassiliensis.
Bartonella spp. are erythrocytic bacteria transmitted via arthropod vectors, which infect a broad range of vertebrate hosts, including humans. We investigated transmission dynamics and host-parasite-vector relationships for potentially zoonotic Bartonella spp. in invasive Rattus rattus hosts and associated arthropod ectoparasites in Madagascar. We identified five distinct species of Bartonella (B. elizabethae 1, B. elizabethae 2, B. phoceensis 1, B. rattimassiliensis 1, and B. tribocorum 1) infecting R. rattus rodents and their ectoparasites. We fit standard epidemiological models to species-specific age-prevalence data for the four Bartonella spp. with sufficient data, thus quantifying age-structured force of infection. Known zoonotic agents, B. elizabethae 1 and 2, were best described by models exhibiting high forces of infection in early age class individuals and allowing for recovery from infection, while B. phoceensis 1 and B. rattimassiliensis 1 were best fit by models of lifelong infection without recovery and substantially lower forces of infection. Nested sequences of B. elizabethae 1 and 2 were recovered from rodent hosts and their Synopsyllus fonquerniei and Xenopsylla cheopsis fleas, with a particularly high prevalence in the outdoor-dwelling, highland-endemic S. fonquerniei. These findings expand on force of infection analyses to elucidate the ecological niche of the zoonotic Bartonella elizabethae complex in Madagascar, hinting at a potential vector role for S. fonquerniei. Our analyses underscore the uniqueness of such ecologies for Bartonella species, which pose a variable range of potential zoonotic threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara E Brook
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.
| | - Ying Bai
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
| | - Emily O Yu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.
| | - Hafaliana C Ranaivoson
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Department of Animal Biology, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
| | - Haewon Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States.
| | - Andrew P Dobson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.
| | - C Jessica E Metcalf
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.
| | - Michael Y Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
| | - Katharina Dittmar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States.
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19
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Han HJ, Wen HL, Zhao L, Liu JW, Luo LM, Zhou CM, Qin XR, Zhu YL, Zheng XX, Yu XJ. Novel Bartonella Species in Insectivorous Bats, Northern China. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0167915. [PMID: 28081122 PMCID: PMC5231389 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella species are emerging human pathogens. Bats are known to carry diverse Bartonella species, some of which are capable of infecting humans. However, as the second largest mammalian group by a number of species, the role of bats as the reservoirs of Bartonella species is not fully explored, in term of their species diversity and worldwide distribution. China, especially Northern China, harbors a number of endemic insectivorous bat species; however, to our knowledge, there are not yet studies about Bartonella in bats in China. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella species in bats in Northern China. Bartonella species were detected by PCR amplification of gltA gene in 25.2% (27/107) bats in Mengyin County, Shandong Province of China, including 1/3 Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, 2/10 Rhinolophus pusillus, 9/16 Myotis fimbriatus, 1/5 Myotis ricketti, 14/58 Myotis pequinius. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Bartonella species detected in bats in this study clustered into ten groups, and some might be novel Bartonella species. An association between Bartonella species and bat species was demonstrated and co-infection with different Bartonella species in a single bat was also observed. Our findings expanded our knowledge on the genetic diversity of Bartonella in bats, and shed light on the ecology of bat-borne Bartonella species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Ju Han
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Hong-ling Wen
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jian-wei Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Li-Mei Luo
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Chuan-Min Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiang-Rong Qin
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Ye-Lei Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xue-Xing Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xue-Jie Yu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Neuvonen MM, Tamarit D, Näslund K, Liebig J, Feldhaar H, Moran NA, Guy L, Andersson SGE. The genome of Rhizobiales bacteria in predatory ants reveals urease gene functions but no genes for nitrogen fixation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:39197. [PMID: 27976703 PMCID: PMC5156944 DOI: 10.1038/srep39197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut-associated microbiota of ants include Rhizobiales bacteria with affiliation to the genus Bartonella. These bacteria may enable the ants to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but no genomes have been sequenced yet to test the hypothesis. Sequence reads from a member of the Rhizobiales were identified in the data collected in a genome project of the ant Harpegnathos saltator. We present an analysis of the closed 1.86 Mb genome of the ant-associated bacterium, for which we suggest the species name Candidatus Tokpelaia hoelldoblerii. A phylogenetic analysis reveals a relationship to Bartonella and Brucella, which infect mammals. Novel gene acquisitions include a gene for a putative extracellular protein of more than 6,000 amino acids secreted by the type I secretion system, which may be involved in attachment to the gut epithelium. No genes for nitrogen fixation could be identified, but genes for a multi-subunit urease protein complex are present in the genome. The urease genes are also present in Brucella, which has a fecal-oral transmission pathway, but not in Bartonella, which use blood-borne transmission pathways. We hypothesize that the gain and loss of the urease function is related to transmission strategies and lifestyle changes in the host-associated members of the Rhizobiales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minna-Maria Neuvonen
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniel Tamarit
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristina Näslund
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Juergen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- Animal Population Ecology, Department of Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, D-95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Nancy A Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Lionel Guy
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Centre, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Siv G E Andersson
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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21
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Identification and functional analysis of invasion associated locus B (IalB) in Bartonella species. Microb Pathog 2016; 98:171-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Revised: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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22
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Pesavento PA, Chomel BB, Kasten RW, McDonald KA, Mohr FC. Pathology of Bartonella Endocarditis in Six Dogs. Vet Pathol 2016; 42:370-3. [PMID: 15872387 DOI: 10.1354/vp.42-3-370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In a 5-year retrospective study of dogs presenting to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis, there were 31 histologic diagnoses of valvular endocarditis. By polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of embedded valvular tissue, Bartonella organisms were exclusively associated with 6 out of 31 cases (19%). Confirmed Bartonella cases involved the aortic valve alone (five out of six) or in combination with the mitral valve (one of six). Microscopic features of Bartonella endocarditis were compared with valves from non -Bartonella endocarditis and with valvular change unrelated to infectious agents (endocardiosis). Features of Bartonella endocarditis included a combination of fibrosis, mineralization, endothelial proliferation, and neovascularization with variable inflammation. None of these features is specific; however, the combination is distinct both from endocarditis caused by culturable bacteria and from endocardiosis. Ultrastructural analyses revealed both extracellular and intraendothelial bacteria. Clinical history, serology, and PCR are currently necessary to establish an etiologic diagnosis of Bartonella endocarditis.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A Pesavento
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, PO Box 1770, Davis, California 95616-1770, USA.
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23
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Pichi F, Srivastava SK, Levinson A, Baynes KM, Traut C, Lowder CY. A Focal Chorioretinal
Bartonella
Lesion Analyzed by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2016; 47:585-8. [DOI: 10.3928/23258160-20160601-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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24
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Malania L, Bai Y, Osikowicz LM, Tsertsvadze N, Katsitadze G, Imnadze P, Kosoy M. Prevalence and Diversity of Bartonella Species in Rodents from Georgia (Caucasus). Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 95:466-471. [PMID: 27162268 PMCID: PMC4973202 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella infections are widespread and highly prevalent in rodents. Several rodent-associated Bartonella species have been related to human diseases. Recently, Bartonella species was reported as the etiology of a human case in the country of Georgia (Caucasus). However, information on Bartonella in rodents in Georgia is absent. Rodent hearts were collected from Georgia to investigate the presence and diversity of Bartonella species. Bartonella bacteria were cultured from 37.2% (16/43) of rodents examined, while Bartonella DNA was detected in 41.2% (28/68) of rodents by polymerase chain reaction targeting citrate synthase (gltA) gene. Sequences of gltA showed that rodents in this region harbored multiple Bartonella strains, including Bartonella elizabethae, Bartonella tribocorum, Bartonella grahamii, and an unknown genogroup. The first three Bartonella species, known to be rat-associated and human cases linked, were commonly observed in wood mice (Apodemus [Sylvaemus] uralensis) (5/8 positive with B. elizabethae and B. tribocorum) and social voles (Microtus socialis) (4/6 positive with B. grahamii and B. elizabethae) in this study. The frequent distribution of these Bartonella species suggests that they may contribute to unidentified clinical infections. The unknown genogroup was observed in 24 Bartonella isolates and/or DNA extracts from heart tissues, all of which were obtained from Libyan jirds (Meriones libycus). Further characterization of the bacterial cultures based on sequence analysis of four additional genes (ftsZ, nuoG, rpoB, and ssrA) supported that the jird-associated Bartonella strains comprise a distinct monophyletic clade. The impact of this bacterium on wildlife and human health needs to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lile Malania
- General Bacteriology Laboratory, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Ying Bai
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Lynn M Osikowicz
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Nikoloz Tsertsvadze
- General Bacteriology Laboratory, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Guram Katsitadze
- General Bacteriology Laboratory, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Paata Imnadze
- General Bacteriology Laboratory, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Michael Kosoy
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Splenorenal Manifestations of Bartonella henselae Infection in a Pediatric Patient. Case Rep Radiol 2016; 2016:7803832. [PMID: 27127672 PMCID: PMC4835656 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7803832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Revised: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae is a bacterium which can cause a wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from fever of unknown origin to a potentially fatal endocarditis. We report a case of Bartonella henselae infection in a pediatric-aged patient following a scratch from a kitten. The patient initially presented with a prolonged fever of unknown origin which was unresponsive to antibiotic treatment. The patient was hospitalized with worsening fevers and night sweat. Subsequent ultrasound imaging demonstrated multiple hypoechoic foci within the spleen. A contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis was also obtained which showed hypoattenuating lesions in the spleen and bilateral kidneys. Bartonella henselae IgG and IgM titers were positive, consistent with an acute Bartonella henselae infection. The patient was discharged with a course of oral rifampin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and all symptoms had resolved following two weeks of therapy.
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The Distribution and Diversity of Bartonella Species in Rodents and Their Ectoparasites across Thailand. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140856. [PMID: 26484537 PMCID: PMC4617648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Our study highlights the surveillance of Bartonella species among rodents and their associated ectoparasites (ticks, fleas, lice, and mites) in several regions across Thailand. A total of 619 rodents and 554 pooled ectoparasites (287 mite pools, 62 flea pools, 35 louse pools, and 170 tick pools) were collected from 8 provinces within 4 regions of Thailand. Bandicota indica (279), Rattus rattus (163), and R. exulans (96) were the most prevalent species of rats collected in this study. Real-time PCR assay targeting Bartonella-specific ssrA gene was used for screening and each positive sample was confirmed by PCR using nuoG gene. The prevalence of Bartonella DNA in rodent (around 17%) was recorded in all regions. The highest prevalence of Bartonella species was found in B. savilei and R. rattus with the rate of 35.7% (5/14) and 32.5% (53/163), respectively. High prevalence of Bartonella-positive rodent was also found in B. indica (15.1%, 42/279), and R. norvegicus (12.5%, 5/40). In contrast, the prevalence of Bartonella species in ectoparasites collected from the rats varied significantly according to types of ectoparasites. A high prevalence of Bartonella DNA was found in louse pools (Polyplax spp. and Hoplopleura spp., 57.1%) and flea pools (Xenopsylla cheopis, 25.8%), while a low prevalence was found in pools of mites (Leptotrombidium spp. and Ascoschoengastia spp., 1.7%) and ticks (Haemaphysalis spp., 3.5%). Prevalence of Bartonella DNA in ectoparasites collected from Bartonella-positive rodents (19.4%) was significantly higher comparing to ectoparasites from Bartonella-negative rodents (8.7%). The phylogenetic analysis of 41 gltA sequences of 16 Bartonella isolates from rodent blood and 25 Bartonella-positive ectoparasites revealed a wide range of diversity among Bartonella species with a majority of sequences (61.0%) belonging to Bartonella elizabethae complex (11 rodents, 1 mite pool, and 5 louse pools), while the remaining sequences were identical to B. phoceensis (17.1%, 1 mite pool, 5 louse pools, and 1 tick pool), B. coopersplainensis (19.5%, 5 rodents, 1 louse pool, and 2 tick pools), and one previously unidentified Bartonella species (2.4%, 1 louse pool).
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Lantos PM, Maggi RG, Ferguson B, Varkey J, Park LP, Breitschwerdt EB, Woods CW. Detection of Bartonella species in the blood of veterinarians and veterinary technicians: a newly recognized occupational hazard? Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2015; 14:563-70. [PMID: 25072986 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2013.1512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bartonella species are important emerging pathogens in human and veterinary medicine. In the context of their daily activities, veterinary professionals have frequent animal contact and arthropod exposures. Detection of Bartonella spp. using traditional culture methods has been limited by poor sensitivity, making it difficult to determine the prevalence of infection in this population. We have developed a detection method combining enrichment culture and molecular amplification, which increases testing sensitivity. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of detectable Bartonella spp. in the blood of veterinary personnel and nonveterinary control subjects. Bartonella was detected by enrichment blood culture with conventional PCR followed by DNA sequencing. RESULTS were correlated with epidemiological variables and symptoms. RESULTS We detected DNA from at least one Bartonella species in 32 (28%) of the 114 veterinary subjects. After DNA sequencing, the Bartonella species could be determined for 27 of the 32 infected subjects, including B. henselae in 15 (56%), B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii in seven (26%), B. koehlerae in six (22%), and a B. volans-like sequence in one (4%). Seventy percent of Bartonella-positive subjects described headache compared with 40% of uninfected veterinarians (p=0.009). Irritability was also reported more commonly by infected subjects (68% vs. 43%, p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS Our study supports an emerging body of evidence that cryptic Bartonella bloodstream infection may be more frequent in humans than previously recognized and may induce symptoms. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the natural course and clinical features of Bartonella infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Lantos
- 1 Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine , Durham, North Carolina
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Khakpour S, Wilhelmsen K, Hellman J. Vascular endothelial cell Toll-like receptor pathways in sepsis. Innate Immun 2015; 21:827-46. [DOI: 10.1177/1753425915606525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The endothelium forms a vast network that dynamically regulates vascular barrier function, coagulation pathways and vasomotor tone. Microvascular endothelial cells are uniquely situated to play key roles during infection and injury, owing to their widespread distribution throughout the body and their constant interaction with circulating blood. While not viewed as classical immune cells, endothelial cells express innate immune receptors, including the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which activate intracellular inflammatory pathways mediated through NF-κB and the MAP kinases. TLR agonists, including LPS and bacterial lipopeptides, directly upregulate microvascular endothelial cell expression of inflammatory mediators. Intriguingly, TLR activation also modulates microvascular endothelial cell permeability and the expression of coagulation pathway intermediaries. Microvascular thrombi have been hypothesized to trap microorganisms thereby limiting the spread of infection. However, dysregulated activation of endothelial inflammatory pathways is also believed to lead to coagulopathy and increased vascular permeability, which together promote sepsis-induced organ failure. This article reviews vascular endothelial cell innate immune pathways mediated through the TLRs as they pertain to sepsis, highlighting links between TLRs and coagulation and permeability pathways, and their role in healthy and pathologic responses to infection and sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Khakpour
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences and Immunology Programs, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Wilhelmsen
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Judith Hellman
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences and Immunology Programs, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Kell D, Potgieter M, Pretorius E. Individuality, phenotypic differentiation, dormancy and 'persistence' in culturable bacterial systems: commonalities shared by environmental, laboratory, and clinical microbiology. F1000Res 2015; 4:179. [PMID: 26629334 PMCID: PMC4642849 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6709.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
For bacteria, replication mainly involves growth by binary fission. However, in a very great many natural environments there are examples of phenotypically dormant, non-growing cells that do not replicate immediately and that are phenotypically 'nonculturable' on media that normally admit their growth. They thereby evade detection by conventional culture-based methods. Such dormant cells may also be observed in laboratory cultures and in clinical microbiology. They are usually more tolerant to stresses such as antibiotics, and in clinical microbiology they are typically referred to as 'persisters'. Bacterial cultures necessarily share a great deal of relatedness, and inclusive fitness theory implies that there are conceptual evolutionary advantages in trading a variation in growth rate against its mean, equivalent to hedging one's bets. There is much evidence that bacteria exploit this strategy widely. We here bring together data that show the commonality of these phenomena across environmental, laboratory and clinical microbiology. Considerable evidence, using methods similar to those common in environmental microbiology, now suggests that many supposedly non-communicable, chronic and inflammatory diseases are exacerbated (if not indeed largely caused) by the presence of dormant or persistent bacteria (the ability of whose components to cause inflammation is well known). This dormancy (and resuscitation therefrom) often reflects the extent of the availability of free iron. Together, these phenomena can provide a ready explanation for the continuing inflammation common to such chronic diseases and its correlation with iron dysregulation. This implies that measures designed to assess and to inhibit or remove such organisms (or their access to iron) might be of much therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Kell
- School of Chemistry and The Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, Lancashire, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Marnie Potgieter
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
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Kell D, Potgieter M, Pretorius E. Individuality, phenotypic differentiation, dormancy and 'persistence' in culturable bacterial systems: commonalities shared by environmental, laboratory, and clinical microbiology. F1000Res 2015; 4:179. [PMID: 26629334 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6709.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
For bacteria, replication mainly involves growth by binary fission. However, in a very great many natural environments there are examples of phenotypically dormant, non-growing cells that do not replicate immediately and that are phenotypically 'nonculturable' on media that normally admit their growth. They thereby evade detection by conventional culture-based methods. Such dormant cells may also be observed in laboratory cultures and in clinical microbiology. They are usually more tolerant to stresses such as antibiotics, and in clinical microbiology they are typically referred to as 'persisters'. Bacterial cultures necessarily share a great deal of relatedness, and inclusive fitness theory implies that there are conceptual evolutionary advantages in trading a variation in growth rate against its mean, equivalent to hedging one's bets. There is much evidence that bacteria exploit this strategy widely. We here bring together data that show the commonality of these phenomena across environmental, laboratory and clinical microbiology. Considerable evidence, using methods similar to those common in environmental microbiology, now suggests that many supposedly non-communicable, chronic and inflammatory diseases are exacerbated (if not indeed largely caused) by the presence of dormant or persistent bacteria (the ability of whose components to cause inflammation is well known). This dormancy (and resuscitation therefrom) often reflects the extent of the availability of free iron. Together, these phenomena can provide a ready explanation for the continuing inflammation common to such chronic diseases and its correlation with iron dysregulation. This implies that measures designed to assess and to inhibit or remove such organisms (or their access to iron) might be of much therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Kell
- School of Chemistry and The Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, Lancashire, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Marnie Potgieter
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
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Salvatore P, Zullo A, Sommese L, Colicchio R, Picascia A, Schiano C, Mancini FP, Napoli C. Infections and cardiovascular disease: is Bartonella henselae contributing to this matter? J Med Microbiol 2015; 64:799-809. [PMID: 26066633 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease is still the major cause of death worldwide despite the remarkable progress in its prevention and treatment. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have recently emerged as key players of vascular repair and regenerative medicine applied to cardiovascular disease. A large amount of effort has been put into discovering the factors that could aid or impair the number and function of EPCs, and also into characterizing these cells at the molecular level in order to facilitate their therapeutic applications in vascular disease. Interestingly, the major cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with reduced number and function of EPCs. The bacterial contribution to cardiovascular disease represents a long-standing controversy. The discovery that Bartonella henselae can infect and damage EPCs revitalizes the enduring debate about the microbiological contribution to atherosclerosis, thus allowing the hypothesis that this infection could impair the cardiovascular regenerative potential and increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. In this review, we summarize the rationale suggesting that Bartonella henselae could favour atherogenesis by infecting and damaging EPCs, thus reducing their vascular repair potential. These mechanisms suggest a novel link between communicable and non-communicable human diseases, and put forward the possibility that Bartonella henselae could enhance the susceptibility and worsen the prognosis in cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Salvatore
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE-Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy
| | - Alberto Zullo
- CEINGE-Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy.,Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy
| | - Linda Sommese
- U.O.C. Division of Immunohematology, Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Immunology [SIMT], Regional Reference Laboratory of Transplant Immunology [LIT], Azienda Universitaria Policlinico (AOU) and Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Microbiology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Colicchio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonietta Picascia
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,U.O.C. Division of Immunohematology, Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Immunology [SIMT], Regional Reference Laboratory of Transplant Immunology [LIT], Azienda Universitaria Policlinico (AOU) and Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Schiano
- Foundation SDN, Institute of Diagnostic and Nuclear Development, IRCCS, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Claudio Napoli
- U.O.C. Division of Immunohematology, Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Immunology [SIMT], Regional Reference Laboratory of Transplant Immunology [LIT], Azienda Universitaria Policlinico (AOU) and Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.,Foundation SDN, Institute of Diagnostic and Nuclear Development, IRCCS, Naples, Italy
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Rapid and sensitive detection of Bartonella bacilliformis in experimentally infected sand flies by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of the Pap31 gene. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e3342. [PMID: 25522230 PMCID: PMC4270493 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Carrion' disease, caused by Bartonella bacilliformis, remains truly neglected due to its focal geographical nature. A wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, including asymptomatic bacteremia, and lack of a sensitive diagnostic test can potentially lead to a spread of the disease into non-endemic regions where competent sand fly vectors may be present. A reliable test capable of detecting B. bacilliformis is urgently needed. Our objective is to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the pap31 gene to detect B. bacilliformis. Methods and Findings The sensitivity of the LAMP was evaluated in comparison to qPCR using plasmid DNA containing the target gene and genomic DNA in the absence and presence of human or sand fly DNA. The detection limit of LAMP was 1 to 10 copies/µL, depending on the sample metrics. No cross-reaction was observed when testing against a panel of various closely related bacteria. The utility of the LAMP was further compared to qPCR by the examination of 74 Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies artificially fed on blood spiked with B. bacilliformis and harvested at days (D) 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 post feeding. Only 86% of sand flies at D1 and 63% of flies at D3 were positive by qPCR. LAMP was able to detect B. bacilliformis in all those flies confirmed positive by qPCR. However, none of the flies after D3 were positive by either LAMP or qPCR. In addition to demonstrating the sensitivity of the LAMP assay, these results suggest that B. bacilliformis cannot propagate in artificially fed L. longipalpis. Conclusions The LAMP assay is as sensitive as qPCR for the detection of B. bacilliformis and could be useful to support diagnosis of patients in low-resource settings and also to identify B. bacilliformis in the sand fly vector. Carrion's disease, caused by Bartonella bacilliformis remains truly neglected due to its focal geographical nature. A wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, including asymptomatic bacteremia can potentially lead to a spread of the disease into non-endemic regions. The PCR-based approach is sensitive for detection of B. bacilliformis but requires a thermocycler, thus limiting its use in remote endemic areas. LAMP is a simple method capable of detecting B. bacilliformis DNA within an hour under isothermal conditions, requiring less specialized equipment for amplification, thus enabling diagnosis in rural areas. This study demonstrated that the detection limit of LAMP, targeting the pap31 gene of B. bacilliformis, was comparable to that of qPCR. With a high, targeted selectivity, LAMP showed a high specificity as no cross-reaction was observed when testing a panel of closely related bacteria. The utility of the LAMP assay was further demonstrated by the examination of sand flies artificially fed on blood spiked with B. bacilliformis. The results showed that LAMP was able to detect B. bacilliformis in all flies confirmed positive by qPCR. This study showed that LAMP can be useful to support diagnosis of patients in low-resource settings and also to identify B. bacilliformis in the sand fly vector.
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Chastant-Maillard S, Boulouis HJ, Reynaud K, Thoumire S, Gandoin C, Bouillin C, Cordonnier N, Maillard R. Lack of transplacental transmission of Bartonella bovis. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2014; 38:41-6. [PMID: 25498979 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Revised: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Transplacental transmission of Bartonella spp. has been reported for rodents, but not for cats and has never been investigated in cattle. The objective of this study was to assess vertical transmission of Bartonella in cattle. Fifty-six cow-calf pairs were tested before (cows) and after (calves) caesarean section for Bartonella bacteremia and/or serology, and the cotyledons were checked for gross lesions and presence of the bacteria. None of the 29 (52%) bacteremic cows gave birth to bacteremic calves, and all calves were seronegative at birth. Neither placentitis nor vasculitis were observed in all collected cotyledons. Bartonella bovis was not detected in placental cotyledons. Therefore, transplacental transmission of B. bovis and multiplication of the bacteria in the placenta do not seem likely. The lack of transplacental transmission may be associated with the particular structure of the placenta in ruminants or to a poor affinity/agressiveness of B. bovis for this tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Chastant-Maillard
- INRA, UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction (BDR), 7 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, 23 Chemin des Capelles, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 03, France
| | - H-J Boulouis
- Université ParisEst, INRA, Anses, ENVA, UMR BIPAR, 23 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - K Reynaud
- INRA, UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction (BDR), 7 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - S Thoumire
- INRA, UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction (BDR), 7 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - C Gandoin
- Université ParisEst, INRA, Anses, ENVA, UMR BIPAR, 23 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - C Bouillin
- Université ParisEst, INRA, Anses, ENVA, UMR BIPAR, 23 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - N Cordonnier
- ENVA, Histology - Histopathology, 7 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - R Maillard
- Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, 23 Chemin des Capelles, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 03, France; Université ParisEst, INRA, Anses, ENVA, UMR BIPAR, 23 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, France.
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Bartonella clarridgeiae bacteremia detected in an asymptomatic blood donor. J Clin Microbiol 2014; 53:352-6. [PMID: 25392353 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00934-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human exposure to Bartonella clarridgeiae has been reported only on the basis of antibody detection. We report for the first time an asymptomatic human blood donor infected with B. clarridgeiae, as documented by enrichment blood culture, PCR, and DNA sequencing.
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Jiyipong T, Jittapalapong S, Morand S, Rolain JM. Bartonella species in small mammals and their potential vectors in Asia. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2014. [DOI: 10.12980/apjtb.4.2014c742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
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Abstract
Brucella spp. are facultative intracellular Gram-negative coccobacilli responsible for brucellosis, a worldwide zoonosis. We observed that Brucella melitensis is able to persist for several weeks in the blood of intraperitoneally infected mice and that transferred blood at any time point tested is able to induce infection in naive recipient mice. Bacterial persistence in the blood is dramatically impaired by specific antibodies induced following Brucella vaccination. In contrast to Bartonella, the type IV secretion system and flagellar expression are not critically required for the persistence of Brucella in blood. ImageStream analysis of blood cells showed that following a brief extracellular phase, Brucella is associated mainly with the erythrocytes. Examination by confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy formally demonstrated that B. melitensis is able to invade erythrocytes in vivo. The bacteria do not seem to multiply in erythrocytes and are found free in the cytoplasm. Our results open up new areas for investigation and should serve in the development of novel strategies for the treatment or prophylaxis of brucellosis. Invasion of erythrocytes could potentially protect the bacterial cells from the host's immune response and hamper antibiotic treatment and suggests possible Brucella transmission by bloodsucking insects in nature.
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Angelakis E, Raoult D. Pathogenicity and treatment of Bartonella infections. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2014; 44:16-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2014.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Serial testing from a 3-day collection period by use of the Bartonella Alphaproteobacteria growth medium platform may enhance the sensitivity of Bartonella species detection in bacteremic human patients. J Clin Microbiol 2013; 51:1673-7. [PMID: 23486720 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00123-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with infection from bacteremic Bartonella spp., tested using Bartonella Alphaproteobacteria growth medium (BAPGM), were retrospectively categorized into one of two groups that included those whose blood was collected once (group 1; n = 55) or three times (group 2; n = 36) within a 1-week period. Overall, 19 patients (20.8%) were PCR positive for one or more Bartonella spp. using the BAPGM platform. Seven patients (12.7%) in group 1 tested positive, and 12 patients (33.3%) in group 2 tested positive. Detection was improved when the patients were tested three times within a 1-week period (odds ratio, 3.4 [95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 9.8]; P = 0.02). Obtaining three sequential blood samples during a 1-week period should be considered a diagnostic approach when bartonellosis is suspected.
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Sokoli A, Groebel K, Hoelzle K, Amselgruber WM, Mateos JM, Schneider MKJ, Ziegler U, Felder KM, Hoelzle LE. Mycoplasma suis infection results endothelial cell damage and activation: new insight into the cell tropism and pathogenicity of hemotrophic mycoplasma. Vet Res 2013; 44:6. [PMID: 23398879 PMCID: PMC3575358 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-44-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2012] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemotrophic mycoplasmas (HM) are highly specialized red blood cell parasites that cause infectious anemia in a variety of mammals, including humans. To date, no in vitro cultivation systems for HM have been available, resulting in relatively little information about the pathogenesis of HM infection. In pigs, Mycoplasma suis-induced infectious anemia is associated with hemorrhagic diathesis, and coagulation dysfunction. However, intravasal coagulation and subsequent consumption coagulopathy can only partly explain the sequence of events leading to hemorrhagic diathesis manifesting as cyanosis, petechial bleeding, and ecchymosis, and to disseminated coagulation. The involvement of endothelial activation and damage in M. suis-associated pathogenesis was investigated using light and electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and cell sorting. M. suis interacted directly with endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo. Endothelial activation, widespread endothelial damage, and adherence of red blood cells to the endothelium were evident in M. suis-infected pigs. These alterations of the endothelium were accompanied by hemorrhage, intravascular coagulation, vascular occlusion, and massive morphological changes within the parenchyma. M. suis biofilm-like microcolonies formed on the surface of endothelial cells, and may represent a putative persistence mechanism of M. suis. In vitro analysis demonstrated that M. suis interacted with the endothelial cytoskeletal protein actin, and induced actin condensation and activation of endothelial cells, as determined by the up-regulation of ICAM, PECAM, E-selectin, and P-selectin. These findings demonstrate an additional cell tropism of HM for endothelial cells and suggest that M. suis interferes with the protective function of the endothelium, resulting in hemorrhagic diathesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albina Sokoli
- Institute of Environmental and Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Medicine (with Animal Clinic), University Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
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Nakamura RK, Zimmerman SA, Lange AJ, Lesser MB. Isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis in a dog with endocarditis. J Vet Cardiol 2012; 14:531-6. [PMID: 23098628 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvc.2012.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2011] [Revised: 03/14/2012] [Accepted: 04/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A 4-year-old male castrated Borzoi dog presented on referral for evaluation of pleural effusion, ventricular arrhythmias, and suspected dilated cardiomyopathy. Echocardiogram identified several masses along the chordae tendineae, as well as a long the annulus of the mitral valve. A blood culture was positive for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis. The dog was also positive for Bartonella DNA on PCR testing. Aggressive antibiotic therapy was instituted. However, the dog continued to have recurrent pleural effusion and progressive azotemia. The dog was euthanized 39 days after diagnosis. Necropsy confirmed the presence of intracardiac abscesses, thrombosis and endocarditis. S. lugdunensis is a recently identified rare cause of endocarditis in humans characterized by intracardiac abscess formation, highly destructive valvular lesions preferentially affecting the mitral valve and a high mortality rate. This is the first reported case of S. lugdunensis isolation in a dog with endocarditis.
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Chomel BB, McMillan-Cole AC, Kasten RW, Stuckey MJ, Sato S, Maruyama S, Diniz PPVP, Breitschwerdt EB. Candidatus Bartonella merieuxii, a potential new zoonotic Bartonella species in canids from Iraq. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1843. [PMID: 23029597 PMCID: PMC3459848 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2012] [Accepted: 08/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonellae are emerging vector-borne pathogens infecting erythrocytes and endothelial cells of various domestic and wild mammals. Blood samples were collected from domestic and wild canids in Iraq under the United States Army zoonotic disease surveillance program. Serology was performed using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test for B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae, B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and B. bovis. Overall seroprevalence was 47.4% in dogs (n = 97), 40.4% in jackals (n = 57) and 12.8% in red foxes (n = 39). Bartonella species DNA was amplified from whole blood and representative strains were sequenced. DNA of a new Bartonella species similar to but distinct from B. bovis, was amplified from 37.1% of the dogs and 12.3% of the jackals. B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii was also amplified from one jackal and no Bartonella DNA was amplified from foxes. Adjusting for age, the odds of dogs being Bartonella PCR positive were 11.94 times higher than for wild canids (95% CI: 4.55–31.35), suggesting their role as reservoir for this new Bartonella species. This study reports on the prevalence of Bartonella species in domestic and wild canids of Iraq and provides the first detection of Bartonella in jackals. We propose Candidatus Bartonella merieuxii for this new Bartonella species. Most of the Bartonella species identified in sick dogs are also pathogenic for humans. Therefore, seroprevalence in Iraqi dog owners and bacteremia in Iraqi people with unexplained fever or culture negative endocarditis requires further investigation as well as in United States military personnel who were stationed in Iraq. Finally, it will also be essential to test any dog brought back from Iraq to the USA for presence of Bartonella bacteremia to prevent any accidental introduction of a new Bartonella species to the New World. Bartonellae are emerging vector-borne pathogens infecting erythrocytes and endothelial cells of various domestic and wild mammals. Blood samples were collected from domestic and wild canids in Iraq under the United States Army zoonotic disease surveillance program. Serology was performed using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test for B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae, B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and B. bovis. Overall seroprevalence was 47% in dogs (n = 97), 40% in jackals (n = 57) and 13% in red foxes (n = 39). Bartonella species DNA was amplified from whole blood and representative strains were sequenced. DNA of Candidatus Bartonella merieuxii, a new Bartonella species similar to but distinct from B. bovis, was amplified from 37% of the dogs and 12% of the jackals. B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii was also amplified from one jackal and no Bartonella DNA was amplified from foxes. Dogs were more likely to be Bartonella PCR positive than wild jackals and foxes, suggesting the role of dogs as reservoir for this new Bartonella species. As most Bartonella species isolated or detected in dogs are also infecting humans, it will be important to test Iraqi people, especially from Baghdad, and American veterans who served in Iraq for the presence of infection by Candidatus Bartonella merieuxii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno B Chomel
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
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Identification of Bartonella Trw host-specific receptor on erythrocytes. PLoS One 2012; 7:e41447. [PMID: 22848496 PMCID: PMC3406051 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Accepted: 06/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Each Bartonella species appears to be highly adapted to one or a limited number of reservoir hosts, in which it establishes long-lasting intraerythrocytic bacteremia as the hallmark of infection. Recently, we identified Trw as the bacterial system involved in recognition of erythrocytes according to their animal origin. The T4SS Trw is characterized by a multiprotein complex that spans the inner and outer bacterial membranes, and possesses a hypothetical pilus structure. TrwJ, I, H and trwL are present in variable copy numbers in different species and the multiple copies of trwL and trwJ in the Bartonella trw locus are considered to encode variant forms of surface-exposed pilus components. We therefore aimed to identify which of the candidate Trw pilus components were located on the bacterial surface and involved in adhesion to erythrocytes, together with their erythrocytic receptor. Using different technologies (electron microscopy, phage display, invasion inhibition assay, far western blot), we found that only TrwJ1 and TrwJ2 were expressed and localized at the cell surface of B. birtlesii and had the ability to bind to mouse erythrocytes, and that their receptor was band3, one of the major outer-membrane glycoproteins of erythrocytes, (anion exchanger). According to these results, we propose that the interaction between TrwJ1, TrwJ2 and band 3 leads to the critical host-specific adherence of Bartonella to its host cells, erythrocytes.
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43
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Deng HK, Le Rhun D, Lecuelle B, Le Naour E, Vayssier-Taussat M. Role of the spleen in Bartonella spp. infection. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 64:143-5. [PMID: 22098417 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2011.00908.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bartonella spp. are intra-erythrocytic pathogens of mammals. In this study, we investigated the role of the spleen, and other tissue and organs in Bartonella infection. Using an in vivo model of mice infection by Bartonella birtlesii, we detected accumulation of bacteria in the spleen, with transient infection of the liver, but failed to detect any bacteria in brain or lymph nodes. We then compared bacteraemia in normal Balb/C mice and in splenectomized mice. Bacteraemia in splenectomized mice was 10-fold higher than in normal mice and lasted 2 weeks longer. In conclusion, the spleen seems to retain and filter infected erythrocytes rather than to be a sanctuary for chronic Bartonella infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Kuan Deng
- USC INRA Bartonella et tiques, Anses, Maisons-Alfort, France
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44
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Caffrey BE, Williams TA, Jiang X, Toft C, Hokamp K, Fares MA. Proteome-wide analysis of functional divergence in bacteria: exploring a host of ecological adaptations. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35659. [PMID: 22563391 PMCID: PMC3338524 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional divergence is the process by which new genes and functions originate through the modification of existing ones. Both genetic and environmental factors influence the evolution of new functions, including gene duplication or changes in the ecological requirements of an organism. Novel functions emerge at the expense of ancestral ones and are generally accompanied by changes in the selective forces at constrained protein regions. We present software capable of analyzing whole proteomes, identifying putative amino acid replacements leading to functional change in each protein and performing statistical tests on all tabulated data. We apply this method to 750 complete bacterial proteomes to identify high-level patterns of functional divergence and link these patterns to ecological adaptations. Proteome-wide analyses of functional divergence in bacteria with different ecologies reveal a separation between proteins involved in information processing (Ribosome biogenesis etc.) and those which are dependent on the environment (energy metabolism, defense etc.). We show that the evolution of pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria is constrained by their association with the host, and also identify unusual events of functional divergence even in well-studied bacteria such as Escherichia coli. We present a description of the roles of phylogeny and ecology in functional divergence at the level of entire proteomes in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E. Caffrey
- Department of Genetics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tom A. Williams
- Department of Genetics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Xiaowei Jiang
- Department of Genetics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Christina Toft
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karsten Hokamp
- Department of Genetics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mario A. Fares
- Department of Genetics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
- Integrative Systems Biology Group, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, CSIC-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), Valencia, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Whittemore J, Hawley J, Radecki S, Steinberg J, Lappin M. Bartonella Species Antibodies and Hyperglobulinemia in Privately Owned Cats. J Vet Intern Med 2012; 26:639-44. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2012.00925.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Revised: 01/02/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- J.C. Whittemore
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences; College of Veterinary Medicine; University of Tennessee; Knoxville; TN
| | - J.R. Hawley
- Veterinary Medical Center; Department of Clinical Sciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Colorado State University; Fort Collins; CO
| | | | | | - M.R. Lappin
- Veterinary Medical Center; Department of Clinical Sciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Colorado State University; Fort Collins; CO
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Kosoy M, Hayman DTS, Chan KS. Bartonella bacteria in nature: where does population variability end and a species start? INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2012; 12:894-904. [PMID: 22449771 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2011] [Revised: 03/05/2012] [Accepted: 03/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The application of new molecular approaches has permitted the differentiation of numerous strains belonging to the genus Bartonella and identification of new Bartonella species. However, the molecular typing of these organisms should be coupled with studies aimed at defining the biological properties of the newly described species. The long-history of co-adaptation between bartonella(1) bacteria and their mammalian hosts and possibly arthropod vectors provides a unique opportunity for applying this information for the sub-genus taxonomy. There can be a varying level of association between the bacteria and their hosts, ranging from animal species to animal genus to animal community. The commonality is that any level of association provides a certain degree of isolation for a given bartonella population that can mimic 'biological isolation'. Such an association defines a specific ecological niche and determines some specific characteristics, including sequence types that can be used as markers for demarcation of bacterial species. Usage of a combination of genetic markers and ecological information can delineate a number of species complexes that might combine several genospecies, named strains, and unique genotypes. The identification of such species complexes can be presented as (1) separate phylogenetic lineages distantly related to other species (e.g. Bartonella bacilliformis); (2) clusters of genetically similar strains associated with a specific mammalian group (e.g. Bartonella elizabethae species complex); and (3) clusters of genetically similar strains that combine a number of ecotypes (e.g. Bartonella vinsonii species complex).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA.
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Deng H, Le Rhun D, Buffet JPR, Cotté V, Read A, Birtles RJ, Vayssier-Taussat M. Strategies of exploitation of mammalian reservoirs by Bartonella species. Vet Res 2012; 43:15. [PMID: 22369683 PMCID: PMC3430587 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-43-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2011] [Accepted: 01/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous mammal species, including domestic and wild animals such as ruminants, dogs, cats and rodents, as well as humans, serve as reservoir hosts for various Bartonella species. Some of those species that exploit non-human mammals as reservoir hosts have zoonotic potential. Our understanding of interactions between bartonellae and reservoir hosts has been greatly improved by the development of animal models for infection and the use of molecular tools allowing large scale mutagenesis of Bartonella species. By reviewing and combining the results of these and other approaches we can obtain a comprehensive insight into the molecular interactions that underlie the exploitation of reservoir hosts by Bartonella species, particularly the well-studied interactions with vascular endothelial cells and erythrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongkuan Deng
- USC INRA Bartonella et Tiques, ANSES, 23 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France.
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48
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Abstract
Bartonella spp. are facultative intracellular pathogens that employ a unique stealth infection strategy comprising immune evasion and modulation, intimate interaction with nucleated cells, and intraerythrocytic persistence. Infections with Bartonella are ubiquitous among mammals, and many species can infect humans either as their natural host or incidentally as zoonotic pathogens. Upon inoculation into a naive host, the bartonellae first colonize a primary niche that is widely accepted to involve the manipulation of nucleated host cells, e.g., in the microvasculature. Consistently, in vitro research showed that Bartonella harbors an ample arsenal of virulence factors to modulate the response of such cells, gain entrance, and establish an intracellular niche. Subsequently, the bacteria are seeded into the bloodstream where they invade erythrocytes and give rise to a typically asymptomatic intraerythrocytic bacteremia. While this course of infection is characteristic for natural hosts, zoonotic infections or the infection of immunocompromised patients may alter the path of Bartonella and result in considerable morbidity. In this review we compile current knowledge on the molecular processes underlying both the infection strategy and pathogenesis of Bartonella and discuss their connection to the clinical presentation of human patients, which ranges from minor complaints to life-threatening disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Harms
- Focal Area Infection Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
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Huarcaya E, Best I, Rodriguez-Tafur J, Maguiña C, Solórzano N, Menacho J, Lopez De Guimaraes D, Chauca J, Ventosilla P. Cytokines and T-Lymphocute count in patients in the acute and chronic phases of Bartonella bacilliformis infection in an endemic area in peru: a pilot study. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2011; 53:149-54. [PMID: 21755237 DOI: 10.1590/s0036-46652011000300006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2010] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Bartonellosis has an acute phase characterized by fever and hemolytic anemia, and a chronic phase with bacillary angiomatosis-like lesions. This cross-sectional pilot study evaluated the immunology patterns using pre- and post-treatment samples in patients with Human Bartonellosis. Patients between five and 60 years of age, from endemic areas in Peru, in the acute or chronic phases were included. In patients in the acute phase of Bartonellosis a state of immune peripheral tolerance should be established for persistence of the infection. Our findings were that elevation of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and numeric abnormalities of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-Lymphocyte counts correlated significantly with an unfavorable immune state. During the chronic phase, the elevated levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 observed in our series correlated with previous findings of endothelial invasion of B. henselae in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Huarcaya
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
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50
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Maggi RG, Mascarelli PE, Pultorak EL, Hegarty BC, Bradley JM, Mozayeni BR, Breitschwerdt EB. Bartonella spp. bacteremia in high-risk immunocompetent patients. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2011; 71:430-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2011.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2011] [Revised: 08/31/2011] [Accepted: 09/01/2011] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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