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Wen Y, Du Y, Shi X, Zeng Z. Clinical diagnosis and treatment of seven patients diagnosed pneumonia caused by Chlamydia abortus: a case series report. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1406737. [PMID: 38919935 PMCID: PMC11196609 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1406737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Chlamydia abortus pneumonia is very rare in normal people. At present, there is a lack of clinical data on the clinical characteristics and diagnosis and treatment experience of patients with this type of infection. Our team had recently treated 7 cases of these patients. This study aims to comprehensively summarize and analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment methods of Chlamydia abortus pneumonia, and to provide clinical evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of Chlamydia abortus pneumonia. Methods Clinical data were retrospectively collected from patients diagnosed with Chlamydia abortus pneumonia through metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) at the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Meizhou People's Hospital. Results Seven patients with Chlamydia abortus pneumonia reported a history of poultry exposure, experiencing fever alongside respiratory or digestive symptoms. Marked elevation of blood inflammation markers, accompanied by hypoproteinemia and liver damage, was observed. Chest CT scans revealed pneumonia and pleural effusion. Chlamydia abortus was detected in blood or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) through mNGS, often co-occurring with Chlamydia psittaci or other bacteria infections. Notably, Doxycycline demonstrated efficacy in treating Chlamydia abortus. Conclusion Chlamydia abortus infection is a zoonotic disease, particularly among individuals with a history of poultry exposure, and mNGS emerges as a reliable diagnostic tool for its detection. Chlamydia abortus infection manifests with systemic and lung inflammation, effectively addressed through Doxycycline therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Wen
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, Guangdong, China
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2
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Zaitsev S, Khizhnyakova M, Saltykov Y, Evstifeev V, Khusainov F, Ivanova S, Morozova D, Yakovlev S, Larionova O, Feodorova V. Complete genome sequence of Chlamydia psittaci АМК-16, isolated from a small ruminant in the Middle Volga Region, Russia. Microbiol Resour Announc 2024; 13:e0054323. [PMID: 38534150 PMCID: PMC11080530 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00543-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
We report the complete genome sequence of the Chlamydia psittaci АМК-16, recovered from the aborted caprine fetus during a case of chlamydia infection. This 1,152,497-bp genome with 7,552-bp cryptic plasmid provides novel insights into the genetic diversity of chlamydia agent strains particularly those causing the infection in small ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Zaitsev
- Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering named after N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Mariya Khizhnyakova
- Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering named after N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Yury Saltykov
- Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering named after N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Vitaliy Evstifeev
- Federal Center for Toxicological, Radiation and Biological Safety, Kazan, Russia
- Kazan State Academy of Veterinary Medicine by N.E. Bauman, Kazan, Russia
| | - Fidail Khusainov
- Federal Center for Toxicological, Radiation and Biological Safety, Kazan, Russia
| | - Svetlana Ivanova
- Federal Center for Toxicological, Radiation and Biological Safety, Kazan, Russia
| | - Daria Morozova
- Federal Center for Toxicological, Radiation and Biological Safety, Kazan, Russia
| | - Sergey Yakovlev
- Federal Center for Toxicological, Radiation and Biological Safety, Kazan, Russia
| | - Olga Larionova
- Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering named after N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Valentina Feodorova
- Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering named after N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
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3
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Kruglova M, Nikitin N, Evtushenko E, Matveeva I, Mazurov A, Pavlenko I, Popova V, Bogomolova O, Vasilyev S, Markova E, Fedorov Y. Inactivated Flagellin-Containing Vaccine Efficacy against Ovine Enzootic Abortion. Pathogens 2024; 13:277. [PMID: 38668231 PMCID: PMC11053442 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus is the etiological agent of abortion and fetal loss in sheep, goats and bovine cattle in many countries. Even though commercially available vaccines can reduce the incidence in sheep, the development of new, safe, and effective vaccines remains high on the agenda. In this study, an evaluation was made of the efficacy of a vaccine candidate, an inactivated antigen based on the extract of outer membrane proteins of a C. abortus strain known as Chlamydia VNITIBP-21, in combination with recombinant flagellin as an adjuvant. Pregnant sheep (n = 43) were divided into three groups: an experimental vaccinated group, a control infected group and a control non-infected group. The sheep were vaccinated twice, with an interval of 3 weeks, then infected with the homologous virulent strain of Chlamydia abortus on pregnancy day 75. The vaccine candidate reduced C. abortus shedding in vaginal swabs considerably, in comparison with the control group. In addition, ewes in the experimental group experienced no abortions, while those in the control group experienced instances of abortion, as well as births of weak and nonviable lambs. The findings show that the vaccine candidate proved itself to be promising in combatting the agent of ovine abortion and fetal loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kruglova
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolai Nikitin
- Department of Virology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Evtushenko
- Department of Virology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina Matveeva
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksandr Mazurov
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor Pavlenko
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vera Popova
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olesya Bogomolova
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
| | - Stepan Vasilyev
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgeniya Markova
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuri Fedorov
- All-Russian Scientific Research and Technological Institute of Biological Industry, Biocombinat, 141142 Moscow, Russia
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4
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Rockey DD, Wang X, Debrine A, Grieshaber N, Grieshaber SS. Metabolic dormancy in Chlamydia trachomatis treated with different antibiotics. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0033923. [PMID: 38214508 PMCID: PMC10863404 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00339-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Diseases caused by Chlamydia spp. are often associated with persistent infections. Chlamydial persistence is commonly associated with a unique non-infectious intracellular developmental form, termed an aberrant form. Although infectious chlamydiae can be cultured consistently in cells stressed to aberrancy, their role in persistence is not clear. Recovery from antibiotic stress was explored as a model to determine how survival of non-aberrant chlamydiae, in the presence of fully inhibitory drug concentrations, may participate in persistence. Assays included incubation in quinolones, tetracyclines, or chloramphenicol for differing lengths of time, followed by an extended recovery period in antibiotic-free media. Culturable elementary bodies were not detected during treatment with each antibiotic, but viable and culturable Chlamydia trachomatis emerged after the drug was removed. Time-lapse imaging of live, antibiotic-treated infected cells identified metabolically dormant developmental forms within cells that emerged to form typical productive inclusions. The effects of the increasing concentration of most tested antibiotics led to predictable inhibitory activity, in which the survival rate decreased with increasing drug concentration. In contrast, in fluoroquinolone-treated cells, there was a paradoxical increase in productive development that was directly correlated with drug concentration and inversely associated with aberrant form production. This model system uncovers a unique chlamydial persistence pathway that does not involve the chlamydial aberrant form. The association between productive latency and metabolic dormancy is consistent with models for many bacterial species and may lead to a different interpretation of mechanisms of chlamydial persistence in patients.IMPORTANCEThe life history of most pathogens within the genus Chlamydia relies on lengthy persistence in the host. The most generally accepted model for Chlamydia spp. persistence involves an unusual developmental stage, termed the aberrant form, which arises during conditions that mimic a stressful host environment. In this work, we provide an alternate model for chlamydial persistence in the face of antibiotic stress. This model may be relevant to antibiotic treatment failures in patients infected with C. trachomatis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D. Rockey
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Xisheng Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Abigail Debrine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Nicole Grieshaber
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
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Nogarol C, Marchino M, Scala S, Belvedere M, Renna G, Vitale N, Mandola ML. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Chlamydia abortus Infection in Sheep and Goats in North-Western Italy. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:291. [PMID: 38254460 PMCID: PMC10812754 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020291] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus, although poorly recognized as a human pathogen, is a zoonotic microorganism that can cause many different symptoms in humans, including subclinical infection and fatal illnesses in pregnant women. C. abortus is one of the most common causes of ovine and caprine infectious abortion worldwide, known as the causative agent of the enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) or ovine enzootic abortion (OEA). To estimate C. abortus seroprevalence and the risk factors related to C. abortus in small ruminants, the sera from 3045 animals (both sheep and goat) belonging to 202 herds were tested and a questionnaire investigating flock management was administered. At the herd level, the true seroprevalence was 56.6% (CI95%: 46.9-66.3%), at sheep-farm and goat-farm level, the true seroprevalence was 71.4% (CI95%: 54.6-88.3%) and 44.8% (CI95%: 41.3-57.0%), respectively. The true seroprevalence was significantly higher among the sheep than the goats. The logistic regression model identified four factors associated with Chlamydia seropositivity: flock size (i.e., farms with >50 heads), contact with cattle, introduction of animals, and Coxiella seropositivity. The study evidenced a high seroprevalence of Chlamydia abortus in small ruminant farms in the Piedmont region. Considering its zoonotic potential and the health consequences in humans, communication to farmers on the importance of vaccination, as well as the sensibilization of farm vets, seem to be strategical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Nogarol
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, S.S. Diagnostica Virologica Specialistica, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy; (C.N.)
| | - Monica Marchino
- Servizio Veterinario ASL TO5, S.C. Sanità Animale, 10023 Chieri, Italy;
| | - Sonia Scala
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, S.S. Diagnostica Virologica Specialistica, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy; (C.N.)
| | - Manuela Belvedere
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, S.S. Diagnostica Virologica Specialistica, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy; (C.N.)
| | - Giovanna Renna
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, S.S. Diagnostica Virologica Specialistica, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy; (C.N.)
| | - Nicoletta Vitale
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, S.S. Osservatorio delle Regioni, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy;
| | - Maria Lucia Mandola
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, S.S. Diagnostica Virologica Specialistica, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy; (C.N.)
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Wang DX, Xiao LX, Deng XY, Deng W. Omadacycline for the treatment of severe pneumonia caused by Chlamydia psittaci complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 10:1207534. [PMID: 38264056 PMCID: PMC10805100 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1207534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chlamydia psittaci infection in humans is a rare cause that mainly present as community-acquired pneumonia. Severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction with a mortality rate of 15%-20% before accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has an advantage in achieving early diagnosis. In the study, omadacycline implementation was described to provide a better understanding of effectiveness in severe psittacosis pneumonia with ARDS. Methods Sixteen patients with severe psittacosis pneumonia with ARDS were selected between September 2021 and October 2022. They were diagnosed using mNGS and treated with omadacycline. Retrospective analysis of clinical manifestations, laboratory data, disease progression, diagnostic tool, treatment, and prognosis was summarized. Results Common symptoms included fever, dyspnea, and cough. All patients developed ARDS, accompanied by septic shock (43.7%) and pulmonary embolism (43.7%). Laboratory data showed normal leucocytes, increased creatine kinase isoenzyme, and decreased albumin with liver dysfunction in most patients. All patients had increased neutrophils, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and D-dimer with decreased lymphocytes. Airspace consolidation, ground glass opacity, and pleural effusion were found on chest CT. mNGS results were obtained in 24-48 h to identify the diagnosis of Chlamydia psittacosis. All patients received mechanical ventilation with omadacycline treatment. Fourteen patients experienced complete recovery, while the other two patients died from multidrug-resistant bacterial infection and renal failure. Conclusion mNGS has a significant value in the diagnosis of Chlamydia psittaci infection. Timely treatment of omadacycline can improve prognosis and provide a promising new option for the treatment of severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia with ARDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dao-Xin Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Medical Research Center for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Ling-Xi Xiao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Medical Research Center for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin-Yu Deng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Medical Research Center for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Wang Deng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Medical Research Center for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chongqing, China
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7
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Zhang H, Zhang Z, Li Y, Li W, Jin Y, Li Z, Zhou J, Tong D. Seroprevalence of Chlamydia abortus and Brucella spp. and risk factors for Chlamydia abortus in pigs from China. Acta Trop 2023; 248:107050. [PMID: 37875168 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107050] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydiosis and brucellosis induced abortions have resulted in significant economic losses in the global livestock industry. Although there have been numerous reports on these two diseases in ruminants in China, limited information is available regarding the prevalence of Chlamydia abortus (C. abortus) and Brucella spp. infection in pigs. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of C. abortus and Brucella spp. infections in pig serum using serology and to identify potential risk factors. In total, 2816 serum samples were collected from 12 provinces in China. The presence of C. abortus antibodies was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while the presence of Brucella spp. antibodies was examined using the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and the Standard Agglutination Test (SAT). The seroprevalences of C. abortus and Brucella spp. were 8.38 % (236/2816) and 0.11 % (3/2816), respectively. Geographical location, season, and age were found to be risk factors associated with C. abortus infection in pig herds in China (p<0.01), and the seropositive rate for C. abortus in sow herds was strongly associated with the occurrence of abortion (p<0.01). Overall, in China, pigs exhibit a higher seroprevalence of C. abortus, whereas the prevalence of Brucella is limited. This study represents the first comprehensive survey of C. abortus and Brucella spp. in pig herds in China that established potential risk factors and provided data for the prevention and control of intraspecies and interspecies transmission of C. abortus to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaiyu Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China
| | - Zhixiang Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China
| | - Yunhui Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Youshun Jin
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Zhaocai Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Jizhang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.
| | - Dewen Tong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China.
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Szymańska-Czerwińska M, Zaręba-Marchewka K, Niemczuk K. New insight on chlamydiae. J Vet Res 2023; 67:559-565. [PMID: 38130448 PMCID: PMC10730554 DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2023-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
This article provides an overview of the current knowledge on chlamydiae, which are intracellular bacteria belonging to the Chlamydiaceae family. Whole-genome sequencing leads to great increases in the available data about Chlamydia spp. Recently, novel chlamydial taxons in various hosts living in different environments have been recognised. New species and taxons with Candidatus status have been recorded mainly in birds and reptiles. Chlamydia gallinacea is an emerging infectious agent in poultry with indirectly confirmed zoonotic potential. Recently, a new group of avian C. abortus strains with worldwide distribution in various wild bird families has been described. The definition of C. abortus species became outdated with the discovery of these strains and has been amended. It now includes two subgroups, mammalian and avian, the latter including all isolates hitherto referred to as atypical C. psittaci or C. psittaci/C. abortus intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Szymańska-Czerwińska
- Department of Cattle and Sheep Diseases, Puławy, Poland
- Laboratory of Serological Diagnosis, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100Puławy, Poland
| | | | - Krzysztof Niemczuk
- Department of Cattle and Sheep Diseases, Puławy, Poland
- Laboratory of Serological Diagnosis, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100Puławy, Poland
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Feodorova VA, Zaitsev SS, Lyapina AM, Kichemazova NV, Saltykov YV, Khizhnyakova MA, Evstifeev VV, Larionova OS. Whole genome sequencing characteristics of Chlamydia psittaci caprine AMK-16 strain, a promising killed whole cell veterinary vaccine candidate against chlamydia infection. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293612. [PMID: 37903115 PMCID: PMC10615304 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia psittaci is a primary zoonotic pathogen with a broad host range causing severe respiratory and reproductive system infection in animals and humans. To reduce the global burden of C. psittaci-associated diseases on animal welfare and health and to control the pathogen spread in husbandry, effective vaccines based on promising vaccine candidate(s) are required. Recently, the caprine C. psittaci AMK-16 strain (AMK-16) demonstrated a high level of protection (up to 80-100%) in outbred mice and pregnant rabbits immunized with these formaldehyde-inactivated bacteria against experimental chlamydial wild-type infection. This study investigated the molecular characteristics of AMK-16 by whole-genome sequencing followed by molecular typing, phylogenetic analysis and detection of main immunodominant protein(s) eliciting the immune response in mouse model. Similarly to other C. psittaci, AMK-16 harbored an extrachromosomal plasmid. The whole-genome phylogenetic analysis proved that AMK-16 strain belonging to ST28 clustered with only C. psittaci but not with Chlamydia abortus strains. However, AMK-16 possessed the insert which resulted from the recombination event as the additional single chromosome region of a 23,100 bp size with higher homology to C. abortus (98.38-99.94%) rather than to C. psittaci (92.06-92.55%). At least six of 16 CDSs were absent in AMK-16 plasticity zone and 41 CDSs in other loci compared with the reference C. psittaci 6BC strain. Two SNPs identified in the AMK-16 ompA sequence resulted in MOMP polymorphism followed by the formation of a novel genotype/subtype including three other C. psittaci strains else. AMK-16 MOMP provided marked specific cellular and humoral immune response in 100% of mice immunized with the inactivated AMK-16 bacteria. Both DnaK and GrpE encoded by the recombination region genes were less immunoreactive, inducing only a negligible T-cell murine immune response, while homologous antibodies could be detected in 50% and 30% of immunized mice, respectively. Thus, AMK-16 could be a promising vaccine candidate for the development of a killed whole cell vaccine against chlamydiosis in livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina A. Feodorova
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Department for Microbiology and Biotechnology, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Sergey S. Zaitsev
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Anna M. Lyapina
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Natalya V. Kichemazova
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Yury V. Saltykov
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Mariya A. Khizhnyakova
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Vitaliy V. Evstifeev
- Laboratory of Viral and Chlamydial Infections, Federal Center for Toxicological, Radiation and Biological Safety, Kazan, Russia
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Immunology, Kazan State Academy of Veterinary Medicine by N.E. Bauman, Kazan City, Russia
| | - Olga S. Larionova
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Department for Microbiology and Biotechnology, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
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10
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Richardson S, Bell CR, Medhavi F, Tanner T, Lundy S, Omosun Y, Igietseme JU, Eko FO. A novel cold-chain free VCG-based subunit vaccine protects against Chlamydia abortus-induced neonatal mortality in a pregnant mouse model. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1243743. [PMID: 37915580 PMCID: PMC10616880 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1243743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus (Cab) causes spontaneous abortion and neonatal mortality in infected ruminants and pregnant women. Most Cab infections are asymptomatic, although they can be treated with antibiotics, signifying that control of these infections may require alternative strategies, including the use of effective vaccines. However, the limitations imposed by live attenuated and inactivated vaccines further suggest that employment of subunit vaccines may need to be considered. The efficacy of a newly generated Vibrio cholerae ghost (rVCG)-based subunit vaccine harboring the N-terminal portion of the Cab Pmp18D protein (rVCG-Pmp18.3) in preventing Cab-induced abortion or neonatal mortality was evaluated in pregnant mice. Mice were intranasally (IN) immunized and boosted twice, 2 weeks apart with the vaccine, and immunized and unimmunized mice were caged with males 4 weeks postimmunization. The mice were then infected either IN or transcervically (TC) 10 days after pregnancy, and the fertility rate was determined 7 days postpartum. Eight days after delivery, the mice were sacrificed, and Cab infectivity in the lungs and spleens was evaluated by culturing tissue homogenates in tissue culture. Our results demonstrated that the vaccine induced immune effectors that mediated complete clearance of infection in the lungs and significantly reduced Cab infectivity in the spleen following IN immunization. Vaccine immunization also afforded protection against Cab-induced upper genital tract pathology (uterine dilation). Furthermore, while there was no incidence of abortion in both immunized and unimmunized mice, immunized mice were completely protected against neonatal mortality compared to unimmunized infected controls, which lost a significant percentage of their litter 7 days postpartum. Our results establish the capability of the rVCG-Pmp18.3 vaccine to prevent infection in the lungs (mucosal) and spleen (systemic) and protect mice from Cab-induced tubal pathologies and neonatal mortality, a hallmark of Cab infection in ruminants. To advance the commercial potential of this vaccine, future studies will optimize the antigen dose and the number of vaccine doses required for protection of ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakyra Richardson
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Courtnee R. Bell
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Fnu Medhavi
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Tayhlor Tanner
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Stephanie Lundy
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Yusuf Omosun
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joseph U. Igietseme
- National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Francis O. Eko
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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11
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Hashemian SMM, Madani SA, Allymehr M, Talebi A. A molecular survey of Chlamydia spp. infection in commercial poultry and detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in a commercial turkey flock in Iran. Vet Med Sci 2023; 9:2168-2175. [PMID: 37602896 PMCID: PMC10508571 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chlamydiaceae are a group of gram-negative intracellular bacteria which can infect a wide variety of hosts. Some chlamydial agents are capable of crossing the host barrier and though they are potentially a risk to very different species. They also pose a zoonotic risk for human and different chlamydial agents are linked to several medical maladies. OBJECTIVES In this study, the presence of chlamydial agents in different commercial poultry flocks in Iran was investigated. METHODS Swab and tissue samples were collected from 435 birds in 24 different commercial poultry flocks. These samples were examined using a Chlamydiaceae-specific real-time PCR assay targeting 23S rRNA gene. Positive samples then were subjected to intergenic spacer rRNA (IGS) gene and major outer membrane protein gene (ompA) PCRs. Finally, positive PCR products were sequenced and analysed. RESULTS Only one flock of commercial turkey became positive. Partial DNA sequencing of IGS gene revealed that all positive samples from the infected flock were Chlamydia pneumoniae and were identical to previously studied isolates from koala (LPCoLN) and frog (DC9). Further investigations showed slight dissimilarity in ompA gene of C. pneumoniae from different hosts. The detected turkey isolates were located in a different clade of phylogenetic tree, close to Western barred bandicoot and koala isolates. CONCLUSION C. pneumoniae has passed the cross-species barrier in the past and therefor it could potentially be zoonotic. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first report of C. pneumoniae infection in commercial turkey.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Seyed Ahmad Madani
- Department of Animal and Poultry Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of TehranTehranIran
| | - Manoochehr Allymehr
- Department of Poultry Health and Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of UrmiaUrmiaIran
| | - Alireza Talebi
- Department of Poultry Health and Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of UrmiaUrmiaIran
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12
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Sassa-O'Brien Y, Ohya K, Ikeuchi S, Sanada N, Sanada Y, Kojima A, Yorisaki M, Ebisawa K, Ueda K, Iki H, Mizukami M, Hayashidani H, Fukushi H. Diversity of Chlamydiales detected in pet birds privately kept in individual homes in Japan. J Vet Med Sci 2023; 85:907-911. [PMID: 37460299 PMCID: PMC10539824 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.23-0185] [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: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia-related bacteria of the Chlamydiales order have recently been described as emerging pathogens that cause pneumonia and abortion in animals and humans. We investigated the presence of Chlamydiales using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by targeting the 16S rRNA gene of a broad range of Chlamydiales in 827 fecal samples from pet birds kept in individual homes in Japan. Of the 827 samples, 493 (59.6%) tested positive for the Chlamydiales 16S rRNA gene in the real-time PCR assay. We determined the nucleic acid sequences of PCR products from 17 Chlamydiales strains. A homology search and phylogenetic analysis using these sequences confirmed that the detected Chlamydiales included C. pecorum and a broad range of Chlamydia-related bacteria. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to detect a wide range of Chlamydia-related bacteria in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Sassa-O'Brien
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Disease, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenji Ohya
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
- Present address: National Institute of Health Sciences, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Ikeuchi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Hygiene, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Masaya Mizukami
- Mizukami Veterinary Hospital, Dogs, Cats and Birds, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hideki Hayashidani
- Laboratory of Veterinary Hygiene, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideto Fukushi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
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13
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Meier K, Jachmann LH, Türköz G, Babu Sait MR, Pérez L, Kepp O, Valdivia RH, Kroemer G, Sixt BS. The Chlamydia effector CpoS modulates the inclusion microenvironment and restricts the interferon response by acting on Rab35. mBio 2023; 14:e0319022. [PMID: 37530528 PMCID: PMC10470785 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03190-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis inserts a family of inclusion membrane (Inc) proteins into the membrane of its vacuole (the inclusion). The Inc CpoS is a critical suppressor of host cellular immune surveillance, but the underlying mechanism remained elusive. By complementing a cpoS mutant with various natural orthologs and variants of CpoS, we linked distinct molecular interactions of CpoS to distinct functions. Unexpectedly, we found CpoS to be essential for the formation of inclusion membrane microdomains that control the spatial organization of multiple Incs involved in signaling and modulation of the host cellular cytoskeleton. While the function of CpoS in microdomains was uncoupled from its role in the suppression of host cellular defenses, we found the ability of CpoS to interact with Rab GTPases to be required not only for the manipulation of membrane trafficking, such as to mediate transport of ceramide-derived lipids (sphingolipids) to the inclusion, but also for the inhibition of Stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-dependent type I interferon responses. Indeed, depletion of Rab35 phenocopied the exacerbated interferon responses observed during infection with CpoS-deficient mutants. Overall, our findings highlight the role of Inc-Inc interactions in shaping the inclusion microenvironment and the modulation of membrane trafficking as a pathogenic immune evasion strategy. IMPORTANCE Chlamydia trachomatis is a prevalent bacterial pathogen that causes blinding ocular scarring and urogenital infections that can lead to infertility and pregnancy complications. Because Chlamydia can only grow within its host cell, boosting the intrinsic defenses of human cells may represent a novel strategy to fight pathogen replication and survival. Hence, CpoS, a Chlamydia protein known to block host cellular defenses, or processes regulated by CpoS, could provide new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. By revealing CpoS as a multifunctional virulence factor and by linking its ability to block host cellular immune signaling to the modulation of membrane trafficking, the present work may provide a foundation for such rationale targeting and advances our understanding of how intracellular bacteria can shape and protect their growth niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karsten Meier
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lana H. Jachmann
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Gözde Türköz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mohammed Rizwan Babu Sait
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lucía Pérez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Oliver Kepp
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Raphael H. Valdivia
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Department of Biology, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Barbara S. Sixt
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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14
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DeBoer AG, Lei L, Yang C, Martens CA, Anzick SL, Antonioli-Schmit S, Suchland RJ, McClarty G, Caldwell HD, Rockey DD. TargeTron Inactivation of Chlamydia trachomatis gseA Results in a Lipopolysaccharide 3-Deoxy-d-Manno-Oct-2-Ulosonic Acid-Deficient Strain That Is Cytotoxic for Cells. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0009623. [PMID: 37255490 PMCID: PMC10353364 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00096-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
All members of the family Chlamydiaceae have lipopolysaccharides (LPS) that possess a shared carbohydrate trisaccharide antigen, 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) that is functionally uncharacterized. A single gene, genus-specific epitope (gseA), is responsible for attaching the tri-Kdo to lipid IVA. To investigate the function of Kdo in chlamydial host cell interactions, we made a gseA-null strain (L2ΔgseA) by using TargeTron mutagenesis. Immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoblotting with a Kdo-specific monoclonal antibody demonstrated that L2ΔgseA lacked Kdo. L2ΔgseA reacted by immunoblotting with a monoclonal antibody specific for a conserved LPS glucosamine-PO4 epitope, indicating that core lipid A was retained by the mutant. The mutant strain produced a similar number of inclusions as the parental strain but yielded lower numbers of infectious elementary bodies. Transmission electron microscopy of L2ΔgseA-infected cells showed atypical developmental forms and a reduction in the number of elementary bodies. Immunoblotting of dithiothreitol-treated L2ΔgseA-infected cells lysates revealed a marked reduction in outer membrane OmcB disulfide cross-linking, suggesting that the elementary body outer membrane structure was affected by the lack of Kdo. Notably, lactic acid dehydrogenase release by infected cells demonstrated that L2ΔgseA was significantly more cytotoxic to host cells than the wild type. The cytotoxic phenotype may result from an altered outer membrane biogenesis structure and/or function or, conversely, from a direct pathobiological effect of Kdo on an unknown host cell target. These findings implicate a previously unrecognized role for Kdo in host cell interactions that facilitates postinfection host cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Addison G. DeBoer
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Lei Lei
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Chunfu Yang
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Craig A. Martens
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Sarah L. Anzick
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Sophia Antonioli-Schmit
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Robert J. Suchland
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Grant McClarty
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Harlan D. Caldwell
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel D. Rockey
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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15
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Cao J, Xie X, Lei Y, Li S, Song X, Lei Y, An Q, Zhang B. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of a family cluster of psittacosis: A case report. IDCases 2023; 33:e01845. [PMID: 37492645 PMCID: PMC10365937 DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2023.e01845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Psittacosis accounts for 1-2 % of community-acquired pneumonia. In recent years, reports of psittacosis are increasing. Most reported cases of psittacosis are sporadic. Here, we report a familial cluster of five patients infected with Chlamydophila in a northwest Chinese region and share our diagnosis and treatment experience. The epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, laboratory examinations of family cluster psittacosis were collected and analyzed. We closely followed up all the family members and analyzed their clinical outcome. Five cases of family clustered pneumonia were mainly characterized by fever, cough and fatigue. mNGS rapidly identified the infecting agent as Chlamydophila in case 1 followed by RT-PCR analysis. A newly purchased pet parrot, which had diarrhea, was probably the primary source of infection. The main change of inflammation index in five patients was the decrease of lymphocyte counts. Chest CT showed peripheral or subpleural involvement of patchy high-density shadows with bronchial ventilation signs and blurred edges, mostly unilateral lesions. Five cases were completely cured with moxifloxacin and azithromycin. Our findings suggest that a familial cluster of Chlamydophila infection maybe caused by contact with sick pet parrot or human to human transmission in one close family. For this community-acquired pneumonia, epidemiological characteristics and use of mNGS is very important for improving accuracy in the early diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Cao
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Air Force No. 986 Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoyan Xie
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Air Force No. 986 Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yan Lei
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Air Force No. 986 Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuangshuang Li
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Air Force No. 986 Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xuan Song
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Air Force No. 986 Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yingfeng Lei
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qunxing An
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Binghua Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Air Force No. 986 Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
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16
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Caspe SG, Ewing DA, Livingstone M, Underwood C, Milne E, Sargison ND, Wattegedera SR, Longbottom D. The Immune Response in the Uteri and Placentae of Chlamydia abortus-Infected Ewes and Its Association with Pregnancy Outcomes. Pathogens 2023; 12:846. [PMID: 37375536 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060846] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The enzootic abortion of ewes, caused by the bacterium Chlamydia abortus (C. abortus), is one of the main causes of abortion in sheep. There are multiple contributory factors, including chlamydial growth, host immune response, and hormonal balance, that result in different pregnancy outcomes, such as abortion, the birth of weak lambs that may die, or healthy lambs. This study aimed to determine the relationship between phenotypical patterns of immune cell infiltration and different pregnancy outcomes in twin-bearing sheep (both lambs born dead; one alive and one dead; both alive) when experimentally infected with C. abortus. Both the sheep uteri and placentae were collected after parturition. All samples were analysed for specific immune cell features, including cell surface antigens and the T-regulatory (Treg) cell-associated transcription factor and cytokines, by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation. Some of these immunological antigens were evaluated in ovine reproductive tissues for the first time. Differential patterns of T helper/Treg cells revealed significant group effects in the placentae. It suggests the potential role that the balance of lymphocyte subsets may play in affecting different pregnancy outcomes in C. abortus-infected sheep. The present study provides novel detailed information about the immune responses observed at the maternofoetal interface in sheep at the time of pre-term abortion or lambing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Gaston Caspe
- Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, UK
- Estación Experimental Mercedes, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Corrientes W3400, Argentina
| | | | | | | | - Elspeth Milne
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Neil Donald Sargison
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
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17
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Yao W, Yang X, Shi J, Yang Z, Yao Y, Kou J, Liu S, Wang L, Wu Z, Shi G, Yan H, Song Y. Case Report: A case of Chlamydia psittaci infection in an HIV patient. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1185803. [PMID: 37260699 PMCID: PMC10229061 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1185803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia psittaci is the pathogen of psittacosis and infects a wide range of birds and even humans. Human infection occurs most commonly in those with a history of contact with birds or poultry. We describe a case of psittacosis in a human immunodeficiency virus infected patient in Zhejiang Province for the first time. C. psittaci infection was confirmed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Real-Time PCR. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sequences from the patient's samples clustered with genotype A in the same branch. Our study highlights the possibility of diagnosing psittacosis in patients with a chronic disease such as HIV-infected patients, and should increase awareness and surveillance of psittacosis in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwu Yao
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xuhui Yang
- Department of Health Monitoring, Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinchuan Shi
- Affiliated Hangzhou Xixi Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhangnv Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Yao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Disease Prevention Control Center of Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Kou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Disease Prevention Control Center of Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shelan Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Linbo Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhuoyin Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guoxiang Shi
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hao Yan
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yajun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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18
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Ricard RM, Burton J, Chow-Lockerbie B, Wobeser B. Detection of Chlamydia abortus in aborted chorioallantoises of horses from Western Canada. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023:10406387231171844. [PMID: 37129380 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231171844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydiae are reported to cause abortion in several species, however the association between Chlamydia sp. and equine abortions is poorly understood. A zoonotic transfer event of C. psittaci from aborted equine tissues in Australia has emphasized the need to better understand the prevalence of this pathogen in equine populations. The prevalence of chlamydia in equine abortions in North America has not been investigated thoroughly. We examined 99 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded placental samples submitted between 2009 and 2020 from equine abortions in Western Canada using chlamydia-specific 16S rRNA conventional PCR testing; 26 of 99 submissions tested positive for chlamydial DNA. Most of these submissions (n = 17) had no final diagnosis noted on their original pathology reports. DNA sequencing identified 22 of the 26 cases as C. abortus; 21 of the 22 C. abortus-positive samples were positive on chlamydial immunohistochemistry. These findings contrast with studies in Europe that found a low prevalence of chlamydiae using similar methodology. The high prevalence of the potentially zoonotic C. abortus identified in our study suggests that more substantial biosecurity protocols may be warranted for equine foaling, abortion, and stillbirth in Western Canada to prevent zoonotic transfer of the pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Madison Ricard
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Jaidyn Burton
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Betty Chow-Lockerbie
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Bruce Wobeser
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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19
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Marzok M, Hereba AM, Kandeel M, Selim A. Serosurvey and associated risk factors for Chlamydia abortus infection in cattle from Egypt. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2023; 96:101972. [PMID: 36989678 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2023.101972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus is an important gram-negative pathogen poses serious public health problem in human and reproductive disorders in animals. There are very few data on the prevalence of C. abortus in cattle and none on the associated risk factors for infection in cattle in earlier literature. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to evaluate the risk factors and seropositivity of C. abortus infection in cattle. In northern Egypt, 400 cattle from five governorates were examined using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a cross-sectional study. The results revealed that the overall prevalence for C. abortus in cattle was 20.75 % and the highest level was observed in Gharbia 26.67 % while the lowest rate was found in Menofia governorate 15.38 %. The age, herd size, application of disinfection and history of abortion or stillbirth had significant association with prevalence of C. abortus infection by univariate analysis. In addition, Cattle above the age of 4 years, a median herd size of 10-50, the absence of disinfectant application, a history of stillbirth, and a history of abortion were all found as risk factors for C. abortus infection using multivariable logistic regression. These findings could be used to establish effective management strategies to prevent and control C. abortus infection in cattle and lower the risk of C. abortus infection in cattle in Egypt.
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20
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Banu Çiçek Bideci G. Chlamydias as a Zooonosis and Antibiotic Resistance in Chlamydiae. Infect Dis (Lond) 2023. [DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.110599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydiosis is a disease that can be seen in different forms in the animals. In the genus Chlamydia, two species have been reported in the studies. The first is C. trachomatis, which is responsible for infections in humans and C. psittaci, which has a wide host distribution, including many animals and humans. C. psittaci is usually transmitted from poultry to humans. Along with causing flu-like conditions in humans, it has also caused abortions in pregnant women by contact with sheep and goats that have been infected and have offspring. The likelihood of pregnant women contracting the Chlamydia pathogen through contact with sheep and goats increases the zoonotic importance of the disease. There are few reports documenting antibiotic resistance in Chlamydiae. Furthermore, there are no examples of natural or permanent antibiotic resistance in strains that cause disease in humans. In some strains, the detected antibiotic resistance cannot be identified in vitro, which hinders the recognition and interpretation of antibiotic resistance.
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21
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Bauer BU, Schoneberg C, Herms TL, Kleinschmidt S, Runge M, Ganter M. Impact of Coxiella burnetii vaccination on humoral immune response, vaginal shedding, and lamb mortality in naturally pre-infected sheep. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1064763. [PMID: 36601330 PMCID: PMC9807230 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1064763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sheep are considered to be one of the main reservoirs for Coxiella burnetii, a gram-negative bacterium with high zoonotic potential. Infected sheep shed tremendous amounts of the pathogen through birth products which caused human Q fever epidemics in several countries. Information about the impact of an inactivated C. burnetii Phase I vaccine on humoral immune response, vaginal shedding, and lamb mortality in naturally pre-infected sheep is scarce. Methods Two identically managed and naturally C. burnetii-infected sheep flocks were examined for two lambing seasons (2019 and 2020). One flock (VAC) received a primary vaccination against Q fever before mating and the second flock served as control (CTR). In each flock, one cohort of 100 ewes was included in follow-up investigations. Serum samples at eight different sampling dates were analyzed by C. burnetii phase-specific ELISAs to differentiate between the IgG Phase I and II responses. Vaginal swabs were collected within three days after parturition and examined by a C. burnetii real-time PCR (IS1111). Lamb losses were recorded to calculate lamb mortality parameters. Results After primary vaccination, almost all animals from cohort VAC showed a high IgG Phase I response up until the end of the study period. In cohort CTR, the seropositivity rate varied from 35.1% to 66.3%, and the Phase I and Phase II pattern showed an undulating trend with higher IgG Phase II activity during both lambing seasons. The number of vaginal shedders was significantly reduced in cohort VAC compared to cohort CTR during the lambing season in 2019 (p < 0.0167). There was no significant difference of vaginal shedders in 2020. The total lamb losses were low in both cohorts during the two investigated lambing seasons (VAC 2019: 6.8%, 2020: 3.2%; CTR 2019: 1.4%, 2020: 2.7%). Discussion Neither the C. burnetii vaccine nor the C. burnetii infection seem to have an impact on lamb mortality. Taken together, the inactivated C. burnetii Phase I vaccine induced a strong IgG Phase I antibody response in naturally pre-infected sheep. It might also reduce vaginal shedding in the short term but seems to have little beneficial impact on lamb mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Ulrich Bauer
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hanover, Germany,*Correspondence: Benjamin Ulrich Bauer
| | - Clara Schoneberg
- Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training Health at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hanover, Germany
| | - Thea Louise Herms
- Food and Veterinary Institute Braunschweig/Hannover, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Hanover, Germany
| | - Sven Kleinschmidt
- Food and Veterinary Institute Braunschweig/Hannover, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Hanover, Germany
| | - Martin Runge
- Food and Veterinary Institute Braunschweig/Hannover, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Hanover, Germany
| | - Martin Ganter
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hanover, Germany
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22
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Lorenzen E, Contreras V, Olsen AW, Andersen P, Desjardins D, Rosenkrands I, Juel HB, Delache B, Langlois S, Delaugerre C, Joubert C, Dereuddre-Bosquet N, Bébéar C, De Barbeyrac B, Touati A, McKay PF, Shattock RJ, Le Grand R, Follmann F, Dietrich J. Multi-component prime-boost Chlamydia trachomatis vaccination regimes induce antibody and T cell responses and accelerate clearance of infection in a non-human primate model. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1057375. [PMID: 36505459 PMCID: PMC9726737 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1057375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
It is of international priority to develop a vaccine against sexually transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis infections to combat the continued global spread of the infection. The optimal immunization strategy still remains to be fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate immunization strategies in a nonhuman primate (NHP) model. Cynomolgus macaques (Macaqua fascicularis) were immunized following different multi-component prime-boost immunization-schedules and subsequently challenged with C. trachomatis SvD in the lower genital tract. The immunization antigens included the recombinant protein antigen CTH522 adjuvanted with CAF01 or aluminium hydroxide, MOMP DNA antigen and MOMP vector antigens (HuAd5 MOMP and MVA MOMP). All antigen constructs were highly immunogenic raising significant systemic C. trachomatis-specific IgG responses. In particularly the CTH522 protein vaccinated groups raised a fast and strong pecificsIgG in serum. The mapping of specific B cell epitopes within the MOMP showed that all vaccinated groups, recognized epitopes near or within the variable domains (VD) of MOMP, with a consistent VD4 response in all animals. Furthermore, serum from all vaccinated groups were able to in vitro neutralize both SvD, SvE and SvF. Antibody responses were reflected on the vaginal and ocular mucosa, which showed detectable levels of IgG. Vaccines also induced C. trachomatis-specific cell mediated responses, as shown by in vitro stimulation and intracellular cytokine staining of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In general, the protein (CTH522) vaccinated groups established a multifunctional CD4 T cell response, whereas the DNA and Vector vaccinated groups also established a CD8 T cells response. Following vaginal challenge with C. trachomatis SvD, several of the vaccinated groups showed accelerated clearance of the infection, but especially the DNA group, boosted with CAF01 adjuvanted CTH522 to achieve a balanced CD4/CD8 T cell response combined with an IgG response, showed accelerated clearance of the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Lorenzen
- Chlamydia Vaccine Research, Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vanessa Contreras
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Center for Immunology of Viral, Auto-immune, Hematological and Bacterial diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), Fontenay-aux-Roses & Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Anja W. Olsen
- Chlamydia Vaccine Research, Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Andersen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation, Infectious Disease, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Delphine Desjardins
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Center for Immunology of Viral, Auto-immune, Hematological and Bacterial diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), Fontenay-aux-Roses & Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Ida Rosenkrands
- Chlamydia Vaccine Research, Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Helene Bæk Juel
- Novo Nordisk Foundation, Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Benoit Delache
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Center for Immunology of Viral, Auto-immune, Hematological and Bacterial diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), Fontenay-aux-Roses & Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Sebastien Langlois
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Center for Immunology of Viral, Auto-immune, Hematological and Bacterial diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), Fontenay-aux-Roses & Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Constance Delaugerre
- Laboratory of Virology, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Université de Paris, Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Christophe Joubert
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Center for Immunology of Viral, Auto-immune, Hematological and Bacterial diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), Fontenay-aux-Roses & Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Nathalie Dereuddre-Bosquet
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Center for Immunology of Viral, Auto-immune, Hematological and Bacterial diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), Fontenay-aux-Roses & Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Cécile Bébéar
- Bordeaux University Hopsital, Bacteriology Department, National Reference Centre for bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections, Bordeaux, France
| | - Bertille De Barbeyrac
- Bordeaux University Hopsital, Bacteriology Department, National Reference Centre for bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections, Bordeaux, France
| | - Arabella Touati
- Bordeaux University Hopsital, Bacteriology Department, National Reference Centre for bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections, Bordeaux, France
| | - Paul F. McKay
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robin J. Shattock
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Roger Le Grand
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Center for Immunology of Viral, Auto-immune, Hematological and Bacterial diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), Fontenay-aux-Roses & Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Frank Follmann
- Chlamydia Vaccine Research, Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jes Dietrich
- Chlamydia Vaccine Research, Department of Infectious Disease Immunology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark,*Correspondence: Jes Dietrich,
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Benamri I, Azzouzi M, Moussa A, Radouani F. An in silico analysis of rpoB mutations to affect Chlamydia trachomatis sensitivity to rifamycin. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2022; 20:146. [DOI: 10.1186/s43141-022-00428-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular gram-negative pathogen, responsible for diverse affections, mainly trachoma and sexually transmitted diseases. Antibiotics are the commonly used drugs to tackle chlamydiae infections. However, when overused or wrongly used this may lead to strains’ resistance to antibiotics, this phenomenon represents a real health problem worldwide. Numerous studies showed the association of Chlamydia trachomatis resistance with mutations in different genes; these mutations could have a deleterious or neutral impacts on the encoded proteins. The aim of this study is to perform an in silico analysis of C. trachomatis rpoB-encoded proteins using numerous bioinformatics tools and to identify the functional and structural-related effects of the mutations and consequently their impact on the bacteria sensitivity to antibiotics.
Results
The analysis revealed that the prediction of the damaging impact related to the mutations in rpoB-encoded proteins showed eight mutations: V136F, Q458K, V466A, A467T, H471N, H471Y, H471L, and I517M with big deleterious effects. Among them, six mutations, V136F, Q458K, V466A, A467T, H471N, and I517M, are located in a highly conserved regions decreasing the protein’s stability. Furthermore, the structures analysis showed that the mutations A467T, H471N, I517M, and V136F models had a high deviation compared to the wild type. Moreover, the prediction of protein-protein network indicated that rpoB wild type interacts strongly with 10 proteins of C. trachomatis, which are playing different roles at different levels.
Conclusion
As conclusion, the present study revealed that the changes observed in the encoded proteins can affect their functions and structures, in addition to their interactions with other proteins which impact the bacteria sensitivity to antibiotics. Consequently, the information revealed through this in silico analysis would be useful for deeper exploration to understand the mechanisms of C. trachomatis resistance and enable managing the infection to avoid its complications. We recommend further investigations and perform deeper experimental analysis with collaboration between bioinformaticians, physicians, biologists, pharmacists, and chemistry and biochemistry scientists.
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24
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Begg AP, Carrick J, Chicken C, Blishen A, Todhunter K, Eamens K, Jenkins C. Fetoplacental pathology of equine abortion, premature birth, and neonatal loss due to Chlamydia psittaci. Vet Pathol 2022; 59:983-996. [PMID: 36062911 DOI: 10.1177/03009858221120008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This report describes the fetoplacental pathology of Chlamydia psittaci-associated abortion, premature birth, and neonatal loss in 46 of 442 equine abortion investigations between 2015 and 2019. Seven abortions, 26 premature births, and 13 neonatal deaths with positive C. psittaci polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were evaluated. In 83% of cases (38/46), C. psittaci infection was considered as the primary cause of loss based on quantitative PCR (qPCR) confirmation, pathological findings, and exclusion of other causes, and was supported by Chlamydia spp immunolabeling in fetoplacental lesions. Lymphohistiocytic placentitis with vasculitis (36/38) affected the amnion, umbilical cord, and chorioallantois at the umbilical vessel insertion and/or cervical pole. Lymphohistiocytic chorionitis in the subvillous stroma extended to the allantois mostly without villous destruction. Lymphohistiocytic amnionitis and funisitis occurred at the amniotic cord attachment. Lymphohistiocytic hepatitis was observed in 19/38 cases and pneumonia was identified in 26 cases. Chlamydia spp immunolabeled in placenta, lung, liver, or splenic tissue in the cases that were tested (14/38). C. psittaci infection was not the cause of loss in 2 cases with other diseases and of uncertain significance in 6 cases with no conclusive cause of loss. immunohistochemistry (IHC) was negative for 6 of these cases (6/8). The highest Chlamydia load was detected in pooled placental tissues by qPCR. qPCR and IHC had 83% congruence at a qPCR cut-off of 1 gene copy. IHC limits of detection corresponded to infections with 2 × 102 gene copies identified by qPCR. This study confirms the etiological role of C. psittaci as a cause of naturally occurring equine reproductive loss.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joan Carrick
- Equine Specialist Consulting, Scone, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Anna Blishen
- Scone Equine Hospital Laboratory, Scone, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Kieran Eamens
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, NSW, Australia
| | - Cheryl Jenkins
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, NSW, Australia
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25
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Tang J, Tan W, Luo L, Xu H, Li N. Application of Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing in the Diagnosis of Pneumonia Caused by Chlamydia psittaci. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0238421. [PMID: 35938720 PMCID: PMC9431268 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02384-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Psittacosis is an uncommon disease which mainly presents as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We aim to apply metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) as a promising tool in the diagnosis of psittacosis pneumonia and to describe its clinical spectrum to provide physicians with a better understanding and recognition of this disease. Thirteen cases of psittacosis pneumonia were diagnosed by using mNGS. A retrospective analysis of the data on clinical manifestations, laboratory data, computed tomography (CT) images, new diagnosis tools, treatments, and outcomes was summarized. These patients had common symptoms of fever and weakness; some had poor appetite, cough, myalgia, and headache. Ten patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), among which six patients were severe pneumonia cases and needed ventilator therapy. Most patients got psittacosis pneumonia during the cold season. Ten cases were sporadic, but three were family clustering. All of the 13 patients were traced to an exposure history to birds, cat, or poultry, among which 2 only touched the innards of killed poultry before cooking, which may be an atypical exposure history not been reported before, to our knowledge. Most patients had various degrees of liver dysfunction. Air-space consolidations, along with ground-glass opacities and reticular shadows, were detected on chest CT scan. mNGS takes 48 to 72 h to provide results and helps to diagnose psittacosis. After being diagnosed by mNGS, with effective medicines, all patients finally had complete recoveries. The use of mNGS can improve the diagnostic rate of psittacosis pneumonia and shorten the course of disease control. IMPORTANCE Psittacosis pneumonia is easily underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. In this study, we use mNGS in the diagnosis of psittacosis pneumonia. We found this disease is prone in the cold season, and touching the innards of killed poultry during cooking may be an atypical exposure history which has not been reported before to our knowledge. There are sporadic cases and family outbreak cases as well. Except for typical symptoms of fever and weakness, headache may be the main and only symptom in some patients. The rate of severe pneumonia is high among inpatients with psittacosis pneumonia, and the incidence of hepatic involvements is also high. Psittacosis pneumonia can be cured if the diagnosis is accurate and in time, even if it is severe pneumonia on admission. Some problems worthy of our attention about psittacosis pneumonia were put forward, such as its sick season, special exposure history, the rate of severe disease, and the high cure rate. mNGS can quickly and objectively detect more rare pathogenic microorganisms in clinical specimens without the need for specific amplification and has an advantage in the diagnosis of rare pathogenic bacteria in difficult cases such as psittacosis pneumonia. The use of mNGS can improve the accuracy and reduce the delay in the diagnosis of psittacosis, which shortens the course of disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junli Tang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wanmei Tan
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lingxin Luo
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huan Xu
- Vision Medicals Center for Infection Disease, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
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26
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Martínez-Serrano MG, Díaz-Aparicio E, Palomares-Reséndiz G, Tórtora-Pérez JL, Ramírez-Álvarez H, Ortega-Hernández N, Salinas-Lorente J, Morales-Alvarez JF, Cervantes-Morali JJC. Presence of Chlamydia abortus in colostrum, milk and vaginal discharge samples of sheep. REV COLOMB CIENC PEC 2022. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.17533/udea.rccp.v35n2a04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The main transmission route of Chlamydia abortus is by ingesting the microorganism that has been eliminated in vaginal secretions, placental membranes or abortions that contaminate the environment and, possibly, through milk and colostrum. Elimination through vaginal secretions is well documented. However, there are no reports about isolation and identification of C. abortus in the colostrum or milk of infected sheep, so it is important to determine whether or not C. abortus may be present in these secretions, which are the only food of lambs. Objective: To detect C. abortus in colostrum, milk, and vaginal secretions of sheep with a history of reproductive disorders. Methods: Colostrum, milk, and vaginal exudates were collected from 66 sheep. The samples were inoculated in mouse fibroblast cell cultures and the presence of C. abortus determined by direct immunofluorescence. Results: 19 out of 66 colostrum samples (28.7%), 14 out of 66 milk samples (21.2%) and 17 out of 66 vaginal swabs (25.7%) were positive for C. abortus. The 50 samples positive for isolation and detected by immunofluorescence, together with 42 negative samples were subjected to qPCR to amplify a fragment of the ompA gene from C. abortus. Thirty-eight of the 92 samples processed by this technique were positive for C. abortus. Conclusion: The results demonstrated the presence of C. abortus in a high proportion in colostrum, milk and vaginal secretions of infected sheep. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first field study confirming the presence of C. abortus in colostrum, which shows that excretion of Chlamydia by lactogenesis could occur in the first hours after birth.
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Zhang Z, Zhou H, Cao H, Ji J, Zhang R, Li W, Guo H, Chen L, Ma C, Cui M, Wang J, Chen H, Ding G, Yan C, Dong L, Holmes EC, Meng L, Hou P, Shi W. Human-to-human transmission of Chlamydia psittaci in China, 2020: an epidemiological and aetiological investigation. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2022; 3:e512-e520. [PMID: 35617977 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(22)00064-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chlamydia psittaci can infect a wide range of avian species, occasionally causing psittacosis (also known as parrot fever) in humans. Most human psittacosis cases are associated with close contact with pet birds or poultry. In December, 2020, an outbreak of severe community-acquired pneumonia of unknown aetiology was reported in a hospital in Shandong province, China, and some of the patients' close contacts had respiratory symptoms. Our aims were to determine the causative agent of this epidemic and whether there had been human-to-human transmission. METHODS For this epidemiological and aetiological investigation study, we enrolled patients who had community-acquired pneumonia confirmed by chest CT at two local hospitals in Shandong Province in China. We collected sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and nasopharyngeal swab samples from participants and detected pathogens by surveying for 22 target respiratory microbes using a commercial assay, followed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing, specific nested PCR, and qPCR tests. We excluded individuals who were C psittaci-negative on both tests. We recruited close contacts of the C psittaci-positive patients, and tested nasopharyngeal swabs from the close contacts and samples from ducks from the processing plant where these patients worked. We then integrated the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data to reveal the potential chain of transmission of C psittaci that characterised this outbreak. FINDINGS Between Dec 4 and 29, 2020, we used metagenomic next-generation sequencing and different PCR-based approaches to test 12 inpatients with community-acquired pneumonia, of whom six (50%) were workers at a duck-meat processing plant and two (17%) were unemployed people, who were positive for C psittaci and enrolled in this study. We contacted 61 close contacts of the six patients who worked at the duck-meat processing plant, of whom 61 (100%) were enrolled and tested, and we determined that the community-acquired pneumonia outbreak was caused by C psittaci. Within the outbreak cluster, 17 (77%) of 22 participants had confirmed C psittaci infections and five (23%) of 22 participants were asymptomatic C psittaci carriers. The outbreak had begun with avian-to-human transmission, and was followed by secondary and tertiary human-to-human transmission, which included transmission by several asymptomatic carriers and by health-care workers. In addition, some of the participants with confirmed C psittaci infection had no identified source of infection, which suggested cryptic bacterial transmission. INTERPRETATION Our study data might represent the first documented report of human-to-human transmission of C psittaci in China. Therefore, C psittaci has the potential to evolve human-to-human transmission via various routes, should be considered an elevated biosecurity and emergent risk, and be included as part of the routine diagnosis globally, especially for high-risk populations. FUNDING Academic Promotion Programme of Shandong First Medical University, National Science and Technology Major Project, ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aetiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China
| | - Hong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Aetiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China
| | - Huae Cao
- Department of Infectious Disease, Xintai Third People's Hospital, Tai'an, China
| | - Jingkai Ji
- Key Laboratory of Aetiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China
| | - Rongqiang Zhang
- Clinical Laboratory, The Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of Tai'an, Tai'an, China
| | - Wenxin Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai'an, China
| | - Hongfeng Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xintai Third People's Hospital, Tai'an, China
| | - Long Chen
- Department of Infectious Disease, Xintai Third People's Hospital, Tai'an, China
| | - Chuanmin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Aetiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China
| | - Mingxue Cui
- Key Laboratory of Aetiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Aetiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China
| | - Hao Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Ji'ning, China
| | - Guoyong Ding
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China
| | - Chengxin Yan
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai'an, China
| | - Liang Dong
- Shandong Institute of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan, China
| | - Edward C Holmes
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ling Meng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai'an, China
| | - Peiqiang Hou
- Clinical Laboratory, The Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of Tai'an, Tai'an, China
| | - Weifeng Shi
- Key Laboratory of Aetiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China; School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an, China.
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28
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Wang Y, Zhang A, Wei X, Zhang Z, Bi X, Yuan X, Geng Y, He N, Chen M, Xu X, Xia H, Wen H, Xu Y. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing identified psittacosis among poultry processing workers in Shandong Province, China. INFECTIOUS MEDICINE 2022; 1:135-139. [PMID: 38073879 PMCID: PMC10699661 DOI: 10.1016/j.imj.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Human infection with Chlamydia psittaci is rare but difficult to recognize. We report an outbreak of psittacosis among poultry processing workers in China. We applied metagenomic next-generation sequencing and identified Chlamydia psittaci reads from samples of all seven patients, four of which were subsequently confirmed by PCR. Epidemiological results suggested that the poultry processed in the factory was the possible source of human infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Wang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Aihua Zhang
- Taian Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Taian, Shandong, 271000, China
| | - Xuemin Wei
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Taian Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Taian, Shandong, 271000, China
| | - Xiujuan Bi
- Taian Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Taian, Shandong, 271000, China
| | - Xiao Yuan
- Taian Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Taian, Shandong, 271000, China
| | - Yuzhi Geng
- Xintai Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Xintai, Shandong, China
| | - Nianzheng He
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Mengting Chen
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Xiaoying Xu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Han Xia
- Hugobiotech Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100000, China
| | - Hongling Wen
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Yifei Xu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
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Limón-González MM, Hernández-Castro R, Martínez-Hernández F, Xicohtencatl-Cortes J, Ramírez-Alvarez H, Palomares-Resendiz EG, Díaz-Aparicio E. Genetic diversity of Chlamydia pecorum detected in sheep flocks from Mexico. Braz J Microbiol 2022. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.1007/s42770-022-00682-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
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Turin L, Surini S, Wheelhouse N, Rocchi MS. Recent advances and public health implications for environmental exposure to Chlamydia abortus: from enzootic to zoonotic disease. Vet Res 2022; 53:37. [PMID: 35642008 PMCID: PMC9152823 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-022-01052-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental transmission of Chlamydia abortus as a result of enzootic disease or disease outbreaks and the threats posed by this pathogen has been previously reported, however a state-of-the-science review of these reports and the identification of future research priorities in this area is still lacking. This study provides an overview of the current knowledge of host–pathogen–environment interactions, addressing public health risks and identifying critical questions and research gaps. We performed a systematic PubMed and Web of Science search for publications related to Chlamydia abortus in the past four decades, and we reviewed and combined the evidence critically discussing and commenting the results. A total of 182 studies, 5 chapters of specific books and the “OIE terrestrial manual” were included in this review. There were substantial variations between the studies in topic addressed and experimental design. Overall, the literature largely supports the crucial role played by environmental exposure on the acquisition of zoonotic disease caused by Chlamydia abortus. We also identify the paucity of information related to interspecies transmission and pathogen adaptation in relation to environmental dissemination and zoonotic risk. This analysis further highlights the need for additional research given that environmental transmission represents a serious risk not only to susceptible patients (pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals), but also for other species including wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauretta Turin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (DIMEVET), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Sara Surini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (DIMEVET), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Nick Wheelhouse
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN, UK
| | - Mara Silvia Rocchi
- Moredun Research Institute, Bush Loan, Pentlands Science Park, Penicuik, EH26 0PZ, Scotland, UK
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Orjuela AG, Reyes Castañeda LJ, Tobón JC, Parra Arango JL, Guzmán-Barragán B. Seroprevalence of antibodies to Chlamydia abortus and risk factors in cattle from Villavicencio, Colombia. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09481. [PMID: 35637665 PMCID: PMC9142854 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus is a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium, responsible for abortions and reproductive problems. The disease has a high zoonotic potential and causes great economic losses in ruminant farmers. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 514 cattle from 24 farms of Villavicencio, Colombia. The blood samples were collected from each individual animal and analyzed by Indirect Elisa for immunoglobulin G (IgG) in blood serum (Idexx Chlamydiosis total Ab test). A serum was considered positive when the optical density (OD) of the sample was ≥30% of that of the positive control serum. Data on potential risk factors associated with the disease were collected through a questionnaire in each farm and analyzed. The individual and herd prevalence was estimated. A risk factors analysis was performed through univariate and multivariable using the software SPSS version 20. The animal level seroprevalence was found to be 47.1% and the herd 91.6%. The prevalence in cattle aged 0-1, 1-3 and >4 years was 23.8%; 31.4% and 51.4% respectively. The risk factors associated with the prevalence of disease were female sex (OR = 2.102 CI: 1.066-4.144), age older than 4 years (OR = 2.707 CI: 1.667-4.394), presence of canines on the farm (OR = 2.556 CI: 1.560-4.189) and retention of placenta (OR = 2.678 CI: 1.670-4.295). A high prevalence was identified, suggesting natural infection where the pathogen could be transmitted to humans at the animal-human interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Góngora Orjuela
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de los Llanos, Villavicencio, Colombia
| | | | - Julio César Tobón
- Industria Colombiana de Productos Veterinarios (Vecol), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jorge L. Parra Arango
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de los Llanos, Villavicencio, Colombia
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Pace A, Vicari N, Rigamonti S, Magnino S, Borrelli L, Dipineto L, Fioretti A, Hochscheid S, Tavares L, Duarte A. Detection of Chlamydial DNA from Mediterranean Loggerhead Sea Turtles in Southern Italy. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12060715. [PMID: 35327112 PMCID: PMC8944518 DOI: 10.3390/ani12060715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that include pathogens of human and veterinary importance. Several reptiles were reported to host chlamydial agents, but pathogenicity in these animals still needs clarification. Given that only one report of chlamydiosis was described in sea turtles, and that chlamydiae might also be detected in hosts without clinical signs, the current study examined asymptomatic Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtles for the presence of chlamydial DNA. Twenty loggerhead sea turtles, rehabilitated at the Marine Turtle Research Centre (Portici, Italy), were examined collecting ocular-conjunctival, oropharyngeal and nasal swabs. Samples were processed through quantitative and conventional PCR analyses to identify Chlamydiales and Chlamydiaceae, with particular attention to C. pecorum, C. pneumoniae, C. psittaci, and C. trachomatis. Although it was not possible to determine the species of chlamydiae involved, the detection of chlamydial DNA from the collected samples suggests that these microorganisms might act as opportunistic pathogens, and underlines the role of sea turtles as potential carriers. This study highlights the presence of chlamydial agents in sea turtles, and encourages further research to fully characterize these microorganisms, in order to improve the management of the health and conservation of these endangered species, and prevent potential zoonotic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonino Pace
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Department of Marine Animal Conservation and Public Engagement, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80055 Portici, Italy;
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy; (L.B.); (L.D.); (A.F.)
- Correspondence: or
| | - Nadia Vicari
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Chlamydioses, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini”, Sede Territoriale di Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (N.V.); (S.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Sara Rigamonti
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Chlamydioses, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini”, Sede Territoriale di Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (N.V.); (S.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Simone Magnino
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Chlamydioses, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini”, Sede Territoriale di Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (N.V.); (S.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Luca Borrelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy; (L.B.); (L.D.); (A.F.)
| | - Ludovico Dipineto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy; (L.B.); (L.D.); (A.F.)
| | - Alessandro Fioretti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy; (L.B.); (L.D.); (A.F.)
| | - Sandra Hochscheid
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Department of Marine Animal Conservation and Public Engagement, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80055 Portici, Italy;
| | - Luís Tavares
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; (L.T.); (A.D.)
| | - Ana Duarte
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; (L.T.); (A.D.)
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Limón-González MM, Hernández-Castro R, Martínez-Hernández F, Xicohtencatl-Cortes J, Ramírez-Alvarez H, Palomares-Resendiz EG, Díaz-Aparicio E. Genetic diversity of Chlamydia pecorum detected in sheep flocks from Mexico. Braz J Microbiol 2022. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-022-00682-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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Limón-González MM, Hernández-Castro R, Martínez-Hernández F, Xicohtencatl-Cortes J, Ramírez-Alvarez H, Palomares-Resendiz EG, Díaz-Aparicio E. Genetic diversity of Chlamydia pecorum detected in sheep flocks from Mexico. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:605-613. [PMID: 35119684 PMCID: PMC9151965 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00682-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia pecorum, an obligate intracellular bacterium, is associated with reproductive and systemic diseases in sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, and koalas. The main conditions include polyarthritis, conjunctivitis, enteritis, pneumonia, encephalomyelitis, orchitis, placentitis, and abortion. Even though there are several studies showing that C. pecorum infections are widely spread in the world, in Mexico there are no reports. During 2016, as part of a sheep restocking program in Mexico, sheep were imported from New Zealand. Briefly after their arrival in the herds in the State of Mexico, these sheep presented abortions during the last third of gestation. A total of 62 sheep vaginal swabs that had presented abortion from different municipalities of the State of Mexico were collected. Bacterial isolation was performed using L929 mouse fibroblasts, and molecular identification was achieved by 23S rRNA (Chlamydiaceae family) and ompA gene (species-specific) real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, the 16S rRNA subunit and ompA gene were amplified and sequenced. Seven of 62 samples were positive for C. pecorum by bacterial isolation, 23S rRNA, and ompA gene real-time PCR. The 16S rRNA subunit and ompA gene amplicons were purified and the nucleotide sequence was determined in both directions. The consensus sequences homology search was performed using BLASTn analysis and showed a 100% of homology with the C. pecorum 16S rRNA subunit and 99% with the C. pecorum ompA gene. The population structure analyses using ompA gene demonstrated 15 genetic populations or clusters of 198 sequences from GenBank and our sequences were in a particular genetic structure corresponding to genotype "O." Herein, we describe the presence of C. pecorum in sheep imported from New Zealand into Mexico. Genetic analysis of the ompA gene showed that the isolates belong to genotype O and are related to strains isolated from sheep, cattle, and koalas.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Limón-González
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - R Hernández-Castro
- Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González", Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - F Martínez-Hernández
- Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González", Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - J Xicohtencatl-Cortes
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México "Dr. Federico Gómez", Cuauhtémoc, 06720, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - H Ramírez-Alvarez
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 54714, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - E G Palomares-Resendiz
- Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad (CENID-SAI), Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones ForestalesAgrícolas y Pecuarias, Cuajimalpa, 05110, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - E Díaz-Aparicio
- Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad (CENID-SAI), Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones ForestalesAgrícolas y Pecuarias, Cuajimalpa, 05110, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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Ruiz-Laiton A, Molano-Ayala N, García-Castiblanco S, Puentes-Orozco AM, Falla AC, Camargo M, Roa L, Rodríguez-López A, Patarroyo MA, Avendaño C. The prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci in confiscated Psittacidae in Colombia. Prev Vet Med 2022; 200:105591. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2022.105591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Barati S, Bakhtiari NM, Shokoohizadeh L, Ghorbanpoor M, Momtaz H. Genotyping of Chlamydia abortus using multiple loci variable number of tandem repeats analysis technique. BMC Vet Res 2022; 18:54. [PMID: 35073930 PMCID: PMC8785486 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03142-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The correlation between various factors (geographical region, clinical incidence, and host type) and the genomic heterogeneity has been shown in several bacterial strains including Chlamydia abortus. Methods The aim of this study was to survey the predominant types of C. abortus strains isolated from ruminants in Iran by the multiple loci variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) method. C. abortus infection was evaluated in a total of 117 aborted fetuses by real-time PCR. The isolation was done via the inoculation of the positive samples in chicken embryo and the L929 cell line. Genotyping was carried out by MLVA typing technique. Results Forty samples (34.2%) were detected with C. abortus infection; however, chlamydial infection in ruminants of Charmahal/Bakhtiari (3 bovines and 35 sheep) was higher than that of Khuzestan (2 sheep). All MLVA types (MT1-MT8) were detected in the collected samples from Charmahal/Bakhtiari but only 2 types (MT1 and MT3) were reported in samples from Khuzestan. The main MT type was MT1 (32% of aborted fetuses). Although in this study only 9 cow samples were investigated, they possessed similar clusters to those obtained from sheep (MT1 and MT6). Variation of type in sheep samples (MT1 to MT8) was more than that of bovine samples (MT1, and MT6). Conclusion By this research revealed that C.abortus was responsible for a significant percentage of ruminant abortion in two studied regions. The main MT type was MT1 (32% of aborted fetuses) and also 7 different genotypes were involved in infections. So it is concluded that diversity in C.abortus genotyping is high in two regions.
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Del Rio L, Murcia-Belmonte A, Buendía AJ, Navarro JA, Ortega N, Alvarez D, Salinas J, Caro MR. Effect of Female Sex Hormones on the Immune Response against Chlamydia abortus and on Protection Conferred by an Inactivated Experimental Vaccine in a Mouse Model. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11010093. [PMID: 35056041 PMCID: PMC8781621 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11010093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mice are valuable models extensively used to test vaccine candidates against Chlamydia abortus and to clarify immunopathological mechanisms of the bacteria. As this pathogen has the ability to reactivate during pregnancy, it is important to deepen the knowledge and understanding of some of the effects of female hormones on immunity and vaccination. This study is aimed at describing the role of sex hormones in the pathology of OEA during chlamydial clearance using ovariectomised mice and also gaining an understanding of how 17β-oestradiol or progesterone may impact the effectiveness of vaccination. Animals were treated with sex hormones and infected with C. abortus, and the kinetics of infection and immune response were analysed by means of bacterial isolation, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. In a second phase of the study, protection conferred by an experimental vaccine after hormone treatment was assessed. Oestradiol showed a stimulatory effect on the immune response during infection, with a more efficient recruitment of macrophages and T-cells at the infection site. Furthermore, after vaccination, oestradiol-treated animals showed a stronger protection against infection, indicating that this hormone has a positive effect, stimulating a specific memory response to the pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Del Rio
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.M.-B.); (N.O.); (D.A.); (J.S.); (M.R.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Antonio Murcia-Belmonte
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.M.-B.); (N.O.); (D.A.); (J.S.); (M.R.C.)
| | - Antonio Julián Buendía
- Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.J.B.); (J.A.N.)
| | - Jose Antonio Navarro
- Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.J.B.); (J.A.N.)
| | - Nieves Ortega
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.M.-B.); (N.O.); (D.A.); (J.S.); (M.R.C.)
| | - Daniel Alvarez
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.M.-B.); (N.O.); (D.A.); (J.S.); (M.R.C.)
| | - Jesús Salinas
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.M.-B.); (N.O.); (D.A.); (J.S.); (M.R.C.)
| | - María Rosa Caro
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.M.-B.); (N.O.); (D.A.); (J.S.); (M.R.C.)
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Wheelhouse N, Hearn J, Livingstone M, Flockhart A, Dagleish M, Longbottom D. Identification of Parachlamydiaceae DNA in nasal and rectal passages of healthy dairy cattle. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 132:2642-2648. [PMID: 34932865 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15422] [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: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The order Chlamydiales comprises a broad range of bacterial pathogens and endosymbionts, which infect a wide variety of host species. Within this order, members of the family Parachlamydiaceae, which includes Parachlamydia and Neochlamydia species, have been particularly associated with infections in both humans and cattle, including having a potential pathogenic role in cases of bovine abortion. While the route of transmission has yet to be defined, it has been hypothesised that asymptomatic carriage and contamination of the immediate environment may be a route of inter-animal transmission. We investigated the asymptomatic carriage of Chlamydia-related organisms in healthy cattle. METHODS & RESULTS DNA was isolated from nasal and rectal swabs obtained from 38 healthy dairy heifers. A Chlamydiales sp. 16S rRNA qPCR was performed on each sample. A total of 18/38 nasal samples and all 38/38 rectal samples were identified as positive for Chlamydiales sp. Each positive sample was sequenced confirming the presence of DNA belonging to the Parachlamydiaceae. CONCLUSIONS The presence of Parachlamydiaceae DNA in nasal and rectal swab samples of healthy cattle provides evidence for the asymptomatic carriage of parachlamydial organisms within cattle. SIGNIFICANCE & IMPACT OF THE STUDY The study provides evidence of potential routes of environmental contamination that could provide a route for inter-animal and animal transmission of Parachlamydiaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Wheelhouse
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jack Hearn
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Allen Flockhart
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
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Liang L, Liu D, Li Z, Zhou J, Tong D. Chlamydia abortus OmcB protein is essential for adhesion to host cells. J Basic Microbiol 2021; 61:1145-1152. [PMID: 34695236 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202100312] [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: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus (C. abortus) is one of the most important zoonotic pathogens, causing a number of serious diseases. The adhesion of C. abortus to host cells is the first and crucial step in the process of infection. Outer membrane protein 2 (OmcB) is the second most abundant outer membrane protein. It has been shown to be an important adhesin of Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae. In the present study, the OmcB gene of C. abortus was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant OmcB protein with His-tag was used to prepare polyclonal antibodies. Infectivity inhibition assays carried out with C. abortus in the presence of recombinant OmcB showed a considerable reduction (∼50%) in infectivity. Using anti-OmcB serum in infectivity inhibition assays resulted in a 30% reduction in infectivity. Anti-OmcB serum and recombinant OmcB protein in infection inhibition assays showed that OmcB is a surface-exposed protein that functions as an adhesin. The constructed deletion variant of the OmcB motif for infection inhibition assays showed that the first XBBXBX motif of the C. abortus OmcB protein is essential for binding to host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Liang
- Animal Pathology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Teaching Management Department, Kunlun College of Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Donghui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhaocai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jizhang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Dewen Tong
- Animal Pathology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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40
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Dagleish MP, Flockhart AF, Baily JL, Hall AJ, Simpson TI, Longbottom D. Presence of DNA from Chlamydia-like organisms in the nasal cavities of grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus) and three different substrates present in a breeding colony. BMC Vet Res 2021; 17:328. [PMID: 34645426 PMCID: PMC8515689 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-021-03032-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chlamydia-like organisms (CLO) have been found to be present in many environmental niches, including human sewage and agricultural run-off, as well as in a number of aquatic species worldwide. Therefore, monitoring their presence in sentinel wildlife species may be useful in assessing the wider health of marine food webs in response to habitat loss, pollution and disease. We used nasal swabs from live (n = 42) and dead (n = 50) pre-weaned grey seal pups and samples of differing natal substrates (n = 8) from an off-shore island devoid of livestock and permanent human habitation to determine if CLO DNA is present in these mammals and to identify possible sources. Results We recovered CLO DNA from 32/92 (34.7%) nasal swabs from both live (n = 17) and dead (n = 15) seal pups that clustered most closely with currently recognised species belonging to three chlamydial families: Parachlamydiaceae (n = 22), Rhabdochlamydiaceae (n = 6), and Simkaniaceae (n = 3). All DNA positive sediment samples (n = 7) clustered with the Rhabdochlamydiaceae. No difference was found in rates of recovery of CLO DNA in live versus dead pups suggesting the organisms are commensal but their potential as opportunistic secondary pathogens could not be determined. Conclusion This is the first report of CLO DNA being found in marine mammals. This identification warrants further investigation in other seal populations around the coast of the UK and in other areas of the world to determine if this finding is unique or more common than shown by this data. Further investigation would also be warranted to determine if they are present as purely commensal organisms or whether they could also be opportunistic pathogens in seals, as well as to investigate possible sources of origin, including whether they originated as a result of anthropogenic impacts, including human waste and agricultural run-off.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Dagleish
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, UK
| | - Allen F Flockhart
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, UK.,Present address: School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Johanna L Baily
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, UK.,Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,Present address: Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Ailsa J Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - T Ian Simpson
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, JCMB, The King's Buildings, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, UK.,Present address: School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Crichton Street, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David Longbottom
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, UK.
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Martínez-Serrano MG, Palomares-Reséndiz G, Tórtora-Pérez JL, Ramírez-Álvarez H, Ortega-Hernández N, Salinas-Lorente J, Morales-Alvarez JF, Cervantes-Morali JJC, Díaz-Aparicio E. Presence of Chlamydia abortus in colostrum, milk and vaginal discharge samples of sheep. REV COLOMB CIENC PEC 2021. [DOI: 10.17533/udea.rccp.v35n2a04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Amaral AF, McQueen BE, Bellingham-Johnstun K, Poston TB, Darville T, Nagarajan UM, Laplante C, Käser T. Host-Pathogen Interactions of Chlamydia trachomatis in Porcine Oviduct Epithelial Cells. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10101270. [PMID: 34684219 PMCID: PMC8540921 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10101270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) causes the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted disease leading to ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Swine not only have many similarities to humans, but they are also susceptible to Ct. Despite these benefits and the ease of access to primary tissue from this food animal, in vitro research in swine has been underutilized. This study will provide basic understanding of the Ct host–pathogen interactions in porcine oviduct epithelial cells (pOECs)—the counterparts of human Fallopian tube epithelial cells. Using NanoString technology, flow cytometry, and confocal and transmission-electron microscopy, we studied the Ct developmental cycle in pOECs, the cellular immune response, and the expression and location of the tight junction protein claudin-4. We show that Ct productively completes its developmental cycle in pOECs and induces an immune response to Ct similar to human cells: Ct mainly induced the upregulation of interferon regulated genes and T-cell attracting chemokines. Furthermore, Ct infection induced an accumulation of claudin-4 in the Ct inclusion with a coinciding reduction of membrane-bound claudin-4. Downstream effects of the reduced membrane-bound claudin-4 expression could potentially include a reduction in tight-junction expression, impaired epithelial barrier function as well as increased susceptibility to co-infections. Thereby, this study justifies the investigation of the effect of Ct on tight junctions and the mucosal epithelial barrier function. Taken together, this study demonstrates that primary pOECs represent an excellent in vitro model for research into Ct pathogenesis, cell biology and immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda F. Amaral
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA;
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Bryan E. McQueen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.E.M.); (T.D.)
| | - Kimberly Bellingham-Johnstun
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA; (K.B.-J.); (C.L.)
| | - Taylor B. Poston
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (T.B.P.); (U.M.N.)
| | - Toni Darville
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.E.M.); (T.D.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (T.B.P.); (U.M.N.)
| | - Uma M. Nagarajan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (T.B.P.); (U.M.N.)
| | - Caroline Laplante
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA; (K.B.-J.); (C.L.)
| | - Tobias Käser
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA;
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-919-513-6352
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Taheri F, Ownagh A, Mardani K. Phylogenetic and molecular analysis based on genes 16S-rRNA, OMPA and POMP to identify Chlamydia abortus infection occurrence at the milk samples of goats and sheep in west Azerbaijan of Iran. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY 2021; 13:480-487. [PMID: 34557276 PMCID: PMC8421589 DOI: 10.18502/ijm.v13i4.6972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Enzootic abortion in sheep and goats, also called ovine enzootic abortion (OEA) or enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE), is caused by Chlamydia abortus. The disease has a major economic impact as it represents the most important cause of lamb loss in sheep in parts of Europe, North America and Africa. This serious and potentially life-threatening zoonosis can also affect pregnant women after contact with lambing ewes, leading to severe febrile illness in pregnancy and loss of the foetus. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted to the Phylogenetic and Molecular Analysis based on Genes 16S-rRNA, OmpA and POMP of C. abortus in milk samples collected from sheep and goats in West Azerbaijan province, Iran. During 2018, a total number of 360 milk samples were collected from sheep (n = 180) and goats (n = 180) of different regions of the province. All milk samples were subjected to DNA extraction and examined by PCR. Results: Among 360 milk samples collected from sheep and goats, 31 (8.611%; 95% CI=6.13–11.96) were positive for Chlamydia spp. The helicase, 16S-rRNA and ompA genes were examined and resulted in 8, 31, 31 of positive samples respectively. The accession numbers have been deposited in GenBank (NCBI) (MT367602 and MT367603). Conclusion: Phylogenetic analysis based on the gene of helicase showed that most of the isolates shared similarity > 99.97%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Taheri
- Department of Microbiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran
| | - Abdulghaffar Ownagh
- Department of Microbiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran
| | - Karim Mardani
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran
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Wu HH, Feng LF, Fang SY. Application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in the diagnosis of severe pneumonia caused by Chlamydia psittaci. BMC Pulm Med 2021; 21:300. [PMID: 34556069 PMCID: PMC8461849 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-021-01673-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Psittacosis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the transmission of the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) from birds to humans. Infections in humans mainly present as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). However, most cases are treated without diagnostic testing, and the importance of Chlamydia psittaci infection as a cause of CAP is therefore unclear. Diagnostic tools, including culture, serologic test, and PCR-based methods, are available but prone to false negative results. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has been increasingly used in the diagnosis of infectious diseases, particularly when conventional diagnostic approaches have limitation. Detection of nucleic acid sequence of C. psittaci in respiratory tract samples by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is effective for early diagnosis of severe C. psittaci pneumonia. Timely treatment based on tetracycline can reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics and improve prognosis of patients with severe C. psittaci pneumonia. Methods Clinical data of thirteen patients with severe C. psittaci pneumonia diagnosed by mNGS were collected. Clinical manifestations, treatment and prognosis of patients were summarized. Results The typical symptoms of pneumonia caused by C. psittaci include fever, headache, myalgia, cough, and dyspnea. In the current study, all patients met the criteria for severe C. psittaci pneumonia and received mechanical ventilation, including noninvasive mechanical ventilation (five/thirteen) and invasive mechanical ventilation (eight/thirteen). The findings showed that patients with C. psittaci pneumonia presented with normal or slightly increased leucocytes and procalcitonin, and high C-reactive protein levels. Computed tomography manifestations included consolidation of lung parenchyma, with air bronchogram and pleural effusion in some patients. mNGS analysis results were obtained within 48–72 h. Eleven patients fully recovered after targeted treatment, however, two patients died from secondary multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Conclusions The findings of the current study show that mNGS is effective in diagnosis of C. psittaci pneumonia, and has significant diagnosis value in patients with severe infection. Patients responds well to the timely use of appropriate antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Huan Wu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Dongyang Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Dongyang, 322100, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Lan-Fang Feng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Dongyang Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Dongyang, 322100, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Shuang-Yan Fang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Dongyang Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Dongyang, 322100, Zhejiang Province, China
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45
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Sixt BS. Host cell death during infection with Chlamydia: a double-edged sword. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:5902849. [PMID: 32897321 PMCID: PMC7794043 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The phylum Chlamydiae constitutes a group of obligate intracellular bacteria that infect a remarkably diverse range of host species. Some representatives are significant pathogens of clinical or veterinary importance. For instance, Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading infectious cause of blindness and the most common bacterial agent of sexually transmitted diseases. Chlamydiae are exceptionally dependent on their eukaryotic host cells as a consequence of their developmental biology. At the same time, host cell death is an integral part of the chlamydial infection cycle. It is therefore not surprising that the bacteria have evolved exquisite and versatile strategies to modulate host cell survival and death programs to their advantage. The recent introduction of tools for genetic modification of Chlamydia spp., in combination with our increasing awareness of the complexity of regulated cell death in eukaryotic cells, and in particular of its connections to cell-intrinsic immunity, has revived the interest in this virulence trait. However, recent advances also challenged long-standing assumptions and highlighted major knowledge gaps. This review summarizes current knowledge in the field and discusses possible directions for future research, which could lead us to a deeper understanding of Chlamydia's virulence strategies and may even inspire novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara S Sixt
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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Livingstone M, Wattegedera SR, Palarea-Albaladejo J, Aitchison K, Corbett C, Sait M, Wilson K, Chianini F, Rocchi MS, Wheelhouse N, Entrican G, Longbottom D. Efficacy of Two Chlamydia abortus Subcellular Vaccines in a Pregnant Ewe Challenge Model for Ovine Enzootic Abortion. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9080898. [PMID: 34452023 PMCID: PMC8402522 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9080898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus, the aetiological agent of enzootic abortion of ewes, is a major cause of reproductive loss in small ruminants worldwide, accounting for significant economic losses to the farming industry. Disease can be managed through the use of commercial inactivated or live whole organism-based vaccines, although both have limitations particularly in terms of efficacy, safety and disease-associated outbreaks. Here we report a comparison of two experimental vaccines (chlamydial outer membrane complex (COMC) and octyl glucoside (OG)-COMC) based on detergent extracted outer membrane preparations of C. abortus and delivered as prime-boost immunisations, with the commercial live vaccine Cevac® Chlamydia in a pregnant sheep challenge model. No abortions occurred in either experimental vaccine group, while a single abortion occurred in the commercial vaccine group. Bacterial shedding, as a measure of potential risk of transmission of infection to naïve animals, was lowest in the COMC vaccinated group, with reductions of 87.5%, 86.4% and 74% observed for the COMC, OG-COMC and live commercial vaccine groups, respectively, compared to the unvaccinated challenge control group. The results show that the COMC vaccine performed the best and is a safer efficacious alternative to the commercial vaccines. However, to improve commercial viability, future studies should optimise the antigen dose and number of inoculations required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morag Livingstone
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - Sean Ranjan Wattegedera
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | | | - Kevin Aitchison
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - Cecilia Corbett
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - Michelle Sait
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - Kim Wilson
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - Francesca Chianini
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - Mara Silvia Rocchi
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - Nicholas Wheelhouse
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - Gary Entrican
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
| | - David Longbottom
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Midlothian EH26 0PZ, UK; (M.L.); (S.R.W.); (K.A.); (C.C.); (M.S.); (K.W.); (F.C.); (M.S.R.); (N.W.); (G.E.)
- Correspondence:
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Occurrence of Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia felis pmp9 Typing in Conjunctival and Rectal Samples of Swiss Stray and Pet Cats. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10080951. [PMID: 34451415 PMCID: PMC8400119 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10080951] [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] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia (C.) felis primarily replicates in feline conjunctival epithelial cells and is an important cause of conjunctivitis in cats. Data on C. felis infection rates in stray cats in Switzerland has been missing so far. We performed a qPCR-based Chlamydiaceae-screening on 565 conjunctival and 387 rectal samples from 309 stray and 86 pet cats followed by Chlamydia species identification and C. felis typing using the gene pmp9, which encodes a polymorphic membrane protein. Overall, 19.1% of the stray and 11.6% of the pet cats were Chlamydiaceae-positive with significantly higher rates in cats displaying signs of conjunctivitis (37.1%) compared to healthy animals (6.9%). Rectal shedding of Chlamydiaceae occurred in 25.0% of infected cats and was mostly associated with concurrent ocular positivity (87.5%). In 92.2% of positive conjunctival and rectal samples, the Chlamydia species was identified as C. felis and in 2.6% as C. abortus. The C. felis pmp9 gene was very conserved in the sampled population with only one single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in one conjunctival sample. In conclusion, C. felis strains are circulating in Swiss cats, are associated with conjunctivitis, have a low pmp9 genetic variability, and are rectally shed in about 16% of positive cases.
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A Review of Chlamydial Infections in Wild Birds. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10080948. [PMID: 34451412 PMCID: PMC8398480 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10080948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The Chlamydia are a globally distributed genus of bacteria that can infect and cause disease in a range of hosts. Birds are the primary host for multiple chlamydial species. The most well-known of these is Chlamydia psittaci, a zoonotic bacterium that has been identified in a range of wild and domesticated birds. Wild birds are often proposed as a reservoir of Chlamydia psittaci and potentially other chlamydial species. The aim of this review is to present the current knowledge of chlamydial infections in wild avian populations. We focus on C. psittaci but also consider other Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia-related bacteria that have been identified in wild birds. We summarise the diversity, host range, and clinical signs of infection in wild birds and consider the potential implications of these infections for zoonotic transmission and avian conservation. Chlamydial bacteria have been found in more than 70 species of wild birds, with the greatest chlamydial diversity identified in Europe. The Corvidae and Accipitridae families are emerging as significant chlamydial hosts, in addition to established wild hosts such as the Columbidae. Clarifying the effects of these bacteria on avian host fitness and the zoonotic potential of emerging Chlamydiales will help us to understand the implications of these infections for avian and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Timms
- Ceva Animal Health, Unit 3 Anglo Office Park, White Lion Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP7 9FB
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50
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Clune T, Besier S, Hair S, Hancock S, Lockwood A, Thompson A, Jelocnik M, Jacobson C. Chlamydia pecorum detection in aborted and stillborn lambs from Western Australia. Vet Res 2021; 52:84. [PMID: 34116730 PMCID: PMC8196467 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-021-00950-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Lamb survival is an important welfare and productivity issue for sheep industries worldwide. Lower lamb survival has been reported for primiparous ewes, but the causes of this are not well studied. The aim of this study was to determine causes of perinatal deaths for lambs born to primiparous ewes in Western Australia, and identify if infectious diseases are implicated. Lamb mortality from birth to marking were determined for 11 primiparous ewe flocks on 10 farms in Western Australia. Lamb mortality from birth to marking averaged 14% for single-born and 26% for multiple-born lambs. Lamb necropsies (n = 298) identified starvation–mismosthering–exposure (34%), dystocia (24%) and stillbirth (15%) as the most common causes of perinatal lamb death. There was no evidence of exotic abortigenic pathogens in aborted and stillborn lambs (n = 35). Chlamydia pecorum was detected by qPCR in 15/35 aborted and stillborn lambs on 5/6 farms. Preliminary molecular characterisation of C. pecorum detected in samples from aborted and stillborn lambs (n = 8) using both Multilocus Sequence Typing and ompA genotyping indicated all strains were genetically identical to previously described pathogenic livestock strains, denoted ST23, and dissimilar to gastrointestinal strains. High frequency of detection of a pathogenic C. pecorum strains ST23 associated with ovine abortion and stillbirth on multiple farms located across a wide geographic area has not been previously reported. Chlamydia pecorum may contribute to reproductive wastage for primiparous sheep in Western Australia. Further investigation to understand C. pecorum epidemiology and impact on sheep reproduction is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Clune
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Shane Besier
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, South Perth, WA, 6151, Australia
| | - Sam Hair
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, South Perth, WA, 6151, Australia
| | - Serina Hancock
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Amy Lockwood
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Andrew Thompson
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Martina Jelocnik
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4557, Australia
| | - Caroline Jacobson
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
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