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Condit ME, Jones E, Biggerstaff BJ, Kato CY. Procedure for spotted fever group Rickettsia isolation from limited clinical blood specimens. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010781. [PMID: 36240222 PMCID: PMC9605293 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010781] [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: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current isolation techniques for spotted fever group Rickettsia from clinical samples are laborious and are limited to tissue, blood and blood derivatives with volumes ideally greater than 1 mL. We validated the use of simplified methodologies for spotted fever group Rickettsia culture isolation that overcome sample volume limitations and provide utility in clinical diagnostics and research studies. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A modified cell culture method is evaluated for the isolation of Rickettsia ssp. from human diagnostic samples. Culture sampling method, culture platform, and growth phase analysis were evaluated to determine best practices for optimal culture isolation conditions. Rickettsial isolates (R. conorii, R. rickettsii, and R. parkeri) were grown in Vero E6 cells over a course of 5 to 7 days at low inoculum treatments (~40 bacterial copies) to standardize the sampling strategy at a copy number reflective of the bacteremia in acute diagnostic samples. This methodology was verified using small volumes (50 μL) of 25 unprocessed clinical whole blood, plasma, and serum samples from acute samples of patients suspected of having Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, of which 10 were previously confirmed positive via the PanR8 qPCR assay, 13 had no detectable Rickettsia DNA by the PanR8 qPCR assay, and 2 were not previously tested; these samples resulted in the cultivation of 7 new R. rickettsii isolates. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE We observed that rickettsial isolate growth in culture is reproducibly identified by real-time PCR testing of culture media within 72 hours after inoculation. Additionally, specimen sedimentation prior to isolation to remove red blood cells was found to decrease the amount of total organism available in the inoculum. A small volume culture method was established focusing on comparative qPCR detection rather than bacterial visualization, taking significantly shorter time to detect, and requiring less manipulation compared to traditional clinical isolate culture methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marah E. Condit
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Emma Jones
- Office of the Director, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Brad J. Biggerstaff
- Office of the Director, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Cecilia Y. Kato
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America,* E-mail:
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Vaca DJ, Dobler G, Fischer SF, Keller C, Konrad M, von Loewenich FD, Orenga S, Sapre SU, van Belkum A, Kempf VAJ. Contemporary diagnostics for medically relevant fastidious microorganisms belonging to the genera Anaplasma, Bartonella, Coxiella, Orientia, and Rickettsia. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:6530194. [PMID: 35175353 PMCID: PMC9300619 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Many of the human infectious pathogens—especially the zoonotic or vector-borne bacteria—are fastidious organisms that are difficult to cultivate because of their strong adaption to the infected host culminating in their near-complete physiological dependence on this environment. These bacterial species exhibit reduced multiplication rates once they are removed from their optimal ecological niche. This fact complicates the laboratory diagnosis of the disease and hinders the detection and further characterization of the underlying organisms, e.g. at the level of their resistance to antibiotics due to their slow growth. Here, we describe the current state of microbiological diagnostics for five genera of human pathogens with a fastidious laboratory lifestyle. For Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii, Orientia spp. and Rickettsia spp., we will summarize the existing diagnostic protocols, the specific limitations for implementation of novel diagnostic approaches and the need for further optimization or expansion of the diagnostic armamentarium. We will reflect upon the diagnostic opportunities provided by new technologies including mass spectrometry and next-generation nucleic acid sequencing. Finally, we will review the (im)possibilities of rapidly developing new in vitro diagnostic tools for diseases of which the causative agents are fastidiously growing and therefore hard to detect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana J Vaca
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- Department of Virology and Rickettsiology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Germany
| | - Silke F Fischer
- National Consulting Laboratory for Coxiella burnetii, State Health Office Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | | | - Maik Konrad
- National Consulting Laboratory for Coxiella burnetii, State Health Office Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Volkhard A J Kempf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany
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3
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An Update on the Laboratory Diagnosis of Rickettsia spp. Infection. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10101319. [PMID: 34684267 PMCID: PMC8541673 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10101319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia species causing human illness are present globally and can cause significant disease. Diagnosis and identification of this intracellular bacteria are challenging with many available diagnostic modalities suffering from several shortcomings. Detection of antibodies directed against Rickettsia spp. via serological methods remains widely used with a broad range of sensitivity and specificity values reported depending on the assay. Molecular methods, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, enables species-specific identification with a fast turnaround time; however, due to resource requirements, use in some endemic settings is limited. Reports on the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and metagenomics to diagnose Rickettsia spp. infection have been increasing. Despite offering several potential advantages in the diagnosis and surveillance of disease, genomic approaches are currently only limited to reference and research laboratories. Continued development of Rickettsia spp. diagnostics is required to improve disease detection and epidemiological surveillance, and to better understand transmission dynamics.
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Mediterranean Spotted Fever: Current Knowledge and Recent Advances. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6040172. [PMID: 34698275 PMCID: PMC8544691 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6040172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is an emerging tick-borne rickettsiosis of the spotted fever group (SFG), endemic in the Mediterranean basin. By virtue of technological innovations in molecular genetics, it has been determined that the causative agent of MSF is Rickettsia conorii subspecies conorii. The arthropod vector of this bacterium is the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The true nature of the reservoir of R. conorii conorii has not been completely deciphered yet, although many authors theorize that the canine population, other mammals, and the ticks themselves could potentially contribute as reservoirs. Typical symptoms of MSF include fever, maculopapular rash, and a characteristic eschar (“tache noire”). Atypical clinical features and severe multi-organ complications may also be present. All of these manifestations arise from the disseminated infection of the endothelium by R. conorii conorii. Several methods exist for the diagnosis of MSF. Serological tests are widely used and molecular techniques have become increasingly available. Doxycycline remains the treatment of choice, while preventive measures are focused on modification of human behavior and vector control strategies. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of MSF.
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The Isolation of Orientia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia typhi from Human Blood through Mammalian Cell Culture: a Descriptive Series of 3,227 Samples and Outcomes in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.01553-20. [PMID: 32999008 PMCID: PMC7685894 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01553-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), rickettsial infections, including scrub and murine typhus, account for a significant burden of fevers. The Mahosot Hospital Microbiology Laboratory in Vientiane, Laos, routinely performs rickettsial isolation from hospitalized patients with suspected rickettsioses using mammalian cell culture systems. We review the clinical and laboratory factors associated with successful Orientia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia typhi isolations from this laboratory over a period of 6 years between 2008 and 2014. In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), rickettsial infections, including scrub and murine typhus, account for a significant burden of fevers. The Mahosot Hospital Microbiology Laboratory in Vientiane, Laos, routinely performs rickettsial isolation from hospitalized patients with suspected rickettsioses using mammalian cell culture systems. We review the clinical and laboratory factors associated with successful Orientia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia typhi isolations from this laboratory over a period of 6 years between 2008 and 2014. The overall isolation success was 7.9% for all samples submitted and 17.3% for samples for which the patient had a positive O. tsutsugamushi or R. typhi rapid diagnostic test (RDT), serology, or PCR. The frequency of successful isolation was highest for samples submitted in November, at the end of the wet season (28.3%). A longer median duration of reported illness, a positive result for a concurrent Orientia or Rickettsia spp. quantitative PCR, and the use of antibiotics by the patient in the week before admission were significantly associated with isolation success (P < 0.05). Buffy coat inoculation and a shorter interval between sample collection and inoculation in the laboratory were associated with a higher frequency of isolation (both P < 0.05). This frequency was highest if cell culture inoculation occurred on the same day as blood sample collection. Factors related to the initial rickettsial bacterial concentration are likely the main contributors to isolation success. However, modifiable factors do contribute to the rickettsial isolation success, especially delays in inoculating patient samples into culture.
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Silatsa BA, Simo G, Githaka N, Mwaura S, Kamga RM, Oumarou F, Keambou C, Bishop RP, Djikeng A, Kuiate JR, Njiokou F, Pelle R. A comprehensive survey of the prevalence and spatial distribution of ticks infesting cattle in different agro-ecological zones of Cameroon. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:489. [PMID: 31623642 PMCID: PMC6796472 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3738-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks and tick-borne diseases are a major impediment to livestock production worldwide. Cattle trade and transnational transhumance create risks for the spread of ticks and tick-borne diseases and threaten cattle production in the absence of an effective tick control program. Few studies have been undertaken on cattle ticks in the Central African region; therefore, the need to assess the occurrence and the spatial distribution of tick vectors with the aim of establishing a baseline for monitoring future spread of tick borne-diseases in the region is urgent. Results A total of 7091 ixodid ticks were collected during a countrywide cross-sectional field survey and identified using morphological criteria. Of these, 4210 (59.4%) ticks were Amblyomma variegatum, 1112 (15.6%) Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, 708 (10.0%) Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, 28 (0.4%) Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, 210 (3.0%) Hyalomma rufipes, 768 (10.8%) Hyalomma truncatum, and 19 (0.3%) Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Three ticks of the genus Hyalomma spp. and 33 of the genus Rhipicephalus spp. were not identified to the species level. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene sequencing supported the data from morphological examination and led to identification of three additional species, namely Hyalomma dromedarii, Rhipicephalus sulcatus and Rhipicephalus pusillus. The finding of the invasive tick species R. microplus in such large numbers and the apparent displacement of the indigenous R. decoloratus is highly significant since R. microplus is a highly efficient vector of Babesia bovis. Conclusions This study reports the occurrence and current geographical distribution of important tick vectors associated with cattle in Cameroon. It appears that R. microplus is now well established and may be displacing native Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) species, such as R. decoloratus. This calls for an urgent response to safeguard the livestock sector in western central Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barberine A Silatsa
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. .,Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. .,Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Gustave Simo
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon.,Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Naftaly Githaka
- Bioscience, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Stephen Mwaura
- Bioscience, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rolin M Kamga
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon.,Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Farikou Oumarou
- Special Mission for Eradication of Tsetse Flies, Regional Tsetse Division of Adamawa, B.P 263, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
| | - Christian Keambou
- Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Richard P Bishop
- Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology (VMP), Washington State University, 100 Dairy Road, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Appolinaire Djikeng
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Jules-Roger Kuiate
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Flobert Njiokou
- Laboratory of General Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Roger Pelle
- Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Portillo A, de Sousa R, Santibáñez S, Duarte A, Edouard S, Fonseca IP, Marques C, Novakova M, Palomar AM, Santos M, Silaghi C, Tomassone L, Zúquete S, Oteo JA. Guidelines for the Detection of Rickettsia spp. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2017; 17:23-32. [PMID: 28055574 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.1966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) includes Gram-negative, small, obligate intracellular, nonmotile, pleomorphic coccobacilli bacteria transmitted by arthropods. Some of them cause human and probably also animal disease (life threatening in some patients). In these guidelines, we give clinical practice advices (microscopy, serology, molecular tools, and culture) for the microbiological study of these microorganisms in clinical samples. Since in our environment rickettsioses are mainly transmitted by ticks, practical information for the identification of these arthropods and for the study of Rickettsia infections in ticks has also been added.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aránzazu Portillo
- 1 Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases , Hospital San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño, Spain
| | - Rita de Sousa
- 2 National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge , Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - Sonia Santibáñez
- 1 Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases , Hospital San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño, Spain
| | - Ana Duarte
- 3 Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon , Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sophie Edouard
- 4 Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée-Infection , Marseille, France
| | - Isabel P Fonseca
- 3 Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon , Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cátia Marques
- 3 Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon , Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marketa Novakova
- 5 Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno , Brno, Czech Republic .,6 CEITEC VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno , Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ana M Palomar
- 1 Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases , Hospital San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño, Spain
| | - Marcos Santos
- 3 Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon , Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- 7 National Centre for Vector Entomology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Tomassone
- 8 Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino , Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Sara Zúquete
- 3 Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon , Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José A Oteo
- 1 Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases , Hospital San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño, Spain
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Abstract
With advances in molecular genetics, more pathogenic rickettsial species have been identified. Pathogenic rickettsiae are transmitted by vectors, such as arthropods, into the patient's skin and then spread into the microvascular endothelial cells. Clinical manifestations are characterized by fever with headache and myalgias, followed by rash 3 to 5 days later. The undifferentiated nature of clinical symptoms, knowledge of the epidemiology, and the patient's history of travel and exposure to arthropod vectors are critical to the empiric administration of antimicrobial therapy. Doxycycline is currently the most effective antibiotic for treatment of all spotted fever group and typhus group rickettsioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Fang
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
| | - Lucas S Blanton
- Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0435, USA
| | - David H Walker
- Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Keiller Building, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.
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Blanton LS, Idowu BM, Tatsch TN, Henderson JM, Bouyer DH, Walker DH. Opossums and Cat Fleas: New Insights in the Ecology of Murine Typhus in Galveston, Texas. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 95:457-61. [PMID: 27273642 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Murine typhus is an acute undifferentiated febrile illness caused by Rickettsia typhi The classic reservoir (Rattus spp.) and flea vector (Xenopsylla cheopis) were once culprits of murine typhus in the United States. Vector and rodent control efforts have drastically decreased the prevalence of disease, except in a few endemic foci where opossums and cat fleas play a role in transmission. Since 2012, there has been a reemergence of murine typhus in Galveston, TX. We hypothesize that opossums and cat fleas are involved in the transmission of R. typhi in Galveston. To explore this, we sought to find the seroprevalence of typhus group antibodies from opossums. We also sought to find the prevalence of R. typhi in fleas parasitizing these animals. We collected blood from 12 opossums and found that eight (66.7%) had the presence of anti-R. typhi antibodies. All opossums were infested with fleas; a total of 250 Ctenocephalides felis fleas were collected from these animals. Seven opossums (53.8%) were infested with fleas that had molecular evidence of R. typhi infection, while six (46.2%) were infested with fleas that contained Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis, an organism closely related to R. felis The minimum flea infection rate for R. typhi was 7.0%. The minimum infection rate for Candidatus R. senegalensis was 6.1%. Our study demonstrates that fleas infected with R. typhi parasitize opossums in Galveston. It is therefore likely that opossums and their fleas play a role in the city's recent reemergence of murine typhus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas S Blanton
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
| | - Boluwatife M Idowu
- School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Tyler N Tatsch
- School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | | | - Donald H Bouyer
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - David H Walker
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
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Segura F, Pons I, Pla J, Nogueras MM. Shell-vial culture and real-time PCR applied to Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis detection. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 31:1747-54. [PMID: 26289162 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-015-1925-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Murine typhus is a zoonosis transmitted by fleas, whose etiological agent is Rickettsia typhi. Rickettsia felis infection can produces similar symptoms. Both are intracellular microorganisms. Therefore, their diagnosis is difficult and their infections can be misdiagnosed. Early diagnosis prevents severity and inappropriate treatment regimens. Serology can't be applied during the early stages of infection because it requires seroconversion. Shell-vial (SV) culture assay is a powerful tool to detect Rickettsia. The aim of the study was to optimize SV using a real-time PCR as monitoring method. Moreover, the study analyzes which antibiotics are useful to isolate these microorganisms from fleas avoiding contamination by other bacteria. For the first purpose, SVs were inoculated with each microorganism. They were incubated at different temperatures and monitored by real-time PCR and classical methods (Gimenez staining and indirect immunofluorescence assay). R. typhi grew at all temperatures. R. felis grew at 28 and 32 °C. Real-time PCR was more sensitive than classical methods and it detected microorganisms much earlier. Besides, the assay sensitivity was improved by increasing the number of SV. For the second purpose, microorganisms and fleas were incubated and monitored in different concentrations of antibiotics. Gentamicin, sufamethoxazole, trimethoprim were useful for R. typhi isolation. Gentamicin, streptomycin, penicillin, and amphotericin B were useful for R. felis isolation. Finally, the optimized conditions were used to isolate R. felis from fleas collected at a veterinary clinic. R. felis was isolated at 28 and 32 °C. However, successful establishment of cultures were not possible probably due to sub-optimal conditions of samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Segura
- Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 1st Parc Taulí, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Immaculada Pons
- Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 1st Parc Taulí, 08208, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Júlia Pla
- Veterinary Clinic "Centre", 53th Colom St., 08201, Sabadell, Spain
| | - María-Mercedes Nogueras
- Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 1st Parc Taulí, 08208, Sabadell, Spain.
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Eremeeva ME, Shpynov SN, Tokarevich NK. MODERN APPROACHES TO LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS OF RICKETTSIAL DISEASES. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND IMMUNITY 2014. [DOI: 10.15789/2220-7619-2014-2-113-134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. We present a concise review of contemporary laboratory methods for diagnosis of rickettsioses with special emphasis on diseases known in Russian Federation. Classic and emerging rickettsioses are transmitted by a diverse and expanding group of arthropod vectors including ticks, fleas, lice and mites. While epidemiological and clinical clues can provide information important for initial suspicion of rickettsial infection, sensitive and specific laboratory methods are necessary for providing probable or confirmed diagnosis of the rickettsial infection. Accurate and rapid confirmation of rickettsial infection is important for ensuring proper clinical care and prompt initiation of antibiotic therapy. Correct identification of the etiology of rickettsial diseases is also important for early identification of clustered cases, novel foci of infections, and for timely initiation of public health responses to these potentially fatal infections.
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12
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Mai J, Abhyankar VV, Piccini ME, Olano JP, Willson R, Hatch AV. Rapid detection of trace bacteria in biofluids using porous monoliths in microchannels. Biosens Bioelectron 2013; 54:435-41. [PMID: 24316449 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2013.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2013] [Revised: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 11/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We present advancements in microfluidic technology for rapid detection of as few as 10 rickettsial organisms in complex biological samples. An immuno-reactive filter, macroporous polyacrylamide monolith (PAM), fabricated within a microfluidic channel enhances solid-phase immuno-capture, staining and detection of targeted bacteria. Bacterial cells in samples flowing through the channel are forced to interact with the PAM filter surface due to size exclusion, overcoming common transport and kinetic limitations for rapid (min), high-efficiency (~100%) capture. In the process, targeted cells in sample volumes of 10 μl to >100 μl are concentrated within a sub-50 nl region at the PAM filter edge in the microchannel, thus concentrating them over 1000-fold. This significantly increases sensitivity, as the hydrophilic PAM also yields low non-specific immuno-fluorescence backgrounds with samples including serum, blood and non-targeted bacteria. The concentrated target cells are detected using fluorescently-labeled antibodies. With a single 2.0×2.0×0.3 mm PAM filter, as few as 10 rickettsial organisms per 100 µl of lysed blood sample can be analyzed within 60 min, as compared to hours or even days needed for conventional detection methods. This method is highly relevant to rapid, multiplexed, low-cost point of care diagnostics at early stages of infection where diagnostics providing more immediate and actionable test results are needed to improve patient outcomes and mitigate potential natural and non-natural outbreaks or epidemics of rickettsial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Mai
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
| | - Vinay V Abhyankar
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
| | - Matthew E Piccini
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
| | - Juan P Olano
- University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Richard Willson
- University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX 77004, USA
| | - Anson V Hatch
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551, USA.
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Singh S, Eldin C, Kowalczewska M, Raoult D. Axenic culture of fastidious and intracellular bacteria. Trends Microbiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2012.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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14
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Angelakis E, Richet H, Rolain JM, La Scola B, Raoult D. Comparison of real-time quantitative PCR and culture for the diagnosis of emerging Rickettsioses. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1540. [PMID: 22413026 PMCID: PMC3295807 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2011] [Accepted: 01/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Isolation of Rickettsia species from skin biopsies may be replaced by PCR. We evaluated culture sensitivity compared to PCR based on sampling delay and previous antibiotic treatment. Methodology/Principal Findings Skin biopsies and ticks from patients with suspected Rickettsia infection were screened for Rickettsia spp. using qPCR, and positive results were amplified and sequenced for the gltA and ompA genes. Immunofluorescence for spotted fever group rickettsial antigens was done for 79 patients. All skin biopsies and only ticks that tested positive using qPCR were cultured in human embryonic lung (HEL) fibroblasts using the centrifugation-shell vial technique. Patients and ticks were classified as definitely having rickettsioses if there was direct evidence of infection with a Rickettsia sp. using culture or molecular assays or in patients if serology was positive. Data on previous antibiotic treatments were obtained for patients with rickettsiosis. Rickettsia spp. infection was diagnosed in 47 out of 145 patients (32%), 41 by PCR and 12 by culture, whereas 3 isolates were obtained from PCR negative biopsies. For 3 of the patients serology was positive although PCR and culture were negative. Rickettsia africae was the most common detected species (n = 25, [17.2%]) and isolated bacterium (n = 5, [3.4%]). The probability of isolating Rickettsia spp. was 12 times higher in untreated patients and 5.4 times higher in patients from our hometown. Rickettsia spp. was amplified in 24 out of 95 ticks (25%) and we isolated 7 R. slovaca and 1 R. raoultii from Dermacentor marginatus. Conclusions/Significance We found a positive correlation between the bacteria copies and the isolation success in skin biopsies and ticks. Culture remains critical for strain analysis but is less sensitive than serology and PCR for the diagnosis of a Rickettsia infection. Diagnosis of Rickettsia infection would benefit by use of the more rapid and sensitive method of quantitative real-time PCR than the time-intensive and less sensitive method of culturing Rickettsia species from skin biopsies. We evaluated culture sensitivity compared to PCR according to sampling delay and previous antibiotic treatment. We found that skin biopsies can be positive even when molecular tests were negative, and a negative result using molecular assays did not exclude the diagnosis of Rickettsia spp. infection. Rickettsia africae was the most common species in skin biopsies and R. slovaca was most common in ticks. We found a positive correlation between the number of bacteria copies and the isolation success in skin biopsies and ticks. The probability of isolating Rickettsia spp. was higher in untreated patients and in patients from our hometown. To increase the sensitivity of culture, skin biopsies should be sampled before treatment early in the course of the disease and should be inoculated as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Didier Raoult
- URMITE UMR 6236, CNRS-IRD, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Marseille, France
- * E-mail:
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Detección de Rickettsia sibirica mongolotimonae en biopsia de piel de exantema mediante reacción en cadena de polimerasa: descripción de un caso. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2011; 29:778-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eimc.2011.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2011] [Revised: 04/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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Coinfection with Rickettsia helvetica and Herpes Simplex Virus 2 in a Young Woman with Meningoencephalitis. Case Rep Infect Dis 2011; 2011:469194. [PMID: 22567472 PMCID: PMC3336230 DOI: 10.1155/2011/469194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2011] [Accepted: 08/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Herpes virus type 2 DNA was detected by PCR in the cerebrospinal fluid in a young woman presenting with headache, stiff neck and pleocytosis, and serological findings consistent with reactivation. Since she was exposed to ticks, Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis were excluded. Further investigation in an ongoing project, using PCR and sequencing of the amplified products, showed the presence of Rickettsia helvetica in the cerebrospinal fluid. The bacteria were also isolated in Vero cell culture, and microimmunofluorescence confirmed the development of antibodies against Rickettsia spp. with predominance of IgM reactivity consistent with recent infection. She was treated with antibiotics and improved rapidly. The patient could easily have been judged to have isolated herpes meningitis. Because Sweden and other European countries are endemic areas for rickettsioses, the paper reaffirms the importance of investigating for the presence of rickettsial infections in endemic areas in cases of meningitis of uncertain aetiology.
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Botelho-Nevers E, Rovery C, Richet H, Raoult D. Analysis of risk factors for malignant Mediterranean spotted fever indicates that fluoroquinolone treatment has a deleterious effect. J Antimicrob Chemother 2011; 66:1821-30. [DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkr218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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18
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Distinguishing Tropical Infectious Diseases from Bioterrorism. TROPICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES: PRINCIPLES, PATHOGENS AND PRACTICE 2011. [PMCID: PMC7150159 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-7020-3935-5.00125-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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19
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Nilsson K, Elfving K, Pahlson C. Rickettsia helvetica in patient with meningitis, Sweden, 2006. Emerg Infect Dis 2010; 16:490-2. [PMID: 20202426 PMCID: PMC3322002 DOI: 10.3201/eid1603.090184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenicity of Rickettsia helvetica is relatively unknown. We isolated a spotted fever group rickettsial organism from a patient with subacute meningitis. Nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA, ompB, and 17kDa genes identified the isolate as R. helvetica. This organism may be associated with serious infections such as central nervous system disorders.
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20
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Abstract
The vascular endothelium is the main target of a limited number of infectious agents, Rickettsia, Ehrlichia ruminantium, and Orientia tsutsugamushi are among them. These arthropod-transmitted obligately-intracellular bacteria cause serious systemic diseases that are not infrequently lethal. In this review, we discuss the bacterial biology, vector biology, and clinical aspects of these conditions with particular emphasis on the interactions of these bacteria with the vascular endothelium and how it responds to intracellular infection. The study of these bacteria in relevant in vivo models is likely to offer new insights into the physiology of the endothelium that have not been revealed by other models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Valbuena
- Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555-0609, USA.
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21
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Balraj P, Vestris G, Raoult D, Renesto P. Comparison of Rickettsia conorii growth within different cell lines by real-time quantitative PCR. Clin Microbiol Infect 2009; 15 Suppl 2:294-5. [PMID: 19840030 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.02243.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P Balraj
- Unité des Rickettsies, URMITE IRD-CNRS 6236, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France
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22
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Dobler G, Wölfel R. Typhus and other rickettsioses: emerging infections in Germany. DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2009; 106:348-54. [PMID: 19547738 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2009.0348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2008] [Accepted: 01/14/2009] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rickettsioses are diseases caused by rickettsiae, obligate intracellular bacteria that are transmitted by arthropods to humans. They cause various types of spotted fever and typhus. METHODS A review of the literature is presented along with the authors' own findings. RESULTS Six indigenous species of rickettsiae have been found in Germany to date, five of which have been described as human pathogens in other countries. Rickettsia slovaca causes tick-borne lymphadenitis (TIBOLA). Rickettsia helvetica is a known pathogen of nonspecific fever; its role in endocarditis is still under investigation. Rickettsia felis causes so-called flea-borne spotted fever. Rickettsia monacensis and Rickettsia massiliae were recently shown to cause the classical form of tick-borne spotted fever. The sixth indigenous species in Germany, Rickettsia sp. RpA4, has not yet been associated with any human disease. The most important rickettsioses imported to Germany by travelers are African tick bite fever and Mediterranean spotted fever. CONCLUSIONS Modern molecular biological techniques have enabled the detection of a number of rickettsial species in Germany. The medical importance of these illnesses in Germany remains to be determined. In travel medicine, imported rickettsioses play a role that should not be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Dobler
- Institut für Mikrobiologie der Bundeswehr, München, Germany.
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Ramón Blanco J, Jado I, Marín M, Sanfeliu I, Portillo A, Anda P, Pons I, Antonio Oteo J. Diagnóstico microbiológico de las infecciones por patógenos bacterianos emergentes: Anaplasma, Bartonella, Rickettsia, Tropheryma whipplei. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2008; 26:573-80. [DOI: 10.1157/13128275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Jado I, Oteo JA, Aldámiz M, Gil H, Escudero R, Ibarra V, Portu J, Portillo A, Lezaun MJ, García-Amil C, Rodríguez-Moreno I, Anda P. Rickettsia monacensis and human disease, Spain. Emerg Infect Dis 2008; 13:1405-7. [PMID: 18252123 PMCID: PMC2857266 DOI: 10.3201/eid1309.060186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We identified Rickettsia monacensis as a cause of acute tickborne rickettsiosis in 2 humans. Its pathogenic role was assessed by culture and detection of the organism in patients’ blood samples. This finding increases the number of recognized human rickettsial pathogens and expands the known geographic distribution of Mediterranean spotted fever–like cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Jado
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
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Hidalgo M, Orejuela L, Fuya P, Carrillo P, Hernandez J, Parra E, Keng C, Small M, Olano JP, Bouyer D, Castaneda E, Walker D, Valbuena G. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colombia. Emerg Infect Dis 2007; 13:1058-60. [PMID: 18214179 PMCID: PMC2878212 DOI: 10.3201/eid1307.060537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated 2 fatal cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever that occurred in 2003 and 2004 near the same locality in Colombia where the disease was first reported in the 1930s. A retrospective serosurvey of febrile patients showed that > 21% of the serum samples had antibodies aaainst spotted fever group rickettsiae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leonora Orejuela
- School of Medicine at Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | | | | | | | - Edgar Parra
- Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Colette Keng
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Melissa Small
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Juan P. Olano
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Donald Bouyer
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | | | - David Walker
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Gustavo Valbuena
- School of Medicine at Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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Quesada M, Sanfeliu I, Cardeñosa N, Segura F. Ten years' experience of isolation of Rickettsia spp. from blood samples using the shell-vial cell culture assay. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2007; 1078:578-81. [PMID: 17114782 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1374.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Two strategies to improve the efficacy of the shell-vial method for Rickettsia were analyzed. Blood samples from 59 patients with Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) were examined using the shell-vial technique. (i) DNA from positive lenses was obtained when they were contaminated. (ii) Blood sample from one patient was cultured in 17 shell-vials. R. conorii was identified in four cases by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-RFLP. Three of these were obtained from cells adherent to lenses and the fourth one by using total patient blood sample. Rickettsia isolation using all blood samples as well as DNA from shell-vial lenses could be useful in the study of rickettsial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariela Quesada
- Microbiology Laboratory, UDIAT Centre Diagnòstic, Corporació Parc Taulí, Parc Taulí s/n, E-08208 Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain.
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Wu JJ, Huang DB, Pang KR, Tyring SK. Rickettsial infections around the world, part 1: pathophysiology and the spotted fever group. J Cutan Med Surg 2006; 9:54-62. [PMID: 16392014 DOI: 10.1007/s10227-005-0133-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rickettsial diseases are an important group of infectious agents that have dermatological manifestations. These diseases are important to consider in endemic areas, but in certain suspicious cases, possible acts of bioterrorism should warrant prompt notification of the appropriate authorities. OBJECTIVE In this two part review article, we review these diverse diseases by examining established and up-to-date information about the pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of the ricksettsiae. METHODS Using PubMed to search for relevant articles, we browsed over 500 articles to compose a clinically based review article. RESULTS Part one focuses on pathophysiology of the rickettsial diseases and the clinical aspects of the spotted fever group. CONCLUSIONS At the completion of part one of this learning activity, participants should be able to discuss all of the clinical manifestations and treatments of the sported fever group. Participants should also be familiar with the pathophysiology of the rickettsial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jashin J Wu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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Distinguishing Tropical Infectious Diseases from Bioterrorism. TROPICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2006. [PMCID: PMC7152372 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-443-06668-9.50124-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Gouriet F, Fenollar F, Patrice JY, Drancourt M, Raoult D. Use of shell-vial cell culture assay for isolation of bacteria from clinical specimens: 13 years of experience. J Clin Microbiol 2005; 43:4993-5002. [PMID: 16207953 PMCID: PMC1248519 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.43.10.4993-5002.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The shell-vial culture assay is performed routinely in our laboratory. Recently we revisited our experience of using the shell-vial culture assay for the isolation of microorganisms from various clinical samples. Over a 13-year period, we have isolated 580 bacterial strains (5%) from 11,083 clinical samples tested. Over the same period, 285 isolates of rickettsiae, bartonellae, or Coxiella burnetii were cultured from a total of 7,102 samples tested. These isolates include 55 Rickettsia sp. isolates, 95 Coxiella burnetii isolates, and 135 Bartonella sp. isolates. Based on our experience with the growth of fastidious microorganisms, we have used a centrifugation shell-vial technique called JNSP, for "je ne sais pas" ("I don't know [what I am growing]") for the isolation of other microorganisms. A total of 173 isolates were cultured from the 3,861 clinical samples tested using the JNSP method. Of these, 40 isolates had not been grown before on usual axenic medium. These include 2 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 7 isolates of Streptococcus sp. and related genera, 6 Mycobacterium sp. isolates, 1 Nocardia asteroides isolate, 1 Actinomyces sp. isolate, 1 Brucella melitensis isolate, 2 Francisella tularensis isolates, 1 Mycoplasma pneumoniae isolate, and 1 Legionella pneumophila isolate. Using this protocol, we have also cultured intracellular bacteria such as Chlamydia trachomatis and we have performed the first culture and establishment of Trophyrema whipplei. Applied in our laboratory, the shell-vial culture generally exhibits a low rate of success. However, in some cases, this technique allowed microbial diagnosis when classical agar procedure and PCR were negative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédérique Gouriet
- Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
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Ecker DJ, Sampath R, Willett P, Wyatt JR, Samant V, Massire C, Hall TA, Hari K, McNeil JA, Büchen-Osmond C, Budowle B. The Microbial Rosetta Stone Database: a compilation of global and emerging infectious microorganisms and bioterrorist threat agents. BMC Microbiol 2005; 5:19. [PMID: 15850481 PMCID: PMC1127111 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-5-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2004] [Accepted: 04/25/2005] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thousands of different microorganisms affect the health, safety, and economic stability of populations. Many different medical and governmental organizations have created lists of the pathogenic microorganisms relevant to their missions; however, the nomenclature for biological agents on these lists and pathogens described in the literature is inexact. This ambiguity can be a significant block to effective communication among the diverse communities that must deal with epidemics or bioterrorist attacks. RESULTS We have developed a database known as the Microbial Rosetta Stone. The database relates microorganism names, taxonomic classifications, diseases, specific detection and treatment protocols, and relevant literature. The database structure facilitates linkage to public genomic databases. This paper focuses on the information in the database for pathogens that impact global public health, emerging infectious organisms, and bioterrorist threat agents. CONCLUSION The Microbial Rosetta Stone is available at http://www.microbialrosettastone.com/. The database provides public access to up-to-date taxonomic classifications of organisms that cause human diseases, improves the consistency of nomenclature in disease reporting, and provides useful links between different public genomic and public health databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Ecker
- Ibis Therapeutics, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, 1891 Rutherford Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA
| | - Rangarajan Sampath
- Ibis Therapeutics, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, 1891 Rutherford Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA
| | - Paul Willett
- Ibis Therapeutics, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, 1891 Rutherford Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA
| | | | - Vivek Samant
- Ibis Therapeutics, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, 1891 Rutherford Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA
| | - Christian Massire
- Ibis Therapeutics, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, 1891 Rutherford Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA
| | - Thomas A Hall
- Ibis Therapeutics, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, 1891 Rutherford Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA
| | - Kumar Hari
- Ibis Therapeutics, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, 1891 Rutherford Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA
| | - John A McNeil
- Ibis Therapeutics, a division of Isis Pharmaceuticals, 1891 Rutherford Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA
| | - Cornelia Büchen-Osmond
- International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Bruce Budowle
- Laboratory Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC 20535, USA
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Wu JJ, Huang DB, Pang KR, Tyring SK. Rickettsial Infections around the World, Part 1: Pathophysiology and the Spotted Fever Group. J Cutan Med Surg 2005. [DOI: 10.1177/120347540500900203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: The rickettsial diseases are an important group of infectious agents that have dermatological manifestations. These diseases are important to consider in endemic areas, but in certain suspicious cases, possible acts of bioterrorism should warrant prompt notification of the appropriate authorities. Objective: In this two part review article, we review these diverse diseases by examining established and up-to-date information about the pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of the ricksettsiae. Methods: Using PubMed to search for relevant articles, we browsed over 500 articles to compose a clinically based review article. Results: Part one focuses on pathophysiology of the rickettsial diseases and the clinical aspects of the spotted fever group. Conclusions: At the completion of part one of this learning activity, participants should be able to discuss all of the clinical manifestations and treatments of the sported fever group. Participants should also be familiar with the pathophysiology of the rickettsial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jashin J. Wu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - David B. Huang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Katie R. Pang
- Department of Dermatology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, Texas, USA
| | - Stephen K. Tyring
- Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houstan, Texas, USA
- Center for Clinical Studies, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Clinical Studies, 2060 Space Park Drive, Suite 200, Houston, TX, 77058, USA
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Brouqui P, Bacellar F, Baranton G, Birtles RJ, Bjoërsdorff A, Blanco JR, Caruso G, Cinco M, Fournier PE, Francavilla E, Jensenius M, Kazar J, Laferl H, Lakos A, Lotric Furlan S, Maurin M, Oteo JA, Parola P, Perez-Eid C, Peter O, Postic D, Raoult D, Tellez A, Tselentis Y, Wilske B. Guidelines for the diagnosis of tick-borne bacterial diseases in Europe. Clin Microbiol Infect 2004; 10:1108-32. [PMID: 15606643 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2004.01019.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 250] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate haematophagous acarines that parasitise every class of vertebrate (including man) and have a worldwide distribution. An increasing awareness of tick-borne diseases among clinicians and scientific researchers has led to the recent description of a number of emerging tick-borne bacterial diseases. Since the identification of Borrelia burgdorferi as the agent of Lyme disease in 1982, 11 tick-borne human bacterial pathogens have been described in Europe. Aetiological diagnosis of tick-transmitted diseases is often difficult and relies on specialised laboratories using very specific tools. Interpretation of laboratory data is very important in order to establish the diagnosis. These guidelines aim to help clinicians and microbiologists in diagnosing infection transmitted by tick bites and to provide the scientific and medical community with a better understanding of these infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Brouqui
- Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
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Abstract
As rickettsioses may be severe diseases and Rickettsia prowazekii is a potential agent of bioterrorism, highly efficient diagnostic techniques are required to detect rickettsiae in patients. We developed a nested PCR assay using single-use primers targeting single-use gene fragments present in the genomes of both Rickettsia conorii and R. prowazekii. We used this "suicide" PCR with DNA from 103 skin biopsy specimens from patients who definitely had a rickettiosis, 109 skin biopsy specimens from patients who possibly had a rickettsiosis, and 50 skin biopsy specimens from patients with nonrickettsial diseases. The suicide PCR detected "R. conorii conorii" in 38 biopsy specimens, R. africae in 28 biopsy specimens, R. slovaca in 12 biopsy specimens, "R. sibirica mongolotimonae" in 5 biopsy specimens, R. aeschlimannii in 2 biopsy specimens, and "R. conorii caspia" and "R. sibirica sibirica" in 1 biopsy specimen each. The technique had a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 68%. It was 2.2 times more sensitive than culture (P < 10(-2)) and 1.5 times more sensitive than regular PCR (P < 10(-2)). The efficacy of the suicide PCR was reduced by antibiotic therapy prior to biopsy (P < 10(-2)) and was increased when it was performed with eschar biopsy specimens (P = 0.03). We propose the use of the suicide PCR as a sensitive, specific, and versatile technique for improving the diagnosis of rickettsioses, especially when it is used on eschar biopsy specimens taken prior to antibiotic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Edouard Fournier
- Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
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Kuloglu F, Rolain JM, Fournier PE, Akata F, Tugrul M, Raoult D. First isolation of Rickettsia conorii from humans in the Trakya (European) region of Turkey. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2004; 23:609-14. [PMID: 15278729 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-004-1179-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In the Trakya region of Turkey, located in the European part of the country, presumptive cases of Mediterranean spotted fever have been diagnosed and treated every summer since the beginning of the 1990s. The aim of this prospective study was to isolate and identify the rickettsial strains from blood samples of 11 patients and from skin biopsies of 10 of these 11 patients with the diagnosis of spotted fever in the Trakya region of Turkey in 2003. Immunofluorescence assay was performed with acute-phase and convalescent-phase serum samples of 11 patients. All patients had significant antibody titers against spotted fever group rickettsiae. Rickettsia conorii was isolated from the skin biopsies of three of ten patients and was also demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction in skin biopsies of nine of ten patients. In southeastern Europe, the Balkan Peninsula (including the Trakya region of Turkey) is an area where arthropods are endemic and where new arthropod-borne infections can be detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Kuloglu
- Trakya Universitesi Tip Fakültesi, Klinik Bakteriyoloji ve Infeksiyon Hastaliklari AD, 22030 Edirne, Turkey
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Feng HM, Whitworth T, Popov V, Walker DH. Effect of antibody on the rickettsia-host cell interaction. Infect Immun 2004; 72:3524-30. [PMID: 15155660 PMCID: PMC415703 DOI: 10.1128/iai.72.6.3524-3530.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent study demonstrated that polyclonal antibodies to Rickettsia conorii and monoclonal antibodies to outer membrane proteins A (OmpA) and B (OmpB) provided effective, Fc-dependent, passive immunity, even in severe combined immunodeficient mice with an established infection. In order to determine the mechanism of protection, mouse endothelial and macrophage-like cell lines were infected with R. conorii that had been exposed to polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies to OmpA or OmpB, Fab fragments of the polyclonal antibodies, or normal serum or that were left untreated. At 0 h, Fc-dependent antibody enhancement of R. conorii adherence to endothelial and macrophage-like cell lines was inhibited by the presence of normal serum, suggesting Fc receptor-mediated adherence of opsonized rickettsiae. At 3 h, the opsonized rickettsiae had been internalized. After 72 h, inhibited survival of rickettsiae exposed to polyclonal antibodies or monoclonal antibodies to OmpA or OmpB was evident compared with growth of untreated and normal serum-treated and polyclonal Fab antibody-treated R. conorii. Polyclonal antibodies and an anti-OmpB monoclonal antibody inhibited the escape of R. conorii from the phagosome, resulting in intraphagolysosomal rickettsial death. At 48 h of infection, rickettsicidal activity of macrophages by opsonized rickettsiae was inhibited by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, superoxide dismutase, mannitol, or supplemental L-tryptophan, and endothelial rickettsicidal activity against opsonized rickettsiae was inhibited by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, superoxide dismutase, catalase, or supplemental L-tryptophan. Thus, Fc-dependent antibodies protected against R. conorii infection of endothelium and macrophages by opsonization that inhibited phagosomal escape and resulted in phagolysosomal killing mediated by nitric oxide, reactive oxygen intermediates, and L-tryptophan starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Min Feng
- Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-0609, USA
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Granel B, Bagneres D, Rossi P, Demoux AL, Aissi K, Bonin-Guillaume S, Frances Y. Un hématome sous-dural fébrile. Rev Med Interne 2004; 25 Suppl 2:S304-5. [PMID: 15460491 DOI: 10.1016/s0248-8663(04)80044-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B Granel
- Service de médecine interne, hôpital Nord, 13915 Marseille, France
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Jensenius M, Fournier PE, Raoult D. Tick-borne rickettsioses in international travellers. Int J Infect Dis 2004; 8:139-46. [PMID: 15109588 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2003.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2003] [Revised: 06/24/2003] [Accepted: 06/25/2003] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tick-borne rickettsioses are of emerging importance in today's travel medicine but have until recently received little attention. We describe the current knowledge of tick-borne rickettsioses as they relate to international travel, their microbiological diagnosis, treatment, possible prevention, and future prospects. METHODS Literature-based review and personal observations. RESULTS During the last decade, some 400 cases of tick-borne rickettsioses have been reported in international travellers, the vast majority being African tick bite fever caused by Rickettsia africae and Mediterranean spotted fever caused by Rickettsia conorii. Only a minority of infected travellers can recall a preceding tick bite. Most patients present with a mild-to-moderately severe flu-like illness typically accompanied by a cutaneous rash and an inoculation eschar at the site of the tick bite, but potentially life-threatening disease with disseminated vaculitis is occasionally seen. Definite microbiological confirmation of tick-borne rickettsioses by isolation or antigen detection is only available at reference laboratories and diagnosis must in most cases rely on clinical and epidemiological data supported by serology. Doxycycline is the recommended treatment for tick-borne rickettsioses and prevention is based on personal protective measures against tick bites when travelling in endemic areas. CONCLUSION Tick-borne rickettsiosis should be suspected in febrile returnees from endemic areas, especially in cases with skin eruptions. Travellers to endemic areas should be encouraged to use personal protective measures against tick bites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mogens Jensenius
- Department of Internal Medicine, Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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Rovery C, Rolain JM, Raoult D, Brouqui P. Shell vial culture as a tool for isolation of Brucella melitensis in chronic hepatic abscess. J Clin Microbiol 2003; 41:4460-1. [PMID: 12958294 PMCID: PMC193838 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.41.9.4460-4461.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2003] [Accepted: 06/22/2003] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A 50-year-old man was admitted with a liver abscess and positive serology for Brucella spp. Liver pus and blood cultures remained sterile on conventional culture. Inoculation of liver pus onto eukaryotic cells by the centrifugation-shell vial technique yielded Brucella melitensis, identified by 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarisse Rovery
- Service de Maladies Infectieuses et de Médecine Tropicale, Hôpital Nord, AHPM, Marseille, France
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Fenollar F, Birg ML, Gauduchon V, Raoult D. Culture of Tropheryma whipplei from human samples: a 3-year experience (1999 to 2002). J Clin Microbiol 2003; 41:3816-22. [PMID: 12904394 PMCID: PMC179773 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.41.8.3816-3822.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The culture of Tropheryma whipplei, the bacterium responsible for Whipple's disease, has been established only recently. Our objective is to describe, based on our experience, the culture of T. whipplei in HEL cells detected by immunofluorescence staining. Over 3 years, we received 18 samples for T. whipplei culture from 15 patients with Whipple's disease. Ten duodenal biopsy specimens from 10 patients with digestive symptoms were available. Five cardiac valves and three blood samples from five patients with endocarditis were also available. We correlated the results of culture with the type of sample and the culture procedure. Seven isolates were obtained, and three were subsequently established for more than 4 passages. The mean delay for the primary detection was 30 days. The bacterium was isolated more frequently from sterile specimens (5 of 8) than from duodenal biopsy specimens (2 of 10), but the difference (P = 0.14) was not significant. Decontamination of digestive samples containing colistin, amphotericin B, and cephalotin or ciprofloxacin did not impair the isolation of T. whipplei. The use of vancomycin precludes the primary isolation (7 of 12 versus 0 of 6; P = 0.08) and the establishment of T. whipplei (3 of 12 versus 0 of 6; P = 0.5). Omitting samples cultured with vancomycin, the establishment of the strain was significantly higher when antibiotics were prescribed for no more than 7 days (3 of 4 versus 0 of 8; P = 0.03). Our results demonstrate that samples must be collected within 1 week of an antibiotic regimen's initiation for the successful establishment of the bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Fenollar
- Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
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40
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Vestris G, Rolain JM, Fournier PE, Birg ML, Enea M, Patrice JY, Raoult D. Seven years' experience of isolation of Rickettsia spp. from clinical specimens using the shell vial cell culture assay. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2003; 990:371-4. [PMID: 12860657 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2003.tb07394.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G Vestris
- Unité des Rickettsies CNRS UMR-A 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
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Raoult D, La Scola B, Enea M, Fournier PE, Roux V, Fenollar F, Galvao MA, de Lamballerie X. A flea-associated Rickettsia pathogenic for humans. Emerg Infect Dis 2001; 7:73-81. [PMID: 11266297 PMCID: PMC2631683 DOI: 10.3201/eid0701.010112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A rickettsia named the ELB agent, or "Rickettsia felis," was identified by molecular biology techniques in American fleas in 1990 and later in four patients from Texas and Mexico. We attempted to isolate this rickettsia from infected fleas at various temperatures and conditions. A representative isolate of the ELB agent, the Marseille strain, was characterized and used to develop a microimmunofluorescence test that detected reactive antibodies in human sera. The ELB agent was isolated from 19 of 20 groups of polymerase chain reaction-proven infected fleas. The microimmunofluorescence results provided serologic evidence of infection by the ELB agent in four patients with fever and rash in France (2) and Brazil (2), supporting the pathogenic role of this rickettsia. Our successful isolation of this rickettsia makes it available for use in serologic tests to determine its clinical spectrum, prevalence, and distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Raoult
- Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UPRESA 6020, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille, France.
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Raoult D, Birg ML, La Scola B, Fournier PE, Enea M, Lepidi H, Roux V, Piette JC, Vandenesch F, Vital-Durand D, Marrie TJ. Cultivation of the bacillus of Whipple's disease. N Engl J Med 2000; 342:620-5. [PMID: 10699161 DOI: 10.1056/nejm200003023420903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 271] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whipple's disease is a systemic bacterial infection, but to date no isolate of the bacterium has been established in subculture, and no strain of this bacterium has been available for study. METHODS Using specimens from the aortic [corrected] valve of a patient with endocarditis due to Whipple's disease, we isolated and propagated a bacterium by inoculation in a human fibroblast cell line (HEL) with the use of a shell-vial assay. We tested serum samples from our patient, other patients with Whipple's disease, and control subjects for the presence of antibodies to this bacterium. RESULTS The bacterium of Whipple's disease was grown successfully in HEL cells, and we established subcultures of the isolate. Indirect immunofluorescence assays showed that the patient's serum reacted specifically against the bacterium. Seven of 9 serum samples from patients with Whipple's disease had IgM antibody titers of 1:50 or more, as compared with 3 of 40 samples from the control subjects (P<0.001). Polyclonal antibodies against the bacterium were generated by inoculation of the microorganism into mice and were used to detect bacteria in the excised cardiac tissue from our patient on immunohistochemical analysis. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene of the cultured bacterium was identical to the sequence for Tropheryma whippelii identified previously in tissue samples from patients with Whipple's disease. The strain we have grown is available in the French National Collection. CONCLUSIONS We cultivated the bacterium of Whipple's disease, detected specific antibodies in tissue from the source patient, and generated specific antibodies in mice to be used in the immunodetection of the microorganism in tissues. The development of a serologic test for Whipple's disease may now be possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Raoult
- Unité des Rickettsies, Université de la Méditerranée, Faculté de Médecine, Marseilles, France.
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Birg ML, La Scola B, Roux V, Brouqui P, Raoult D. Isolation of Rickettsia prowazekii from blood by shell vial cell culture. J Clin Microbiol 1999; 37:3722-4. [PMID: 10523584 PMCID: PMC85739 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.37.11.3722-3724.1999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A blood sample from a patient who returned from Algeria with a fever inoculated on human embryonic lung fibroblasts by the shell vial cell culture technique led to the recovery of Rickettsia prowazekii. The last clinical strain was isolated 30 years ago. Shell vial cell culture is a versatile method that could replace the classic animal and/or embryonated egg inoculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Birg
- Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UPRESA 6020, Faculté de Médecine, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
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44
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La Scola B, Michel G, Raoult D. Isolation of Legionella pneumophila by centrifugation of shell vial cell cultures from multiple liver and lung abscesses. J Clin Microbiol 1999; 37:785-7. [PMID: 9986854 PMCID: PMC84555 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.37.3.785-787.1999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A 7-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and was treated with allogenic cord blood transplantation. At day 30 after graft, she developed a fever and multiple nodular lesions disseminated in the liver and lungs. All bacterial cultures attempted on liver and lung biopsy specimens and blood remained sterile on standard axenic media. However, inoculation of liver and lung biopsy specimens on eukaryotic cell monolayers by the centrifugation-shell vial technique (M. Marrero and D. Raoult, Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 40:197-199, 1989) led to the recovery of a strain of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, identified by 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing and serotyping. Our findings demonstrate that the centrifugation-cell culture method, which has previously been useful for the isolation of other strictly or facultatively intracellular bacteria, can also serve as a method for the recovery of L. pneumophila from clinical material.
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Affiliation(s)
- B La Scola
- Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UPRESA 6020, Faculté de Médecine, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
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45
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La Scola B, Raoult D. Laboratory diagnosis of rickettsioses: current approaches to diagnosis of old and new rickettsial diseases. J Clin Microbiol 1997; 35:2715-27. [PMID: 9350721 PMCID: PMC230049 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.35.11.2715-2727.1997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- B La Scola
- Unité des Rickettsies, UPRESA 6020, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerrannée, Marseille, France
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Raoult D, Roux V. Rickettsioses as paradigms of new or emerging infectious diseases. Clin Microbiol Rev 1997; 10:694-719. [PMID: 9336669 PMCID: PMC172941 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.10.4.694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 592] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsioses are caused by species of Rickettsia, a genus comprising organisms characterized by their strictly intracellular location and their association with arthropods. Rickettsia species are difficult to cultivate in vitro and exhibit strong serological cross-reactions with each other. These technical difficulties long prohibited a detailed study of the rickettsiae, and it is only following the recent introduction of novel laboratory methods that progress in this field has been possible. In this review, we discuss the impact that these practical innovations have had on the study of rickettsiae. Prior to 1986, only eight rickettsioses were clinically recognized; however, in the last 10 years, an additional six have been discovered. We describe the different steps that resulted in the description of each new rickettsiosis and discuss the influence of factors as diverse as physicians' curiosity and the adoption of molecular biology-based identification in helping to recognize these new infections. We also assess the pathogenic potential of rickettsial strains that to date have been associated only with arthropods, and we discuss diseases of unknown etiology that may be rickettsioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Raoult
- Unité des Rickettsies, Faculté de Médecine, CNRS UPRESA 6020, Marseille, France.
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