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Krausser L, Chauvaux E, Van Dyck-Lippens M, Yssouf A, Assoumani Y, Tortosa P, de Jong BC, Braet SM. Ticks are unlikely to play a role in leprosy transmission in the Comoros (East Africa) as they do not harbour M. leprae DNA. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1238914. [PMID: 37859857 PMCID: PMC10582737 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1238914] [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: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Leprosy, one of the oldest known human diseases, continues to pose a global challenge for disease control due to an incomplete understanding of its transmission pathways. Ticks have been proposed as a potential contributor in leprosy transmission due to their importance as vectors for other infectious diseases. Methods In 2010, a sampling of ticks residing on cattle was conducted on the islands Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli which constitute the Union of the Comoros where leprosy remains endemic. To investigate the potential role of ticks as a vector in transmission of leprosy disease, molecular analyses were conducted. Results Out of the 526 ticks analysed, none were found to harbour Mycobacterium leprae DNA, as determined by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay targeting a family of dispersed repeats (RLEP) specific to M. leprae. Discussion Therefore, our results suggest that in the Union of the Comoros, ticks are an unlikely vector for M. leprae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Krausser
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
- University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Elien Chauvaux
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
- University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Amina Yssouf
- Unité Mixte de Recherche Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (UMR PIMIT), Université de La Réunion, CHU de La Réunion, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, Réunion Island, France
- Plan National de Lutte contre le Paludisme, Moroni, Comoros
| | - Younoussa Assoumani
- Damien Foundation, Brussels, Belgium
- National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program, Moroni, Comoros
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Unité Mixte de Recherche Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (UMR PIMIT), Université de La Réunion, CHU de La Réunion, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, Réunion Island, France
- Université de La Réunion, Fédération de recherche Environnement, Biodiversité et Santé, Saint-Denis, Réunion Island, France
| | | | - Sofie Marijke Braet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
- University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium
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2
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Dallmann-Sauer M, Xu YZ, da Costa ALF, Tao S, Gomes TA, Prata RBDS, Correa-Macedo W, Manry J, Alcaïs A, Abel L, Cobat A, Fava VM, Pinheiro RO, Lara FA, Probst CM, Mira MT, Schurr E. Allele-dependent interaction of LRRK2 and NOD2 in leprosy. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011260. [PMID: 36972292 PMCID: PMC10079233 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011260] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, rarely affects children younger than 5 years. Here, we studied a multiplex leprosy family that included monozygotic twins aged 22 months suffering from paucibacillary leprosy. Whole genome sequencing identified three amino acid mutations previously associated with Crohn’s disease and Parkinson’s disease as candidate variants for early onset leprosy: LRRK2 N551K, R1398H and NOD2 R702W. In genome-edited macrophages, we demonstrated that cells expressing the LRRK2 mutations displayed reduced apoptosis activity following mycobacterial challenge independently of NOD2. However, employing co-immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy we showed that LRRK2 and NOD2 proteins interacted in RAW cells and monocyte-derived macrophages, and that this interaction was substantially reduced for the NOD2 R702W mutation. Moreover, we observed a joint effect of LRRK2 and NOD2 variants on Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-induced respiratory burst, NF-κB activation and cytokine/chemokine secretion with a strong impact for the genotypes found in the twins consistent with a role of the identified mutations in the development of early onset leprosy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Dallmann-Sauer
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre; Montreal, Canada
- McGill International TB Centre, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
- Departments of Human Genetics and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná; Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Yong Zhong Xu
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre; Montreal, Canada
- McGill International TB Centre, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
| | - Ana Lúcia França da Costa
- Department of Specialized Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Piauí; Teresina, Brazil
| | - Shao Tao
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
- The Translational Research in Respiratory Diseases Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre; Montreal, Canada
| | - Tiago Araujo Gomes
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Wilian Correa-Macedo
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre; Montreal, Canada
- McGill International TB Centre, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
| | - Jérémy Manry
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre; Montreal, Canada
- McGill International TB Centre, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
| | - Alexandre Alcaïs
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U.1163, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Laurent Abel
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U.1163, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
- St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, Rockefeller University, New York, United States of America
| | - Aurélie Cobat
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U.1163, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
- St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, Rockefeller University, New York, United States of America
| | - Vinicius M. Fava
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre; Montreal, Canada
- McGill International TB Centre, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
| | - Roberta Olmo Pinheiro
- Leprosy Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flavio Alves Lara
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Christian M. Probst
- Laboratory of Systems and Molecular Biology of Trypanosomatids, Instituto Carlos Chagas; FIOCRUZ, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Marcelo T. Mira
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná; Curitiba, Brazil
- * E-mail: (M.T.M); (E.S.)
| | - Erwin Schurr
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre; Montreal, Canada
- McGill International TB Centre, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
- Departments of Human Genetics and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
- * E-mail: (M.T.M); (E.S.)
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3
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Sugawara-Mikami M, Tanigawa K, Kawashima A, Kiriya M, Nakamura Y, Fujiwara Y, Suzuki K. Pathogenicity and virulence of Mycobacterium leprae. Virulence 2022; 13:1985-2011. [PMID: 36326715 PMCID: PMC9635560 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2141987] [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] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) and M. lepromatosis, an obligate intracellular organism, and over 200,000 new cases occur every year. M. leprae parasitizes histiocytes (skin macrophages) and Schwann cells in the peripheral nerves. Although leprosy can be treated by multidrug therapy, some patients relapse or have a prolonged clinical course and/or experience leprosy reaction. These varying outcomes depend on host factors such as immune responses against bacterial components that determine a range of symptoms. To understand these host responses, knowledge of the mechanisms by which M. leprae parasitizes host cells is important. This article describes the characteristics of leprosy through bacteriology, genetics, epidemiology, immunology, animal models, routes of infection, and clinical findings. It also discusses recent diagnostic methods, treatment, and measures according to the World Health Organization (WHO), including prevention. Recently, the antibacterial activities of anti-hyperlipidaemia agents against other pathogens, such as M. tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus have been investigated. Our laboratory has been focused on the metabolism of lipids which constitute the cell wall of M. leprae. Our findings may be useful for the development of future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Sugawara-Mikami
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan.,West Yokohama Sugawara Dermatology Clinic, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kazunari Tanigawa
- Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akira Kawashima
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Kiriya
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Nakamura
- Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoko Fujiwara
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Suzuki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
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4
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Penrice-Randal R, Hartley C, Beliavskaia A, Dong X, Brandner-Garrod L, Whitten M, Bell-Sakyi L. New Cell Lines Derived from Laboratory Colony Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus, Vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, Do Not Harbour Triatoma Virus. INSECTS 2022; 13:906. [PMID: 36292854 PMCID: PMC9603895 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Triatomine bugs of the genera Triatoma and Rhodnius are vectors of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease of humans in South America caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Triatoma virus (TrV), a natural pathogen of Triatoma infestans, has been proposed as a possible tool for the bio-control of triatomine bugs, but research into this virus has been hampered by a lack of suitable host cells for in vitro propagation. Here we report establishment and partial characterisation of continuous cell lines from embryos of T. infestans (TIE/LULS54) and Rhodnius prolixus (RPE/LULS53 and RPE/LULS57). RNAseq screening by a sequence-independent, single primer amplification approach confirmed the absence of TrV and other RNA viruses known to infect R. prolixus, indicating that these new cell lines could be used for propagation of TrV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Penrice-Randal
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - Catherine Hartley
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - Alexandra Beliavskaia
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - Xiaofeng Dong
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - Luke Brandner-Garrod
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Miranda Whitten
- Swansea University Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
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5
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Meneghin RA. Quali-quantitative synthesis of the global scenario of patent families about leprosy. CIENCIA & SAUDE COLETIVA 2021; 26:5411-5426. [PMID: 34852079 DOI: 10.1590/1413-812320212611.01452021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The work presents the analysis and synthesis of patent families about leprosy worldwide in the last 20 years. Three technological aspects were defined for the study of both portfolios, thus defined: diagnostic, drug/treatment and vaccine. Three thousand and three hundred twenty-three (3323) patent families were identified (790 for diagnostic, 1515 for drug and 1018 for vaccine). Fifty-eight (58) patent holders were identified and analyzed, with the most expressive portfolio of patent families, distributed in 13 countries. For the recovery of patent families, the ORBIT Intelligence® system from QUESTEL® was used. Using quantitative and qualitative analysis and synthesis, the patterns of five strategic indicators on the global patent scenario about leprosy were observed, namely: holders of patent families; the years of filing for unionist priority for patent families; countries of unionist priority for patent families; the legal status of filed patent families; and the legal status of patent families by country of protection. It is suggested that new public policies be created to encourage synergy between patent families and the social determinants of neglected populations, in order to induce a safe path to technological independence and better performance in the fight against leprosy in the Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogério Almeida Meneghin
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Av. Brasil 4036 809A Prédio Expansão, Manguinhos. 21040-361 Rio de Janeiro RJ Brasil.
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6
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Hockings KJ, Mubemba B, Avanzi C, Pleh K, Düx A, Bersacola E, Bessa J, Ramon M, Metzger S, Patrono LV, Jaffe JE, Benjak A, Bonneaud C, Busso P, Couacy-Hymann E, Gado M, Gagneux S, Johnson RC, Kodio M, Lynton-Jenkins J, Morozova I, Mätz-Rensing K, Regalla A, Said AR, Schuenemann VJ, Sow SO, Spencer JS, Ulrich M, Zoubi H, Cole ST, Wittig RM, Calvignac-Spencer S, Leendertz FH. Leprosy in wild chimpanzees. Nature 2021; 598:652-656. [PMID: 34646009 PMCID: PMC8550970 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03968-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Humans are considered as the main host for Mycobacterium leprae1, the aetiological agent of leprosy, but spillover has occurred to other mammals that are now maintenance hosts, such as nine-banded armadillos and red squirrels2,3. Although naturally acquired leprosy has also been described in captive nonhuman primates4-7, the exact origins of infection remain unclear. Here we describe leprosy-like lesions in two wild populations of western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Cantanhez National Park, Guinea-Bissau and Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. Longitudinal monitoring of both populations revealed the progression of disease symptoms compatible with advanced leprosy. Screening of faecal and necropsy samples confirmed the presence of M. leprae as the causative agent at each site and phylogenomic comparisons with other strains from humans and other animals show that the chimpanzee strains belong to different and rare genotypes (4N/O and 2F). These findings suggest that M. leprae may be circulating in more wild animals than suspected, either as a result of exposure to humans or other unknown environmental sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley J Hockings
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
- Centre for Research in Anthropology (CRIA - NOVA FCSH), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Benjamin Mubemba
- Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Wildlife Sciences, School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia
| | - Charlotte Avanzi
- Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kamilla Pleh
- Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Ariane Düx
- Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elena Bersacola
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
- Centre for Research in Anthropology (CRIA - NOVA FCSH), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Bessa
- Centre for Research in Anthropology (CRIA - NOVA FCSH), Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marina Ramon
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Sonja Metzger
- Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Livia V Patrono
- Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jenny E Jaffe
- Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Andrej Benjak
- Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Camille Bonneaud
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Philippe Busso
- Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Couacy-Hymann
- Laboratoire National d'Appui au Développement Agricole/Laboratoire Central de Pathologie Animale, Bingerville, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Moussa Gado
- Programme National de Lutte Contre la Lèpre, Ministry of Public Health, Niamey, Niger
| | - Sebastien Gagneux
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roch C Johnson
- Centre Interfacultaire de Formation et de Recherche en Environnement pour le Développement Durable, University of Abomey-Calavi, Jericho, Cotonou, Benin
- Fondation Raoul Follereau, Paris, France
| | - Mamoudou Kodio
- Centre National d'Appui à la Lutte Contre la Maladie, Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Irina Morozova
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Mätz-Rensing
- Pathology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Aissa Regalla
- Instituto da Biodiversidade e das Áreas Protegidas, Dr. Alfredo Simão da Silva (IBAP), Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Abílio R Said
- Instituto da Biodiversidade e das Áreas Protegidas, Dr. Alfredo Simão da Silva (IBAP), Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | | | - Samba O Sow
- Centre National d'Appui à la Lutte Contre la Maladie, Bamako, Mali
| | - John S Spencer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Markus Ulrich
- Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hyacinthe Zoubi
- Programme National d'Elimination de la Lèpre, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Stewart T Cole
- Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Fabian H Leendertz
- Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
- Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Greifswald, Germany.
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One Health and Hansen's disease in Brazil. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009398. [PMID: 34043620 PMCID: PMC8158884 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Allen AR, Ford T, Skuce RA. Does Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. bovis Survival in the Environment Confound Bovine Tuberculosis Control and Eradication? A Literature Review. Vet Med Int 2021; 2021:8812898. [PMID: 33628412 PMCID: PMC7880718 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8812898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is one of the globe's most common, multihost zoonoses and results in substantial socioeconomic costs for governments, farming industries, and tax payers. Despite decades of surveillance and research, surprisingly, little is known about the exact mechanisms of transmission. In particular, as a facultative intracellular pathogen, to what extent does survival of the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. bovis (M. bovis), in the environment constitute an epidemiological risk for livestock and wildlife? Due largely to the classical pathology of cattle cases, the received wisdom was that bTB was spread by direct inhalation and exchange of bioaerosols containing droplets laden with bacteria. Other members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) exhibit differing host ranges, an apparent capacity to persist in environmental fomites, and they favour a range of different transmission routes. It is possible, therefore, that infection from environmental sources of M. bovis could be a disease transmission risk. Recent evidence from GPS-collared cattle and badgers in Britain and Ireland suggests that direct transmission by infectious droplets or aerosols may not be the main mechanism for interspecies transmission, raising the possibility of indirect transmission involving a contaminated, shared environment. The possibility that classical pulmonary TB can be simulated and recapitulated in laboratory animal models by ingestion of contaminated feed is a further intriguing indication of potential environmental risk. Livestock and wildlife are known to shed M. bovis onto pasture, soil, feedstuffs, water, and other fomites; field and laboratory studies have indicated that persistence is possible, but variable, under differing environmental conditions. Given the potential infection risk, it is timely to review the available evidence, experimental approaches, and methodologies that could be deployed to address this potential blind spot and control point. Although we focus on evidence from Western Europe, the concepts are widely applicable to other multihost bTB episystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian R. Allen
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Veterinary Sciences Division, Bacteriology Branch, Stoney Road Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Tom Ford
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Veterinary Sciences Division, Bacteriology Branch, Stoney Road Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Robin A. Skuce
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Veterinary Sciences Division, Bacteriology Branch, Stoney Road Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
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Avanzi C, Singh P, Truman RW, Suffys PN. Molecular epidemiology of leprosy: An update. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 86:104581. [PMID: 33022427 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Molecular epidemiology investigations are notoriously challenging in the leprosy field mainly because the inherent characteristics of the disease as well as its yet uncultivated causative agents, Mycobacterium leprae and M. lepromatosis. Despite significant developments in understanding the biology of leprosy bacilli through genomic approaches, the exact mechanisms of transmission is still unclear and the factors underlying pathological variation of the disease in different patients remain as major gaps in our knowledge about leprosy. Despite these difficulties, the last two decades have seen the development of genotyping procedures based on PCR-sequencing of target loci as well as by the genome-wide analysis of an increasing number of geographically diverse isolates of leprosy bacilli. This has provided a foundation for molecular epidemiology studies that are bringing a better understanding of strain evolution associated with ancient human migrations, and phylogeographical insights about the spread of disease globally. This review discusses the advantages and drawbacks of the main tools available for molecular epidemiological investigations of leprosy and summarizes various methods ranging from PCR-based genotyping to genome-typing techniques. We also describe their main applications in analyzing the short-range and long-range transmission of the disease. Finally, we summarise the current gaps and challenges that remain in the field of molecular epidemiology of leprosy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Avanzi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pushpendra Singh
- Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, India
| | - Richard W Truman
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LO, USA
| | - Philip N Suffys
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology Applied to Mycobacteria - Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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10
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Isolation and Propagation of Laboratory Strains and a Novel Flea-Derived Field Strain of Wolbachia in Tick Cell Lines. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8070988. [PMID: 32630209 PMCID: PMC7409115 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8070988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia are intracellular endosymbionts of several invertebrate taxa, including insects and nematodes. Although Wolbachia DNA has been detected in ticks, its presence is generally associated with parasitism by insects. To determine whether or not Wolbachia can infect and grow in tick cells, cell lines from three tick species, Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus microplus, were inoculated with Wolbachia strains wStri and wAlbB isolated from mosquito cell lines. Homogenates prepared from fleas collected from cats in Malaysia were inoculated into an I. scapularis cell line. Bacterial growth and identity were monitored by microscopy and PCR amplification and sequencing of fragments of Wolbachia genes. The wStri strain infected Ixodes spp. cells and was maintained through 29 passages. The wAlbB strain successfully infected Ixodes spp. and R. microplus cells and was maintained through 2–5 passages. A novel strain of Wolbachia belonging to the supergroup F, designated wCfeF, was isolated in I. scapularis cells from a pool of Ctenocephalides sp. cat fleas and maintained in vitro through two passages over nine months. This is the first confirmed isolation of a Wolbachia strain from a flea and the first isolation of any Wolbachia strain outside the “pandemic” A and B supergroups. The study demonstrates that tick cells can host multiple Wolbachia strains, and can be added to panels of insect cell lines to improve success rates in isolation of field strains of Wolbachia.
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Leprosy Transmission in Amazonian Countries: Current Status and Future Trends. CURRENT TROPICAL MEDICINE REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40475-020-00206-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
Leprosy is one of the first pathologies described in the history of mankind. However, the ecology, transmission, and pathogenicity of the incriminated bacilli remain poorly understood. Despite effective treatment freely distributed worldwide since 1995, around 200,000 new cases continue to be detected yearly, mostly in the tropics. This review aims to discuss the unique characteristics of leprosy in Amazonian countries, which exhibit a very heterogeneous prevalence among human and animal reservoirs.
Recent Findings
Groundbreaking discoveries made in the last 15 years have challenged the dogmas about leprosy reservoirs, transmission, and treatment. The discovery of a new leprosy causative agent in 2008 and the scientific proof of zoonosis transmission of leprosy by nine-banded armadillos in the southern USA in 2011 challenged the prospects of leprosy eradication. In the Amazonian biome, nine-banded and other armadillo species are present but the lack of large-scale studies does not yet allow accurate assessment of the zoonotic risk. Brazil is the second country in the world reporting the highest number of new leprosy cases annually. The disease is also present, albeit with different rates, in all neighboring countries. Throughout the Amazonian biome, leprosy is mainly found in hyperendemic foci, conducive to the emergence and transmission of drug-resistant strains.
Summary
The deepening of current knowledge on leprosy reservoirs, transmission, and therapeutic issues, with the One Health approach and the help of molecular biology, will allow a better understanding and management of the public health issues and challenges related to leprosy in Amazonia.
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Ploemacher T, Faber WR, Menke H, Rutten V, Pieters T. Reservoirs and transmission routes of leprosy; A systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008276. [PMID: 32339201 PMCID: PMC7205316 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) and the more recently discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis (M. lepromatosis). The two leprosy bacilli cause similar pathologic conditions. They primarily target the skin and the peripheral nervous system. Currently it is considered a Neglected Tropical Disease, being endemic in specific locations within countries of the Americas, Asia, and Africa, while in Europe it is only rarely reported. The reason for a spatial inequality in the prevalence of leprosy in so-called endemic pockets within a country is still largely unexplained. A systematic review was conducted targeting leprosy transmission research data, using PubMed and Scopus as sources. Publications between January 1, 1945 and July 1, 2019 were included. The transmission pathways of M. leprae are not fully understood. Solid evidence exists of an increased risk for individuals living in close contact with leprosy patients, most likely through infectious aerosols, created by coughing and sneezing, but possibly also through direct contact. However, this systematic review underscores that human-to-human transmission is not the only way leprosy can be acquired. The transmission of this disease is probably much more complicated than was thought before. In the Americas, the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) has been established as another natural host and reservoir of M. leprae. Anthroponotic and zoonotic transmission have both been proposed as modes of contracting the disease, based on data showing identical M. leprae strains shared between humans and armadillos. More recently, in red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) with leprosy-like lesions in the British Isles M. leprae and M. lepromatosis DNA was detected. This finding was unexpected, because leprosy is considered a disease of humans (with the exception of the armadillo), and because it was thought that leprosy (and M. leprae) had disappeared from the United Kingdom. Furthermore, animals can be affected by other leprosy-like diseases, caused by pathogens phylogenetically closely related to M. leprae. These mycobacteria have been proposed to be grouped as a M. leprae-complex. We argue that insights from the transmission and reservoirs of members of the M. leprae-complex might be relevant for leprosy research. A better understanding of possible animal or environmental reservoirs is needed, because transmission from such reservoirs may partly explain the steady global incidence of leprosy despite effective and widespread multidrug therapy. A reduction in transmission cannot be expected to be accomplished by actions or interventions from the human healthcare domain alone, as the mechanisms involved are complex. Therefore, to increase our understanding of the intricate picture of leprosy transmission, we propose a One Health transdisciplinary research approach. Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) and the more recently discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis (M. lepromatosis). The two leprosy bacilli cause similar stigmatizing pathologic conditions. M. leprae primarily targets the skin and the peripheral nervous system. Currently it is considered a Neglected Tropical Disease. The transmission pathways of M. leprae are not fully understood. Solid evidence exists of an increased risk for individuals living in close contact with leprosy patients, most likely through infectious aerosols, created by coughing and sneezing, but possibly also through direct contact. However, this systematic review underscores that human-to-human transmission is not the only way leprosy can be acquired. Anthroponotic and zoonotic transmission have both been proposed as modes of contracting the disease, based on data showing identical M. leprae strains shared between humans and armadillos. A better understanding of possible animal or environmental reservoirs is needed, because transmission from such reservoirs may partly explain the steady global incidence of leprosy despite effective and widespread multidrug therapy. Reducing transmission cannot be expected from the human healthcare domain alone, as the mechanisms involved are complex. Therefore, we propose a One Health transdisciplinary research approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ploemacher
- Faculty of Science, Freudenthal Institute & Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - William R. Faber
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Henk Menke
- Faculty of Science, Freudenthal Institute & Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Victor Rutten
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
- Dept of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
| | - Toine Pieters
- Faculty of Science, Freudenthal Institute & Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Shi Y, Wei Y, Feng X, Liu J, Jiang Z, Ou F, Wei H, Lv G, Wan X, Wang Z, Yang Y. Distribution, genetic characteristics and public health implications of Triatoma rubrofasciata, the vector of Chagas disease in Guangxi, China. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:33. [PMID: 31959216 PMCID: PMC6972020 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3903-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Triatomines are natural vectors of Chagas disease and are mainly prevalent in the Americas. In China, previous data from decades ago showed that there were two species of triatomine bugs, Triatoma rubrofasciata and T. sinica. However, the distribution, genetic characteristics and public health implications of triatomines in China are still relatively unknown. In order to gain knowledge on the distribution, genetic characteristics and public health implications of the triatomines in Guangxi, China, an entomological-epidemiological study and genetic research was conducted. Methods Different methods were used to elucidate the distribution of triatomines in Guangxi including consultations with county-level Center for Disease Prevention and Control staff and village doctors, the distribution of educational material on triatomines though the internet and social media apps such as Wechat and QQ, and conducting manual inspections and light trapping to collect triatomines. The morphological characteristics of the collected triatomines were identified under light microscopy. The mitochondrial 16S rRNA, cytochrome b (cytb) genes and nuclear 28S rRNA gene were amplified, sequenced and used in phylogenetic analyses. Results A total of 305 triatomines were captured from 54 different sites in 13 cities in Guangxi. All collected bugs were identified as T. rubrofasciata based on morphology. Most triatomine collection sites were around or inside houses. Four triatomines bite cases were observed during the investigation indicating that triatomine bites are common, the bites can cause serious anaphylaxis and skin papules and urticaria, suggesting a systemic skin response. The 16S rRNA, 28S rRNA and cytb sequence analyses of T. rubrofasciata from Guangxi and other countries showed that T. rubrofasciata sequences from different regions exhibit a high similarity, with no geographical differences. The phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA and cytb genes showed that T. rubrofasciata sequences from different regions and continents were in the same cluster, indicating no differentiation among different geographical populations. Conclusions Our study showed that T. rubrofasciata is widely distributed in Guangxi and that people are commonly bitten by this insect in some regions. This highlights the need to enhance surveillance for and control of T. rubrofasciata and to strengthen the monitoring of imported Trypanosoma cruzi in China. The 16S rRNA, 28S rRNA and cytb sequence analyses of T. rubrofasciata from different regions and continents suggested that T. rubrofasciata populations exhibit high similarity, and the clustering in the phylogenetic analyses indicates that T. rubrofasciata has a close ancestor originating in the Americas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunliang Shi
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China
| | - Yaobao Wei
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China
| | - Xiangyang Feng
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, 214064, China
| | - Zhihua Jiang
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China
| | - Fangqi Ou
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China
| | - Haiyan Wei
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China
| | - Guoli Lv
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China
| | - Xiaoling Wan
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China
| | - Ziyue Wang
- Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Yichao Yang
- Institute of Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530028, China.
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Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease of the skin and peripheral nerves that presents a strong link with the host genetic background. Different approaches in genetic studies have been applied to leprosy and today leprosy is among the infectious diseases with the greatest number of genetic risk variants identified. Several leprosy genes have been implicated in host immune response to pathogens and point to specific pathways that are relevant for host defense to infection. In addition, host genetic factors are also involved in the heterogeneity of leprosy clinical manifestations and in excessive inflammatory responses that occur in some leprosy patients. Finally, genetic studies in leprosy have provided strong evidence of pleiotropic effects between leprosy and other complex diseases, such as immune-mediated or neurodegenerative diseases. These findings not only impact on the field of leprosy and infectious diseases but also make leprosy a good model for the study of complex immune-mediated diseases. Here, we summarize recent genetic findings in leprosy susceptibility and discuss the overlap of the genetic control in leprosy with Parkinson's disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Moreover, some limitations, challenges, and potential new avenues for future genetics studies of leprosy are also discussed in this review.
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Chavarro-Portillo B, Soto CY, Guerrero MI. Mycobacterium leprae's evolution and environmental adaptation. Acta Trop 2019; 197:105041. [PMID: 31152726 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Leprosy is an ancient disease caused by the acid-fast bacillus Mycobacterium leprae, also known as Hansen's bacillus. M. leprae is an obligate intracellular microorganism with a marked Schwann cell tropism and is the only human pathogen capable of invading the superficial peripheral nerves. The transmission mechanism of M. leprae is not fully understood; however, the nasal mucosa is accepted as main route of M. leprae entry to the human host. The complete sequencing and the comparative genome analysis show that M. leprae underwent a genome reductive evolution process, as result of lifestyle change and adaptation to different environments; some of lost genes are homologous to those of host cells. Thus, M. leprae reduced its genome size to 3.3 Mbp, contributing to obtain the lowest GC content (approximately 58%) among mycobacteria. The M. leprae genome contains 1614 open reading frames coding for functional proteins, and 1310 pseudogenes corresponding to 41% of the genome, approximately. Comparative analyses to different microorganisms showed that M. leprae possesses the highest content of pseudogenes among pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and archaea. The pathogen adaptation into host cells, as the Schwann cells, brought about the reduction of the genome and induced multiple gene inactivation. The present review highlights the characteristics of genome's reductive evolution that M. leprae experiences in the genetic aspects compared with other pathogens. The possible mechanisms of pseudogenes formation are discussed.
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Ferreira JDS, Souza Oliveira DA, Santos JP, Ribeiro CCDU, Baêta BA, Teixeira RC, Neumann ADS, Rosa PS, Pessolani MCV, Moraes MO, Bechara GH, de Oliveira PL, Sorgine MHF, Suffys PN, Fontes ANB, Bell-Sakyi L, Fonseca AH, Lara FA. Ticks as potential vectors of Mycobacterium leprae: Use of tick cell lines to culture the bacilli and generate transgenic strains. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0007001. [PMID: 30566440 PMCID: PMC6326517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and frequently resulting in irreversible deformities and disabilities. Ticks play an important role in infectious disease transmission due to their low host specificity, worldwide distribution, and the biological ability to support transovarial transmission of a wide spectrum of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoa. To investigate a possible role for ticks as vectors of leprosy, we assessed transovarial transmission of M. leprae in artificially-fed adult female Amblyomma sculptum ticks, and infection and growth of M. leprae in tick cell lines. Our results revealed M. leprae RNA and antigens persisting in the midgut and present in the ovaries of adult female A. sculptum at least 2 days after oral infection, and present in their progeny (eggs and larvae), which demonstrates the occurrence of transovarial transmission of this pathogen. Infected tick larvae were able to inoculate viable bacilli during blood-feeding on a rabbit. Moreover, following inoculation with M. leprae, the Ixodes scapularis embryo-derived tick cell line IDE8 supported a detectable increase in the number of bacilli for at least 20 days, presenting a doubling time of approximately 12 days. As far as we know, this is the first in vitro cellular system able to promote growth of M. leprae. Finally, we successfully transformed a clinical M. leprae isolate by inserting the reporter plasmid pCHERRY3; transformed bacteria infected and grew in IDE8 cells over a 2-month period. Taken together, our data not only support the hypothesis that ticks may have the potential to act as a reservoir and/or vector of leprosy, but also suggest the feasibility of technological development of tick cell lines as a tool for large-scale production of M. leprae bacteria, as well as describing for the first time a method for their transformation. Leprosy is a slow-progressing and extremely debilitating disease; the armadillo is the only animal model able to mimic the symptoms observed in humans. In addition, the causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, is not cultivable in vitro. Due to these constraints the chain of transmission is still not yet completely understood. We know, however, that at least two animals, armadillos in the Americas and red squirrels in the UK, are natural reservoirs of the bacillus, although their role in disease epidemiology is unclear. This information raised the following question: Can ticks carry leprosy from wild animals to humans? In the present study we demonstrated that artificially-infected female cayenne ticks are able to transmit the bacillus to their offspring, which were then able to transmit it to rabbits during bloodfeeding. We were able to grow M. leprae in vitro in a tick cell line for the first time. We also generated the first transgenic M. leprae strain, making the pathogen fluorescent in order to monitor its viability in real time. We believe that this new methodology will boost the screening of new drugs useful for control of leprosy, as well as improving understanding of how M. leprae causes disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica da Silva Ferreira
- Lab. de Microbiologia Celular, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - João Pedro Santos
- Lab. de Microbiologia Celular, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carla Carolina Dias Uzedo Ribeiro
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bruna A. Baêta
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafaella Câmara Teixeira
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
| | - Arthur da Silva Neumann
- Lab. de Microbiologia Celular, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Milton Ozório Moraes
- Lab. de Hanseníase, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gervásio Henrique Bechara
- School of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Pedro L. de Oliveira
- Lab. de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos Henrique Ferreira Sorgine
- Lab. de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Philip Noel Suffys
- Lab. de Biologia Molecular Aplicada a Micobactérias, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Amanda Nogueira Brum Fontes
- Lab. de Biologia Molecular Aplicada a Micobactérias, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Adivaldo H. Fonseca
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flavio Alves Lara
- Lab. de Microbiologia Celular, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Vieira CB, Praça YR, Bentes KLDS, Santiago PB, Silva SMM, Silva GDS, Motta FN, Bastos IMD, de Santana JM, de Araújo CN. Triatomines: Trypanosomatids, Bacteria, and Viruses Potential Vectors? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:405. [PMID: 30505806 PMCID: PMC6250844 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatominae bugs are the vectors of Chagas disease, a major concern to public health especially in Latin America, where vector-borne Chagas disease has undergone resurgence due mainly to diminished triatomine control in many endemic municipalities. Although the majority of Triatominae species occurs in the Americas, species belonging to the genus Linshcosteus occur in India, and species belonging to the Triatoma rubrofasciata complex have been also identified in Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia, and in the Western Pacific. Not all of Triatominae species have been found to be infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, but the possibility of establishing vector transmission to areas where Chagas disease was previously non-endemic has increased with global population mobility. Additionally, the worldwide distribution of triatomines is concerning, as they are able to enter in contact and harbor other pathogens, leading us to wonder if they would have competence and capacity to transmit them to humans during the bite or after successful blood feeding, spreading other infectious diseases. In this review, we searched the literature for infectious agents transmitted to humans by Triatominae. There are reports suggesting that triatomines may be competent vectors for pathogens such as Serratia marcescens, Bartonella, and Mycobacterium leprae, and that triatomine infection with other microrganisms may interfere with triatomine-T. cruzi interactions, altering their competence and possibly their capacity to transmit Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Barreto Vieira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Yanna Reis Praça
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Kaio Luís da Silva Bentes
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Paula Beatriz Santiago
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Sofia Marcelino Martins Silva
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Gabriel dos Santos Silva
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Flávia Nader Motta
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Faculdade de Ceilândia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Izabela Marques Dourado Bastos
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Jaime Martins de Santana
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Carla Nunes de Araújo
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Faculdade de Ceilândia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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Arraes MLBDM, Holanda MVD, Lima LNGC, Sabadia JAB, Duarte CR, Almeida RLF, Kendall C, Kerr LRS, Frota CC. Natural environmental water sources in endemic regions of northeastern Brazil are potential reservoirs of viable Mycobacterium leprae. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2017; 112:805-811. [PMID: 29211240 PMCID: PMC5719548 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760170117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The detection of live Mycobacterium leprae in soil and animals other than humans suggests that the environment plays a role in the transmission of leprosy. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of viable M. leprae in natural water sources used by the local population in five municipalities in the state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil. METHODS Samples were collected from 30 different sources. Viable bacilli were identified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the M. leprae gyrA gene and sequencing of the PCR products. Physicochemical properties of each water source were also assessed. FINDINGS M. leprae gyrA mRNA was found in 23 (76.7%) of the water sources. No association was found between depth of the water and sample positivity, nor was there any association between the type of water used by the population and sample positivity. An association between viable M. leprae and temperature and pH was found. Georeferencing showed a relation between the residences of leprosy cases and water source containing the bacterium. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The finding of viable M. leprae in natural water sources associated with human contact suggests that the environment plays an important role in maintaining endemic leprosy in the study region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maísa Viana de Holanda
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia e Medicina Legal, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | | | | | | | | | - Carl Kendall
- Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Ligia Regina Sansigolo Kerr
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Saúde Comunitária, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | - Cristiane Cunha Frota
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia e Medicina Legal, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
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