Next Issue
Volume 6, June
Previous Issue
Volume 5, December
 
 

Pathogens, Volume 6, Issue 1 (March 2017) – 13 articles

  • Issues are regarded as officially published after their release is announced to the table of contents alert mailing list.
  • You may sign up for e-mail alerts to receive table of contents of newly released issues.
  • PDF is the official format for papers published in both, html and pdf forms. To view the papers in pdf format, click on the "PDF Full-text" link, and use the free Adobe Reader to open them.
Order results
Result details
Section
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
1771 KiB  
Article
Porcine Dendritic Cells as an In Vitro Model to Assess the Immunological Behaviour of Streptococcus suis Subunit Vaccine Formulations and the Polarizing Effect of Adjuvants
by Léa Martelet, Sonia Lacouture, Guillaume Goyette-Desjardins, Guy Beauchamp, Charles Surprenant, Marcelo Gottschalk and Mariela Segura
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010013 - 22 Mar 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4536
Abstract
An in vitro porcine bone marrow-derived dendritic cell (DC) culture was developed as a model for evaluating immune polarization induced by adjuvants when administered with immunogens that may become vaccine candidates if appropriately formulated. The swine pathogen Streptococcus suis was chosen as a [...] Read more.
An in vitro porcine bone marrow-derived dendritic cell (DC) culture was developed as a model for evaluating immune polarization induced by adjuvants when administered with immunogens that may become vaccine candidates if appropriately formulated. The swine pathogen Streptococcus suis was chosen as a prototype to evaluate proposed S. suis vaccine candidates in combination with the adjuvants Poly I:C, Quil A ®, Alhydrogel ®, TiterMax Gold ® and Stimune ®. The toll-like receptor ligand Poly I:C and the saponin Quil A ® polarized swine DC cytokines towards a type 1 phenotype, with preferential production of IL-12 and TNF-α. The water-in-oil adjuvants TiterMax Gold ® and Stimune ® favoured a type 2 profile as suggested by a marked IL-6 release. In contrast, Alhydrogel ® induced a type 1/type 2 mixed cytokine profile. The antigen type differently modified the magnitude of the adjuvant effect, but overall polarization was preserved. This is the first comparative report on swine DC immune activation by different adjuvants. Although further swine immunization studies would be required to better characterize the induced responses, the herein proposed in vitro model is a promising approach that helps assessing behaviour of the vaccine formulation rapidly at the pre-screening stage and will certainly reduce numbers of animals used while advancing vaccinology science. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Streptococcus suis)
Show Figures

Figure 1

2066 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification and Evolutionary Analysis of Sarcocystis neurona Protein Kinases
by Edwin K. Murungi and Henry M. Kariithi
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010012 - 21 Mar 2017
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5096
Abstract
The apicomplexan parasite Sarcocystis neurona causes equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a degenerative neurological disease of horses. Due to its host range expansion, S. neurona is an emerging threat that requires close monitoring. In apicomplexans, protein kinases (PKs) have been implicated in a myriad [...] Read more.
The apicomplexan parasite Sarcocystis neurona causes equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a degenerative neurological disease of horses. Due to its host range expansion, S. neurona is an emerging threat that requires close monitoring. In apicomplexans, protein kinases (PKs) have been implicated in a myriad of critical functions, such as host cell invasion, cell cycle progression and host immune response evasion. Here, we used various bioinformatics methods to define the kinome of S. neurona and phylogenetic relatedness of its PKs to other apicomplexans. We identified 97 putative PKs clustering within the various eukaryotic kinase groups. Although containing the universally-conserved PKA (AGC group), S. neurona kinome was devoid of PKB and PKC. Moreover, the kinome contains the six-conserved apicomplexan CDPKs (CAMK group). Several OPK atypical kinases, including ROPKs 19A, 27, 30, 33, 35 and 37 were identified. Notably, S. neurona is devoid of the virulence-associated ROPKs 5, 6, 18 and 38, as well as the Alpha and RIO kinases. Two out of the three S. neurona CK1 enzymes had high sequence similarities to Toxoplasma gondii TgCK1-α and TgCK1-β and the Plasmodium PfCK1. Further experimental studies on the S. neurona putative PKs identified in this study are required to validate the functional roles of the PKs and to understand their involvement in mechanisms that regulate various cellular processes and host-parasite interactions. Given the essentiality of apicomplexan PKs in the survival of apicomplexans, the current study offers a platform for future development of novel therapeutics for EPM, for instance via application of PK inhibitors to block parasite invasion and development in their host. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

13085 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Analysis of the KSHV Transcriptome Following Primary Infection of Blood and Lymphatic Endothelial Cells
by A. Gregory Bruce, Serge Barcy, Terri DiMaio, Emilia Gan, H. Jacques Garrigues, Michael Lagunoff and Timothy M. Rose
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010011 - 19 Mar 2017
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6150
Abstract
The transcriptome of the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV8) after primary latent infection of human blood (BEC), lymphatic (LEC) and immortalized (TIME) endothelial cells was analyzed using RNAseq, and compared to long-term latency in BCBL-1 lymphoma cells. Naturally expressed transcripts were obtained without artificial [...] Read more.
The transcriptome of the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV8) after primary latent infection of human blood (BEC), lymphatic (LEC) and immortalized (TIME) endothelial cells was analyzed using RNAseq, and compared to long-term latency in BCBL-1 lymphoma cells. Naturally expressed transcripts were obtained without artificial induction, and a comprehensive annotation of the KSHV genome was determined. A set of unique coding sequence (UCDS) features and a process to resolve overlapping transcripts were developed to accurately quantitate transcript levels from specific promoters. Similar patterns of KSHV expression were detected in BCBL-1 cells undergoing long-term latent infections and in primary latent infections of both BEC and LEC cultures. High expression levels of poly-adenylated nuclear (PAN) RNA and spliced and unspliced transcripts encoding the K12 Kaposin B/C complex and associated microRNA region were detected, with an elevated expression of a large set of lytic genes in all latently infected cultures. Quantitation of non-overlapping regions of transcripts across the complete KSHV genome enabled for the first time accurate evaluation of the KSHV transcriptome associated with viral latency in different cell types. Hierarchical clustering applied to a gene correlation matrix identified modules of co-regulated genes with similar correlation profiles, which corresponded with biological and functional similarities of the encoded gene products. Gene modules were differentially upregulated during latency in specific cell types indicating a role for cellular factors associated with differentiated and/or proliferative states of the host cell to influence viral gene expression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Herpesviruses)
Show Figures

Figure 1

965 KiB  
Review
Interactions between Neutrophils and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cystic Fibrosis
by Balázs Rada
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010010 - 09 Mar 2017
Cited by 62 | Viewed by 13359
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects 70,000 patients worldwide. Morbidity and mortality in CF is largely caused by lung complications due to the triad of impaired mucociliary clearance, microbial infections and chronic inflammation. Cystic fibrosis airway inflammation is mediated by robust infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophil [...] Read more.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects 70,000 patients worldwide. Morbidity and mortality in CF is largely caused by lung complications due to the triad of impaired mucociliary clearance, microbial infections and chronic inflammation. Cystic fibrosis airway inflammation is mediated by robust infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes (PMNs, neutrophils). Neutrophils are not capable of clearing lung infections and contribute to tissue damage by releasing their dangerous cargo. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen causing infections in immunocompromised individuals. P. aeruginosa is a main respiratory pathogen in CF infecting most patients. Although PMNs are key to attack and clear P. aeruginosa in immunocompetent individuals, PMNs fail to do so in CF. Understanding why neutrophils cannot clear P. aeruginosa in CF is essential to design novel therapies. This review provides an overview of the antimicrobial mechanisms by which PMNs attack and eliminate P. aeruginosa. It also summarizes current advances in our understanding of why PMNs are incapable of clearing P. aeruginosa and how this bacterium adapts to and resists PMN-mediated killing in the airways of CF patients chronically infected with P. aeruginosa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host Defense Against Bacteria)
Show Figures

Figure 1

2903 KiB  
Article
RTA Occupancy of the Origin of Lytic Replication during Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Reactivation from B Cell Latency
by Alexis L. Santana, Darby G. Oldenburg, Varvara Kirillov, Laraib Malik, Qiwen Dong, Roman Sinayev, Kenneth B. Marcu, Douglas W. White and Laurie T. Krug
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010009 - 16 Feb 2017
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6824
Abstract
RTA, the viral Replication and Transcription Activator, is essential for rhadinovirus lytic gene expression upon de novo infection and reactivation from latency. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/toll-like receptor (TLR)4 engagement enhances rhadinovirus reactivation. We developed two new systems to examine the interaction of RTA with host [...] Read more.
RTA, the viral Replication and Transcription Activator, is essential for rhadinovirus lytic gene expression upon de novo infection and reactivation from latency. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/toll-like receptor (TLR)4 engagement enhances rhadinovirus reactivation. We developed two new systems to examine the interaction of RTA with host NF-kappaB (NF-κB) signaling during murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) infection: a latent B cell line (HE-RIT) inducible for RTA-Flag expression and virus reactivation; and a recombinant virus (MHV68-RTA-Bio) that enabled in vivo biotinylation of RTA in BirA transgenic mice. LPS acted as a second stimulus to drive virus reactivation from latency in the context of induced expression of RTA-Flag. ORF6, the gene encoding the single-stranded DNA binding protein, was one of many viral genes that were directly responsive to RTA induction; expression was further increased upon treatment with LPS. However, NF-κB sites in the promoter of ORF6 did not influence RTA transactivation in response to LPS in HE-RIT cells. We found no evidence for RTA occupancy of the minimal RTA-responsive region of the ORF6 promoter, yet RTA was found to complex with a portion of the right origin of lytic replication (oriLyt-R) that contains predicted RTA recognition elements. RTA occupancy of select regions of the MHV-68 genome was also evaluated in our novel in vivo RTA biotinylation system. Streptavidin isolation of RTA-Bio confirmed complex formation with oriLyt-R in LPS-treated primary splenocytes from BirA mice infected with MHV68 RTA-Bio. We demonstrate the utility of reactivation-inducible B cells coupled with in vivo RTA biotinylation for mechanistic investigations of the interplay of host signaling with RTA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Herpesviruses)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

2184 KiB  
Article
Epigenetic Landscape during Coronavirus Infection
by Alexandra Schäfer and Ralph S. Baric
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010008 - 15 Feb 2017
Cited by 79 | Viewed by 15309
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoV) comprise a large group of emerging human and animal pathogens, including the highly pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) strains. The molecular mechanisms regulating emerging coronavirus pathogenesis are complex and include virus–host interactions [...] Read more.
Coronaviruses (CoV) comprise a large group of emerging human and animal pathogens, including the highly pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) strains. The molecular mechanisms regulating emerging coronavirus pathogenesis are complex and include virus–host interactions associated with entry, replication, egress and innate immune control. Epigenetics research investigates the genetic and non-genetic factors that regulate phenotypic variation, usually caused by external and environmental factors that alter host expression patterns and performance without any change in the underlying genotype. Epigenetic modifications, such as histone modifications, DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNAs, function as important regulators that remodel host chromatin, altering host expression patterns and networks in a highly flexible manner. For most of the past two and a half decades, research has focused on the molecular mechanisms by which RNA viruses antagonize the signaling and sensing components that regulate induction of the host innate immune and antiviral defense programs upon infection. More recently, a growing body of evidence supports the hypothesis that viruses, even lytic RNA viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm, have developed intricate, highly evolved, and well-coordinated processes that are designed to regulate the host epigenome, and control host innate immune antiviral defense processes, thereby promoting robust virus replication and pathogenesis. In this article, we discuss the strategies that are used to evaluate the mechanisms by which viruses regulate the host epigenome, especially focusing on highly pathogenic respiratory RNA virus infections as a model. By combining measures of epigenome reorganization with RNA and proteomic datasets, we articulate a spatial-temporal data integration approach to identify regulatory genomic clusters and regions that play a crucial role in the host’s innate immune response, thereby defining a new viral antagonism mechanism following emerging coronavirus infection. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

947 KiB  
Communication
Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Selective Metabolic Adaptation of Streptococcus suis to Porcine Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid
by Anna Koczula, Michael Jarek, Christian Visscher, Peter Valentin-Weigand, Ralph Goethe and Jörg Willenborg
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010007 - 15 Feb 2017
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5664
Abstract
Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen that can cause severe pathologies such as septicemia and meningitis in its natural porcine host as well as in humans. Establishment of disease requires not only virulence of the infecting strain but also an appropriate metabolic activity [...] Read more.
Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen that can cause severe pathologies such as septicemia and meningitis in its natural porcine host as well as in humans. Establishment of disease requires not only virulence of the infecting strain but also an appropriate metabolic activity of the pathogen in its host environment. However, it is yet largely unknown how the streptococcal metabolism adapts to the different host niches encountered during infection. Our previous isotopologue profiling studies on S. suis grown in porcine blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed conserved activities of central carbon metabolism in both body fluids. On the other hand, they suggested differences in the de novo amino acid biosynthesis. This prompted us to further dissect S. suis adaptation to porcine blood and CSF by RNA deep sequencing (RNA-seq). In blood, the majority of differentially expressed genes were associated with transport of alternative carbohydrate sources and the carbohydrate metabolism (pentose phosphate pathway, glycogen metabolism). In CSF, predominantly genes involved in the biosynthesis of branched-chain and aromatic amino acids were differentially expressed. Especially, isoleucine biosynthesis seems to be of major importance for S. suis in CSF because several related biosynthetic genes were more highly expressed. In conclusion, our data revealed niche-specific metabolic gene activity which emphasizes a selective adaptation of S. suis to host environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Streptococcus suis)
Show Figures

Figure 1

3108 KiB  
Article
Evolution and Divergence of H3N8 Equine Influenza Viruses Circulating in the United Kingdom from 2013 to 2015
by Adam Rash, Rachel Morton, Alana Woodward, Olivia Maes, John McCauley, Neil Bryant and Debra Elton
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010006 - 08 Feb 2017
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 6127
Abstract
Equine influenza viruses (EIV) are a major cause of acute respiratory disease in horses worldwide and occasionally also affect vaccinated animals. Like other influenza A viruses, they undergo antigenic drift, highlighting the importance of both surveillance and virus characterisation in order for vaccine [...] Read more.
Equine influenza viruses (EIV) are a major cause of acute respiratory disease in horses worldwide and occasionally also affect vaccinated animals. Like other influenza A viruses, they undergo antigenic drift, highlighting the importance of both surveillance and virus characterisation in order for vaccine strains to be kept up to date. The aim of the work reported here was to monitor the genetic and antigenic changes occurring in EIV circulating in the UK from 2013 to 2015 and to identify any evidence of vaccine breakdown in the field. Virus isolation, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequencing were performed on EIV-positive nasopharyngeal swab samples submitted to the Diagnostic Laboratory Services at the Animal Health Trust (AHT). Phylogenetic analyses were completed for the haemagglutinin-1 (HA1) and neuraminidase (NA) genes using PhyML and amino acid sequences compared against the current World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)-recommended Florida clade 2 vaccine strain. Substitutions between the new isolates and the vaccine strain were mapped onto the three-dimensional structure protein structures using PyMol. Antigenic analyses were carried out by haemagglutination inhibition assay using a panel of post-infection ferret antisera. Sixty-nine outbreaks of equine influenza in the UK were reported by the AHT between January 2013 and December 2015. Forty-seven viruses were successfully isolated in eggs from 41 of the outbreaks. Only three cases of vaccine breakdown were identified and in each case the vaccine used contained a virus antigen not currently recommended for equine influenza vaccines. Nucleotide sequencing of the HA and NA genes revealed that all of the viruses belonged to the Florida clade 2 sub-lineage of H3N8 EIV. Phylogenetic and sequence analyses showed that the two sub-populations, previously identified within clade 2, continued to circulate and had accrued further amino acid substitutions. Antigenic characterisation using post-infection ferret antisera in haemagglutination inhibition assays however, failed to detect any marked antigenic differences between the isolates. These findings show that Florida clade 2 EIV continue to circulate in the UK and support the current OIE recommendation to include an example of Florida clade 2 in vaccines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Equine Influenza)
Show Figures

Figure 1

1909 KiB  
Article
Neurotrophic Factors NGF, GDNF and NTN Selectively Modulate HSV1 and HSV2 Lytic Infection and Reactivation in Primary Adult Sensory and Autonomic Neurons
by Andy A. Yanez, Telvin Harrell, Heather J. Sriranganathan, Angela M. Ives and Andrea S. Bertke
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010005 - 07 Feb 2017
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5687
Abstract
Herpes simplex viruses (HSV1 and HSV2) establish latency in peripheral ganglia after ocular or genital infection, and can reactivate to produce different patterns and frequencies of recurrent disease. Previous studies showed that nerve growth factor (NGF) maintains HSV1 latency in embryonic sympathetic and [...] Read more.
Herpes simplex viruses (HSV1 and HSV2) establish latency in peripheral ganglia after ocular or genital infection, and can reactivate to produce different patterns and frequencies of recurrent disease. Previous studies showed that nerve growth factor (NGF) maintains HSV1 latency in embryonic sympathetic and sensory neurons. However, adult sensory neurons are no longer dependent on NGF for survival, some populations cease expression of NGF receptors postnatally, and the viruses preferentially establish latency in different populations of sensory neurons responsive to other neurotrophic factors (NTFs). Thus, NGF may not maintain latency in adult sensory neurons. To identify NTFs important for maintaining HSV1 and HSV2 latency in adult neurons, we investigated acute and latently-infected primary adult sensory trigeminal (TG) and sympathetic superior cervical ganglia (SCG) after NTF removal. NGF and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) deprivation induced HSV1 reactivation in adult sympathetic neurons. In adult sensory neurons, however, neurturin (NTN) and GDNF deprivation induced HSV1 and HSV2 reactivation, respectively, while NGF deprivation had no effects. Furthermore, HSV1 and HSV2 preferentially reactivated from neurons expressing GFRα2 and GFRα1, the high affinity receptors for NTN and GDNF, respectively. Thus, NTN and GDNF play a critical role in selective maintenance of HSV1 and HSV2 latency in primary adult sensory neurons. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Herpesviruses)
Show Figures

Figure 1

297 KiB  
Editorial
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Pathogens in 2016
by Pathogens Editorial Office
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010004 - 10 Jan 2017
Viewed by 2755
Abstract
The editors of Pathogens would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2016.[...] Full article
694 KiB  
Review
Is Toxoplasma gondii a Trigger of Bipolar Disorder?
by Claudia Del Grande, Luca Galli, Elisa Schiavi, Liliana Dell’Osso and Fabrizio Bruschi
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010003 - 10 Jan 2017
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 13953
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, a ubiquitous intracellular parasite, has a strong tropism for the brain tissue, where it forms intracellular cysts within the neurons and glial cells, establishing a chronic infection. Although latent toxoplasmosis is generally assumed to be asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, it [...] Read more.
Toxoplasma gondii, a ubiquitous intracellular parasite, has a strong tropism for the brain tissue, where it forms intracellular cysts within the neurons and glial cells, establishing a chronic infection. Although latent toxoplasmosis is generally assumed to be asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, it is now clear that it can induce behavioral manipulations in mice and infected humans. Moreover, a strong relation has emerged in recent years between toxoplasmosis and psychiatric disorders. The link between T. gondii and schizophrenia has been the most widely documented; however, a significant association with bipolar disorder (BD) and suicidal/aggressive behaviors has also been detected. T. gondii may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of psychiatric disorders affecting neurotransmitters, especially dopamine, that are implicated in the emergence of psychosis and behavioral Toxoplasma-induced abnormalities, and inducing brain inflammation by the direct stimulation of inflammatory cytokines in the central nervous system. Besides this, there is increasing evidence for a prominent role of immune dysregulation in psychosis and BD. The aim of this review is to describe recent evidence suggesting a link between Toxoplasma gondii and BD, focusing on the interaction between immune responses and this infectious agent in the etiopathogenesis of psychiatric symptoms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxoplasma gondii Infection)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

1500 KiB  
Review
Herpesviruses dUTPases: A New Family of Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP) Proteins with Implications for Human Disease
by Marshall V. Williams, Brandon Cox and Maria Eugenia Ariza
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010002 - 28 Dec 2016
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 9032
Abstract
The human herpesviruses are ubiquitous viruses and have a prevalence of over 90% in the adult population. Following a primary infection they establish latency and can be reactivated over a person’s lifetime. While it is well accepted that human herpesviruses are implicated in [...] Read more.
The human herpesviruses are ubiquitous viruses and have a prevalence of over 90% in the adult population. Following a primary infection they establish latency and can be reactivated over a person’s lifetime. While it is well accepted that human herpesviruses are implicated in numerous diseases ranging from dermatological and autoimmune disease to cancer, the role of lytic proteins in the pathophysiology of herpesvirus-associated diseases remains largely understudies. Only recently have we begun to appreciate the importance of lytic proteins produced during reactivation of the virus, in particular the deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolases (dUTPase), as key modulators of the host innate and adaptive immune responses. In this review, we provide evidence from animal and human studies of the Epstein–Barr virus as a prototype, supporting the notion that herpesviruses dUTPases are a family of proteins with unique immunoregulatory functions that can alter the inflammatory microenvironment and thus exacerbate the immune pathology of herpesvirus-related diseases including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Herpesviruses)
Show Figures

Figure 1

470 KiB  
Communication
Detection of Campylobacter jejuni in Lizard Faeces from Central Australia Using Quantitative PCR
by Harriet Whiley, Ryan McLean and Kirstin Ross
Pathogens 2017, 6(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6010001 - 23 Dec 2016
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4432
Abstract
Worldwide, Campylobacter is a significant cause of gastrointestinal illness. It is predominately considered a foodborne pathogen, with human exposure via non-food transmission routes generally overlooked. Current literature has been exploring environmental reservoirs of campylobacteriosis including potential wildlife reservoirs. Given the close proximity between [...] Read more.
Worldwide, Campylobacter is a significant cause of gastrointestinal illness. It is predominately considered a foodborne pathogen, with human exposure via non-food transmission routes generally overlooked. Current literature has been exploring environmental reservoirs of campylobacteriosis including potential wildlife reservoirs. Given the close proximity between lizards and human habitats in Central Australia, this study examined the presence of Campylobacter jejuni from lizard faeces collected from this region. Of the 51 samples collected, 17 (33%) (this included 14/46 (30%) wild and 3/5 (60%) captive lizard samples) were positive for C. jejuni using quantitative PCR (qPCR). This was the first study to investigate the presence of C. jejuni in Australian lizards. This has public health implications regarding the risk of campylobacteriosis from handling of pet reptiles and through cross-contamination or contact with wild lizard faeces. Additionally this has implication for horizontal transmission via lizards of C. jejuni to food production farms. Further research is needed on this environmental reservoir and potential transmission routes to reduce the risk to public health. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Previous Issue
Next Issue
Back to TopTop