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Urban C, Blom AA, Avanzi C, Walker-Meikle K, Warren AK, White-Iribhogbe K, Turle R, Marter P, Dawson-Hobbis H, Roffey S, Inskip SA, Schuenemann VJ. Ancient Mycobacterium leprae genome reveals medieval English red squirrels as animal leprosy host. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2221-2230.e8. [PMID: 38703773 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Leprosy, one of the oldest recorded diseases in human history, remains prevalent in Asia, Africa, and South America, with over 200,000 cases every year.1,2 Although ancient DNA (aDNA) approaches on the major causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, have elucidated the disease's evolutionary history,3,4,5 the role of animal hosts and interspecies transmission in the past remains unexplored. Research has uncovered relationships between medieval strains isolated from archaeological human remains and modern animal hosts such as the red squirrel in England.6,7 However, the time frame, distribution, and direction of transmissions remains unknown. Here, we studied 25 human and 12 squirrel samples from two archaeological sites in Winchester, a medieval English city well known for its leprosarium and connections to the fur trade. We reconstructed four medieval M. leprae genomes, including one from a red squirrel, at a 2.2-fold average coverage. Our analysis revealed a phylogenetic placement of all strains on branch 3 as well as a close relationship between the squirrel strain and one newly reconstructed medieval human strain. In particular, the medieval squirrel strain is more closely related to some medieval human strains from Winchester than to modern red squirrel strains from England, indicating a yet-undetected circulation of M. leprae in non-human hosts in the Middle Ages. Our study represents the first One Health approach for M. leprae in archaeology, which is centered around a medieval animal host strain, and highlights the future capability of such approaches to understand the disease's zoonotic past and current potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Urban
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland; Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alette A Blom
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3ER, UK; School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Charlotte Avanzi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, 401 W Pitkin St, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Kathleen Walker-Meikle
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland; Science Museum Group, Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD, UK
| | - Alaine K Warren
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, 401 W Pitkin St, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Katie White-Iribhogbe
- School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, 10 Thornaugh Street, London WC1H 0XG, UK
| | - Ross Turle
- Hampshire Cultural Trust, Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane, Winchester SO23 8RB, UK
| | - Phil Marter
- School of History, Archaeology and Philosophy, University of Winchester, Medecroft Building, Sparkford Road, Winchester SO22 4NH, UK
| | - Heidi Dawson-Hobbis
- School of History, Archaeology and Philosophy, University of Winchester, Medecroft Building, Sparkford Road, Winchester SO22 4NH, UK
| | - Simon Roffey
- School of History, Archaeology and Philosophy, University of Winchester, Medecroft Building, Sparkford Road, Winchester SO22 4NH, UK
| | - Sarah A Inskip
- School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
| | - Verena J Schuenemann
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
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2
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Dos Reis SA, Gonçalves JD, Lima KDA, Demaria TM, Costa-Bartuli E, Gomes TA, Corrêa MBC, Atella GC, Sola-Penna M, Rosa PS, Pessolani MCV, Nagajyothi J, Lara FA. Mycobacterium leprae is able to infect adipocytes, inducing lipolysis and modulating the immune response. Microbes Infect 2024; 26:105283. [PMID: 38141852 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2023.105283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by the intracellular bacillus Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae), which is known to infect skin macrophages and Schwann cells. Although adipose tissue is a recognized site of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, its role in the histopathology of leprosy was, until now, unknown. We analyzed the M. leprae capacity to infect and persist inside adipocytes, characterizing the induction of a lipolytic phenotype in adipocytes, as well as the effect of these infected cells on macrophage recruitment. We evaluated 3T3-L1-derived adipocytes, inguinal adipose tissue of SWR/J mice, and subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies of leprosy patients. M. leprae was able to infect 3T3-L1-derived adipocytes in vitro, presenting a strong lipolytic profile after infection, followed by significant cholesterol efflux. This lipolytic phenotype was replicated in vivo by M. leprae injection into mice inguinal adipose tissue. Furthermore, M. leprae was detected inside crown-like structures in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of multibacillary patients. These data indicate that subcutaneous adipose tissue could be an important site of infection, and probably persistence, for M. leprae, being involved in the modulation of the innate immune control in leprosy via the release of cholesterol, MCP-1, and adiponectin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Alves Dos Reis
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Laboratório de Imunoterapia Celular e Gênica, Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jessica Dias Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Karoline Dos Anjos Lima
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídeos e Lipoproteínas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thaina Magalhaes Demaria
- The MetaboliZSm GrouP, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Emylle Costa-Bartuli
- The MetaboliZSm GrouP, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tiago Araujo Gomes
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Georgia Correa Atella
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídeos e Lipoproteínas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mauro Sola-Penna
- The MetaboliZSm GrouP, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Jyothi Nagajyothi
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ-07110, USA
| | - Flavio Alves Lara
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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3
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Tóth AG, Farkas R, Papp M, Kilim O, Yun H, Makrai L, Maróti G, Gyurkovszky M, Krikó E, Solymosi N. Ixodes ricinus tick bacteriome alterations based on a climatically representative survey in Hungary. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0124323. [PMID: 37966205 PMCID: PMC10715062 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01243-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Climate-sensitive disease vectors, such as ticks, respond to the environment with changes in their microbiome. These changes can affect the emergence or re-emergence of various vector-borne pathogens, such as the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB) or tick-borne encephalitis. This aspect is particularly emphasized in light of climate change. The climatically representative assessment of microbiome differences in various developmental stages of the most common Central European tick species, Ixodes ricinus, deepens our understanding of the potential climatic factors behind microbial relative abundance and interaction changes. This knowledge can support the development of novel disease vector control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienn Gréta Tóth
- Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Róbert Farkas
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márton Papp
- Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Oz Kilim
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Haeun Yun
- Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Gergely Maróti
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center, HUN-REN, Szeged, Hungary
- Faculty of Water Sciences, University of Public Service, Baja, Hungary
| | - Mónika Gyurkovszky
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Krikó
- Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Norbert Solymosi
- Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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4
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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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5
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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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6
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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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7
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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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8
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Cabral N, de Figueiredo V, Gandini M, de Souza CF, Medeiros RA, Lery LMS, Lara FA, de Macedo CS, Pessolani MCV, Pereira GMB. Modulation of the Response to Mycobacterium leprae and Pathogenesis of Leprosy. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:918009. [PMID: 35722339 PMCID: PMC9201476 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.918009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The initial infection by the obligate intracellular bacillus Mycobacterium leprae evolves to leprosy in a small subset of the infected individuals. Transmission is believed to occur mainly by exposure to bacilli present in aerosols expelled by infected individuals with high bacillary load. Mycobacterium leprae-specific DNA has been detected in the blood of asymptomatic household contacts of leprosy patients years before active disease onset, suggesting that, following infection, the bacterium reaches the lymphatic drainage and the blood of at least some individuals. The lower temperature and availability of protected microenvironments may provide the initial conditions for the survival of the bacillus in the airways and skin. A subset of skin-resident macrophages and the Schwann cells of peripheral nerves, two M. leprae permissive cells, may protect M. leprae from effector cells in the initial phase of the infection. The interaction of M. leprae with these cells induces metabolic changes, including the formation of lipid droplets, that are associated with macrophage M2 phenotype and the production of mediators that facilitate the differentiation of specific T cells for M. leprae-expressed antigens to a memory regulatory phenotype. Here, we discuss the possible initials steps of M. leprae infection that may lead to active disease onset, mainly focusing on events prior to the manifestation of the established clinical forms of leprosy. We hypothesize that the progressive differentiation of T cells to the Tregs phenotype inhibits effector function against the bacillus, allowing an increase in the bacillary load and evolution of the infection to active disease. Epigenetic and metabolic mechanisms described in other chronic inflammatory diseases are evaluated for potential application to the understanding of leprosy pathogenesis. A potential role for post-exposure prophylaxis of leprosy in reducing M. leprae-induced anti-inflammatory mediators and, in consequence, Treg/T effector ratios is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Cabral
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vilma de Figueiredo
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Gandini
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cíntia Fernandes de Souza
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rychelle Affonso Medeiros
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Letícia Miranda Santos Lery
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flávio Alves Lara
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cristiana Santos de Macedo
- Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Geraldo Moura Batista Pereira
- Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Receveur JP, Bauer A, Pechal JL, Picq S, Dogbe M, Jordan HR, Rakestraw AW, Fast K, Sandel M, Chevillon C, Guégan JF, Wallace JR, Benbow ME. A need for null models in understanding disease transmission: the example of Mycobacterium ulcerans (Buruli ulcer disease). FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:fuab045. [PMID: 34468735 PMCID: PMC8767449 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the interactions of ecosystems, humans and pathogens is important for disease risk estimation. This is particularly true for neglected and newly emerging diseases where modes and efficiencies of transmission leading to epidemics are not well understood. Using a model for other emerging diseases, the neglected tropical skin disease Buruli ulcer (BU), we systematically review the literature on transmission of the etiologic agent, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), within a One Health/EcoHealth framework and against Hill's nine criteria and Koch's postulates for making strong inference in disease systems. Using this strong inference approach, we advocate a null hypothesis for MU transmission and other understudied disease systems. The null should be tested against alternative vector or host roles in pathogen transmission to better inform disease management. We propose a re-evaluation of what is necessary to identify and confirm hosts, reservoirs and vectors associated with environmental pathogen replication, dispersal and transmission; critically review alternative environmental sources of MU that may be important for transmission, including invertebrate and vertebrate species, plants and biofilms on aquatic substrates; and conclude with placing BU within the context of other neglected and emerging infectious diseases with intricate ecological relationships that lead to disease in humans, wildlife and domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Receveur
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Alexandra Bauer
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Jennifer L Pechal
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Sophie Picq
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Magdalene Dogbe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
| | - Heather R Jordan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
| | - Alex W Rakestraw
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, The University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL, USA
| | - Kayla Fast
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, The University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL, USA
| | - Michael Sandel
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, The University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL, USA
| | - Christine Chevillon
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), Université de Montpellier (UM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-François Guégan
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), Université de Montpellier (UM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement, Montpellier, France
- UMR Animal, santé, territoires, risques et écosystèmes, Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (INRAE), Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (Cirad), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - John R Wallace
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
| | - M Eric Benbow
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- AgBioResearch, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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10
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Tongluan N, Shelton LT, Collins JH, Ingraffia P, McCormick G, Pena M, Sharma R, Lahiri R, Adams LB, Truman RW, Macaluso KR. Mycobacterium leprae Infection in Ticks and Tick-Derived Cells. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:761420. [PMID: 34777315 PMCID: PMC8578725 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.761420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is a zoonosis in the southern United States involving humans and wild armadillos. The majority of patients presenting with zoonotic strains of Mycobacterium leprae note extensive outdoor activity but only rarely report any history of direct contact with wild armadillos. Whether M. leprae is transmitted to new vertebrate hosts through the environment independently or with the aid of other organisms, e.g., arthropod vectors, is a fundamental question in leprosy transmission. The objectives of this study were to assess the potential for ticks to transmit M. leprae and to test if viable M. leprae can be maintained in tick-derived cells. To evaluate tick transmission, nymphal Amblyomma maculatum ticks were injected with isolated M. leprae. Infection and transmission were assessed by qPCR. Ticks infected as nymphs harbored M. leprae through vertical transmission events (nymph to adult and adult to progeny); and, horizontal transmission of M. leprae to a vertebrate host was observed. Mycobacterium leprae DNA was detected in multiple tick life cycle stages. Likewise, freshly isolated M. leprae (Thai-53) was used to infect a tick-derived cell line, and enumeration and bacterial viability were assessed at individual time points for up to 49 days. Evaluations of the viability of long-term cultured M. leprae (Thai-53 and Br4923) were also assessed in a mouse model. Tick-derived cells were able to maintain viable M. leprae over the 49-day course of infection and M. leprae remained infectious within tick cells for at least 300 days. The results of this study suggest that ticks themselves might serve as a vector for the transmission of M. leprae and that tick cells are suitable for maintenance of viable M. leprae for an extended period of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natthida Tongluan
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, United States
| | - Layne T Shelton
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - J Hunter Collins
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Patrick Ingraffia
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Gregory McCormick
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Maria Pena
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Rahul Sharma
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Ramanuj Lahiri
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Linda B Adams
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Richard W Truman
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Kevin R Macaluso
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, United States
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11
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Urban C, Blom AA, Pfrengle S, Walker-Meikle K, Stone AC, Inskip SA, Schuenemann VJ. One Health Approaches to Trace Mycobacterium leprae's Zoonotic Potential Through Time. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:762263. [PMID: 34745073 PMCID: PMC8566891 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.762263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Hansen's disease (leprosy), mainly caused by infection with Mycobacterium leprae, has accompanied humanity for thousands of years. Although currently rare in Europe, there are over 200,000 new infections annually in South East Asia, Africa, and South America. Over the years many disciplines - palaeopathology, ancient DNA and other ancient biomolecules, and history - have contributed to a better understanding of leprosy's past, in particular its history in medieval Europe. We discuss their contributions and potential, especially in relation to the role of inter-species transmission, an unexplored phenomenon in the disease's history. Here, we explore the potential of interdisciplinary approaches that understand disease as a biosocial phenomenon, which is a product of both infection with M. leprae and social behaviours that facilitate transmission and spread. Genetic evidence of M. leprae isolated from archaeological remains combined with systematic zooarchaeological and historical analysis would not only identify when and in what direction transmission occurred, but also key social behaviours and motivations that brought species together. In our opinion, this combination is crucial to understand the disease's zoonotic past and current potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Urban
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alette A. Blom
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Saskia Pfrengle
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Anne C. Stone
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Sarah A. Inskip
- School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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12
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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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13
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Barreto da Silveira IGDO, da Silva Neto JA, da Silva Ferreira J, Silva TS, Holanda ISA. Detection of Mycobacterium leprae DNA in clinical and environmental samples using serological analysis and PCR. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:6887-6895. [PMID: 34463915 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06691-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and persists as a serious public health problem in Brazil. This microorganism is inculturable, making it difficult to diagnose and elucidate details of its transmission chain. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the dynamics of environmental transmission of M. leprae in a case-control study in the city of Mossoró, Brazil. METHODS AND RESULTS Data of clinical, epidemiological, bacilloscopic, and serological evaluation of 22 newly diagnosed patients were compared, with molecular results of detection of specific genome regions RLEP and 16S rRNA of M. leprae in samples of the nasal swab, saliva, and house dust of these individuals and their controls (44 household contacts and 44 peridomiciliar contacts). The rapid serological tests evaluated, ML flow (IgM ND-O-BSA) and OrangeLife® (IgM and IgG anti NDO-LID 1) showed similar results, with greater positivity among paucibacillaries by OrangeLife® (54.5%). Positivity for nasal swab and saliva in multibacillary patients with RLEP primer was 16.7% and 33.3%, respectively. There was no detection of bacterial DNA in house dust or among paucibacillaries. The OrangeLife® test indicated that the lower the amount of windows, the more transmission in the house (3.79 more chances). Having a history of leprosy cases in the family increased the risk by 2.89 times, and being over 60 years of age gave 3.6 times more chances of acquiring the disease. PCR positivity was higher among all clinical samples using the M. leprae RLEP region than 16S rRNA. CONCLUSIONS In this study, the serological and PCR analysis were capable of detecting M. leprae DNA in clinical samples but not in the environmental samples. Close monitoring of patients and household contacts appears an effective measure to reduce the transmission of leprosy in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismênia Glauce de Oliveira Barreto da Silveira
- Departamento de Ciências Agronômicas e Florestais, Centro de Ciências Vegetais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Av. Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Caixa-postal: 137, Mossoró, RN, CEP 59625-900, Brazil
| | - Jorge Alves da Silva Neto
- Departamento de Ciências Agronômicas e Florestais, Centro de Ciências Vegetais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Av. Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Caixa-postal: 137, Mossoró, RN, CEP 59625-900, Brazil
| | - Jéssica da Silva Ferreira
- Multiuser Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology Applied to Mycobacteria, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tatiane Severo Silva
- Departamento de Ciências Agronômicas e Florestais, Centro de Ciências Vegetais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Av. Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Caixa-postal: 137, Mossoró, RN, CEP 59625-900, Brazil.
| | - Ioná Santos Araújo Holanda
- Departamento de Ciências Agronômicas e Florestais, Centro de Ciências Vegetais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Av. Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Caixa-postal: 137, Mossoró, RN, CEP 59625-900, Brazil
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14
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Strategies for drug target identification in Mycobacterium leprae. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:1569-1573. [PMID: 33798649 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hansen's disease (HD), or leprosy, continues to be endemic in many parts of the world. Although multidrug therapy (MDT) is successful in curing a large number of patients, some of them abandon it because it is a long-term treatment. Therefore, identification of new drug targets in Mycobacterium leprae is considered of high importance. Here, we introduce an overview of in silico and in vitro studies that might be of help in this endeavor. The essentiality of M. leprae proteins is reviewed with discussion of flux balance analysis, gene expression, and knockout articles. Finally, druggability techniques are proposed for the validation of new M. leprae protein targets (see Fig. 1).
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15
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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: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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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16
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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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17
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Manta FSDN, Leal-Calvo T, Moreira SJM, Marques BLC, Ribeiro-Alves M, Rosa PS, Nery JAC, Rampazzo RDCP, Costa ADT, Krieger MA, Moraes MO. Ultra-sensitive detection of Mycobacterium leprae: DNA extraction and PCR assays. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008325. [PMID: 32453754 PMCID: PMC7274454 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Leprosy urgently needs a precise and early diagnostic tool. The sensitivity of the direct (bacilli staining, Mycobacterium leprae DNA) and indirect (antibody levels, T cell assays) diagnostics methods vary based on the clinical form. Recently, PCR-based M. leprae DNA detection has been shown to differentially diagnose leprosy from other dermatological conditions. However, accuracy can still be improved, especially for use with less invasive clinical samples. We tested different commercial DNA extraction kits: DNeasy Blood & Tissue, QIAamp DNA Microbiome, Maxwell 16 DNA Purification, PowerSoil DNA Isolation; as well as in-house phenol-chloroform and Trizol/FastPrep methods. Extraction was performed on M. leprae-infected mouse footpads and different clinical samples of leprosy patients (skin biopsies and scrapings, lesion, oral and nasal swabs, body hair, blood on FTA cards, peripheral whole blood). We observed that the Microbiome kit was able to enrich for mycobacterial DNA, most likely due the enzymatic digestion cocktail along with mechanical disruption involved in this method. Consequently, we had a significant increase in sensitivity in skin biopsies from paucibacillary leprosy patients using a duplex qPCR targeting 16S rRNA (M. leprae) and 18S rRNA (mammal) in the StepOnePlus system. Our data showed that the presence of M. leprae DNA was best detected in skin biopsies and skin scrapings, independent of the extraction method or the clinical form. For multibacillary patients, detection of M. leprae DNA in nasal swabs indicates the possibility of having a much less invasive sample that can be used for the purposes of DNA sequencing for relapse analysis and drug resistance monitoring. Overall, DNA extracted with the Microbiome kit presented the best bacilli detection rate for paucibacillary cases, indicating that investments in extraction methods with mechanical and DNA digestion should be made.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thyago Leal-Calvo
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Brunna L. C. Marques
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Ribeiro-Alves
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em DST-AIDS, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - José Augusto C. Nery
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre Dias Tavares Costa
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular do Paraná—Fiocruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Marco Aurelio Krieger
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular do Paraná—Fiocruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Milton Ozório Moraes
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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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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Yeroushalmi S, Shirazi JY, Friedman A. New Developments in Bacterial, Viral, and Fungal Cutaneous Infections. CURRENT DERMATOLOGY REPORTS 2020; 9:152-165. [PMID: 32435525 PMCID: PMC7224073 DOI: 10.1007/s13671-020-00295-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review highlights clinically relevant updates to common and significant bacterial, viral, and fungal cutaneous infection within the past 5 years. Recent developments are presented so that the clinician may provide evidence-based, high-quality patient care. RECENT FINDINGS New resistance patterns in cutaneous pathogens have recently emerged as a result of inappropriate antimicrobial use. Several new FDA-approved antimicrobials have been approved to treat such infections, including multi-drug resistant pathogens. Several organizational guidelines for cutaneous infection management have been updated with new recommendations for screening, diagnostic, and treatment strategies. SUMMARY Clinicians should be aware of the most recent evidence and guidelines for the management of cutaneous infections in order to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and most effectively treat their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Yeroushalmi
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2150 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037 USA
| | | | - Adam Friedman
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2150 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037 USA
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21
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da Silva Ferreira J, de Carvalho FM, Vidal Pessolani MC, de Paula Antunes JMA, de Medeiros Oliveira IVP, Ferreira Moura GH, Truman RW, Peña MT, Sharma R, Duthie MS, de Paula Souza E Guimarães RJ, Nogueira Brum Fontes A, NoelSuffys P, McIntosh D. Serological and molecular detection of infection with Mycobacterium leprae in Brazilian six banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus). Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2019; 68:101397. [PMID: 31775113 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2019.101397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Leprosy was recognized as a zoonotic disease, associated with nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the Southern United States of America in 2011. In addition, there is growing evidence to support a role for armadillos in zoonotic leprosy in South America. The current study evaluated twenty specimens of the six-banded armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus), collected from rural locations in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil for evidence of infection with Mycobacterium leprae. Serum was examined using two "in-house" enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and via two commercially available (ML flow and NDO-LID®) immunochromatographic lateral flow (LF) tests, for detection of the PGL-I and/or LID-1 antigens of the bacterium. The presence of M. leprae DNA in liver tissue was examined using the multi-copy, M. leprae-specific repetitive element (RLEP), as target in conventional and nested PCR assays. Molecular and anti-PGL-I-ELISA data indicated that 20/20 (100 %) of the armadillos were infected with M. leprae. The corresponding detection levels recorded with the LF tests were 17/20 (85 %) and 16/20 (85 %), for the NDO-LID® and ML flow tests, respectively. Our results indicate that, in common with D. novemcinctus, six banded armadillos (a species hunted and reared as a food-source in some regions of Brazil, including RN), represent a potential reservoir of M. leprae and as such, their role in a possible zoonotic cycle of leprosy within Brazil warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica da Silva Ferreira
- Multiuser Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Richard Wayne Truman
- Department of Health and Humans Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Healthcare Systems Bureau, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, United States
| | - Maria Teresa Peña
- Department of Health and Humans Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Healthcare Systems Bureau, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, United States
| | - Rahul Sharma
- Department of Health and Humans Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Healthcare Systems Bureau, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, United States
| | | | | | - Amanda Nogueira Brum Fontes
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology Applied to Mycobacteria, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Philip NoelSuffys
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology Applied to Mycobacteria, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Douglas McIntosh
- Multiuser Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil.
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22
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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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23
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Palomar AM, Premchand-Branker S, Alberdi P, Belova OA, Moniuszko-Malinowska A, Kahl O, Bell-Sakyi L. Isolation of known and potentially pathogenic tick-borne microorganisms from European ixodid ticks using tick cell lines. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:628-638. [PMID: 30819609 PMCID: PMC6446187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ticks harbour and, in many cases transmit to their vertebrate hosts, a wide variety of pathogenic, apathogenic and endosymbiotic microorganisms. Recent molecular analyses have greatly increased the range of bacterial species potentially associated with ticks, but in most cases cannot distinguish between surface contaminants, microorganisms present in the remains of the previous blood meal and truly intracellular or tissue-associated bacteria. Here we demonstrate how tick cell lines, primary cell cultures and organ cultures can be used to isolate and propagate bacteria from within embryonic and adult Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks originating from different parts of Europe. We isolated and partially characterised four new strains of Spiroplasma from The Netherlands, Spain and Poland, two new strains of Rickettsia raoultii from Russia and Poland, one strain of Rickettsia slovaca from Spain and a species of Mycobacterium from the UK. Comparison with published sequences showed that the Spiroplasma strains were closely related to Spiroplasma ixodetis and the Mycobacterium isolate belonged to the Mycobacterium chelonae complex, while the R. raoultii and R. slovaca strains were similar to previously-validated species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, CIBIR, C/ Piqueras, 98, Logroño 26006, La Rioja, Spain; The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK.
| | - Shonnette Premchand-Branker
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK; Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
| | - Oxana A Belova
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia; Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, 20-1 Malaya Pirogovskaya St., Moscow 119435, Russia.
| | - Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University in Białystok, Zurawia 14, 15-540 Białystok, Poland.
| | - Olaf Kahl
- Tick-radar GmbH, 10555 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK; The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK; Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK.
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