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Damås JK, Otterdal K, Astrup E, Lekva T, Janardhanan J, Michelsen A, Aukrust P, Varghese GM, Ueland T. Canonical notch activation in patients with scrub typhus: association with organ dysfunction and poor outcome. Infection 2024:10.1007/s15010-024-02192-2. [PMID: 38502427 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-024-02192-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The mechanisms that control inflammation in scrub typhus are not fully elucidated. The Notch pathways are important regulators of inflammation and infection, but have not been investigated in scrub typhus. METHODS Plasma levels of the canonical Notch ligand Delta-like protein 1 (DLL1) were measured by enzyme immunoassay and RNA expression of the Notch receptors (NOTCH1, NOTCH2 and NOTCH4) in whole blood was analyzed by real-time PCR in patients with scrub typhus (n = 129), in patients with similar febrile illness without O. tsutsugamushi infection (n = 31) and in healthy controls (n = 31); all from the same area of South India. RESULTS Our main results were: (i) plasma DLL1 was markedly increased in scrub typhus patients at hospital admission with a significant decrease during recovery. (ii) RNA expression of NOTCH4 was decreased at admission in whole blood. (iii) A similar pattern for DLL1 and NOTCH4 was seen in febrile disease controls. (iv) Admission DLL1 in plasma was associated with disease severity and short-term survival. (vi) Regulation of Notch pathways in O. tsutsugamushi-infected monocytes as evaluated by public repository data revealed enhanced canonical Notch activation with upregulation of DLL1 and downregulation of NOTCH4. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that scrub typhus patients are characterized by enhanced canonical Notch activation. Elevated plasma levels of DLL1 were associated with organ dysfunction and poor outcomes in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan K Damås
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kari Otterdal
- Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Elisabeth Astrup
- Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Tove Lekva
- Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jeshina Janardhanan
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Annika Michelsen
- Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Pål Aukrust
- Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Section of Clinical Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - George M Varghese
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Thor Ueland
- Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- Thrombosis Research Center (TREC), Division of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Liu ES, Wu YT, Liang WM, Kuo FY. Association of scrub typhus with the risk of venous thromboembolism and long-term mortality: a population-based cohort study. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2024:10.1007/s10096-024-04793-z. [PMID: 38472518 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-024-04793-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The existing literature lacks studies examining the epidemiological link between scrub typhus and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), and the long-term outcomes. The objective of this study is to explore the potential association between scrub typhus and the subsequent risk of venous thromboembolism, and long-term mortality. METHOD This nationwide cohort study identified 10,121 patients who were newly diagnosed with scrub typhus. Patients with a prior DVT or PE diagnosis before the scrub typhus infection were excluded. A comparison cohort of 101,210 patients was established from the general population using a propensity score matching technique. The cumulative survival HRs for the two cohorts were calculated by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULT After adjusting for sex, age, and comorbidities, the scrub typhus group had an adjusted HR (95% CI) of 1.02 (0.80-1.30) for DVT, 1.11 (0.63-1.93) for PE, and 1.16 (1.08-1.25) for mortality compared to the control group. The post hoc subgroup analysis revealed that individuals younger than 55 years with a prior scrub typhus infection had a significantly higher risk of DVT (HR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.12-2.25) and long-term mortality (HR: 1.75; 95% CI, 1.54-1.99). CONCLUSION The scrub typhus patients showed a 16% higher risk of long-term mortality. For those in scrub typhus cohort below 55 years of age, the risk of developing DVT was 1.59 times higher, and the risk of mortality was 1.75 times higher. Age acted as an effect modifier influencing the relationship between scrub typhus and risk of new-onset DVT and death.
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Affiliation(s)
- En-Shao Liu
- Cardiovascular Medical Center, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, No. 386, Dazhong 1st Rd., Zuoying Dist, Kaohsiung City, 813, Taiwan
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Wu
- Cardiovascular Medical Center, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, No. 386, Dazhong 1st Rd., Zuoying Dist, Kaohsiung City, 813, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Miin Liang
- Department of Health Services Administration, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Yu Kuo
- Cardiovascular Medical Center, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, No. 386, Dazhong 1st Rd., Zuoying Dist, Kaohsiung City, 813, Taiwan.
- Department of Pharmacy and Master Program, College of Pharmacy and Health Care, Tajen University, Pingtung, Taiwan.
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Han S, Yang S, Wang Y, Xu Y. Case Report: Encephalitis with Initial Manifestation of Orientia Tsutsugamushi Infection Detected by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing. Infect Drug Resist 2024; 17:749-760. [PMID: 38433784 PMCID: PMC10906725 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s450693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is characterized by fever, eschars, lymphadenopathy, and rash. The absence of eschars in some cases makes it difficult to distinguish it from other diseases, complicating the diagnosis process. Atypical Scrub typhus is difficult to diagnose and often leads to delayed treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment through effective detection methods have high clinical value. Here, a case of scrub typhus with encephalitis symptoms is reported. Patients and Methods A 64-year-old man and mNGS testing. Results A 64-year-old man developed cough, headache, and fever, dismissing it as a respiratory tract infection. Initial treatment with cephalosporin antibiotics had minimal effect. Admission to the respiratory department showed inflammation in blood tests. Subsequent CT and further treatment provided no improvement. Multidisciplinary discussions and neurology department guidance were conducted to consider the suspected diagnosis of encephalitis in the patient. After improving the mNGS detection, the patient was diagnosed with "Orientia tsutsugamushi encephalitis". After treatment with doxycycline, the patient's symptoms were alleviated. He remained afebrile in follow-up and adhered well to medical advice. Conclusion Our case demonstrates that it is difficult to distinguish Orientia tsutsugamushi encephalitis from central nervous system infectious diseases such as meningitis and encephalitis using conventional diagnostic methods, which may affect the treatment plan for the disease. mNGS is a useful and valuable method for early diagnosis of scrub typhus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Han
- The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, People’s Republic of China
| | - Suge Yang
- The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Neurology Medicine, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yingying Xu
- Department of Neurology Medicine, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, People’s Republic of China
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Bhandari M, Singh RK, Laishevtcev A, Mohapatra TM, Nigam M, Mori E, Vasconcelos de Lacerda BCG, Coutinho HDM, Mishra AP. Revisiting scrub typhus: A neglected tropical disease. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 90-91:101888. [PMID: 36252451 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2022.101888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Scrub typhus is an under diagnosed re-emerging vector borne disease caused by an intracellular gram negative bacteria, Orientia. The disease is commonly prevalent in rural and hilly areas of Tsutsugumashi triangle. The diagnosis of the disease is very challenging due to similarity of its early symptoms with other febrile illnesses, like dengue and COVID 19, as well as non-availability of rapid, reliable and cost-effective methods. Moreover, the diverse clinical presentation in severe cases make it significant health problem. The occupational and behavioral risks responsible for the transmission lead to urgent need of vaccine development against the disease. The complete knowledge about its pathogenesis and the interaction with host's immune cells may help the scientists in developing the appropriate diagnostic methods as well as the vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munni Bhandari
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar (Garhwal) 246174, India.
| | - Rahul Kunwar Singh
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar (Garhwal) 246174, India.
| | - Alexey Laishevtcev
- Federal Research Center - All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Skryabin and Y.R. Kovalenko of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Laboratory of Biocontrol and Antimicrobial Resistance, Orel State, University Named After I.S. Turgenev, Orel, Russia.
| | - Tribhuvan Mohan Mohapatra
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
| | - Manisha Nigam
- Department of Biochemistry, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal-246174, Uttarakhand, India.
| | - Edna Mori
- CECAPE - College of Dentistry, Av. Padre Cícero, 3917, Juazeiro do Norte, São José CE 63024-015, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Abhay Prakash Mishra
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Science, University of Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa.
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Berk JM, Lee MJ, Zhang M, Lim C, Hochstrasser M. OtDUB from the Human Pathogen Orientia tsutsugamushi Modulates Host Membrane Trafficking by Multiple Mechanisms. Mol Cell Biol 2022;:e0007122. [PMID: 35727026 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00071-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Host cell membrane-trafficking pathways are often manipulated by bacterial pathogens to gain cell entry, avoid immune responses, or to obtain nutrients. The 1,369-residue OtDUB protein from the obligate intracellular human pathogen Orientia tsutsugamushi bears a deubiquitylase (DUB) and additional domains. Here we show that OtDUB ectopic expression disrupts membrane trafficking through multiple mechanisms. OtDUB binds directly to the clathrin adaptor-protein (AP) complexes AP-1 and AP-2, and the OtDUB275-675 fragment is sufficient for binding to either complex. To assess the impact of OtDUB interactions with AP-1 and AP-2, we examined trans-Golgi trafficking and endocytosis, respectively. Endocytosis is reduced by two separate OtDUB fragments: one contains the AP-binding domain (OtDUB1-675), and the other does not (OtDUB675-1369). OtDUB1-675 disruption of endocytosis requires its ubiquitin-binding capabilities. OtDUB675-1369 also fragments trans- and cis-Golgi structures. Using a growth-based selection in yeast, we identified viable OtDUB675-1369 point mutants that also no longer caused Golgi defects in human cells. In parallel, we found OtDUB675-1369 binds directly to phosphatidylserine, and this lipid binding is lost in the same mutants. Together these results show that OtDUB contains multiple activities capable of modulating membrane trafficking. We discuss how these activities may contribute to Orientia infections.
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Salaveria K, Smith S, Liu YH, Bagshaw R, Ott M, Stewart A, Law M, Carter A, Hanson J. The Applicability of Commonly Used Severity of Illness Scores to Tropical Infections in Australia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 106:257-267. [PMID: 34662860 PMCID: PMC8733535 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Many patients with leptospirosis, melioidosis, and rickettsial infection require intensive care unit (ICU) admission in tropical Australia every year. The multi-organ dysfunction associated with these infections results in significantly elevated severity of illness (SOI) scores. However, the accuracy of these SOI scores in predicting death from these tropical infections is incompletely defined. This retrospective study was performed at Cairns Hospital, a tertiary-referral hospital in tropical Australia. All patients admitted to ICU with laboratory-confirmed leptospirosis, melioidosis, and rickettsial disease between January 1, 1999 and June 30, 2020, were eligible for the study. The ability of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, APACHE III, Simplified Acute Physiology Scores (SAPS) II, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores to predict death before ICU discharge was evaluated. Overall, 18 (12.1%) of the 149 included patients died: 15/74 (20.3%) with melioidosis, 2/54 (3.7%) with leptospirosis and 1/21 (4.8%) with rickettsial disease. However, the APACHE II, APACHE III, SAPS II, and SOFA scores significantly overestimated the case-fatality rate of all the infections; the disparity between the predicted and observed mortality was most marked in the cases of leptospirosis and rickettsial disease. Commonly used SOI scores significantly overestimate the case-fatality rate of melioidosis, leptospirosis, and rickettsial infections in Australian ICU patients. This may be at least partly explained by the unique pathophysiology of these infections, particularly leptospirosis and rickettsial disease. However, SOI scores may still be useful in facilitating the comparison of disease severity in clinical trials that examine patients with these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kris Salaveria
- Department of Intensive Care, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Simon Smith
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Yu-Hsuan Liu
- Department of Intensive Care, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Richard Bagshaw
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Markus Ott
- Department of Intensive Care, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Matthew Law
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Angus Carter
- Department of Intensive Care, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia;,James Cook University, Cairns Campus, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Josh Hanson
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia;,Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia;,Address correspondence to Josh Hanson, Kirby Institute, Level 6, Wallace Wurth Building, High Street, UNSW, Kensington NSW 2052, Australia. E-mail:
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Fisher J, Card G, Liang Y, Trent B, Rosenzweig H, Soong L. Orientia tsutsugamushi selectively stimulates the C-type lectin receptor Mincle and type 1-skewed proinflammatory immune responses. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009782. [PMID: 34320039 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Orientia tsutsugamushi is an obligately intracellular bacterium and the etiological agent of scrub typhus. The lung is a major target organ of infection, displaying type 1-skewed proinflammatory responses. Lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome are common complications of severe scrub typhus; yet, their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated whether the C-type lectin receptor (CLR) Mincle contributes to immune recognition and dysregulation. Following lethal infection in mice, we performed pulmonary differential expression analysis with NanoString. Of 671 genes examined, we found 312 significantly expressed genes at the terminal phase of disease. Mincle (Clec4e) was among the top 5 greatest up-regulated genes, accompanied with its signaling partners, type 1-skewing chemokines (Cxcr3, Ccr5, and their ligands), as well as Il27. To validate the role of Mincle in scrub typhus, we exposed murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (MΦ) to live or inactivated O. tsutsugamushi and analyzed a panel of CLRs and proinflammatory markers via qRT-PCR. We found that while heat-killed bacteria stimulated transitory Mincle expression, live bacteria generated a robust response in MΦ, which was validated by indirect immunofluorescence and western blot. Notably, infection had limited impact on other tested CLRs or TLRs. Sustained proinflammatory gene expression in MΦ (Cxcl9, Ccl2, Ccl5, Nos2, Il27) was induced by live, but not inactivated, bacteria; infected Mincle-/- MΦ significantly reduced proinflammatory responses compared with WT cells. Together, this study provides the first evidence for a selective expression of Mincle in sensing O. tsutsugamushi and suggests a potential role of Mincle- and IL-27-related pathways in host responses to severe infection. Additionally, it provides novel insight into innate immune recognition of this poorly studied bacterium.
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Loganathan SK, Jaybhaye A, Dash N, Punnen A, Ghosh U, Rose W. Acute respiratory distress syndrome in paediatric scrub typhus. Trop Doct 2021; 51:514-517. [PMID: 34238058 DOI: 10.1177/00494755211029146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a life-threatening complication of scrub typhus; we sought to describe its mortality and associated factors, namely eschar, hepatomegaly and severe thrombocytopenia, in a retrospective study in India of 65 children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amol Jaybhaye
- Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Paediatric Infectious Disease, CMC, Vellore, India
| | - Nabaneeta Dash
- Post-Doctoral Fellow in Paediatric Infectious Disease, CMC, Vellore, India
| | - Anu Punnen
- Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, CMC, Vellore, India
| | - Urmi Ghosh
- Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, CMC, Vellore, India
| | - Winsley Rose
- Professor, Department of Paediatrics (Paediatric Infectious Disease), CMC, Vellore, India
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Kang SJ, Park KJ, Jin HM, Cho YN, Oh TH, Kim SE, Kim UJ, Park KH, Jung SI, Kim TO, Kim HS, Jo YG, Ju JK, Kee SJ, Park YW. Circulating Plasmacytoid and Conventional Dendritic Cells Are Numerically and Functionally Deficient in Patients With Scrub Typhus. Front Immunol 2021; 12:700755. [PMID: 34276693 PMCID: PMC8281928 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.700755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen-presenting cells known to bridge innate and adaptive immune reactions. However, the relationship between circulating DCs and Orientia tsutsugamushi infection is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the level and function of plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) and conventional DCs (cDCs), two subsets of circulating DCs, in scrub typhus patients. Methods The study included 35 scrub typhus patients and 35 healthy controls (HCs). pDC and cDC levels, CD86 and CD274 expression, and cytokine levels were measured using flow cytometry. Results Circulating pDC and cDC levels were found to be significantly reduced in scrub typhus patients, which were correlated with disease severity. The patients displayed increased percentages of CD86+ pDCs, CD274+ pDCs, and CD274+ cDCs in the peripheral blood. The alterations in the levels and surface phenotypes of pDCs and cDCs were recovered in the remission state. In addition, the production of interferon (IFN)-α and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α by circulating pDCs, and interleukin (IL)-12 and TNF-α by circulating cDCs was reduced in scrub typhus patients. Interestingly, our in vitro experiments showed that the percentages of CD86+ pDCs, CD274+ pDCs, and CD274+ cDCs were increased in cultures treated with cytokines including IFN-γ, IL-12, and TNF-α. Conclusions This study demonstrates that circulating pDCs and cDCs are numerically deficient and functionally impaired in scrub typhus patients. In addition, alterations in the expression levels of surface phenotypes of pDCs and cDCs could be affected by pro-inflammatory cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Ji Kang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Ki-Jeong Park
- Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Hye-Mi Jin
- Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Young-Nan Cho
- Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Tae Hoon Oh
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Seong Eun Kim
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Uh Jin Kim
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Hwa Park
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Sook-In Jung
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Tae-Ok Kim
- Department of Pulmonology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Hyo Shin Kim
- Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Young-Goun Jo
- Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Jae Kyun Ju
- Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Seung-Jung Kee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Yong-Wook Park
- Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
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Abstract
Introduction: Scrub typhus is one of the most underdiagnosed and under-reported febrile illnesses requiring hospitalization, mainly occurring in Southeast and East Asia and the Pacific Islands, in an area referred to as the 'Tsutsugamushi Triangle.' Scrub typhus is a zoonotic rickettsial disease that is transmitted to humans by trombiculid mites.Areas covered: A MEDLINE/PubMed search of the available literature was performed to describe the role of antibiotic-resistant scrub typhus in therapy failure.Expert opinion: Scrub typhus is characterized by an eschar that may appear 2-3 days before sudden-onset fever with chills, headache, backache, myalgia, profuse sweating, vomiting, and enlarged lymph nodes. A macular or maculopapular skin rash can develop within 3-8 days after the onset of fever. Various antibiotics, such as chloramphenicol, tetracycline, doxycycline, macrolides, quinolones, and rifampicin, have been used to treat scrub typhus. Resistance to tetracycline has been proposed to underlie delayed clinical improvement since 1996, but recent reports have questioned the existence of doxycycline resistance. Nevertheless, the existence and importance of antibiotic-resistant scrub typhus remain uncertain and require further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Te Lu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Lo-Hsu Medical Foundation, Lotung Poh-Ai Hospital, Yilan, Taiwan
| | - Lih-Shinn Wang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital and Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Po-Ren Hsueh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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Jiang J, Farris CM, Yeh KB, Richards AL. International Rickettsia Disease Surveillance: An Example of Cooperative Research to Increase Laboratory Capability and Capacity for Risk Assessment of Rickettsial Outbreaks Worldwide. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:622015. [PMID: 33738293 PMCID: PMC7960665 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.622015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cooperative research that addresses infectious disease surveillance and outbreak investigations relies heavily on availability and effective use of appropriate diagnostic tools, including serological and molecular assays, as exemplified by the current COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we stress the importance of using these assays to support collaborative epidemiological studies to assess risk of rickettsial disease outbreaks among international partner countries. Workforce development, mentorship, and training are important components in building laboratory capability and capacity to assess risk of and mitigate emerging disease outbreaks. International partnerships that fund cooperative research through mentoring and on-the-job training are successful examples for enhancing infectious disease surveillance. Cooperative research studies between the Naval Medical Research Center's Rickettsial Diseases Research Program (RDRP) and 17 institutes from nine countries among five continents were conducted to address the presence of and the risk for endemic rickettsial diseases. To establish serological and molecular assays in the collaborative institutes, initial training and continued material, and technical support were provided by RDRP. The laboratory methods used in the research studies to detect and identify the rickettsial infections included (1) group-specific IgM and IgG serological assays and (2) molecular assays. Twenty-six cooperative research projects performed between 2008 and 2020 enhanced the capability and capacity of 17 research institutes to estimate risk of rickettsial diseases. These international collaborative studies have led to the recognition and/or confirmation of rickettsial diseases within each of the partner countries. In addition, with the identification of specific pathogen and non-pathogen Rickettsia species, a more accurate risk assessment could be made in surveillance studies using environmental samples. The discoveries from these projects reinforced international cooperation benefiting not only the partner countries but also the scientific community at large through presentations (n = 40) at international scientific meetings and peer-reviewed publications (n = 18). The cooperative research studies conducted in multiple international institutes led to the incorporation of new SOPs and trainings for laboratory procedures; biosafety, biosurety, and biosecurity methods; performance of rickettsia-specific assays; and the identification of known and unknown rickettsial agents through the introduction of new serologic and molecular assays that complemented traditional microbiology methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Christina M. Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | | | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Abstract
The Rickettsiales are a group of obligate intracellular vector-borne Gram-negative bacteria that include many organisms of clinical and agricultural importance, including Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Wolbachia, Rickettsia spp. and Orientia tsutsugamushi. This Review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of the biology of these bacteria and their interactions with host cells, with a focus on pathogenic species or those that are otherwise important for human health. This includes a description of rickettsial genomics, bacterial cell biology, the intracellular lifestyles of Rickettsiales and the mechanisms by which they induce and evade the innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Salje
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. .,Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.
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13
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Abstract
Scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections contribute to 25 - 50% of acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses in endemic regions. Delayed recognition and therapy increase the morbidity and mortality. The constellation of fever with eschar or rash and multisystem involvement should facilitate the diagnosis and initiation of appropriate therapy. The pathological hallmark of rickettsial infections is endothelial infection and inflammation causing vasculitis. Endothelial inflammation results in microvascular dysfunction and increased vascular permeability. Immune and endothelial activation may worsen microvascular dysfunction, predisposing to multi-organ failure. Serology is the mainstay of diagnosis, although false negatives occur early in the disease. Point-of-care rapid diagnostic tests and molecular techniques, such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), can hasten diagnostic processes. Intravenous doxycycline with a loading dose is the most widely used antibiotic in critically ill patients, with azithromycin as a suitable alternative. Early appropriate treatment and organ support can decrease the duration of illness and be life-saving. How to cite this article: Gunasekaran K, Bal D, Varghese GM, et al. Scrub Typhus and Other Rickettsial Infections. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(Suppl 2):S138-S143.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik Gunasekaran
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Deepti Bal
- Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - George M Varghese
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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Banerjee A, Kulkarni S. Orientia tsutsugamushi: The dangerous yet neglected foe from the East. Int J Med Microbiol 2020; 311:151467. [PMID: 33338890 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2020.151467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Orientia tsutsugamushi (OT), the causative agent of the vector-borne Scrub typhus zoonotic disease in humans, is a unique microorganism that exists in the Asia-Pacific region since a long time. In spite of its occurrence, the organism had been neglected until recent years. Humans are the accidental dead-end hosts of O. tsutsugamushi and display manifestations which are both severe and misleading. The vast antigenic diversity of OT and non-pathognomic symptoms of Scrub typhus, create hurdles in the clinical management of the disease and impede the OT-research. Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region have reported the resurgence of OT- infections and have raised concerns for its expanding distribution. This has triggered the development of advanced techniques for diagnosis and research on exploring a successful vaccine candidate to reduce the burden of the disease. Thus, the aim of this systematic review is to provide an update on the recent advances in the OT-research and highlight the key areas that have remained obscure and demand attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwesha Banerjee
- ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute, Bhosari, Pune, 411026, India
| | - Smita Kulkarni
- ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute, Bhosari, Pune, 411026, India.
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Bagshaw RJ, Stewart AGA, Smith S, Carter AW, Hanson J. The Characteristics and Clinical Course of Patients with Scrub Typhus and Queensland Tick Typhus Infection Requiring Intensive Care Unit Admission: A 23-year Case Series from Queensland, Tropical Australia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 103:2472-2477. [PMID: 32959771 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus and Queensland tick typhus (QTT)-rickettsial infections endemic to tropical Australia-can cause life-threatening disease. This retrospective study examined the clinical course of all patients with laboratory-confirmed scrub typhus or QTT admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary referral hospital in tropical Australia between 1997 and 2019. Of the 22 patients, 13 had scrub typhus and nine had QTT. The patients' median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 50 (38-67) years; 14/22 (64%) had no comorbidity. Patients presented a median (IQR) of seven (5-10) days after symptom onset. Median (IQR) Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were 13 (9-17) for scrub typhus and 13 (10-15) for QTT cases (P = 0.61). Following hospital admission, the median (IQR) time to ICU admission was five (2-19) hours. The median (IQR, range) length of ICU stay was 4.4 (2.9-15.9, 0.8-33.8) days. Multi-organ support was required in 11/22 (50%), 5/22 (22%) required only vasopressor support, 2/22 (9%) required only invasive ventilation, and 4/22 (18%) were admitted for monitoring. Patients were ventilated using protective lung strategies, and fluid management was conservative. Standard vasopressors were used, indications for renal replacement therapy were conventional, and blood product usage was restrictive; 9/22 (41%) received corticosteroids. One patient with QTT died, and two (8%) additional patients with QTT developed purpura fulminans requiring digital amputation. Death or permanent disability occurred in 3/9 (33%) QTT and 0/13 scrub typhus cases (P = 0.055). Queensland tick typhus and scrub typhus can cause multi-organ failure requiring ICU care in otherwise well individuals. Queensland tick typhus appears to have a more severe clinical phenotype than previously believed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Simon Smith
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Angus W Carter
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Josh Hanson
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
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Zheng C, Jiang D, Ding F, Fu J, Hao M. Spatiotemporal Patterns and Risk Factors for Scrub Typhus From 2007 to 2017 in Southern China. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 69:1205-1211. [PMID: 30535175 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy1050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substantial outbreaks of scrub typhus, coupled with the discovery of this vector-borne disease in new areas, suggest that the disease remains remarkably neglected. The objectives of this study were to map the contemporary and potential transmission risk zones of the disease and to provide novel insights into the health burden imposed by scrub typhus in southern China. METHODS Based on the assembled data sets of annual scrub typhus cases and maps of environmental and socioeconomic correlates, a boosted regression tree modeling procedure was used to identify the environmental niche of scrub typhus and to predict the potential infection zones of the disease. Additionally, we estimated the population living in the potential scrub typhus infection areas in southern China. RESULTS Spatiotemporal patterns of the annual scrub typhus cases in southern China between 2007 and 2017 reveal a tremendous, wide spread of scrub typhus. Temperature, relative humidity, elevation, and the normalized difference vegetation index are the main factors that influence the spread of scrub typhus. In southern China, the predicted highest transmission risk areas of scrub typhus are mainly concentrated in several regions, such as Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, and Fujian. We estimated that 162 684 million people inhabit the potential infection risk zones in southern China. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide a better understanding of the environmental and socioeconomic factors driving scrub typhus spread, and estimate the potential infection risk zones beyond the disease's current, limited geographical extent, which enhances our capacity to target biosurveillance and help public health authorities develop disease control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canjun Zheng
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Carrying Capacity Assessment for Resource and Environment, Ministry of Land & Resources, Beijing, China
| | - Fangyu Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingying Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mengmeng Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Kala D, Gupta S, Nagraik R, Verma V, Thakur A, Kaushal A. Diagnosis of scrub typhus: recent advancements and challenges. 3 Biotech 2020; 10:396. [PMID: 32834918 PMCID: PMC7431554 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02389-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus is a mite-borne, acute febrile illness caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi. It is a re-emerging infectious disease of the tsutsugamushi triangle. Scrub typhus is transmitted through bites of contaminated chiggers (larval stage). Diagnosis of scrub typhus is challenging as its symptoms mimic with other acute febrile illnesses. Several methods are effectual for diagnosis of scrub typhus that includes enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence assay (IFA), immunochromatographic test (ICT), Weil-Felix, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Weil-Felix test was initially used for the diagnosis of scrub typhus in underdeveloped countries but not preferred due to a lack of both specificity and sensitivity. Other immuno-based methods like IFA and ELISA are most outrank for detection of scrub typhus due to their higher sensitivity and specificity, but not vigorous to lay bare the infection at early stages and need the convalescent sampling for verification of positive samples. On another deed, PCR based methods becoming acceptable over era due to its dexterity of early-stage diagnosis with higher specificity and sensitivity but lack its applicability in circumstances of scrub typhus due to the variegated genetic makeup of Orientia tsutsugamushi among its serotypes. The present review focused on various detection methods along with their advantages and disadvantages used in the diagnosis of scrub typhus. A comparison between available methods of diagnosis with challenges in the detection of scrub typhus is also summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kala
- Amity Center of Nanotechnology, Amity University, Haryana, 122413 India
| | | | | | | | - Atul Thakur
- Amity Center of Nanotechnology, Amity University, Haryana, 122413 India
| | - Ankur Kaushal
- Amity Center of Nanotechnology, Amity University, Haryana, 122413 India
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18
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Long J, Wei Y, Tao X, He P, Xu J, Wu X, Zhu W, Chen K, Yang Z. Representative Genotyping, Recombination and Evolutionary Dynamics Analysis of TSA56 Gene Segment of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:383. [PMID: 32903648 PMCID: PMC7438794 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus is a zoonotic disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi (O. tsutsugamushi). Orientia tsutsugamushi has various genotypes and more new strains with difference in sequences increasingly appeared. Whether the accurateness of one special nested PCR method which amplifies segment instead of entire open reading frame (ORF) sequence meets the current work of identifying new strains and classifying genotypes remains to be confirmed. And the origins and evolution of this organism have not been thoroughly elucidated. Accordingly, in this study, segments and the entire ORF of the 56-kDa type-specific antigen (TSA56) gene of O. tsutsugamushi were collected, including 209 clinically isolated strains in Guangzhou, China from 2012 to 2016 and 139 reference strains worldwide. By performing phylogenetic analysis, we proved that the accurateness of the particular PCR method which almost met detection need. This re-grouping result showed that segments perfectly represented and identified strains of Karp, Boryong, Gilliam, TA763, Kawasaki and part of Kato genotype, and this accuracy is not restricted by region and time. Sequence diversification of Shimokoshi and some Kato strains made their genotyping need to consider entire ORF sequences, but their weak recognition might not be due to recombination. The frequent genetic recombination and high point mutations contributed to genetic diversification of the TSA56 gene. Major overlapping regions of most recombination events occurred between strains of the same genotype, especially Karp and Kato genotype. And cross-genotype overlapping events occurred between Karp and Boryong/Gilliam/TA763/Kato, Kato and Kawasaki/Gilliam/TA686, Boryong and TA686, and Gilliam and Kawasaki. But Segment has quite low recombination frequency and stable mutation trend from 1943 to 2016. So segment is a relatively conserved part of the TSA56 ORF as for its stable trend of genetic diversity, and it may anchor and represent the entire TSA56 ORF gene. And genetic diversity is rejected as one potential reason for the increased incidence of scrub typhus. But an occasional recombination event created an unrecognized genotype which might be due to the breakage of VD II and AD II. Additionally, strains in Guangzhou were homologous and Karp genotype was detected as a dominant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Long
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuehong Wei
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xia Tao
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng He
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianmin Xu
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinwei Wu
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kuncai Chen
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhicong Yang
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Berk JM, Lim C, Ronau JA, Chaudhuri A, Chen H, Beckmann JF, Loria JP, Xiong Y, Hochstrasser M. A deubiquitylase with an unusually high-affinity ubiquitin-binding domain from the scrub typhus pathogen Orientia tsutsugamushi. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2343. [PMID: 32393759 PMCID: PMC7214410 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15985-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitin mediated signaling contributes critically to host cell defenses during pathogen infection. Many pathogens manipulate the ubiquitin system to evade these defenses. Here we characterize a likely effector protein bearing a deubiquitylase (DUB) domain from the obligate intracellular bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus. The Ulp1-like DUB prefers ubiquitin substrates over ubiquitin-like proteins and efficiently cleaves polyubiquitin chains of three or more ubiquitins. The co-crystal structure of the DUB (OtDUB) domain with ubiquitin revealed three bound ubiquitins: one engages the S1 site, the second binds an S2 site contributing to chain specificity and the third binds a unique ubiquitin-binding domain (UBD). The UBD modulates OtDUB activity, undergoes a pronounced structural transition upon binding ubiquitin, and binds monoubiquitin with an unprecedented ~5 nM dissociation constant. The characterization and high-resolution structure determination of this enzyme should aid in its development as a drug target to counter Orientia infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Berk
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Christopher Lim
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Judith A Ronau
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Discovery, Research and Development, AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Apala Chaudhuri
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Hongli Chen
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - John F Beckmann
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36830, USA
| | - J Patrick Loria
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Yong Xiong
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
| | - Mark Hochstrasser
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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Trent B, Liang Y, Xing Y, Esqueda M, Wei Y, Cho NH, Kim HI, Kim YS, Shelite TR, Cai J, Sun J, Bouyer DH, Liu J, Soong L. Polarized lung inflammation and Tie2/angiopoietin-mediated endothelial dysfunction during severe Orientia tsutsugamushi infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007675. [PMID: 32119672 PMCID: PMC7067486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Orientia tsutsugamushi infection can cause acute lung injury and high mortality in humans; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we tested a hypothesis that dysregulated pulmonary inflammation and Tie2-mediated endothelial malfunction contribute to lung damage. Using a murine model of lethal O. tsutsugamushi infection, we demonstrated pathological characteristics of vascular activation and tissue damage: 1) a significant increase of ICAM-1 and angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) proteins in inflamed tissues and lung-derived endothelial cells (EC), 2) a progressive loss of endothelial quiescent and junction proteins (Ang1, VE-cadherin/CD144, occuludin), and 3) a profound impairment of Tie2 receptor at the transcriptional and functional levels. In vitro infection of primary human EC cultures and serum Ang2 proteins in scrub typhus patients support our animal studies, implying endothelial dysfunction in severe scrub typhus. Flow cytometric analyses of lung-recovered cells further revealed that pulmonary macrophages (MΦ) were polarized toward an M1-like phenotype (CD80+CD64+CD11b+Ly6G-) during the onset of disease and prior to host death, which correlated with the significant loss of CD31+CD45- ECs and M2-like (CD206+CD64+CD11b+Ly6G-) cells. In vitro studies indicated extensive bacterial replication in M2-type, but not M1-type, MΦs, implying the protective and pathogenic roles of M1-skewed responses. This is the first detailed investigation of lung cellular immune responses during acute O. tsutsugamushi infection. It uncovers specific biomarkers for vascular dysfunction and M1-skewed inflammatory responses, highlighting future therapeutic research for the control of this neglected tropical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Trent
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yuejin Liang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yan Xing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Marisol Esqueda
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yang Wei
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nam-Hyuk Cho
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong-Il Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Sook Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Thomas R. Shelite
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jiyang Cai
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jiaren Sun
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Donald H. Bouyer
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jinjun Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Lynn Soong
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
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Kim HI, Ha NY, Kim G, Min CK, Kim Y, Yen NTH, Choi MS, Cho NH. Immunization with a recombinant antigen composed of conserved blocks from TSA56 provides broad genotype protection against scrub typhus. Emerg Microbes Infect 2019; 8:946-958. [PMID: 31237478 PMCID: PMC6598529 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2019.1632676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Scrub typhus is an acute febrile disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi infection. Despite the wide range of approaches explored during the last seventy years, an effective prophylactic vaccine is not yet available. Here, we developed a novel recombinant antigen derived from conserved regions of 56 kDa type-specific antigen (TSA56), a major outer membrane protein responsible for genetic heterogeneity and antigenicity, and evaluated it as a protective vaccine antigen. Our findings demonstrate that immunization with conserved blocks of TSA56 (cTSA56) not only provides protective immunity against lethal challenges with the homologous genotype, but also confers significantly better protection against heterologous genotypes than TSA56. Adoptive transfer of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells from immunized mice provided significantly enhanced protection against lethal challenge, whereas immune B cells failed to do so, indicating that cellular immunity against the conserved epitopes plays a protective role. Moreover, immunization with a 10-mer peptide mixture, screened from CD8+ T cell epitopes within the conserved region of TSA56, provided enhanced protection against lethal challenge with O. tsutsugamushi. Therefore, this novel recombinant antigen is a promising candidate for scrub typhus vaccine against a wide range of O. tsutsugamushi genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Il Kim
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.,b Department of Biomedical Sciences , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Na-Young Ha
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.,b Department of Biomedical Sciences , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Gwanghun Kim
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.,b Department of Biomedical Sciences , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Chan-Ki Min
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.,b Department of Biomedical Sciences , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Yuri Kim
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.,b Department of Biomedical Sciences , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Nguyen Thi Hai Yen
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.,b Department of Biomedical Sciences , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Sik Choi
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Nam-Hyuk Cho
- a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.,b Department of Biomedical Sciences , Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.,c Institute of Endemic Disease, Seoul National University Medical Research Center and Bundang Hospital , Seoul , Republic of Korea
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Quaresma JAS. Organization of the Skin Immune System and Compartmentalized Immune Responses in Infectious Diseases. Clin Microbiol Rev 2019; 32:e00034-18. [PMID: 31366611 DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00034-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The skin is an organ harboring several types of immune cells that participate in innate and adaptive immune responses. The immune system of the skin comprises both skin cells and professional immune cells that together constitute what is designated skin-associated lymphoid tissue (SALT). In this review, I extensively discuss the organization of SALT and the mechanisms involved in its responses to infectious diseases of the skin and mucosa. The nature of these SALT responses, and the cellular mediators involved, often determines the clinical course of such infections. I list and describe the components of innate immunity, such as the roles of the keratinocyte barrier and of inflammatory and natural killer cells. I also examine the mechanisms involved in adaptive immune responses, with emphasis on new cytokine profiles, and the role of cell death phenomena in host-pathogen interactions and control of the immune responses to infectious agents. Finally, I highlight the importance of studying SALT in order to better understand host-pathogen relationships involving the skin and detail future directions in the immunological investigation of this organ, especially in light of recent findings regarding the skin immune system.
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Rodino KG, Adcox HE, Martin RK, Patel V, Conrad DH, Carlyon JA. The Obligate Intracellular Bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi Targets NLRC5 To Modulate the Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Pathway. Infect Immun 2019; 87:e00876-18. [PMID: 30559222 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00876-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Orientia tsutsugamushi is an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects mononuclear and endothelial cells to cause the emerging global health threat scrub typhus. The ability of O. tsutsugamushi to survive in monocytes facilitates bacterial dissemination to endothelial cells, which can subsequently lead to several potentially fatal sequelae. As a strict intracellular pathogen that lives in the cytoplasm of host cells, O. tsutsugamushi has evolved to counter adaptive immunity. How the pathogen does so and the outcome of this strategy in monocytes versus endothelial cells are poorly understood. This report demonstrates that O. tsutsugamushi reduces cellular levels of NOD-, LRR-, and CARD-containing 5 (NLRC5), a recently identified specific transactivator of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) component gene expression, to inhibit MHC-I biosynthesis. Importantly, the efficacy of this approach varies with the host cell type infected. In nonprofessional antigen-presenting HeLa and primary human aortic endothelial cells, the O. tsutsugamushi-mediated reduction of NLRC5 results in lowered MHC-I component transcription and, consequently, lower total and/or surface MHC-I levels throughout 72 h of infection. However, in infected THP-1 monocytes, which are professional antigen-presenting cells, the reductions in NLRC5 and MHC-I observed during the first 24 h reverse thereafter. O. tsutsugamushi is the first example of a microbe that targets NLRC5 to modulate the MHC-I pathway. The differential ability of O. tsutsugamushi to modulate this pathway in nonprofessional versus professional antigen-presenting cells could influence morbidity and mortality from scrub typhus.
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Kim MH, Kim SH, Choi JH, Wie SH. Clinical and Laboratory Predictors associated with Complicated Scrub Typhus. Infect Chemother 2019; 51:161-170. [PMID: 31270995 PMCID: PMC6609747 DOI: 10.3947/ic.2019.51.2.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scrub typhus, a mite-borne disease caused by bites of Orientia tsutsugamushi-infected chiggers, is endemic in Asia-Pacific countries. In Korea, it is a seasonal disease prevalent in autumn and one of the important causes of acute undifferentiated febrile illness. The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for the prediction of the severe clinical course of scrub typhus and to investigate the differences in the clinical and laboratory findings of hospitalized elderly and non-elderly patients with scrub typhus. Materials and Methods This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with scrub typhus. Results A total of 710 patients were enrolled and 43.9% of them were elderly patients. The number of patients with complicated scrub typhus was 168 (23.7%) and the most common complication of severe scrub typhus was hepatic dysfunction (10.7%) followed by pneumonia (7.2%), acute kidney injury (4.9%) and shock (2.4%). Blood urea nitrogen ≥20 mg/dL, adenosine deaminase (ADA) ≥100 IU/L, pulmonary edema or pleural effusion, lactate dehydrogenase ≥500 U/L, alkaline phosphatase ≥400 IU/L, ferritin ≥500 ng/mL and absence of skin rash were independently associated with severe scrub typhus. There was no significant difference in the incidence of complicated scrub typhus between elderly and non-elderly patients. Absence of skin rash, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, serum creatinine ≥1.5 mg/dL, total bilirubin ≥1.5 mg/dL, ADA ≥100 IU/L and ferritin ≥500 ng/mL were significantly associated with a longer hospitalization (≥10 days). Conclusion The several independent predictors of complicated scrub typhus were identified in this study. Absence of skin rash, the increased levels of serum ADA and ferritin were identified as the predictors of complicated scrub typhus, which were also associated with a prolonged hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Hee Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Si Hyun Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung Hyun Choi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seong Heon Wie
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
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Min CK, Kim HI, Ha NY, Kim Y, Kwon EK, Yen NTH, Youn JI, Jeon YK, Inn KS, Choi MS, Cho NH. A Type I Interferon and IL-10 Induced by Orientia tsutsugamushi Infection Suppresses Antigen-Specific T Cells and Their Memory Responses. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2022. [PMID: 30233599 PMCID: PMC6131522 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the various roles of type I interferon (type I IFN) responses during bacterial infection, its specific effects in vivo have been poorly characterized in scrub typhus caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi infection. Here, we show that type I IFNs are primarily induced via intracellular nucleic acids sensors, including RIG-I/MAVS and cGAS/STING pathways, during O. tsutsugamushi invasion. However, type I IFN signaling did not significantly affect pathogenesis, mortality, or bacterial burden during primary infection in vivo, when assessed in a mice model lacking a receptor for type I IFNs (IFNAR KO). Rather, it significantly impaired the induction of antigen-specific T cells and reduced memory T cell responses. IFNAR KO mice that recovered from primary infection showed stronger antigen-specific T cell responses, especially Th1, and more efficiently controlled bacteremia during secondary infection than wild type mice. Enhanced IL-10 expression by macrophages in the presence of type I IFN signaling might play a significant role in the suppression of antigen-specific T cell responses as neutralization or knock-out (KO) of IL-10 increased T cell responses in vitro. Therefore, induction of the type I IFN/IL-10 axis by O. tsutsugamushi infection might play a significant role in the suppression of T cell responses and contribute to the short longevity of cell-mediated immunity, often observed in scrub typhus patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-Ki Min
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hong-Ii Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Na-Young Ha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yuri Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eun-Kyung Kwon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Nguyen Thi Hai Yen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Je-In Youn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Gangwon-do, South Korea
| | - Yoon Kyung Jeon
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Soo Inn
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Myung-Sik Choi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Nam-Hyuk Cho
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences,Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Gangwon-do, South Korea.,Institute of Endemic Disease, Seoul National University Medical Research Center and Bundang Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
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