An anti-LpqH human monoclonal antibody from an asymptomatic individual mediates protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Whilst a functional role for humoral immunity in Mtb protection remains poorly defined, previous studies have suggested that antibodies can contribute towards host defense. Thus, identifying the critical components in the antibody repertoires from immune, chronically exposed, healthy individuals represents an approach for identifying new determinants for natural protection. In this study, we performed a thorough analysis of the IgG/IgA memory B cell repertoire from occupationally exposed, immune volunteers. We detail the identification and selection of a human monoclonal antibody that exhibits protective activity in vivo and show that it targets a virulence factor LpqH. Intriguingly, protection in both human ex vivo and murine challenge experiments was isotype dependent, with most robust protection being mediated via IgG2 and IgA. These data have important implications for our understanding of natural mucosal immunity for Mtb and highlight a new target for future vaccine development.

Nonclonal Burkholderia pseudomallei Population in Melioidosis Case Cluster, Sri Lanka

A melioidosis case cluster of 10 blood culture–positive patients occurred in eastern Sri Lanka after an extreme weather event. Four infections were caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei isolates of sequence type 594. Whole-genome analysis showed that the isolates were genetically diverse and the case cluster was nonclonal.

Clinical, Bacteriologic, and Geographic Stratification of Melioidosis Emerges from the Sri Lankan National Surveillance Program

Melioidosis, a potentially fatal tropical infection, is said to be underdiagnosed in low-income countries. An increase in melioidosis cases in Sri Lanka allowed us to analyze the relationship among clinical outcome, bacteriology, epidemiology, and geography in the first 108 laboratory-confirmed cases of melioidosis from a nationwide surveillance program. The additional 76 cases of laboratory-confirmed melioidosis confirmed further associations between Burkholderia pseudomallei multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and infection phenotype; ST1137/unifocal bacteremic infection (χ² = 3.86, P < 0.05), ST1136/multifocal infection without bacteremia (χ² = 15.8, P < 0.001), and ST1132/unifocal nonbacteremic infection (χ² = 6.34, P = 0.02). ST1137 infections were predominantly seen in the Western Province, whereas ST1132, 1135, and 1136 infections predominated in the Northwestern Province. Early participating centers in the surveillance program had a lower melioidosis-associated mortality than later participants (χ² = 3.99, P < 0.05). The based upon related sequence types (eBURST) algorithm, a MLST clustering method that infers founding genotypes and patterns of descent for related isolates and clonal complexes in an unrooted tree, showed uneven distribution of sequence types (STs). There was spatial clustering of the commonest STs (ST1132, 1136, and 1137) in the Western, Northwestern, and Central provinces. The recent increase in melioidosis in Sri Lanka uncovered by laboratory-enhanced surveillance is likely to be the result of a combination of improved laboratory detection, increased clinician awareness, recruitment of clinical centers, and small outbreaks. Further development of the surveillance program into a national genotyping-supported melioidosis registry will improve melioidosis diagnosis, treatment, and prevention where underdiagnosis and mortality rates remain high.

Host gene expression analysis in Sri Lankan melioidosis patients

Background

Melioidosis is a life threatening infectious disease caused by the gram-negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei predominantly found in southeast Asia and northern Australia. Studying the host transcription profiles in response to infection is crucial for understanding disease pathogenesis and correlates of disease severity, which may help improve therapeutic intervention and survival. The aim of this study was to analyze gene expression levels of human host factors in melioidosis patients and establish useful correlation with disease biomarkers, compared to healthy individuals and patients with sepsis caused by other pathogens.

Methods

The study population consisted of 30 melioidosis cases, 10 healthy controls and 10 sepsis cases caused by other pathogens. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC’s) of study subjects. Gene expression profiles of 25 gene targets including 19 immune response genes and 6 epigenetic factors were analyzed by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Principal findings

Inflammatory response genes; TLR4, late onset inflammatory mediator HMGB1, genes associated with antigen presentation; MICB, PSMB2, PSMB8, PSME2, epigenetic regulators; DNMT3B, HDAC1, HDAC2 were significantly down regulated, whereas the anti-inflammatory gene; IL4 was up regulated in melioidosis patients compared to sepsis cases caused by other pathogens. Septicaemic melioidosis cases showed significant down regulation of IL8 compared to sepsis cases caused by other pathogens. HMGB1, MICB, PSMB8, PSMB2, PSME2, HDAC1, HDAC2 and DNMT3B showed consistent down regulation of gene expression in melioidosis patients compared to other sepsis infection, irrespective of comorbidities such as diabetes, duration of clinical symptoms and antibiotic treatment.

Significance

Specific immune response genes and epigenetic regulators are differentially expressed among melioidosis patients and patients with sepsis caused by other pathogens. Therefore, these genes may serve as biomarkers for disease diagnosis to distinguish melioidosis from cases of sepsis due to other infections and therapeutic intervention for melioidosis.

Melioidosis is a life threatening infectious disease caused by a soil-associated gram-negative bacterium, B. pseudomallei. Melioidosis is endemic in southeast Asia and northern Australia; however, the global distribution of B. pseudomallei and the disease burden of melioidosis is still poorly understood. Melioidosis is severely under-reported in several tropical countries in which it is probably endemic and warrants a public health response. A recent research article predicts the global melioidosis burden to be 165 million cases with a predicted 73 million cases from the high risk zone of south Asia. Melioidosis is difficult to treat as B. pseudomallei is resistant to many antibiotics and requires a long course of treatment. Mortality rate remains high in endemic areas with reoccurrence being common. Therefore, it is imperative to diagnose the disease at an early stage and provide vital clinical care to reduce the mortality rate. With limitations in treatment and lack of a vaccine, it is crucial to study the immune response mechanisms to this infection to get a better understanding of disease pathogenesis and susceptibility. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the gene expression levels of important immune response genes and epigenetic modifiers to establish useful correlation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

EVALUATION OF A COMMERCIAL RAPID TEST KIT FOR DETECTION OF ACUTE DENGUE INFECTION

Early diagnosis is important for clinical management of dengue disease. While classic laboratory tests are often tedious and time consuming, point of care devices offer a rapid, cost-effective and user-friendly alternative provided their accuracy is acceptable. This study evaluated the sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of SD BIOLINE Dengue Duo® rapid NS1, IgM and IgG test kit for diagnosis of acute dengue virus infection. Standard laboratory diagnostics, RT-PCR, IgM and IgG capture ELISAs were carried out on 143 suspected dengue patient samples obtained from a Sri Lankan population. Using the results of these standard laboratory tests as reference, the sensitivity and specificity of the SD Dengue Duo® NS1 test was 57% and 87%, respectively, and those of the IgM test was 50% and 84%, respectively. The combined sensitivity and specificity of the SD Dengue Duo® NS1/ IgM test was 72% and 80%, respectively. The SD Dengue Duo® NS1 test detected NS1 for up to 9 days from onset of fever. Primary and secondary dengue cases were classified according to the IgG test, of which the kit identified 88% and 26% of primary and of secondary infection, respectively. Although the SD Dengue Duo® kit was not as accurate as the standard tests, it still can serve the useful reference for initial screening of suspected dengue cases, especially in poor resource hospital settings and aid in clinical disease management of dengue infection.

Phylogeography and molecular epidemiology of an epidemic strain of dengue virus type 1 in Sri Lanka

In 2009, a severe epidemic of dengue disease occurred in Sri Lanka, with higher mortality and morbidity than any previously recorded epidemic in the country. It corresponded to a shift to dengue virus 1 as the major disease-causing serotype in Sri Lanka. Dengue disease reached epidemic levels in the next 3 years. We report phylogenetic evidence that the 2009 epidemic DENV-1 strain continued to circulate within the population and caused severe disease in the epidemic of 2012. Bayesian phylogeographic analyses suggest that the 2009 Sri Lankan epidemic DENV-1 strain may have traveled directly or indirectly from Thailand through China to Sri Lanka, and after spreading within the Sri Lankan population, it traveled to Pakistan and Singapore. Our findings delineate the dissemination route of a virulent DENV-1 strain in Asia. Understanding such routes will be of particular importance to global control efforts.