Abstract:
:Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and frequently resulting in irreversible deformities and disabilities. Ticks play an important role in infectious disease transmission due to their low host specificity, worldwide distribution, and the biological ability to support transovarial transmission of a wide spectrum of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoa. To investigate a possible role for ticks as vectors of leprosy, we assessed transovarial transmission of M. leprae in artificially-fed adult female Amblyomma sculptum ticks, and infection and growth of M. leprae in tick cell lines. Our results revealed M. leprae RNA and antigens persisting in the midgut and present in the ovaries of adult female A. sculptum at least 2 days after oral infection, and present in their progeny (eggs and larvae), which demonstrates the occurrence of transovarial transmission of this pathogen. Infected tick larvae were able to inoculate viable bacilli during blood-feeding on a rabbit. Moreover, following inoculation with M. leprae, the Ixodes scapularis embryo-derived tick cell line IDE8 supported a detectable increase in the number of bacilli for at least 20 days, presenting a doubling time of approximately 12 days. As far as we know, this is the first in vitro cellular system able to promote growth of M. leprae. Finally, we successfully transformed a clinical M. leprae isolate by inserting the reporter plasmid pCHERRY3; transformed bacteria infected and grew in IDE8 cells over a 2-month period. Taken together, our data not only support the hypothesis that ticks may have the potential to act as a reservoir and/or vector of leprosy, but also suggest the feasibility of technological development of tick cell lines as a tool for large-scale production of M. leprae bacteria, as well as describing for the first time a method for their transformation.
journal_name
PLoS Negl Trop Disjournal_title
PLoS neglected tropical diseasesauthors
Ferreira JDS,Souza Oliveira DA,Santos JP,Ribeiro CCDU,Baêta BA,Teixeira RC,Neumann ADS,Rosa PS,Pessolani MCV,Moraes MO,Bechara GH,de Oliveira PL,Sorgine MHF,Suffys PN,Fontes ANB,Bell-Sakyi L,Fonseca AH,Lara FAdoi
10.1371/journal.pntd.0007001subject
Has Abstractpub_date
2018-12-19 00:00:00pages
e0007001issue
12eissn
1935-2727issn
1935-2735pii
PNTD-D-18-01009journal_volume
12pub_type
杂志文章abstract::Rabies is an ancient viral disease that significantly impacts human and animal health throughout the world. In the developing parts of the world, dog bites represent the highest risk of rabies infection to people, livestock, and other animals. However, in North America, where several rabies virus variants currently ci...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章,评审
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005249
更新日期:2017-03-16 00:00:00
abstract::Diagnosis of a first-time visceral leishmaniasis (VL) infection in Ethiopia is established by use of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) detecting antibodies against rK39, direct agglutination test (DAT) and microscopy according to the national algorithm. The performance of individual tests and algorithm is variable and dep...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008963
更新日期:2020-12-31 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:The protozoan parasite Giardia intestinalis and the pathogenic bacterium Helicobacter pylori are well known for their high prevalences in human hosts worldwide. The prevalence of both organisms is known to peak in densely populated, low resource settings and children are infected early in life. Different Gia...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001780
更新日期:2012-01-01 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Filarial nematodes currently infect up to 54 million people worldwide, with millions more at risk for infection, representing the leading cause of disability in the developing world. Brugia malayi is one of the causative agents of lymphatic filariasis and remains the only human filarial parasite that can be ...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005357
更新日期:2017-03-30 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:The impact of large scale Mass Drug Adminstration (MDA) of ivermectin on active onchocerciasis transmission by Simulium damnosum, which transmits the parasite O. volvulus is of great importance for onchocerciasis control programmes. We investigated in the Mbam river system area, the impact of MDA of ivermect...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008926
更新日期:2021-01-19 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Dog-bites and rabies are under-reported in developing countries such as Pakistan and there is a poor understanding of the disease burden. We prospectively collected data utilizing mobile phones for dog-bite and rabies surveillance across nine emergency rooms (ER) in Pakistan, recording patient health-seeking...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002574
更新日期:2013-12-12 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Epidemics of meningococcal meningitis (MM) recurrently strike the African Meningitis Belt. This study aimed at investigating factors, still poorly understood, that influence annual incidence of MM serogroup A, the main etiologic agent over 2004-2010, at a fine spatial scale in Niger. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL F...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002899
更新日期:2014-05-22 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Travelers who acquire dengue infection are often routes for virus transmission to other regions. Nevertheless, the interplay between infected travelers, climate, vectors, and indigenous dengue incidence remains unclear. The role of foreign-origin cases on local dengue epidemics thus has been largely neglecte...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000775
更新日期:2010-08-03 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Echinococcosis is a life-threatening parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus spp. tapeworms with over one million people affected globally at any time. The Echinococcus spp. tapeworms in the human body release DNA to the circulatory system, which can be a biomarker for echinococcosis. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) ...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008148
更新日期:2020-04-13 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a serious disease with a high fatality rate reported in many countries. The first case of CCHF in Oman was detected in 1995 and serosurveys have suggested widespread infection of humans and livestock throughout the country. METHODOLOGY:Cases of CCHF reported to the ...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0007100
更新日期:2019-04-25 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:From the 17th to 19th January 2012, a group of 92 college students and teachers attended a retreat in a hotel located on Pangkor Island, off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Following the onset of symptoms in many participants who presented to our institute, an investigation was undertaken which ultima...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002876
更新日期:2014-05-22 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis in chronically infected adults is challenging but important, especially because long term infection of the bladder and urinary tract can have dire consequences. We evaluated three tests for viable infection: detection of parasite specific DNA Dra1 fragments, haematuria...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001464
更新日期:2012-01-01 00:00:00
abstract::Infection with the intracellular protozoan parasite Leishmania mexicana causes chronic disease in C57BL/6 mice, in which cutaneous lesions persist for many months with high parasite burdens (10(7)-10(8) parasites). This chronic disease process requires host IL-10 and FcγRIII. When Leishmania amastigotes are released f...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002224
更新日期:2013-05-09 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Currently, molecular xenomonitoring efforts for lymphatic filariasis rely on PCR or real-time PCR-based detection of Brugia malayi, Brugia timori and Wuchereria bancrofti in mosquito vectors. Most commonly, extraction of DNA from mosquitoes is performed using silica column-based technologies. However, such e...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006962
更新日期:2018-11-21 00:00:00
abstract::Leishmaniasis is a serious global health problem affecting many people worldwide. While patients with leishmaniasis can be treated with several agents, drug toxicicty and the emergence of resistant strains render available treatments ineffective in the long run. Inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) h...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006701
更新日期:2018-08-22 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Yersinia pestis, the agent of plague, is considered a potential bioweapon due to rapid lethality when delivered as an aerosol. Levofloxacin was tested for primary pneumonic plague treatment in a nonhuman primate model mimicking human disease. METHODS AND RESULTS:Twenty-four African Green monkeys (AGMs, Chlo...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000959
更新日期:2011-02-08 00:00:00
abstract::The progression and variation of pathology during infections can be due to components from both host or pathogen, and/or the interaction between them. The influence of host genetic variation on disease pathology during infections with trypanosomes has been well studied in recent years, but the role of parasite genetic...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000557
更新日期:2009-12-01 00:00:00
abstract::Despite Nipah virus outbreaks having high mortality rates (>70% in Southeast Asia), there are no licensed drugs against it. In this study, we have considered all 9 Nipah proteins as potential therapeutic targets and computationally identified 4 putative peptide inhibitors (against G, F and M proteins) and 146 small mo...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0007419
更新日期:2019-12-12 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Dengue is the most important mosquito-borne viral disease affecting humans. The only prevention measure currently available is the control of its vectors, primarily Aedes aegypti. Recent advances in genetic engineering have opened the possibility for a new range of control strategies based on genetically mod...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000508
更新日期:2009-09-01 00:00:00
abstract::Clinical manifestations in onchocerciasis range from generalized onchocerciasis (GEO) to the rare but severe hyperreactive (HO)/sowda form. Since disease pathogenesis is associated with host inflammatory reactions, we investigated whether Th17 responses could be related to aggravated pathology in HO. Using flow cytome...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0003414
更新日期:2015-01-08 00:00:00
abstract::Zika virus (ZIKV) emerged as a global public health threat throughout the Americas since 2014. Phylogenetically, the virus is composed of three main lineages, an African, Asian, and American lineage. The recent emergence and spread of ZIKV has raised questions regarding the breadth and potency of human primary ZIKV im...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008006
更新日期:2020-04-13 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:The main objective of the study was to determine the degree of sensitization to Anisakis spp. antigens in healthy coastal population of Dalmatia given the high thermally unprocessed fish intake rate present in this area, suggested as a significant risk factor for anisakiasis. We performed a monocenter, cross...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002673
更新日期:2014-02-06 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major diarrheal pathogen in developing countries, where it accounts for millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. While vaccine development to prevent diarrheal illness due to ETEC is feasible, extensive effort is needed to identify cons...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001428
更新日期:2011-12-01 00:00:00
abstract::One of the most important clinical signs of dengue virus infection is the reduction of white blood cells and platelets in human peripheral blood (leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, respectively), which may significantly impair the clearance of dengue virus by the immune system. The cause of thrombocytopenia and leukopen...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0007837
更新日期:2019-11-25 00:00:00
abstract::West Nile Fever is a zoonotic disease caused by a mosquito-borne flavivirus, WNV. By its clinical sensitivity to the disease, the horse is a useful sentinel of infection. Because of the virus' low-level, short-term viraemia in horses, the primary tools used to diagnose WNV are serological tests. Inter-laboratory profi...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005936
更新日期:2017-09-15 00:00:00
abstract::Konzo is a distinct neurological entity with selective upper motor neuron damage, characterized by an abrupt onset of an irreversible, non-progressive, and symmetrical spastic para/tetraparesis. Despite its severity, konzo remains a neglected disease. The disease is associated with high dietary cyanogen consumption fr...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章,评审
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001051
更新日期:2011-06-01 00:00:00
abstract::Immunosuppression contributes significantly to the caseload of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). HIV coinfection, solid organ transplantation, malnutrition, and helminth infections are the most important immunosuppression-related factors. This review briefly describes the challenges of these associations. East Africa and t...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章,评审
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006375
更新日期:2018-05-10 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Aedes aegypti, the "yellow fever mosquito", is the primary vector to humans of the four serotypes of dengue viruses (DENV1-4) and yellow fever virus (YFV) and is a known vector of Chikungunya virus. There are two recognized subspecies of Ae. aegypti sensu latu (s.l.): the presumed ancestral form, Ae. aegypti...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000408
更新日期:2009-01-01 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Giardiasis is an intestinal infection correlated with poverty and poor drinking water quality, and treatment options are limited. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Giardia infections afflict nearly 33% of people in developing countries, and 2% of the adult population in the develope...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005891
更新日期:2017-09-15 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Leprosy is a condition that has long been associated with stigma and discrimination, even when infected persons have been cured. This paper describes stigma and discrimination as viewed by caregivers who are associated with people affected by leprosy in Ghana. METHODS:A qualitative interview with semi-struc...
journal_title:PLoS neglected tropical diseases
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006219
更新日期:2018-01-29 00:00:00