-
Journal of Global Infectious Diseases 2022Co-infection with different agents such as bacterial, viral, and Rickettsia is being increasingly recognized due to greater availability and utilization of the...
INTRODUCTION
Co-infection with different agents such as bacterial, viral, and Rickettsia is being increasingly recognized due to greater availability and utilization of the diagnostic tests among malaria patients.
METHODS
Consecutive admitted malarial cases were included and were subjected to test for general investigations, bacteria, typhoid, dengue, chikungunya, and rest for specific diagnosis. All patients were followed up till discharge or death and appropriate statistical tests were performed.
RESULTS
A total of 152 malaria patients were recruited and 27 (18.8%) had concurrent infections. It included 40.7% dengue only, 18.7% pneumonia, 11.1% urinary tract infection (UTI), 7.4% enteric fever, 3.7% leptospirosis, chikungunya, and tuberculous meningitis each, and 3.7% each of dengue with pneumonia and UTI. The organisms isolated were and The mean duration of fever was 6.33 ± 3.63 days with a range of 3-20 days. Blood culture grew in 2 cases and Dengue co-infections had significantly higher clinical and laboratory features of dengue and complications such as bleeding, jaundice, and cholecystitis, whereas rest concurrent infections had a significantly higher proportion of nausea and vomiting, convulsion, altered sensorium, productive cough, urinary symptoms, shock, acute kidney injury, anemia, and mean neutrophil count. There was significantly higher mortality among malaria-dengue concurrent infection group with 2 (15.4%) than malaria mono-infection group 3 (2.4%).
CONCLUSION
Co-infections with malaria are not uncommon, especially dengue fever and other bacterial infections. The dominant clinical picture is of the superimposed infection. Decision should be clinically guided adjunct with specific diagnostic tests, and timely treatment has favorable outcome.
PubMed: 35910822
DOI: 10.4103/jgid.jgid_279_21 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2022Rickettsia is a genus of nonmotile, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, highly pleomorphic bacteria that cause severe epidemic rickettsioses. The spotted fever group and... (Review)
Review
Rickettsia is a genus of nonmotile, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, highly pleomorphic bacteria that cause severe epidemic rickettsioses. The spotted fever group and typhi group are major members of the genus Rickettsia. Rickettsial species from the two groups subvert diverse host cellular processes, including membrane dynamics, actin cytoskeleton dynamics, phosphoinositide metabolism, intracellular trafficking, and immune defense, to promote their host colonization and intercellular transmission through secreted effectors (virulence factors). However, lineage-specific rickettsiae have exploited divergent strategies to accomplish such challenging tasks and these elaborated strategies focus on distinct host cell processes. In the present review, we summarized current understandings of how different rickettsial species employ their effectors' arsenal to affect host cellular processes in order to promote their own replication or to avoid destruction.
Topics: Humans; Rickettsia; Rickettsia Infections; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 36389139
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.995933 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Jul 2018Typhus group rickettsiosis is caused by the vectorborne bacteria Rickettsia typhi and R. prowazekii. R. typhi, which causes murine typhus, the less severe endemic form...
Typhus group rickettsiosis is caused by the vectorborne bacteria Rickettsia typhi and R. prowazekii. R. typhi, which causes murine typhus, the less severe endemic form of typhus, is transmitted by fleas; R. prowazekii, which causes the severe epidemic form of typhus, is transmitted by body lice. To examine the immunology of human infection with typhus group rickettsiae, we retrospectively reviewed clinical signs and symptoms, laboratory changes, and travel destinations of 28 patients who had typhus group rickettsiosis diagnosed by the German Reference Center for Tropical Pathogens, Hamburg, Germany, during 2010-2017. Immunofluorescence assays of follow-up serum samples indicated simultaneous seroconversion of IgM, IgA, and IgG or concurrence in the first serum sample. Cytokine levels peaked during the second week of infection, coinciding with organ dysfunction and seroconversion. For 3 patients, R. typhi was detected by species-specific nested quantitative PCR. For all 28 patients, R. typhi was the most likely causative pathogen.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Child; Child, Preschool; Exanthema; Female; Germany; Global Health; History, 21st Century; Humans; Male; Mice; Middle Aged; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Public Health Surveillance; Rickettsia typhi; Serologic Tests; Siphonaptera; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne; Young Adult; Zoonoses
PubMed: 29912688
DOI: 10.3201/eid2407.180093 -
Journal of Vector Ecology : Journal of... Dec 2015The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Bartonella henselae, Rickettsia felis, and Rickettsia typhi in fleas and companion cats (serum and claws) and to...
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Bartonella henselae, Rickettsia felis, and Rickettsia typhi in fleas and companion cats (serum and claws) and to assess their presence as a function of host, host habitat, and level of parasitism. Eighty-nine serum and claw samples and 90 flea pools were collected. Cat sera were assayed by IFA for Bartonella henselae and Rickettssia species IgG antibodies. Conventional PCRs were performed on DNA extracted from nails and fleas collected from cats. A large portion (55.8%) of the feline population sampled was exposed to at least one of the three tested vector-borne pathogens. Seroreactivity to B. henselae was found in 50% of the feline studied population, and to R. felis in 16.3%. R. typhi antibodies were not found in any cat. No Bartonella sp. DNA was amplified from the claws. Flea samples from 41 cats (46%) showed molecular evidence for at least one pathogen; our study demonstrated a prevalence rate of 43.3 % of Rickettsia sp and 4.4% of Bartonella sp. in the studied flea population. None of the risk factors studied (cat's features, host habitat, and level of parasitation) was associated with either the serology or the PCR results for Bartonella sp. and Rickettsia sp.. Flea-associated infectious agents are common in cats and fleas and support the recommendation that stringent flea control should be maintained on cats.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella henselae; Cat Diseases; Cat-Scratch Disease; Cats; Ecosystem; Female; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Male; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rickettsia Infections; Rickettsia felis; Rickettsia typhi; Siphonaptera; Spain
PubMed: 26611956
DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12159 -
MSphere May 2021Species of (: ) are obligate intracellular parasites of a wide range of eukaryotes, with recognized arthropod-borne human pathogens belonging to the transitional group...
Species of (: ) are obligate intracellular parasites of a wide range of eukaryotes, with recognized arthropod-borne human pathogens belonging to the transitional group (TRG), typhus group (TG), and spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Growing in the host cytosol, rickettsiae pilfer numerous metabolites to make a typical Gram-negative bacterial cell envelope. The O-antigen of rickettsial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is immunogenic and has been shown to tether the S-layer to the rickettsial surface; however, little is known about the structure and immunogenicity of the lipid A moiety. The structure of lipid A, the membrane anchor of LPS, affects the ability of this molecule to interact with components of the host innate immune system, specifically the MD-2/TLR4 receptor complex. To dissect the host responses that can occur during and infection, structural analysis of lipid A is needed. Lipid A was extracted from four species and structurally analyzed. (TRG), (TG), and (SFG) produced a similar structure, whereas (SFG) altered the length of a secondary acyl group. While all structures have longer acyl chains than known highly inflammatory hexa-acylated lipid A structures, the modification should differentially alter interactions with the hydrophobic internal pocket in MD2. The significance of these characteristics toward inflammatory potential as well as membrane dynamics between arthropod and vertebrate cellular environments warrants further investigation. Our work adds lipid A to the secretome and O-antigen as variable factors possibly correlating with phenotypically diverse rickettsioses. Spikes in rickettsioses occur as deforestation, urbanization, and homelessness increase human exposure to blood-feeding arthropods. Still, effective vaccines remain elusive. Recent studies have determined that lipopolysaccharide anchors the protective S-layer to the bacterial surface and elicits bactericidal antibodies. Furthermore, growing immunological evidence suggests vertebrate sensors (MD-2/TLR4 and noncanonical inflammasome) typically triggered by the lipid A portion of lipopolysaccharide are activated during infection. However, the immunopotency of lipid A is unknown due to poor appreciation for its structure. We determined lipid A structures for four distinct rickettsiae, revealing longer acyl chains relative to highly inflammatory bacterial lipid A. Surprisingly, lipid A of the Rocky Mountain spotted fever agent deviates in structure from other rickettsiae. Thus, lipid A divergence may contribute to variable disease phenotypes, sounding an alarm for determining its immunopotency and possible utility (i.e., as an adjuvant or anti-inflammatory) for development of more prudent rickettsiacidal therapies.
Topics: Humans; Lipid A; Rickettsia; Rickettsia Infections
PubMed: 33952661
DOI: 10.1128/mSphere.00184-21 -
Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine Jun 2020Dental pulp with special structure has become a good reference sample in paleomicrobiology-related blood-borne diseases, many pathogens were detected by different... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Dental pulp with special structure has become a good reference sample in paleomicrobiology-related blood-borne diseases, many pathogens were detected by different methods based on the diagnosis of nucleic acids and proteins.
OBJECTIVES
This review aims to propose the preparation process from ancient teeth collection to organic molecule extraction of dental pulp and summary, analyze the methods that have been applied to detect septicemic pathogens through ancient dental pulps during the past 20 years following the first detection of an ancient microbe.
METHODS
The papers used in this review with two main objectives were obtained from PubMed and Google scholar with combining keywords: "ancient," "dental pulp," "teeth," "anatomy," "structure," "collection," "preservation," "selection," "photography," "radiography," "contamination," "decontamination," "DNA," "protein," "extraction," "bone," "paleomicrobiology," "bacteria," "virus," "pathogen," "molecular biology," "proteomics," "PCR," "MALDI-TOF," "LC/MS," "ELISA," "immunology," "immunochromatography," "genome," "microbiome," "metagenomics."
RESULTS
The analysis of ancient dental pulp should have a careful preparation process with many different steps to give highly accurate results, each step complies with the rules in archaeology and paleomicrobiology. After the collection of organic molecules from dental pulp, they were investigated for pathogen identification based on the analysis of DNA and protein. Actually, DNA approach takes a principal role in diagnosis while the protein approach is more and more used. A total of seven techniques was used and ten bacteria (Yersinia pestis, Bartonella quintana, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi C, Mycobacterium leprae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Rickettsia prowazeki, Staphylococcus aureus, Borrelia recurrentis, Bartonella henselae) and one virus (Anelloviridae) were identified. Y. pestis had the most published in quantity and all methods were investigated for this pathogen, S. aureus and B. recurrentis were identified by three different methods and others only by one. The combining methods interestingly increase the positive rate with ELISA, PCR and iPCR in Yersinia pestis diagnosis. Twenty-seven ancient genomes of Y. pestis and one ancient genome of B. recurrentis were reconstructed. Comparing to the ancient bone, ancient teeth showed more advantage in septicemic diagnosis. Beside pathogen identification, ancient pulp help to distinguish species.
CONCLUSIONS
Dental pulp with specific tissue is a suitable sample for detection of the blood infection in the past through DNA and protein identification with the correct preparation process, furthermore, it helps to more understand the pathogens of historic diseases and epidemics.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; DNA, Ancient; Dental Pulp; Fossils; Humans; Metagenome; Microbiota
PubMed: 32233019
DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1202 -
Scientific Reports Feb 2022Rodents living alongside humans increases the probability of encounter and also the transmission of rodent-borne diseases. Singapore's cosmopolitan urban landscape...
Rodents living alongside humans increases the probability of encounter and also the transmission of rodent-borne diseases. Singapore's cosmopolitan urban landscape provides a perfect setting to study the prevalence of four rodent-borne pathogens: Seoul hantavirus (SEOV), Leptospira species, Rickettsia typhi and Yersinia pestis, and identify the potential risk factors which may influence rodent density and transmission of rodent-borne diseases. A total of 1143 rodents were trapped from 10 unique landscape structures throughout Singapore. Real-time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reactions were used to detect pathogenic and intermediate Leptospira spp. and Yersinia pestis, whereas the seroprevalence of SEOV and R. typhi were analysed by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Immunofluorescence Assay respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between prevalence of infection in rodent reservoirs and risk factors. Most of the rodents were caught in public residential developments (62.2%). Among the tested rodents, 42.4% were infected with Leptospira spp., while 35.5% and 32.2% were seropositive for SEOV and R. typhi respectively, whereas Yersinia pestis was not detected. Furthermore, risk factors including habitat, species, gender, and weight of rodents, influenced prevalence of infection to a varying extent. This study highlights the presence of Leptospira spp., SEOV and R. typhi in Singapore's rodent population, suggesting the need for effective rodent management and sanitation strategies to prevent further circulation and transmission to humans.
Topics: Animals; Disease Reservoirs; Humans; Leptospira; Rickettsia typhi; Rodentia; Seoul virus; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Singapore; Zoonoses
PubMed: 35177639
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03954-w -
IDCases 2020A 39 year-old male was residing along the south coast of Texas, the USA, presented with fever, myalgias, headaches, and weight loss for ten days. Symptoms and...
A 39 year-old male was residing along the south coast of Texas, the USA, presented with fever, myalgias, headaches, and weight loss for ten days. Symptoms and manifestations progressed to include nuchal rigidity, photophobia, hyponatremia, thrombocytopenia, and transaminitis despite the intravenous administration of ceftriaxone and azithromycin. A lumbar puncture performed in the Emergency Department yielded pleocytosis and glucose cerebrospinal fluid/serum ratio of 0.35, suggestive of meningoencephalitis. Conglomerate data raised the suspicion of meningitis secondary to a zoonotic acquired infection, which was later confirmed to be . Doxycycline is the drug of choice for the suspected disease. After doxycycline administration, the patient improved and was discharged home asymptomatic.
PubMed: 32509531
DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2020.e00852 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Nov 2020In the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos), rickettsial infections, including scrub and murine typhus, account for a significant burden of fevers. The Mahosot... (Review)
Review
The Isolation of Orientia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia typhi from Human Blood through Mammalian Cell Culture: a Descriptive Series of 3,227 Samples and Outcomes in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
In the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos), rickettsial infections, including scrub and murine typhus, account for a significant burden of fevers. The Mahosot Hospital Microbiology Laboratory in Vientiane, Laos, routinely performs rickettsial isolation from hospitalized patients with suspected rickettsioses using mammalian cell culture systems. We review the clinical and laboratory factors associated with successful and isolations from this laboratory over a period of 6 years between 2008 and 2014. The overall isolation success was 7.9% for all samples submitted and 17.3% for samples for which the patient had a positive or rapid diagnostic test (RDT), serology, or PCR. The frequency of successful isolation was highest for samples submitted in November, at the end of the wet season (28.3%). A longer median duration of reported illness, a positive result for a concurrent or spp. quantitative PCR, and the use of antibiotics by the patient in the week before admission were significantly associated with isolation success ( < 0.05). Buffy coat inoculation and a shorter interval between sample collection and inoculation in the laboratory were associated with a higher frequency of isolation (both < 0.05). This frequency was highest if cell culture inoculation occurred on the same day as blood sample collection. Factors related to the initial rickettsial bacterial concentration are likely the main contributors to isolation success. However, modifiable factors do contribute to the rickettsial isolation success, especially delays in inoculating patient samples into culture.
Topics: Animals; Cell Culture Techniques; Humans; Laos; Mice; Orientia; Orientia tsutsugamushi; Rickettsia typhi; Scrub Typhus
PubMed: 32999008
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.01553-20 -
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Mar 2023Rickettsioses are vector-borne zoonotic diseases whose etiological agents are bacteria of the genera Rickettsia and Orientia. In Colombia, literature published on...
Rickettsioses are vector-borne zoonotic diseases whose etiological agents are bacteria of the genera Rickettsia and Orientia. In Colombia, literature published on rickettsioses during the 20th century is limited and disperse; to date, there are no detailed publications that compile the affected regions or the involved Rickettsia species in each outbreak. Since early works of Luis Patiño-Camargo, the study of rickettsioses gained major importance with the subsequent description of significant outbreaks in some departments of the country. During the 1940s, many articles were published reporting outbreaks probably caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia typhi, and Rickettsia prowazekii, as well as studies on their diagnosis, vaccination, and prophylaxis. One of the most notorious works was published by Patiño-Camargo where he named the R. rickettsii rickettsiosis as "Tobia fever". However, in the subsequent decades, these entities entered a prolonged period of neglected research and surveillance, and just gained importance until the 21st century, when new fatal cases began to be reported in the country; thus, many questions remained unanswered during this overlooked period. The present work reviewed online databases, repositories, and libraries to compile literature related to rickettsioses in Colombia published during the 20th century. Gathered data show that typhus group rickettsioses (including infections by R. typhi and R. prowazekii) were broadly distributed in departments from the Andean and Caribbean regions, and that spotted fever group rickettsioses cases (including infections by R. rickettsii) were registered in other locations different from Tobia (Cundinamarca), like Atlántico, Bolivar, and Santander departments. These findings contribute to the knowledge of these diseases, their historical distribution, public health burden, and set new horizons for rickettsioses research in different Colombian locations.
Topics: Male; Humans; Colombia; Rickettsia Infections; Rickettsia; Rickettsia prowazekii; Rickettsia rickettsii
PubMed: 36628901
DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102118