Infection and replication of Bartonella species within a tick cell line

Bartonella species are fastidious, gram negative bacteria, some of which are transmitted by arthropod vectors, including fleas, sandflies, and lice. There is very little information regarding the interaction and/or transmission capabilities of Bartonella species by ticks. In the present study, we de...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental & applied acarology 2009-11, Vol.49 (3), p.193-208
Main Authors: Billeter, Sarah A, Diniz, Pedro Paulo V. P, Battisti, James M, Munderloh, Ulrike G, Breitschwerdt, Edward B, Levy, Michael G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amblyomma americanum
Animal Ecology
Animal Genetics and Genomics
Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Animals
Arthropoda
Bacteriological Techniques
Bartonella
Bartonella - cytology
Bartonella - isolation & purification
Bartonella - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cell Culture Techniques
Cells, Cultured
Culture Media, Conditioned
DNA, Bacterial
Entomology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Ixodidae
Life Sciences
Light microscopy
Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control
Reagents
Ticks - microbiology
Vectors. Intermediate hosts
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Summary:Bartonella species are fastidious, gram negative bacteria, some of which are transmitted by arthropod vectors, including fleas, sandflies, and lice. There is very little information regarding the interaction and/or transmission capabilities of Bartonella species by ticks. In the present study, we demonstrate successful infection of the Amblyomma americanum cell line, AAE12, by seven Bartonella isolates and three Candidatus Bartonella species by electron or light microscopy. With the exception of Bartonella bovis, infection with all other examined Bartonella species induced cytopathic effects characterized by heavy cellular vacuolization and eventually cell lysis. Furthermore, using quantitative real time PCR (qPCR), we demonstrated significant amplification of two B. henselae genotype I isolates in the A. americanum cell line over a 5 days period. Ultimately, tick-cell derived Bartonella antigens may prove useful for the development of more sensitive diagnostic reagents and may assist in the development of an effective vaccine to prevent the further spread of disease caused by these organisms.
ISSN:0168-8162
1572-9702
DOI:10.1007/s10493-009-9255-1