Spiroplasma – an emerging arthropod-borne pathogen?
Journal Title: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine - Year 2015, Vol 22, Issue 4
Abstract
[i]Spiroplasma[/i] is a genus of wall-less, low-GC, small Gram-positive bacteria of the internal contractile cytoskeleton, with helical morphology and motility. The genus is classified within the class Mollicutes. [i]Spiroplasma[/i] / host interactions can be classified as commensal, pathogenic or mutualist. The majority of spiroplasmas are found to be commensals of insects, arachnids, crustaceans or plants, whereas a small number of species are pathogens of plants, insects, and crustaceans. Insects are particularly rich sources of spiroplasmas. The bacteria are common in haematophagous arthropods: deerflies, horseflies, mosquitoes, and in ticks, where they may occur abundantly in salivary glands. The ability of spiroplasmas to propagate in rodents was experimentally proven, and [i]Spiroplasma[/i] infections have been reported recently in humans. Some authors have purported an etiological role of [i]Spiroplasma[/i] in causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), but convincing proof is lacking. The possibility for humans and other vertebrates to be infected with [i]Spiroplasma[/i] spp. in natural conditions is largely unknown, as well as the possibility of the transmission of these bacteria by ticks and haematophagous insects. Nevertheless, in the light of new data, such possibilities cannot be excluded.
Authors and Affiliations
Ewa Cisak, Angelina Wójcik-Fatla, Violetta Zając, Anna Sawczyn, Jacek Sroka
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP81017
- DOI -
- Views 156
- Downloads 0
Occurrence of intestinal microsporidia in immunodeficient patients in Poland
Microsporidial infections may be asymptomatic in immunocompetent hosts, but can be severe and disseminated in HIV/AIDS patients, children, the elderly, or in immunocompromised individuals, including those with primary or...
Alcohol- and water-based extracts obtained from [i]Rhodiola rosea[/i] affect differently the number and metabolic activity of circulating granulocytes in Balb/c mice
Introduction and objective: [i]Rhodiola rosea[/i] (RR) rhizomes with roots extracts are traditional natural drugs originated from Asia and now commonly used as adaptogens and antidepressants. The aim of this work was to...
Prevalence of hypertension in a sample of Polish population – baseline assessment from the prospective cohort ‘PONS’ study
Objective: The aim of this cohort study was to evaluate the prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors in the studied population.Methods: Presented results are a part of the Polish-Norwegian Study (PONS)...
Phenological changes in olive (Ola europaea L.) reproductive cycle in southern Spain due to climate change
Introduction. Modifications of crop species phenology due to a changing environment are of interest because of their impact on fruit set and final harvest. Pre-flowering and flowering phenophases in olive groves at diffe...
Obstacles in diagnosing and confirmation of occupational diseases in private farming in Poland.