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 152
- Downloads 0
Human dirofilariosis in the Slovak Republic - a case report.
The spread of dirofilariosis, as a newly emerging zoonosis, due to global changes has been documented in several Central European countries. In Slovakia, the first autochthonous case of dirofilariosis was recorded in dog...
Exposure to ticks and seroprevalence of [i]Borrelia burgdorferi [/i]among a healthy young population living in the area of southern Podlasie, Poland
[b]Objectives[/b]. The objective of the study was assessment of risk of infection with [i]Borrelia burgdorferi[/i] in the area of southern Podlasie in Poland, near the border with Belarus, by analysis of post-exposure pr...
First report of two asymptomatic cases of human infection with [i]Babesia[/i] microti (Franca, 1910) in Poland
Human infection by [i]Babesia microti[/i] has been recognized as an emerging zoonosis with important public health implications worldwide. In Europe the reported cases of human babesiosis have been attributed mostly to [...
Prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in an urban park in Rome, Italy
[b]introduction.[/b] Limited information is available about the presence of tick-borne pathogens in urban parks in Italy. To fill this gap, ticks were collected in a public park in Rome over a 1-year period and screened...
The sun – our friend or foe?
Introduction and objective: Sunlight is the major source of the energy on Earth. Visible light, ultraviolet and infrared radiation are necessary to sustain life on our planet. However, besides the range of positive effec...