Dataset Information

An animal model of a newly emerging human ehrlichiosis.

ABSTRACT: Human ehrlichioses are emerging life-threatening diseases transmitted by ticks. Animal models have been developed to study disease development; however, there is no valid small animal model that uses a human ehrlichial pathogen. The objective of this study was to develop a mouse model for ehrlichiosis with the newly discovered human pathogen, Ehrlichia muris-like agent (EMLA).Three strains of mice were inoculated with different doses of EMLA by the intravenous, intraperitoneal, or intradermal route and evaluated for clinical and pathologic changes during the course of infection.EMLA infected C57Bl/6, BALB/c, and C3H/HeN mice and induced lethal or persistent infection in a route- and dose-dependent manner. The clinical chemistry and hematologic changes were similar to those of human infection by Ehrlichia chaffeensis or EMLA. Bacterial distribution in tissues differed after intradermal infection, compared with the distribution after intravenous or intraperitoneal injection. Lethal infection did not cause remarkable pathologic changes, but it caused fluid imbalance. EMLA infection of endothelium and mononuclear cells likely plays a role in the severe outcome.The EMLA mouse model mimics human infection and can be used to study pathogenesis and immunity and for development of a vector transmission model of ehrlichiosis.

SUBMITTER: Saito TB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4351372 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

An animal model of a newly emerging human ehrlichiosis.

Saito Tais Berelli TB Thirumalapura Nagaraja R NR Shelite Thomas R TR Rockx-Brouwer Dedeke D Popov Vsevolod L VL Walker David H DH

The Journal of infectious diseases 20140702 3

<h4>Background</h4>Human ehrlichioses are emerging life-threatening diseases transmitted by ticks. Animal models have been developed to study disease development; however, there is no valid small animal model that uses a human ehrlichial pathogen. The objective of this study was to develop a mouse model for ehrlichiosis with the newly discovered human pathogen, Ehrlichia muris-like agent (EMLA).<h4>Methods</h4>Three strains of mice were inoculated with different doses of EMLA by the intravenous, ...[more]

PMID: 24990203

Similar Datasets

Project description:BACKGROUND: Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease (LD), and Babesia, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia species (spp.) are recognized tick-borne pathogens in humans worldwide. Using serology and molecular testing, the incidence of these pathogens was investigated in symptomatic patients from Australia. METHODS: Sera were analyzed by an immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA) followed by immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM Western blot (WB) assays. Both whole blood and sera were analyzed for detection of specific Borrelia spp. DNA using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Simultaneously, patients were tested for Babesia microti, Babesia duncani, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and Bartonella henselae infection by IgG and IgM IFA serology, PCR, and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). RESULTS: Most patients reported symptom onset in Australia without recent overseas travel. 28 of 51 (55%) tested positive for LD. Of 41 patients tested for tick-borne coinfections, 13 (32%) were positive for Babesia spp. and nine (22%) were positive for Bartonella spp. Twenty-five patients were tested for Ehrlichia spp. and (16%) were positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum while none were positive for Ehrlichia chaffeensis. Among the 51 patients tested for LD, 21 (41%) had evidence of more than one tick-borne infection. Positive tests for LD, Babesia duncani, Babesia microti, and Bartonella henselae were demonstrated in an individual who had never left the state of Queensland. Positive testing for these pathogens was found in three others whose movements were restricted to the east coast of Australia. CONCLUSION: The study identified a much larger tick-borne disease (TBD) burden within the Australian community than hitherto reported. In particular, the first cases of endemic human Babesia and Bartonella disease in Australia with coexisting Borrelia infection are described, thus defining current hidden and unrecognized components of TBD and demonstrating local acquisition in patients who have never been abroad.

Dataset Information

An animal model of a newly emerging human ehrlichiosis.

Publications

An animal model of a newly emerging human ehrlichiosis.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure