Comparison of the proliferation and excretion of Bartonella quintana between body and head lice following oral challenge.

ABSTRACT: Human body and head lice are highly related haematophagous ectoparasites but only the body louse has been shown to transmit Bartonella quintana, the causative agent of trench fever. The mechanisms by which body lice became a vector for B. quintana, however, are poorly understood. Following oral challenge, green fluorescent protein-expressing B. quintana proliferated over 9 days postchallenge with the number of bacteria being significantly higher in whole body vs. head lice. The numbers of B. quintana detected in faeces from infected lice, however, were approximately the same in both lice. Nevertheless, the viability of B. quintana was significantly higher in body louse faeces. Comparison of immune responses in alimentary tract tissues revealed that basal transcription levels of peptidoglyc

SUBMITTER: Kim JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5400725 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature