A potential role for chlamydial infection in rheumatoid arthritis development.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between self-reported and serological evidence of prior chlamydial infection, rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-related autoantibodies and risk of RA development.

Methods: This is a nested study within a prospective Swiss-based cohort including all first-degree relatives of RA patients (RA-FDR) who answered a questionnaire on past chlamydial infections. Primary outcome was systemic autoimmunity associated with RA (RA autoimmunity) defined as positivity for anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) and/or rheumatoid factor (RF).

Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control Areas.

Ticks are vectors of numerous agents of medical importance and may be infected by various -related bacteria, such as members of and families, which are sharing the same biphasic life cycle with the pathogenic . However, the veterinary importance of ticks and of their internalized pathogens remains poorly studied. Thus, we wondered (i) whether the prevalence of ticks was higher in zoological gardens than in control areas with similar altitude, vegetation, humidity and temperature, and (ii) whether the presence of -related bacteria in ticks may vary according to the environment in which the ticks are collected.

An NlpC/P60 protein catalyzes a key step in peptidoglycan recycling at the intersection of energy recovery, cell division and immune evasion in the intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis.

The obligate intracellular Chlamydiaceae do not need to resist osmotic challenges and thus lost their cell wall in the course of evolution. Nevertheless, these pathogens maintain a rudimentary peptidoglycan machinery for cell division. They build a transient peptidoglycan ring, which is remodeled during the process of cell division and degraded afterwards.

Swiss public health measures associated with reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission using genome data.

Genome sequences from evolving infectious pathogens allow quantification of case introductions and local transmission dynamics. We sequenced 11,357 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes from Switzerland in 2020-the sixth largest effort globally. Using a representative subset of these data, we estimated viral introductions to Switzerland and their persistence over the course of 2020.

Evaluation of a Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay for Detecting in Vaginal Samples.

Chlamydia trachomatis is an important cause of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in Western countries. It is often asymptomatic, and thus, left untreated, and can have severe negative consequences, such as tubal infertility or adverse pregnancy outcomes. Other sexually transmitted microorganisms, such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis, as well as normal residents of the vaginal flora, such as genital mycoplasmas, also negatively impact human sexual and reproductive health.

Presence and diversity of Chlamydiae bacteria in Spinturnix myoti, an ectoparasite of bats.

Chlamydia spp. and Chlamydia-like organisms are able to infect vertebrates such as mammals, reptiles and birds, but also arthropods and protozoans. Since they have been detected in bats and bat feces, we expected Chlamydiae bacteria to also be present in the mite Spinturnix myoti, an ectoparasite of mouse-eared bats (Myotis spp.

Nested Species Distribution Models of in Ixodes ricinus (Tick) Hosts in Switzerland.

The tick is the vector of various pathogens, including bacteria, which potentially cause respiratory infections. In this study, we modeled the spatial distribution of and associated over Switzerland from 2009 to 2019. We used a total of 2,293 ticks and 186 occurrences provided by a Swiss Army field campaign, a collaborative smartphone application, and a prospective campaign.

Prevalence and phylogeny of Chlamydiae and hemotropic mycoplasma species in captive and free-living bats.

Background: Bats are hosts for a variety of microorganisms, however, little is known about the presence of Chlamydiales and hemotropic mycoplasmas. This study investigated 475 captive and free-living bats from Switzerland, Germany, and Costa Rica for Chlamydiales and hemotropic mycoplasmas by PCR to determine the prevalence and phylogeny of these organisms.

Results: Screening for Chlamydiales resulted in a total prevalence of 31.

Phylogenomics reveal that Mycobacterium kansasii subtypes are species-level lineages. Description of Mycobacterium pseudokansasii sp. nov., Mycobacterium innocens sp. nov. and Mycobacterium attenuatum sp. nov.

Among the species Mycobacterium kansasii, seven subtypes have been previously reported based on the PCR and the restriction fragment length polymorphism of the gene hsp65. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing to refine M. kansasii taxonomy and correct multiple inconsistencies.

Sequencing the Obligate Intracellular Rhabdochlamydia helvetica within Its Tick Host Ixodes ricinus to Investigate Their Symbiotic Relationship.

The Rhabdochlamydiaceae family is one of the most widely distributed within the phylum Chlamydiae, but most of its members remain uncultivable. Rhabdochlamydia 16S rRNA was recently reported in more than 2% of 8,534 pools of ticks from Switzerland. Shotgun metagenomics was performed on a pool of five female Ixodes ricinus ticks presenting a high concentration of chlamydial DNA, allowing the assembly of a high-quality draft genome.

Antibodies to and reproductive health issues in women with SLE: a case-control study.

Background: SLE is an autoimmune condition affecting predominantly women. Little is known regarding infection in women with SLE, which may drive autoimmunity and contribute to obstetrical and vascular complications.

Methods: This single-centre, case-control study set primary endpoint in the comparative seropositivity rate to major outer membrane protein (MOMP) and chlamydial heat-shock protein-60 (cHSP60) in age-matched subjects.

Reduced Chlorine in Drinking Water Distribution Systems Impacts Bacterial Biodiversity in Biofilms.

In drinking water distribution systems (DWDS), a disinfectant residual is usually applied to limit bacterial regrowth. However, delivering water with no or reduced chlorine residual could potentially decrease the selection for antimicrobial resistant microorganisms, favor bacterial regrowth and result in changes in bacterial populations. To evaluate the feasibility of water reduction in local DWDS while ensuring water safety, water quality was measured over 2 months in two different networks, each of them harboring sub-areas with normal and reduced chlorine.

Neglected zoonotic agents in cattle abortion: tackling the difficult to grow bacteria.

Background: Coxiella burnetii, Chlamydia abortus and Leptospira spp. are difficult to grow bacteria that play a role in bovine abortion, but their diagnosis is hampered by their obligate intracellular lifestyle (C. burnetii, C.

The Anticancer Peptide TAT-RasGAP Exerts Broad Antimicrobial Activity.

Antibiotic resistance has become a major health issue. Nosocomial infections and the prevalence of resistant pathogenic bacterial strains are rising steadily. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new classes of antibiotics effective on multi-resistant nosocomial pathogenic bacteria.

Probiotic yogurt and acidified milk similarly reduce postprandial inflammation and both alter the gut microbiota of healthy, young men.

Probiotic yogurt and milk supplemented with probiotics have been investigated for their role in 'low-grade' inflammation but evidence for their efficacy is inconclusive. This study explores the impact of probiotic yogurt on metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers, with a parallel study of gut microbiota dynamics. The randomised cross-over study was conducted in fourteen healthy, young men to test probiotic yogurt compared with milk acidified with 2 % d-(+)-glucono-δ-lactone during a 2-week intervention (400 g/d).

β-Klotho deficiency protects against obesity through a crosstalk between liver, microbiota, and brown adipose tissue.

β-Klotho (encoded by Klb) is the obligate coreceptor mediating FGF21 and FGF15/19 signaling. Klb-/- mice are refractory to beneficial action of pharmacological FGF21 treatment including stimulation of glucose utilization and thermogenesis. Here, we investigated the energy homeostasis in Klb-/- mice on high-fat diet in order to better understand the consequences of abrogating both endogenous FGF15/19 and FGF21 signaling during caloric overload.

The high prevalence and diversity of Chlamydiales DNA within Ixodes ricinus ticks suggest a role for ticks as reservoirs and vectors of Chlamydia-related bacteria.

The Chlamydiales order is composed of nine families of strictly intracellular bacteria. Among them, Chlamydia trachomatis, C. pneumoniae, and C.

Prevalence and diversity of Chlamydiales in Swiss ruminant farms.

Chlamydia and Chlamydia-related bacteria are known to infect various organisms and may cause a wide range of diseases, especially in ruminants. To gain insight into the prevalence of these bacteria in the ruminant environment, we applied a pan-Chlamydiales PCR followed by sequencing to 72 ruminant environmental samples from water, feed bunks and floors. Chlamydiales from four family-level lineages were detected indicating a high biodiversity of Chlamydiales in ruminant farms.

Sequencing and characterizing the genome of Estrella lausannensis as an undergraduate project: training students and biological insights.

With the widespread availability of high-throughput sequencing technologies, sequencing projects have become pervasive in the molecular life sciences. The huge bulk of data generated daily must be analyzed further by biologists with skills in bioinformatics and by "embedded bioinformaticians," i.e.

A bovine model of a respiratory Parachlamydia acanthamoebae infection.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathogenicity of Parachlamydia (P.) acanthamoebae as a potential agent of lower respiratory tract disease in a bovine model of induced lung infection. Intrabronchial inoculation with P.

Presence of Chlamydiales DNA in ticks and fleas suggests that ticks are carriers of Chlamydiae.

The Chlamydiales order includes the Chlamydiaceae, Parachlamydiaceae, Waddliaceae, Simkaniaceae, Criblamydiaceae, Rhabdochlamydiaceae, Clavichlamydiaceae, and Piscichlamydiaceae families. Members of the Chlamydiales order are obligate intracellular bacteria that replicate within eukaryotic cells of different origins including humans, animals, and amoebae. Many of these bacteria are pathogens or emerging pathogens of both humans and animals, but their true diversity is largely underestimated, and their ecology remains to be investigated.

Discovery of new intracellular pathogens by amoebal coculture and amoebal enrichment approaches.

Intracellular pathogens such as legionella, mycobacteria and Chlamydia-like organisms are difficult to isolate because they often grow poorly or not at all on selective media that are usually used to cultivate bacteria. For this reason, many of these pathogens were discovered only recently or following important outbreaks. These pathogens are often associated with amoebae, which serve as host-cell and allow the survival and growth of the bacteria.