Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice.
Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A) and holarctica (type B) are of clinical importance in causing tularemia. Molecular typing methods have further separated type A strains into three genetically distinct clades, A1a, A1b and A2. Epidemiological analyses of human infections in the U...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2010-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2855709?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1819036174504689664 |
|---|---|
| author | Claudia R Molins Mark J Delorey Brook M Yockey John W Young Sarah W Sheldon Sara M Reese Martin E Schriefer Jeannine M Petersen |
| author_facet | Claudia R Molins Mark J Delorey Brook M Yockey John W Young Sarah W Sheldon Sara M Reese Martin E Schriefer Jeannine M Petersen |
| author_sort | Claudia R Molins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A) and holarctica (type B) are of clinical importance in causing tularemia. Molecular typing methods have further separated type A strains into three genetically distinct clades, A1a, A1b and A2. Epidemiological analyses of human infections in the United States suggest that A1b infections are associated with a significantly higher mortality rate as compared to infections caused by A1a, A2 and type B. To determine if genetic differences as defined by molecular typing directly correlate with differences in virulence, A1a, A1b, A2 and type B strains were compared in C57BL/6 mice. Here we demonstrate significant differences between survival curves for infections caused by A1b versus A1a, A2 and type B, with A1b infected mice dying earlier than mice infected with A1a, A2 or type B; these results were conserved among multiple strains. Differences were also detected among type A clades as well as between type A clades and type B with respect to bacterial burdens, and gross anatomy in infected mice. Our results indicate that clades defined within F. tularensis subsp. tularensis by molecular typing methods correlate with virulence differences, with A1b strains more virulent than A1a, A2 and type B strains. These findings indicate type A strains are not equivalent with respect to virulence and have important implications for public health as well as basic research programs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:01:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1489d26431dc4df8bfeb8730bdfad2e4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:01:20Z |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-1489d26431dc4df8bfeb8730bdfad2e42022-12-21T19:10:54ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032010-01-0154e1020510.1371/journal.pone.0010205Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice.Claudia R MolinsMark J DeloreyBrook M YockeyJohn W YoungSarah W SheldonSara M ReeseMartin E SchrieferJeannine M PetersenFrancisella tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A) and holarctica (type B) are of clinical importance in causing tularemia. Molecular typing methods have further separated type A strains into three genetically distinct clades, A1a, A1b and A2. Epidemiological analyses of human infections in the United States suggest that A1b infections are associated with a significantly higher mortality rate as compared to infections caused by A1a, A2 and type B. To determine if genetic differences as defined by molecular typing directly correlate with differences in virulence, A1a, A1b, A2 and type B strains were compared in C57BL/6 mice. Here we demonstrate significant differences between survival curves for infections caused by A1b versus A1a, A2 and type B, with A1b infected mice dying earlier than mice infected with A1a, A2 or type B; these results were conserved among multiple strains. Differences were also detected among type A clades as well as between type A clades and type B with respect to bacterial burdens, and gross anatomy in infected mice. Our results indicate that clades defined within F. tularensis subsp. tularensis by molecular typing methods correlate with virulence differences, with A1b strains more virulent than A1a, A2 and type B strains. These findings indicate type A strains are not equivalent with respect to virulence and have important implications for public health as well as basic research programs.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2855709?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Claudia R Molins Mark J Delorey Brook M Yockey John W Young Sarah W Sheldon Sara M Reese Martin E Schriefer Jeannine M Petersen Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice. PLoS ONE |
| title | Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice. |
| title_full | Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice. |
| title_fullStr | Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice. |
| title_short | Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice. |
| title_sort | virulence differences among francisella tularensis subsp tularensis clades in mice |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2855709?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT claudiarmolins virulencedifferencesamongfrancisellatularensissubsptularensiscladesinmice AT markjdelorey virulencedifferencesamongfrancisellatularensissubsptularensiscladesinmice AT brookmyockey virulencedifferencesamongfrancisellatularensissubsptularensiscladesinmice AT johnwyoung virulencedifferencesamongfrancisellatularensissubsptularensiscladesinmice AT sarahwsheldon virulencedifferencesamongfrancisellatularensissubsptularensiscladesinmice AT saramreese virulencedifferencesamongfrancisellatularensissubsptularensiscladesinmice AT martineschriefer virulencedifferencesamongfrancisellatularensissubsptularensiscladesinmice AT jeanninempetersen virulencedifferencesamongfrancisellatularensissubsptularensiscladesinmice |