| Summary: | <i>Estrella lausannensis</i>, a <i>Chlamydia</i>-related bacterium isolated from a Spanish river, is considered as a possible emerging human pathogen. Indeed, it was recently demonstrated to multiply in human macrophages, resisting oxidative burst and causing a strong cytopathic effect. In addition, a preliminary study highlighted a correlation between antibody response to <i>E. lausannensis</i> and pneumonia in children. To clarify the pathogenic potential of these bacteria, we infected a human pneumocyte cell line with <i>E. lausannensis</i> and assessed its replication and cytopathic effect using quantitative real-time PCR and immunofluorescence, as well as confocal and electron microscopy. Our results demonstrated that <i>E. lausannensis</i> enters and replicates rapidly in human pneumocytes, and that it causes a prompt lysis of the host cells. Furthermore, we reported the spontaneous formation of aberrant bodies, a form associated with persistence in <i>Chlamydiae</i>, suggesting that <i>E. lausannensis</i> infection could cause chronic disorders in humans.
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