J Med Microbiol 57 (2008), 15-20; DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.47544-0
© 2008 Society for General Microbiology
ISSN 1473-5644
Evaluation of in vitro virulence characteristics of the genus Pandoraea in lung epithelial cells
Emma Caraher1,
Jonathan Collins2,3,
Gillian Herbert1,
Philip G. Murphy2,3,
Charles G. Gallagher4,
Mary J. Crowe4,
Máire Callaghan1 and
Siobhán McClean1
1 Department of Applied Science and National Institute of Cellular Biotechnology, Institute of Technology, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland
2 Adelaide, Meath and National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland
3 Department of Clinical Microbiology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
4 St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
Correspondence
Siobhán McClean
siobhan.mcclean{at}ittdublin.ie
Received 31 July 2007
Accepted 21 September 2007
Pandoraea species are emerging opportunistic pathogens capable of causing chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. This study examined the interactions of 17 Pandoraea isolates from the five identified species (Pandoraea apista, Pandoraea norimbergensis, Pandoraea pulmonicula, Pandoraea sputorum and Pandoraea pnomenusa) plus two Pandoraea genomospecies isolates with lung epithelial cells and their ability to form biofilms in vitro. Only three isolates showed an ability to invade A549 lung epithelial cells, and only one isolate was able to form biofilms. In contrast, all isolates triggered a pronounced pro-inflammatory response, with elevation of both interleukin (IL)-6 (two- to 19-fold) and IL-8 (10- to 50-fold) above that observed for a control strain of Escherichia coli. This property is likely to be a major factor in the pathogenesis of the genus.
Abbreviations: Bcc, Burkholderia cepacia complex; CF, cystic fibrosis; IL, interleukin; MBC, minimum bactericidal concentration.
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J. D. Pimentel and C. MacLeod
Misidentification of Pandoraea sputorum Isolated from Sputum of a Patient with Cystic Fibrosis and Review of Pandoraea Species Infections in Transplant Patients
J. Clin. Microbiol.,
September 1, 2008;
46(9):
3165 - 3168.
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