Poor Vector Competence of Fleas and the Evolution of Hypervirulence in<i>Yersinia pestis</i>

Lorange, Ellen A; Race, Brent; Sebbane, Florent; Hinnebusch, B. Joseph

doi:10.1086/429931

Cited by 227 publications

(269 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Further comparative genomics analyses confirmed a high degree of genomic identity between the two species (Chain et al 2004;Hinchliffe et al 2003;Zhou et al 2004). The close phylogenetic relationship of Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis implies that the change from a comparatively benign foodand water-borne enteric pathogen to a highly virulent, arthropod-borne systemic pathogen occurred quite recently in evolutionary terms and is based on relatively few genetic differences (Hinnebusch 1997;Lorange et al 2005). …”

Section: Y Pestis a Recently Emerged Clone Of Y Pseudotuberculosismentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Y. pestis does not adhere to or invade the midgut epithelium, putting it at risk of being eliminated in the feces because fleas feed and defecate frequently. In fact, up to half of X. cheopis rapidly clear themselves of infection in this way even after feeding on blood containing more than 10 8 Y. pestis per milliliter (Engelthaler et al 2000;Lorange et al 2005;Pollitzer 1954). Thus, the formation of multicellular aggregates that are too large to pass in the feces may be important to produce a stable infection.…”

Section: Characteristics Of the Y Pestis Transmissible Biofilm Produmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is likely that the infectious inoculum delivered by a flea consists of small clumps of Y. pestis that are associated with a complex ECM (Fig. 4) (Jarrett et al 2004;Lorange et al 2005). The Y. pestis virulence factors known to protect against innate immunity, such as the antiphagocytic F1 capsule and the Type III secretion system that delivers cytotoxic Yop proteins into innate immune cells, are not synthesized in the flea.…”

Section: Host Interfacementioning

confidence: 99%

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Yersinia pestis Biofilm in the Flea Vector and Its Role in the Transmission of Plague

Hinnebusch¹,

Erickson²

2008

Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology

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Transmission by fleabite is a relatively recent evolutionary adaptation of Yersinia pestis, the bacterial agent of bubonic plague. To produce a transmissible infection, Y. pestis grows as an attached biofilm in the foregut of the flea vector. Biofilm formation both in the flea foregut and in vitro is dependent on an extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesized by the Yersinia hms gene products. The hms genes are similar to the pga and ica genes of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively, that act to synthesize a poly-β-1,6-N-acetyl-dglucosamine ECM required for biofilm formation. As with extracellular polysaccharide production in many other bacteria, synthesis of the Hms-dependent ECM is controlled by intracellular levels of cyclic-di-GMP. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, the food-and water-borne enteric pathogen from which Y. pestis evolved recently, possesses identical hms genes and can form biofilm in vitro but not in the flea. The genetic changes in Y. pestis that resulted in adapting biofilm-forming capability to the flea gut environment, a critical step in the evolution of vector-borne transmission, have yet to be identified. During a flea bite, Y. pestis is regurgitated into the dermis in a unique biofilm phenotype, and this has implications for the initial interaction with the mammalian innate immune response.

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Section: Y Pestis a Recently Emerged Clone Of Y Pseudotuberculosismentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Characteristics Of the Y Pestis Transmissible Biofilm Produmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Host Interfacementioning

confidence: 99%

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Yersinia pestis Biofilm in the Flea Vector and Its Role in the Transmission of Plague

Hinnebusch¹,

Erickson²

2008

Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology

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“…Based on estimates of the reproductive value of plague (Lorange et al, 2005;Eisen et al, 2006;Salkeld et al, 2010), we hypothesize that a minimum effective vaccination rate of 50% of prairie dogs in a colony may be necessary to achieve a level of herd immunity that would control enzootic plague and prevent epizootics (Fine et al, 2011). However, striving for higher bait uptake rates ($80%) by prairie dogs may be critical for a successful vaccination program because of imperfect immunization efficacy demonstrated in the laboratory (Rocke et al, 2010; T.E.R., unpubl.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Season and Application Rates Affect Vaccine Bait Consumption by Prairie Dogs in Colorado and Utah, Usa

Tripp

Rocke

Streich

et al. 2014

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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ABSTRACT:Plague, a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, causes high rates of mortality in prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.). An oral vaccine against plague has been developed for prairie dogs along with a palatable bait to deliver vaccine and a biomarker to track bait consumption. We conducted field trials between September 2009 and September 2012 to develop recommendations for bait distribution to deliver plague vaccine to prairie dogs. The objectives were to evaluate the use of the biomarker, rhodamine B, in field settings to compare bait distribution strategies, to compare uptake of baits distributed at different densities, to assess seasonal effects on bait uptake, and to measure bait uptake by nontarget small mammal species. Rhodamine B effectively marked prairie dogs' whiskers during these field trials. To compare bait distribution strategies, we applied baits around active burrows or along transects at densities of 32, 65, and 130 baits/ha. Distributing baits at active burrows or by transect did not affect uptake by prairie dogs. Distributing baits at rates of $65/ha (or $1 bait/active burrow) produced optimal uptake, and bait uptake by prairie dogs in the autumn was superior to uptake in the spring. Six other species of small mammals consumed baits during these trials. All four species of tested prairie dogs readily consumed the baits, demonstrating that vaccine uptake will not be an obstacle to plague control via oral vaccination.

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“…However, low-efficiency vectors may be important to the spread of plague if they are common in the environment Lechleitner et al, 1968;Eisen et al, 2006). Indeed, flea abundance is positively related to the vector potential for plague for a given flea species (Krasnov et al, 2006), and abundance and prevalence of flea species is an important determinant of Y. pestis transmission (Lorange, 2005;Eisen et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flea Abundance, Diversity, and Plague in Gunnison's Prairie Dogs (Cynomys Gunnisoni) and Their Burrows in Montane Grasslands in Northern New Mexico

Friggens

Parmenter

Boyden

et al. 2010

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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ABSTRACT:Plague, a flea-transmitted infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is a primary threat to the persistence of prairie dog populations (Cynomys spp.). We conducted a 3-yr survey (2004)(2005)(2006) of fleas from Gunnison's prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) and their burrows in montane grasslands in Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico. Our objectives were to describe flea communities and identify flea and rodent species important to the maintenance of plague. We live-trapped prairie dogs and conducted burrow sweeps at three colonies in spring and summer of each year. One hundred thirty prairie dogs and 51 goldenmantled ground squirrels (Spermophilus lateralis) were captured over 3,640 trap nights and 320 burrows were swabbed for fleas. Five flea species were identified from prairie dogs and ground squirrels and four were identified from burrow samples. Oropsylla hirsuta was the most abundant species found on prairie dogs and in burrows. We found a significant surge in flea abundance and prevalence, particularly within burrows, following plague exposure. We noted an increased tendency for flea exchange opportunities in the spring before O. hirsuta reached its peak population. We hypothesize that the role of burrows as a site of flea exchange, particularly between prairie dogs and ground squirrels, may be as important as summer conditions that lead to buildup in O. hirsuta populations for determining plague outbreaks.

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Poor Vector Competence of Fleas and the Evolution of Hypervirulence inYersinia pestis

Cited by 227 publications

References 35 publications

Yersinia pestis Biofilm in the Flea Vector and Its Role in the Transmission of Plague

Yersinia pestis Biofilm in the Flea Vector and Its Role in the Transmission of Plague

Season and Application Rates Affect Vaccine Bait Consumption by Prairie Dogs in Colorado and Utah, Usa

Flea Abundance, Diversity, and Plague in Gunnison's Prairie Dogs (Cynomys Gunnisoni) and Their Burrows in Montane Grasslands in Northern New Mexico

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